Greenpeace: The End Justifies the Means

We recently posted about about an ad, from Greenpeace, U.K, titled “Blair Blows Bush.”

It is, we explained, exactly like it sounds. We opined that:

. . . we think it’s a window into a culture where standards of civility simply don’t apply, because those with different political positions have been demonized.

Orbusmax blog did a follow-up, and printed a response that Greenpeace U.K. sent to an irate person who wrote to complain. Perhaps the most revealing paragraph said the following:

Greenpeace has never shied away from controversy. Our tactics are often condemned as extremist or alarmist, though history has proven us justified in our alarm again and again. We’re a textbook case of an organisation which puts the needs of the planet in front of any concerns about our reputation or good manners. We draw attention to causes which need attention, by whatever non-violent means we can.

Translation: “the end justifies the means.”

Alternate translation: “we are in the right, so the normal standards of civility don’t apply to us.”

Of course, if a bunch of people have such poor judgment on matters of political tactics, and so few moral compunctions about smearing their political opponents, what are the odds that their views on environmental matters should be taken seriously?