Harrison Ford: 'We’ve got people in charge of important sh*t who don’t believe in science'
Harrison Ford may be Hollywood's most entertaining grumpy, old man. His penchant for blunt real talk, especially on topics he cares about, is downright refreshing.
Such was the case on Thursday night when Ford received an award from the environmental non-profit group, Conservation International. The actor used his acceptance speech that night to dish out some pointed criticism of Donald Trump and his misfit team of climate change skeptics.
"We face an unprecedented moment in this country. Today’s greatest threat is not climate change, not pollution, not flood or fire," Ford said (via The Hollywood Reporter). "It’s that we’ve got people in charge of important shit who don’t believe in science."
Preach.
Ford went on to bemoan the Trump administration's focus on putting political and economic interests ahead of all other concerns. The problem there, of course, is that real, verifiable science has already made clear that the planet is at risk.
"I’m here tonight for one reason: I care deeply for the natural world. It’s not about me, it’s not about me at all, it’s about this other world we’re going to leave behind," Ford said.
"If we don’t stop the destruction of nature, nothing else will matter. Jobs won’t matter, our economies won’t matter, our freedoms and ethics won’t matter, our children’s education and potential won’t matter, peace, prosperity. If we end the ability of a healthy natural world to sustain humanity nothing else will matter, simply said."
Ford's "people in charge of important shit who don't believe in science" criticism is especially compelling now, in the face of a federally mandated report released on Friday that confirms what non-Trumpers already knew: climate change is real, and it's primarily the product of human behavior.
It would be funny if this weren't the kind of stuff that spells doom for us all down the road.
Ford currently serves as vice chair on the board of Conservation International, a group he's worked with for decades. The non-profit organization works with conservationists around the world, and in a variety of fields, with the goal of working with businesses and communities to protect nature.
Topics Activism Donald Trump
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
