House Majority Whip: Climate Change Hurts Blacks More

I heard of the idea of environmental racism where people might dump any polluting factory or waste near black communities. Now I just have to wonder if Rep. James Clybourn (D-South Carolina) is serious and what facts he has to back this up...

Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue. It’s now an issue of race, according to global warming activists and policy makers.

“It is critical our community be an integral and active part of the debate because African-Americans are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change economically, socially and through our health and well-being,” House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., said July 29.

Clyburn spoke at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to help launch the Commission to Engage African-Americans on Climate Change, a project of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.

The launch came on the heels of a separate report by the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative (EJCC), which claims African-Americans are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change. EJCC describes itself as a “climate justice” advocacy group.

“Though far less responsible for climate change, African-Americans are significantly more vulnerable to its effects than non-Hispanic whites,” the report says. “Health, housing, economic well-being, culture, and social stability are harmed from such manifestations of climate change as storms, floods, and climate variability.

“African-Americans are also more vulnerable to higher energy bills, unemployment, recessions caused by global energy price shocks, and a greater economic burden from military operations designed to protect the flow of oil to the U.S,” it says.

When I was younger and perhaps less informed perhaps I could have believed this. These days I take it with a grain of salt. I may not to a lot of research, but I also understand that there is disagreement on global climate change.

That being said why must blacks be singled out as being affected by this? Why does he think that blacks would be more affected by climate change? He cited some good reasons but why stop at one race?

If you're poor might you be more affected by a natural disaster? All blacks aren't poor and can probably manage higher utility bills.

Wait, perhaps this is about spreading the idea of blacks as victims? I should be insulted!