The narcissists at Capitol Climate Action say their anti-coal protest at the Capitol Power Plant will go on today, despite the weather. From a blog post, “Snow is no wet blanket.”

We’re up and at ‘em here at headquarters. We pushed through the snow, got into the office early, and immediately started taking phone calls from media wanting to know if the event is still on. Of course it’s still on! We expect 2,500 dedicated activists to stand tall at the Capitol Power Plant and demonstrate that the course of history bends toward progress. Make sure to follow the day right here as it unfolds.

Don’t forget you can email me or leave comments on the web site. My email is dkessler@greenpeace.org.

Meanwhile, here’s some interesting reading for you as you sip your coffee.

Schwarzenegger declares California drought state of emergency
Farmers worry as parts of Texas are driest in US
Drought bad for wheat

Drought bad for wheat! Well, that’s breaking news.

One gathers from the links that the Capitol Climate Action blogger attributes the droughts to global warming. But that’s a pretty dumb unpersuasive argument to make on a snowy day in Washington at the end of an unusually cold winter.

Meanwhile, the increasingly erratic James Hansen of NASA issues a “call to action” against coal in a video  posted at the blog, headlined, “Dr. James Hansen on coal, civil disobedience.”

On a day when snow has turned the roads slippery and police have other things to worry about — like public safety! — trying to get yourself arrested for the cameras is just self-indulgent disregard for your fellow humans.

NASA employee and increasingly erratic climate scold James Hansen recently called for ratcheting up the level of protests against energy production, just in time for Monday’s rally at the Capitol Hill power plant. And in just in time for the biggest snow storm in three years.

From Fox News:

In a video on capitolclimateaction.org, Dr. James Hansen is seen urging Americans to “take a stand on global warming” during the March 2 protest at the Capitol Power Plant in Southeast Washington, D.C.

“We need to send a message to Congress and the president that we want them to take the actions that are needed to preserve climate for young people and future generations and all life on the planet,” says Hansen, who has likened coal-fired power plants to “factories of death” and claims he was muzzled by the Bush administration when he warned of drastic climate changes.

“What has become clear from the science is that we cannot burn all of the fossil fuels without creating a very different planet. The only practical way to solve the problem is to phase out the biggest source of carbon — and that’s coal.”

But critics say Hansen’s latest call to action blurs the line between astronomer and activist and may violate the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from participating in partisan political activity.

“Oh my goodness,” one of Hansen’s former supervisors, Dr. John Theon, told FOXNews.com when informed of the video. “I’m not surprised … The fact that Jim Hansen has gone off the deep end here is sad because he’s a good fellow.”

The Climate Action website proclaims “Mass Civil Disobediance at the Coal-Fired CAPITOL POWER PLANT.” Good thing the site has an illustration of Gandhi along with all the riling/rallying. Too bad today’s protesters have only a passing acquaintance with the theory of civil disobedience, tending to whine when they go too far and are arrested. “But we mean well!” Really? By eliminating 50 percent of the power generation in the United States?

Moot point, perhaps, as the National Weather Service announces:

A Winter Storm Warning For Snow Remains In Effect From 2 PM This Afternoon To 2 PM EST Monday For The District Of Columbia…And Areas Of Maryland And Northern Virginia East Of The Blue Ridge.
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Last week we congratulated Dominion Power for being granted an air quality permit that will allow a coal-fired power plant to be constructed in Wise County, Virginia. Goodness knows the region needs the electricity.

Naturally, a group of young protesters tried to block Dominion’s headquarters this morning, so it’s clear we’ve got another cause celebre for the silly self-righteous. The rhetoric from some of the “youth” as posted at the It’s Getting Hot in Here website is revealingly silly, self-righteous and yet ultimately totalitarian.

Non-violent direct actions against coal-fired power plants and mountaintop removal coal mining are increasing this year as it becomes more and more apparent that challenging the plants legally, legislatively and in the regulatory process are only parts of the strategy and that radical action is needed as well.

Earlier this year, U.S. based-activists engaged in civil disobedience actions in Boston, New York, North Carolina and Richmond in protest of coal and coal finance. Earlier this month, U.K. activists stopped and occupied a coal train headed to the Drax power plant for combustion.

Last week, Dr. James Hanson [sic], NASA’s climate scientist, called for “radical steps” to stop the “perfect storm” of catastrophic climate chaos.

In the spirit of Dr. Hanson’s call to action, BREF! and Mountain Justice’s message was loud and clear this morning: “We Won’t Stop Until You Do.”

Until we stop, what? Consuming electricity? Emitting carbon dioxide? Driving to work on Monday?

So interesting to see the self-promoting NASA scientist James Hansen rise even further in prominence. Last week he was calling for criminal trials against energy company executives, and now he’s providing the intellectual basis for monkeywrenching.

NASA scientist…NASA scientist….hmmm….radical theorist. Radical theorist James Hansen. Works for us.

UPDATE (5:30 p.m.): Richmond Times-Dispatch story: “[Hannah] Morgan said each protester was charged with obstruction of justice and interference with an emergency vehicle. ‘We are working hard to have these charges dropped,’ she said today.” Typical of this new era of protester, not even willing to face the consequences of their actions. Apparently they don’t understand that the seriousness of one’s cause demands real sacrifice by the individual actor; just inconveniencing someone else lacks moral weight. Haven’t they read Thoreau?

NASA climate scientist James Hansen is so publicity hungry that he has to inject more and more outrageousness into the public debate about global warming just to maintain the buzz. Readying himself for a Rep. Ed Markey-arranged gathering, Hansen declared, “CEOs of fossil energy companies know what they are doing and are aware of long-term consequences of continued business as usual. In my opinion, these CEOs should be tried for high crimes against humanity and nature.” Hansen mentioned ExxonMobil and Peabody Coal CEO specifically.

Vic Svec, senior vice president for Peabody, responded with a few observations in a note to the New York Times. Excerpts:

1. His use of Holocaust analogies is outrageous and demeaning. It cheapens the dialogue and invites ridicule.

2. The suggestion that a dissemination of ideas be criminalized –- coming from a government employee no less –- does hearken back to World War II. It is stunning and should be pounced upon by everyone who advocates free speech, from the ACLU and talk radio complex to yourself.

3. Blaming big oil and big coal for the broad array of opinions about climate change is disingenuous. If he would imprison those who don’t march in lockstep with his views, the jails would be very, very big. It would include thousands of scientists and university professors and the likes of the president of the Czech Republic, a former founder of Greenpeace and the former founder of The Weather Channel.

Svec adds mention of Peabody’s increased efficiency and environmental sensitivity, including the reduction of greenhouse gases.

If you fancy yourself the brave teller of truth, the apotheosis of science, a bringer of insight available only to a Ph.D., it might get frustrating when people say, “No, I disagree with you.”

But when out of frustration you start to call people criminals, you’ve lost claim to be taken seriously. At that point…fanaticism.

NASA scientist James Hansen, speaking at a political event at the House of Representatives on Monday, one orchestrated by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA):

CEOs of fossil energy companies know what they are doing and are aware of long-term consequences of continued business as usual. In my opinion, these CEOs should be tried for high crimes against humanity and nature.

Conviction of ExxonMobil and Peabody Coal CEOs will be no consolation, if we pass on a runaway climate to our children. Humanity would be impoverished by ravages of continually shifting shorelines and intensification of regional climate extremes. Loss of countless species would leave a more desolate planet.

You know, Hansen, maybe you’re wrong.

And you may also be encouraging the less balanced in the world to do something really fanatical and really criminal.

P.S. Odd in the NYT blog post, as if the reporter was trying to ingratiate himself: “The remark was not tossed off and is much more fully fleshed out in the written statement. (With his permission, I’ve added added the statement to the bottom of this post).”

Why would the reporter ask permission? Hansen’s a public figure making a statement at a public event. Would one ask permission from the CEO of ExxonMobil and Peabody Coal?

P.P.S. More from Walter Olson at Point of Law.