Andrew Smith is worried about "plundering the moon."

It's a theme that I've discussed (and shot down) in the past. And read the comments section in his Guardian piece--it's chock full of anthrophobic moon battery.

Wretchard comments:

Today, for the first time in human history, man can look forward to spreading into truly virgin territory. To go where no man has ever gone before; and consequently where no man ever need be displaced from his abode. The words "we come in peace for all mankind" may have fallen unheard upon the lunar rocks. But the words still have meaning to a mankind trapped not only upon Earth but within his history. If Marxism was a project to bring History to an end in the near future, Environmentalism is an attempt to freeze History in the distant past. Not for the benefit of mankind, nor even when you come to think of it, for Nature -- unless man is excluded from the account -- but for the sake of having the power to end history on their terms.

They will not succeed and man will go on. No less than the trees and stars we have a right to be here.

Speaking of Marx, here's an interesting theory on how he came up with such an inhuman philosophy:

Sam Shuster, professor of dermatology at the University of East Anglia, believes the revolutionary thinker had hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in which the apocrine sweat glands -- found mainly in the armpits and groin -- become blocked and inflamed.

"In addition to reducing his ability to work, which contributed to his depressing poverty, hidradenitis greatly reduced his self-esteem," said Shuster, who published his findings in the British Journal of Dermatology.

"This explains his self-loathing and alienation, a response reflected by the alienation Marx developed in his writing."

Of course, it doesn't explain why so many less dermatologically challenged people bought (and continue to buy) into it.

[Via Thomas James, who has some additional thoughts]

And of course Hitler had only one testicle and used the Blitzkrieg to bolster his doubtful manliness.

Then again, they just might have been evil bastards to start with.

I'm not sure what to call them since they're more than just environmentalists or luddites. But my take is that those who would protect the Moon from human interference will not decide the issue. They're too weak and the claim is too outrageous. It'll be interesting, no doubt to some historian of the distant future, whether this belief survives or is mirrored off of the Earth. That is, is it a provincial belief of some relatively well off people of Earth, or does it reflect some more universal fear?

We should join the Moon bats and call for Lunar park rangers armed with court orders to set up surveillance, a park station, and begin restoration of the Moon to its natural habitat. And protect all of those endangered species--of rock?--out there.

Very strange...I've said many times, with regard to mining Lunar resources, that we often say a strip mine (or similar) makes an area 'look like the surface of the Moon.'

Why not instead use...the surface of the Moon?

For some materials, the asteroids may be bette still, but I suppose the Luddite argument will extend to those as well.

What a load of crap!

I really wish we could summarily execute all those who want to legislate for things that do not exist yet!

The rule of law ALWAYS follows explorers, it CANNOT PRECEDE them. The only thing we have to live by is our sense of ethics and morality. Some pioneers have more of these qualities than others.

The first people to land on the Moon as long stay folk will use the local materials and the environment to help them survive with the eventual intention of becoming self-sufficient. No one can stop this outward progress, it is simply in our genes to explore. How we react to completely alien situations is up to us and not someone sitting comfortably back here on Earth.

If you want to subject me to your "rule of law" ideas the very least you can do is come out here after me. Your ideas may change along the way!

"If you want to subject me to your "rule of law" ideas the very least you can do is come out here after me.
Posted by Andy Clark at October 30, 2007 04:18 PM"

With this one little comment Andy unknowingly set the thesis of lunar colonist diplomacy which unwittingly set forth a chain of events that led to the Terra-Luna War of 2083.

I noticed that this is an article in the UK Guardian newspaper. The Guardian is so far left and so delusional that I no longer click on any link to it when the "www.guardian.co.uk..." shows up in the bottom of my browser.

You know what, "moon bats" does indeed seem a very appropriate label for this belief system.

Andrew Smith is worried about "plundering the moon."

Well, then, I confess, it is my intention to commandeer one of these ships, pick up a crew in Tortuga, raid, pillage, plunder and otherwise pilfer my weasely black guts out.

(source)

While I can condone lunar raiding, pillaging, and plundering, lunar pilfering is out.