Behind the Carbon Curtain : The Energy Industry, Political Censorship, and Free Speech

Exploring censorship imposed by corporate wealth and power, this book focuses on the energy industry in Wyoming, where coal, oil, and gas are pillars of the economy. The author examines how governmental bodies and public institutions have suppressed the expression of ideas that conflict with the financial interests of those who profit from fossil fuels. He reveals the ways in which university administrations, art museums, education boards, and research institutes have been coerced into destroying artwork, abandoning studies, modifying curricula, and firing employees. His book is an eloquent story of the conflict between private wealth and free speech. Providing more of the nation's energy than any other state, Wyoming is a sociopolitical lens that magnifies the conflicts in the American West. But the issues are relevant to any community that is dependent on a dominant industry--and wherever the liberties of citizens and the ethics of public officials are at risk. "Exploring censorship imposed by corporate wealth and power, this book focuses on the energy industry in Wyoming, where coal, oil, and gas are pillars of the economy. The author examines how governmental bodies and public institutions have suppressed the expression of ideas that conflict with the financial interests of those who profit from fossil fuels. He reveals the ways in which university administrations, art museums, education boards, and research institutes have been coerced into destroying artwork, abandoning studies, modifying curricula, and firing employees. His book is a ... story of the conflict between private wealth and free speech. Providing more of the nation's energy than any other state, Wyoming is a sociopolitical lens that magnifies the conflicts in the American West. But the issues are relevant to any community that is dependent on a dominant industry--and wherever the liberties of citizens and the ethics of public officials are at risk"--Back cover Front Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Foreword Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: Wyoming as a Lens into America The Case of the Scuttling of Carbon Sink 1: The Art of Making People Think—and Industries Mad 2: Destroying Art to Preserve Political Privilege 3: Paying the Price for Free Speech The Case of Shoot the Messenger 4: Science Fails to Mind Its Own Business 5: Reloaded and Fired Again The Case of the Carbon County Controversy 6: Silencing Dissent in Coal Country 7: Corporate Coercion and Public Courage The Case of an Epitaph for Photographs 8: A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words—or a Million Bucks 9: Give Us Liberty or Give Us Oil The Case of an Atmosphere of Fear and Silence 10: Where the Skies Are Smoggy All Day 11: The Calculated Absence of Evidence From Wyoming to the World: The Future of Censorship 12: The Death of Free Speech: Finding the Killer 13: For Sale: Free Speech Epilogue Notes Index Back Cover Introduction The art of making people think, and industries mad Destroying art to preserve political privilege Paying the price for free speech Science fails to mind its own business Reloaded and fired again Silencing dissent in coal country Corporate coercion and public courage A picture is worth a thousand words, or a million bucks Give us liberty or give us oil Where the skies are smoggy all day The calculated absence of evidence The death of free speech : finding the killer For sale : free speech Epilogue.