A Long and Rambling, Boring Diatribe Regarding That Offensive Subject of Global Warming

I will likely regret bringing this up, and I'm disappointed in advance that it will be considered a "political" post because it's anything but that. This subject isn't important enough to raise anyone's ire, to make someone's head explode, etc. But this is merely, simply, an honest curiosity I have. I'm increasingly fascinated by a common thread of thought regarding global warming. Right now it's unusually cold in many places, it's snowing in strange and crazy places---New Orleans, Houston, etc.---and it's just COLD, right? So over and over I hear or read the comment, "Where's the global warming??" Often this is accompanied by a healthy dose of snickering. Which, like I said, I find fascinating. Also, in my initial ignorance, I didn't realize the bodies of thought are neatly split down political lines: Left believes; Right mocks. Those seem to be the two main players. I imagine there are plenty who trickle in somewhere in between on either side.

Here are some of the intriguing parts to me:

1) I don't remember anyone ever saying that global warming means we're all going to be dying of heat. As I understand it--correct me if I'm wrong--global warming refers to climate change. It increases extreme weather events: hot, cold, rain, snow, tornado, hurricane, etc. Global warming is about climate sensitivity and weather changes, etc.; not: "no one's ever going to need a coat again."

2) Why are some people so violently opposed to the idea of global warming? It's like a personal offense against them, as though the entire world is saying in a loud and ominous, booming voice: "It's YOUR fault that this is happening. YOU ALONE are responsible." Why does this evoke such a visceral reaction?

3) Why is it so hard to imagine that years and years of pollution could have had an adverse effect on our environment? Why is it so crazy to imagine that we as humans and inhabitants of this earth could possibly have contributed to a less-than-stellar environment? Is it so unreasonable to think, "Wow, hey, it looks like there's a possibility that some damage has been done to good ole Mother Earth and some of it can possibly be attributed to (*gasp*) humans, so hey---let's all pitch in a little and alter our routines slightly and see if we can maybe undo some of this, or at least not continue to make it worse"?? Is that really so far-out there? Is it really so Al Gore? Can't it just be we're-all-in-this-together?

4) And if there's absolutely no such thing, is it really so bad to try to be more environmentally-friendly anyway? I know that there are dollar signs involved, and that's what makes a lot of people mad. Especially if you don't believe there IS such a thing as global warming, it seems like throwing money away. But I guess I can't figure out how it's such a far-out idea that maybe pollution is bad and maybe we should try to breathe cleaner air. Just as one example.

So I'm a bit confused. I'm always somewhat taken aback by the complete derision I sometimes hear regarding global warming---and I understand now, I understand that it's mostly political. I guess I get it. But seriously. Isn't it a tiny bit like maybe burying our heads in the sand? Maybe? I mean, what if (a wee wee tiny possibility, I know), what if it's...........

true?