What's In a Name?

Ed Driscoll cites from a piece written by Roger Kimball concerning his expectation that the piety expressed by the environmental movement back in the 60's was so ridiculous that it would soon fade.

After all, what’s easier, more fashionable, more excruciatingly politically correct than “being green”? Longtime readers know that I am fond of Harvey Mansfield’s formulation that “environmentalism is school prayer for liberals.” Most people chuckle when I quote that (you see what troglodytes I hang about with), but the humor has a sharper edge than I’d originally realized...

How wrong I was. I knew in the abstract that being ridiculous is no bar to public prominence. Consider: Al Gore, former Vice-President and Nobel Laureate. Al Sharpton, king maker and presidential candidate. Al Franken, U.S. Senator. And that’s just people whose first name is “Al.”

But although it is clear that something can easily be both ridiculous and prominent, somehow I underestimated the staying power of environmentalism.

Two observations:

1) I never knew that Lance hung out with Roger Kimball.

2) What is with the name 'Al?' Kimball mentioned Al Gore, Al Sharpton, and Al Franken, but he could also have mentioned Al Capone, Al Qaeda, and Al Jazeera, Al Roker, and Al Yankovic.