Professor duped

University of Western Australia Winthrop Professor and Australian Professorial Fellow Stephan Lewandowsky might well be an eminently qualified psychologist but he doesn't understand the meaning of "sock puppet", misapplying the term to satirical blogger and Lewandowsky-duper Alene Composta.

Embarrassed at being duped by the non-existent Composta, Lewandowsky lashes out at those who doubt climate scientists:

Of course, comment sections are abused by more than just sock puppets, but they are also often abusive, especially for scientists and others who are engaged in the climate change arena.

For example, some fellow Australian professors who rely on the peer-reviewed literature to inform their opinions have been likened to Pol Pot, Stalin, and Hitler. In the U.S., climate scientists have had to endure death threats by email as well as dead rats in the (physical) mail. And to top it off, as reported by Clive Hamilton, an Australian activist has received email that talked of "brutal gang-rape" and "horrible torture" of her children.

Notice the seamless segue from the "abuse" of "scientists and others who are engaged in the climate change arena" to "abuse" directed at an unnamed "Australian activist" who was on the receiving end of this:

Climate campaigners have also noticed a surge in the frequency and virulence of this new form of cyber-bullying. The following was received by a young woman (who asked that her name not be used):

"Did you want to offer your children to be brutally gang-raped and then horribly tortured before being reminded of their parents socialist beliefs and actions?

"Burn in hell. Or in the main street, when the Australian public finally lynchs you."

Harsh words true enough but removed from context it's impossible to know if the activist might have deserved the comment. And in view of the Left's current rampage in London, such comments are not always unwarranted.

The bottom line: Lewandowsky was sucked in by a fraud and very much regrets it.