“The idea of human induced global climate change is one of the greatest hoaxes perpetrated out of the scientific community. It is a hoax.” (C-SPAN)

It’s a hot issue born out of debate over America’s Waxman Markey Climate Change Bill also known as the Cap and Trade bill.

The New York Times columnist Paul Krugman says those who deny climate change should be tried for treason. Here’s a segment of the column that has world media outlets talking…

“… if you watched the debate on Friday…What you saw…were people who show no sign of being interested in the truth. They don’t like the political and policy implications of climate change, so they’ve decided not to believe in it — and they’ll grab any argument, no matter how disreputable, that feeds their denial.”

Our research shows theirs a debate brewing over how climate skeptics should be branded.

The Guardian responded to Krugman’s attack in its Environmental blog headlining ‘Why climate change deniers love to hear they are committing treason.’

“They love to see themselves as brave victims of McCarthyism, standing up against a wave of pseudo-scientific indoctrination.”

The Christian Science Monitor highlights the Guardian response adding it’s like climate change deniers see themselves as “brave, ‘truth’-welding Galileo’s.”

And FOX News’ Glenn Beck sees himself as one American who fits that description. Yet he says he’s standing on solid scientific ground.

“The earth’s temperature has flat lined since 2001 despite an increase in CO2 emissions – that’s weird. That’s, well that’s almost an inconvenient stat right there I’ll tell you. Helping to swell the number of skeptical scientists to over 700 – or 13 times the number of scientists who wrote the supposed consensus.”

The Christian Science Monitor adds environmental campaigners like Krugman are being hypocritical.

“…the environmental movement has benefited tremendously from laws that protect freedom of expression. Far more importantly, refraining from “hanging” people for what they say – even if you believe that what they say amounts to a destructive campaign of disinformation  –  is a hallmark of civilized society.”

But Canada’s Global TV says freedom of expression is one thing, a pointed PR campaign by Big Oil is another.

“Can you put a dollar figure - an estimate - on the amount of money that has been put in to trying to create doubt in the public mind? Tens of millions of dollars particularly in the United States from companies like Exxon. That have huge stakes in this it’s a big company that stands to either lose or make a lot of money on the fossil fuel industry and these people are really interested in making sure there are as few regulations standing in their way as possible."

So do you see deniers as traitors? Valiant rebels? Or pawns of big oil? What are your thoughts on climate change?