Mike Barnard’s wind wings clipped by employer IBM
Told to stop writing on wind power, resign fellowship from Energy and Policy Institute, and delete his blog: Barnard on Wind
Mike Barnard last month was taken to task by researcher Jackie Rovensky of AU and NA-PAW (North American Platform Against Wind Power) for a long-standing series of malicious attacks on trusted and respected professionals worldwide, who have variously documented and researched the now widely recognized devastating effects of industrial wind on human health.
This action by IBM is easily understood.
Barnard is best known for his self-proclaimed stance as a pro wind “expert”, who critiques others for their “lack of expertise.” He has zero qualifications for his writings on wind, yet “calls himself the lead researcher” in a study that calls wind victims “liars.” Barnard has also falsely asserted that his “power reading” and
“constant and deep access and conversations related to public health management, epidemiology and the nature of medical evidence ... That experience and on-the-job education has been invaluable as I’ve read through health studies and reviews related to wind power from around the world” ... which led to “recognition of my expertise ... I’m pleased to say that my material is helping to shape legal defences of wind energy, advocacy programs and investments in several countries.”
This bravado has found its “religious” base with wind power developers and promoters, but Barnard now can only boast of a protracted vacation from writing on wind.
Others use his cyber bullying and “manufactured facts” to recreate their own smears.
IBM Corporate Officer (Brand Manager, Communications) Carrie Bendzsa, after numerous discussions with Lange of NA-PAW, wrote to NA-PAW, thanking the organization for bringing this matter to their attention, asserting that none of “these postings or comments (libel by Barnard) were IBM endorsed actions.”
The communique continues:
“We don't have an advocacy position on energy and we have a number of social computing guidelines and policies in place that our employees are instructed and expected to follow. Furthermore, the individuals who are upset by the postings should be assured that IBM does not have any negative views about them personally or professionally.
“IBM has spent considerable time reviewing this matter internally and has taken several actions that our employee has agreed to comply with to resolve this matter. These include having the employee delete the Barnardonwind blog, terminate the Energy and Policy Institute Senior Fellow role and agree to no longer publish on wind energy.
“We truly appreciate you stepping forward to bring this matter to our attention.”
Lange notes that the kind of serial cyber bullying that has occurred with Barnard on Wind, some of which has been subsumed into other pro wind sites, is of a serious nature: “It is regarded as irrational, unprovoked criticism,” based on the apparent, some would say obvious, intent to harm careers and cast doubt on the professional integrity of individuals. It has no basis in fact, and can be compared in a way to “hate” speech.
Notes Lange: “Cyber Bullying and defamation falls under the Criminal Code, and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison in Canada.” “Defamatory libel is likewise a crime under the Criminal Code, if the libelous statement is directed against a person in authority and could seriously harm his or her reputation.” (The persons affected by the Barnard libel are indeed persons in authority.) “This is punishable by up to five years in prison.” (While the US defamation laws are less plaintiff friendly, there are legal markers since 1964 for those knowingly harming by the power of innuendo and falsehoods.)
NA-PAW expresses thanks to IBM for its ethical leadership, and reserves the right to observe and facilitate the removal of all related and corollary defamation from satellite websites, if need be with the assistance of web expert libel/defamation lawyers.
One of several bullying notes to Dr. Sarah Laurie of the Waubra Foundation:
Ms. Laurie:
You have not responded as of yet to my letter below. I await your confirmation that you will stop actively promoting health fears which cause illness near wind farms in light of the recent and historical research showing this to be the case.
Yours,
Mike Barnard
Singapore
CONTACT:
Sherri Lange
CEO NA-PAW (North American Platform Against Wind Power)
www.na-paw.org
kodaisl@rogers.com
416 567 5115
REFERENCES
http://www.na-paw.org/barnard-revealed.php
http://www.na-paw.org/NAPAW-to-IBM-re-Barnard.pdf
http://orendaenergy.com/a-wind-energy-interview-with-mike-barnard/
http://nomoreliesblog.wordpress.com/2014/08/30/mike-barnard/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_light
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defamation
http://www.prevnet.ca/bullying/cyber-bullying/legal-consequences
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_defamation_law