Al Gore -- a legend in his own mind. 

Fancying himself a trailblazer on the issue of climate change, the former vice president said he shares much in common with another man on a "great social mission" -- baseball icon Jackie Robinson. 

Yes, just as Robinson, the first African-American to play professional baseball, became a "messenger" of integration, so is Gore the harbinger of global warming. Speaking to the Nashville Tennessean, Gore said: 

"There is a time-honored tradition of people who strongly disagree with a message and take it out on the messenger, and opponents of integration had a personal animus for Jackie Robinson. Opponents of all the great social movements would take out after the advocates that were most effective in asking people to change."

Yes, Gore, there is no difference whatsoever between the Civil Rights movement and the hyped hysteria about permafrost and "climate refugees." Good thing Gore says he doesn't take criticism personally: 

"As a result, I don't take it personally when the criticism comes at me. I believe so passionately in this mission, if you will. The word 'mission' might sound a little grandiose, but that's kind of what it feels like to me. Honestly, it is a joy and a privilege to have work that justifies pouring every ounce of energy you can pour into it. That is a blessing that is to be cherished." 

During the interview, Gore also shared his theories on Zika, blaming the exotic, mosquito-borne virus on ... you guessed it, climate change:

"We're still putting 110 million tons of global warming pollution into the atmosphere every day," Gore told the paper. "And it's adding up. The cumulative amount of heat energy trapped by all the man-made pollution up there is now equal to 400,000 Hiroshima-class (atomic) bombs going off every day."

I for one sleep more soundly knowing that Gore is on the case, breaking the shackles of climate change skepticism -- which we all know is the real threat to our safety and security.  

(h/t: Washington Examiner)

(Photosource: Screen-shot Youtube. Satirical depiction of Al Gore as the mythical "manbearpig" on the series South Park)