Reading through some of the worlds past disasters, it really makes sense why the leaders of today would point to them as a means of justifying their own ignorance. They see a time when ignorance was the excuse; that it could explain their own inaction. Pointing at it and saying, "See how bad it was then.", like some how that's supposed to provide solace in the idea that our own impending doom is really not that bad. I take no such unwarranted and arrogant a gamble on the death and suffering of others. From Wikipedia, "Changing weather patterns, the ineffectiveness of medieval governments in dealing with crises and a population level at a historical high water mark made it a time when there was little margin for error." Now, with the margin for error having reached 0 and those of us too powerful to see it, we shall see all of history repeat itself. 2012-2013 will be the time we enter the proving grounds.