Extreme heat and climate change: Letters to the editor, July 25, 2021

We are beyond climate warning

Breaking news: Heat in Pacific Northwest is “historic, dangerous, prolonged and unprecedented.” Western drought upgraded from “extreme” to “exceptional;” worst in 1,200 years. And yet, millions of Americans still doubt global warming. Why?

There are two reasons the danger of global warming has been so difficult for so many to heed. Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe highlighted the first. In the dead of winter he brought a snowball into the Senate chambers and had a good laugh about global warming. Yes, Jim, cold days still happen. But they’re getting harder to find. Since 1894, nine of the 10 hottest years in Fresno occurred in the last decade.

The second is highlighted by predictions of what a 4 degree Fahrenheit-hotter world would be like: grim. It’s hard to imagine how intolerable. Portlanders no longer need to imagine. This summer, global warming is serving up a preview of that world. The weather for the entire Pacific Northwest has been as much as 40 degrees hotter than “normal.”

It is time for Congress to pass a carbon tax (the Energy Innovation Act, HR2307), to begin addressing the approaching disaster. No longer can we say we haven’t been warmed.

Dyer takes key climate step

 Wow. Is it OK to start a letter that way? I hope so because I am personally “wowed’ to discover that Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer has joined the Climate Mayors Network. This is a bipartisan network of 470 mayors from 48 states who are committing to meaningful action to address climate change in their communities. 

By joining this network, our mayor shows he understands we have a great opportunity right now to improve our prospects for quality of life by focusing on sustainable and equitable economic growth and recovery. The Climate Mayors want to reduce greenhouse gases to clean up our air and stabilize our climate. They encourage investing in industry that brings clean, well-paying jobs, access to clean water and clean energy. 

I am hopeful that we will eventually get some carbon pricing legislation passed at the federal level to support the goals of the Paris Agreement. But while we wait for Congress to battle it out, I truly appreciate that Mayor Dyer has joined this group of pro-active mayors trying to make tangible improvements to our health and well-being. 

Love America, end national debt

Whether Democrat, Republican, or independent, you are probably concerned about our $29 trillion dollar national debt. Uncontrolled government spending and inflation will result in a catastrophe for coming generations.

America was founded to escape taxation without representation, and now we are right back where we started. There is a solution! Our founding fathers recognized those who have power will not surrender it easily as has been proven over the past 245 years. In Article V of the Constitution, they granted authority to the states to propose amendments. Using that provision, the states can stop out-of-control spending and government overreach. The Convention of States Project is making significant progress to that end.

To get involved, visit conventionofstates.com, get more information, sign the petition urging our local legislators to support the call for a Convention of States. The crossroads are fast approaching. We are just around the corner from escalating power grabs by our centralized government with inflation and financial ruin for all of us, or a common-sense path back to the freedom and an America we love.

It is our choice, not fate, where we will go. If you love America, now is the time to do something about it.

True telling of U.S. history needed

What we learned about history in public schools was a very bland and “white washed” version of our nation’s history of racial relations; patriotic mythology mostly.

Did you learn that the native American Indians were victims of genocide? Did you learn that Jefferson and Washington among others of our forefathers were slave owners? Did you learn about Jim Crow laws or learn about “red lined” areas in cities where non-whites and some religious beliefs were barred from owning property?

Did you learn about the Dred Scott Supreme Court decision? Did you learn about the Tulsa race massacre in 1921? Did you learn about laws passed to ban certain people from immigration to the U.S., notably Asians? Did you learn about the incarceration of Japanese American citizens during WWII?

The list of things you didn’t learn is much longer, but you can see why the conservative Republicans don’t want students to learn about our sordid past actions against non-white and non-Christian populations.

The following is a quote from a Smithsonian magazine article about systemic racism in America:

Though the Declaration of Independence states that “all men are created equal,” American democracy has historically—and often  violently —excluded certain groups. “Democracy means everybody can participate, it means you are sharing power with people you don’t know, don’t understand, might not even like,” said National Museum of American History curator  Harry Rubenstein  in 2017. “That’s the bargain. And some people over time have felt very threatened by that notion.”

Smoke is gone, but bad memory stays

I was deeply troubled by the offensive and dangerous displays of fireworks I was forced to endure this 4th of July season. It was by far the loudest and most upsetting I have experienced.

From early evening throughout the night, there was a continuous blast of rocket fire. This explosive barrage of mostly illegal fireworks made me feel like I was living in a war zone. Many children, adults, pets and people suffering from PTSD suffer greatly from this activity.

We live in an arid climate with temperatures regularly soaring above 100 degrees. We are experiencing drought conditions and our firefighters have plenty of work without individuals causing more. It is the duty of our civic leaders, the mayor and city council, to stop this irresponsible and troublesome practice. It is time to ban the sale and use of all private fireworks with a hefty fine for those who continue to flaunt their needs above the needs of an entire community. Fireworks should be permitted for public displays only.

This story was originally published July 25, 2021 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Extreme heat and climate change: Letters to the editor, July 25, 2021."