Wildfires and giant sequoias: Letters to the editor of The Fresno Bee, Oct. 10, 2021

A mighty giant wrapped in foil

Disoriented, my eyes decipher the photograph of a giant sequoia wrapped with a metallic fire barrier. Out of place, the glorious, majestic behemoth swaddled with tin armor, masterpiece of nature, and treasure in Sequoia National Park; this ancient sequoia is wrapped sheets of thin, pliable foil as protection from wildfire that has traveled hauntingly close to this wonder, which has been growing for more than two millennia.

Trying to comprehend this snapshot, Christo comes to mind; the artist who used the world as his canvas, displaying gigantic-scaled art pieces across mountain passes, buildings , piers, and even well-known landmarks. Recently, I read that L’Arc de Triomphe in Paris is wrapped in fabric piece entitled “L’Arc de Triomphe Empaquete,” meaning packaged. It is a tribute to Christo, who died last year.

Searching, I find no other way to categorize this photo today, a giant sequoia standing erect with its rusty red base hidden under glimmering packaging, as abstract environmental art much like Christo’s work, an anomaly.

Whether art or science, natural or manmade, hope that this wrap enshrouding this mighty giant helps it survive another two millennia germinates in my heart today.

Pointing out truth of climate change

In your September 17 issue, Monica Vaughan’s article, “Fresno health officer says climate change is ‘global poisoning,’ calls for federal action” draws attention to the comments of Fresno County’s interim health officer Dr. Rais Vohra’s regarding climate change, health, and agriculture. I was pleased to see this included, as there is a longstanding argument that addressing climate change will “destroy the economy.”

This argument ignores the fact that ongoing health problems resulting from higher temperatures, as well as the loss of goods such as produce due to drought and unfavorable temperatures and the loss of services reliant on water and stable weather, are already damaging the economy, and will do so at a faster rate in the future.

Dr. Rais is right that the Valley is in particular danger, and continuing to stall action or dismiss risk will damage our health and destroy out economy. It is good to see a local official be willing to point to that truth.

Conservative column ‘laughable’

Diane Pearce’s “GOP comeback” op-ed in last Sunday’s Bee is wishful lamenting for a dying political party sputtering oil the past two decades and now a victim to Trumpism. Poor journalism and plain propaganda when she states, “…recent data show that meaningful numbers of Hispanics are ready for change.” Yeah, you bet; where’s the data?What survey? Name the source of this cockamamie bit of BS we are supposedly to slide down our esophogus.

In another instance she quotes a local political Texan Republican mayor who claims people forget “a lot of people know or should know, that Hispanics are very conservative.” Agreed, but this political puppy confuses cultural conservatism with political populism and democratic values that even younger Hispanic males along with the “Latinx” crowd realize can be reconciled to favor Dems when the chips are down.

Most culturally conservative Hispanics will always vote Democratic; they are not stupid to believe the upper classes are operating for their best interests, or care if whether they’re holding a job or not.

Her comments are absolutely laughable. The only way in California that Republicans will grow to be a player is by implementing their local, probably illegal, re-districting tactics — cheating, as usual.

GOP must rid itself of Trump influence

Diane Pearce’s essay on how the GOP can make a comeback in California misses the key point. I am not a Republican, but a strong, loyal, realty-based opposition is essential to a functioning democracy. One party political systems tend to cronyism, corruption, incompetence, hypocrisy, and cover-ups. We need a viable opposition to keep the party in power honest.

But the Trump Republican Party is not loyal, it stands for nothing except Trump, and its insistence that Trump won the 2020 election is delusional. The Republican Party in California will not make a comeback unless party leaders repudiate the Trump Republicans, if necessary abandon the party and create a Conservative party with honest values, and put an end to the control of the party by the authoritarian, un-American, and anti-American Trump Republicans.

Caltrans keeping local freeways ugly

I want to thank Caltrans for taking out the oleanders between Kingsburg and Fresno. Now we can see the trash and weeds so much better.

The beautiful green bushes with flowers in the spring was definitely an eyesore.

Only in Central California do we have the ugliest freeways in the U.S. Go Caltrans!

Code enforcement needs to enforce

Our mayor and city leaders want to clean up and beautify Fresno. A good start would be cars parked on lawns throughout Fresno (no code enforcement), junk cars in driveways and on streets, expired license (no code enforcement), garbage cans left out front and on the curb 24/7 (no code enforcement).

It could be an easy fix if the city would do its job and enforce the laws we have now.

Individual rights vs. rights of the many

I was in the parking lot of an upscale grocery store when I saw on a car’s rear window a sticker that read: AMERICAN UNTIL TEXAS SECEDES. There was a woman in the driver’s seat. I tapped on her window. I told her, “You have my permission to secede.” She smiled and rolled down her window thinking I supported her message. I continued, “This nation will benefit from having fewer fools and bigots.” Her smile dropped.

She hurried to raise her window and start her car and drive away. As in a movie from quite a few years ago, I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore. We need to isolate the unvaccinated, guarantee safe, easy and convenient voting and provide the medical treatment that individuals choose for themselves without restrictions placed on them by different-minded persons.

Again, I am not going to act anymore as if everyone has a right to his opinion. Not when their beliefs encroach on the rights provided by the Constitution of these few and precious United States of America.

Personal choice and abortion

OK, I guess John Crisp has his mind made up about abortion. He strongly believes that to deny a woman an abortion, as Texas now does after a baby’s heartbeat is detectable, is comparable to the actions of the Taliban in Afghanistan; the abomination of forcing a mother to bring a baby into this world.

But, to be fair, pause a moment and consider this from another viewpoint: Abortion takes a human life.

That would make abortion an act of murder; isn’t that more akin to a Taliban-like action than the consequences of delivering a baby? Though some believe a preborn human has no right to live, many believe their right to life is as sacred as the one we “birthed” humans enjoy.

I am pro-choice. All parents (exclude rape and incest victims) make their choice when they engage in the procreation act; no birth control being 100% effective (save abstinence), new life is a real possible outcome. So yeah, they made a choice and created a new life, intended or not; should a human life be the cost of that choice? This is America, for gosh sakes and not Afghanistan! We don’t kill people for other’s “mistakes.”

This story was originally published October 10, 2021 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Wildfires and giant sequoias: Letters to the editor of The Fresno Bee, Oct. 10, 2021."