Readers write: Climate resolution, true freedom
Letters to the editor for the Dec. 12, 2016 weekly magazine.
Steve Wells sits in his office, a warehouse on his 32,000-acre ranch in Colorado's Weld County.
Amanda Paulson/海角大神
Climate resolution
Regarding the Nov. 14 cover story, 鈥�Climate rift in the Rockies鈥�: To help resolve opposing views on climate disruption, let鈥檚 ask, 鈥淲hich would produce worse consequences 鈥� underestimating the threat, or overestimating?鈥�
Underestimating continues the status quo, with the United States transitioning to carbon-free energy at its economically driven pace. Although that鈥檚 a comfortable strategy in the short run, it risks tipping the world into an unbearable state of climatic, economic, and geopolitical upheaval.聽
Overestimating the threat may cause unnecessary acceleration of the transition to carbon-free energy, bringing extreme discomfort to investors and workers in the fossil fuel industry, a problem that can be repaired.聽
We also could create a cleaner and healthier environment, cheaper energy in the long run, and, perhaps immediately, more jobs in clean energy than are lost in fossil fuels.
There would also be a more robust energy infrastructure and freedom from energy dependence on troubled regions of the world.聽
We also could check climate disruption before it becomes unbearable.
William H. Cutler
Union City, Calif.
True freedom
The Nov. 7 cover story, 鈥�Memo to: the next president,鈥� describes the conflicts that arise over defining the word 鈥渇ree鈥� and points out the multiple failures of the US to be both fair and free.聽
In the same issue, the editorial 鈥淲hy rule of law must rule the roost鈥� quotes Thuli Madonsela, former public prosecutor in South Africa, who says, 鈥淢eaningful freedom is freedom from all corrupt practices in state affairs and private life.鈥澛�
Instead of seeking an answer in geography, or the word 鈥渇ree,鈥� perhaps the discussion should center around a definition of the word 鈥渕eaningful鈥� in 鈥渕eaningful freedom,鈥� which should be everywhere in the US, in a big city or a small town.
Anna Lisa Goldschen
Henderson, Nev.