Reasonable people doubt reason
on climate change
"Why deny?" That's my new mantra. Instead of seeing climate change as simply some vast "liberal" conspiracy," why deny? Can we ever determine exactly how much humans have contributed to climate change? No. Is our climate changing — for the "relative" worse? Yes. So, why deny?
And whether or not you are Christian — whether or not you are a Catholic Christian — you don't even have to look Outside to confirm Pope Francis' assertion that the impact of climate change is greatest on those least able to absorb it. I spent two weeks in Shishmaref last summer and saw the evidence first hand.
Is it easier to "play ostrich" or "play politics" than admit I am part of the problem or at least need to be part of the solution? Indeed. Is there any easy and/or cheap way for us to turn things around? Absolutely not. But before there's an "us" — before there's a "we" — there is me. Somehow I need to change. Somehow I have to strip climate change down to "me," down to my bare bones. Bones bare of bias, of ignorance, of arrogance, of politics … of denial. Why deny?
"Skepticism about science is on the rise, and polarization is the order of the day. What's causing reasonable people to doubt reason?" That from the March issue of National Geographic. For a better bare bones understanding of why we so often choose to deny, it's worth a read.
— Keith Muschinske
Eagle River
American public lied itself into Iraq War
Despite a lot of recent commentary, I don't think it is accurate to say that President Bush lied the country into war. That relieves the country, us, too easily from responsibility for our complicity in the Iraq war.
In the aftermath of 9/11 and for many years thereafter, the country suffered from a sort of mass insanity in which all the usual rules and conventions of being an American were turned upside down. Suddenly torture, secret prisons, invasive airport security, and spying on U.S. citizens not only became acceptable, but were actually viewed as good things. "If it keeps us safer, I am all for it" was the refrain.
President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary Powell may have twisted the intelligence and evidence, but the truth of the matter is those lies had nothing to do with America's widespread support for the war. We went to war because we were angry and afraid. The lies just gave us an excuse to support a war we wanted regardless of the reasons.
No Bush didn't lie us into the war, we lied ourselves into war by thinking that venting our rage and fear by attacking another country would somehow make us safer.
— Lars Danner
Anchorage
265 black houses of worship
In 1996 a white arsonist burned down a black church in Charlotte, North Carolina. The congregation of the mosque I attended there at that time, also predominantly black, offered the displaced Christians its use on Sundays until their own church was rebuilt, following the example of Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace, mercy and blessings be on him and his pure family) who turned over his mosque in al-Medina to visiting Christians from Syria.
Men from the Charlotte mosque also stood guard over the church site while it was rebuilt, and I was honored take part in that. I'm Muslim, but I have family who belong to the A.M.E. church. Readers may take it for granted I'm enraged at last week's atrocity in South Carolina. I've witnessed such atrocities all my life.
Since 1965 white Americans have burned, bombed and shot the congregations of 265 black houses of worship. How many white churches have been attacked by black Americans in that time? Zero. Zip. Nada. Not one.
"B-b-but we live in a POST-RACIAL society!" Right.
— Al-Hajj Frederick Minshall
Anchorage
Rural communities need chance to educate, inspire
Often when I look through the local news, I see Alaskans talk about villages needing to be self-sustainable, but that is really not possible in most of rural Alaska in the modern age. Most rural communities are not sitting on oil or gold mines and if they were it takes an act of God, no an act of Congress, to get a permit anymore. Subsistence activities are heavily regulated with commercial fisheries cleaning out what use to be sustainable stock.
One of the things that has been challenging in my village of McGrath is to watch the federal and state governments waste money, then yank infrastructure. Not only do our rural communities provide security to our state, as they did in World War II, but many provide irreplaceable entertainment services and jump off points to international travelers during the Iditarod/Iron Dog, hunting/fishing, outdoor sporting seasons, etc., and many private, state and federal employees pass through throughout the year. Thousands upon thousands of people have come this way and each have had an unforgettable experience in this wilderness paradise. The cuts affect what that experience will be like in terms of aviation safety, logistics, communication, emergency services, clean water, sewage, etc.
People say we should shut the villages down; well, if everybody got up from the villages and came to live in Anchorage, somehow I don't think that would be a positive experience for either the villager or the urbanite. There is a need to have healthy infrastructure in rural Alaska. Save the anti-suicide posters, psychiatrists and million-dollar studies; instead keep a fire base, a flight service station, or a weather station with a skeleton crew around. Use them to educate and inspire.
Next time you are planning an excursion away from the chaos and traffic, remember: we are in the "parts unknown" and we are keeping a light on for you, barely.
— Christopher M. Shelborne
McGrath
Implicit acceptance of racism breeds monsters
In 1962, South Carolina's Legislature voted to install the Confederate flag on its state Capitol building. This was in the height of the civil rights movement. Many believe the motivation was to protest against the forced segregation of the schools. It was South Carolina's protest against having to give black people equal rights. Yet, it has never been taken off the Capitol grounds.
For over 50 years, South Carolina has polluted the minds of its people with the implicit recognition of the racism which that flag represents. Following the terrorist act of Dylann Roof, Gov. Haley has spoken out that South Carolina needs to take down the flag. The people of the Emanuel A.M.E. Church became unknowing martyrs to a greater cause. I pray their deaths do not go in vain, but instead lead to action. I pray that this tragic event opens people's eyes to the implicit acceptance of racism around us and gets them to speak out.
We have the power to speak against traditional things like the use of the Confederate flag and the name the Washington Redskins, that are very poorly veiled racism. When we don't, we allow the creation of monsters like Dylann Roof.
— Steve Scordino
Anchorage
Bear deaths were murder
Re: Bears
That was NOT hunting, it WAS murder.
— Gerald M. Forsyth
Anchorage
Thanks for Roof column
Re: Cal Thomas column on forgiving Dylann Roof (June 23):
Excellent item. Thank you.
— Don Keil
Anchorage
Murkowski must consider other options for King Cove
As an Alaskan, I respect the needs of the community of King Cove regarding emergency medical transportation. The hovercraft that was in use for a number of years has been reported to provide a safe and efficient method. Having options when an emergency arises is crucial. But a road from King Cove to Cold Bay should not be one of those options.
I do not understand Sen. Lisa Murkowski's arguments for the construction of a road through the wilderness areas of Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, nor do I appreciate her tactics for forcing the project on American taxpayers.
Obviously, emergency transportation from King Cove to Cold Bay will never be easy or convenient. Spending tens of millions of dollars for a gravel road that would be impassable during severe weather and would take emergency vehicles longer to reach Cold Bay (rather than using the hovercraft) is not a viable solution. The U.S. Department of the Interior has already studied and rejected the idea of a road through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. This road would also set a precedent that would imperil wilderness areas nationwide.
I urge Sen. Murkowski to stop exploiting the U.S. Senate's legislative process with "riders" designed to force the road project. I would like to see her working with state and federal officials to consider other feasible options to help the community of King Cove without destroying the rich, fragile, and globally important habitat of the wilderness in Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.
— Henrietta Callewaert
Anchor Point
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