The things I want young people to consider about the climate

First and foremost, there are things that we can do - to improve the situation of our overheating our world. 
I want to offer them agency and knowledge. I want them to understand that this big shift that needs to happen, is happening just as they are stepping out of childhood and into adulthood.
I want to tell them about what we decided to do, what choices we made to live using less fossil fuels, share stories about what climate activists have done, share successes and then suggest that they can add creativity and enjoyment to help in the change. 
I want to inspire them to look at nature in a new way. Encourage them reconnect to each other and to the world around them.  I suspect that this would include learning how to talk and communicate about climate change - without tipping people into despair.
I want them to know how everything matters: from our own personal actions, to our governments, to corporations actions, to how their own choices of what they want to do with their lives, all matter. 
We need to reframe our wants and needs by what we dream - not from the corporations that are forcing their consumerist agenda.  I want to show we can have a planet-based reality working in concert with nature. 
A world where we live within the energy budget given to us by the SUN.
  Amy C Wilson
Port Wing, Wisconsin

‘God’s way of teaching Americans geography’

It’s been said that “War is God’s way of teaching Americans geography,” and so it goes with Operation AIPAC Fury. Why would Iran dare to bomb US military bases in all the Persian Gulf countries at the start of the war? Because the Gulf states, except Saudi Arabia, are small countries with tiny populations, and those populations are overwhelmingly composed of guest workers. These are little hereditary monarchies, with massive wealth inequality, who have welcomed US bases on their soil. Iran, on the other hand, has over 90 million citizens, and is a vast, mountainous country, which insures that any ground war waged against it will be doomed to fail. The US and Israel have twice attacked Iran while negotiations were taking place, so Iran has no motive for further talks. This illegal war of aggression may lead to the end of the US empire in the Persian Gulf, and the end of Israel’s quest for hegemony in the Middle East. Boo-fucking-hoo. Netanyahu the genocidaire, Greasy Pete Hegseth, and our empty shell of a President should all be put on trial for war crimes.
 David A Sorensen
Duluth, Minnesota

It’s no hoax!

It’s not rocket science.  It only requires accepting today’s scientific consensus on climate change—causes, consequences, and costs—and applying economic principles.  There is a clear causal link between rising global temperatures and the cost of living, what’s called affordability, for most Americans. 

The primary cause of this impending ecological and economic crisis is a result of our failures to take decisive steps to reduce fossil fuel consumption, and thus reduce the rate of atmospheric CO2.  Global emissions and global temperatures both set new highs last year.
The costs of food, housing, and healthcare are three major components of affordability.  Increasingly our extreme and unpredictable patterns of precipitation, temperature, and storms adversely affect the costs of supplying these goods and their market prices.  If the underlying factors driving climate change are not addressed, we can only expect further “global warming inflation” in the years ahead.

Unfortunately, our current leaders in Washington and Madison are often too hesitant to move boldly in such actions.  Indeed, the regulatory, legislative, and diplomatic actions of the Trump Administration have been totally and openly hostile to transitioning our country to a 21st century green energy economy.  Meanwhile, other nations—including China—are charting a far different course, employing regulations, taxes, subsidies, and the power of the public purse to facilitate this evolutionary step in the history of capitalism.

Our upcoming elections provide opportunities to demand that candidates for office at all levels of government fully commit to helping build a green energy economy for our nation.  Without such leadership, our country’s position of global economic and political leadership will sputter and possibly collapse. The countdown has started.  It’s no hoax!
Robert Schlack
Cornucopia, Wisconsin

A straightforward concept of compensation

Mars attacks! Yes, the Marsmen (as it turns out they prefer to be called) attack Earth and take Minnesota by force; seems they like the cooler temperatures and think mosquitoes are cute. Military resistance is soon accepted to be futile as they can with a slight gesture reduce both man and weapon into a shimmering cloud of dust that floats softly to the ground. Now it comes to pass that after several generations of Marsmen live on the Earth that they gain a conscience of what’s been done (killing and stealing). Mars, mind you, is still viable. Some claimed escape from religious persecution, others: political unrest. . .etc. But closer to the truth is that by coming to Earth and displacing the weaker population their Marsmen forefathers could get rich quicker. If these Marsmen descendants wish to serve morality what should they do?

If you are in possession of stolen property and wish to make amends, the first and most critical action is to return it. This is a straightforward concept that has yet to be consciencely applied to the subject of European colonization of this Turtle Island (AKA American continent).
As this government gears up to celebrate 250 years of its existence it should be everyone’s question,  “At what cost?” Firstly, it should be noted that God did not want Europeans settling here and clearly made this statement in taking almost half of the lives of the first Pilgrims in their first year. HALF! (By contrast: when the nation Israel, in God’s commandment, took the land promised to them they didn’t suffer even one loss). Secondly, this country was already fully populated and European invaders reduced their population from an estimated 10 million to 250,000 by the early 1900s. The indigenous peoples were nearly completely erased. How does this serve anyone’s sense of morality? It’s certainly not in line with the basic fundamental of Christianity: I am not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them. 

Media reported recently on a Tribe buying back an island. The fact that they used the word “back” highlights the truth is known that the land was theirs in the beginning. It is blatantly condescending and demeaning and also indicative of the master/slave nature inherent to all competitive systems. Reportedly, there have been 400 treatises made between the U.S. government and Indigenous tribes and all have been broken in part or in whole by the U.S. Truthfully, it’s inaccurate to call them treatises, as all were made with an overtone of coercion. “Terms of surrender” is more applicable.  “I’m going to make you an offer you can’t refuse” has been the manner of U.S. dealings with these people (and much of the world). It’s shameful. 

One of the complexities in serving morality in this situation is that there are descendants of people who did not play a part in the stealing of this country. It needs to be a priority to offer return and help reestablishing to those who were trafficked here.
Mike Alan 
Duluth, Minnesota 

Silent smilin’ Pete, what say you?

I think that it’s ironic that many people who president Trump doesn’t want in our country are finding that they are welcome in other countries.  I was watching specials about Ireland and saw that many people rejected by us are becoming citizens of Ireland and other countries too.  Those countries don’t seem worried that just because of the country they’re from are so called terrorist county’s. Watching the st Patrick’s day parade I didn’t see armed police around the route and everything was peaceful from what I could see and I didn’t hear of anybody being killed by the parade route like here.

It’s also ironic that American citizens are leaving for other countries and giving up their us citizenship because of Trumps ice agents and the fact that they are being told to carry their birth certificate for everything and now they want us to carry it in order to be able to vote.  What’s next you have to vote for only a republican candidate or your vote won’t count or won’t be allowed to vote at all.  Or maybe put in jail for voting wrong.  I know that Pete Stauber thinks that it’s a good idea since everything Trump says he agrees with.
Cecilia Hill
Duluth Minnesota

Enjoys The Reader

I greatly enjoy The Reader each week—especially the columns by Raymond and Welty and the letters to the editor. 
Thank you.
Joe Gallian
Duluth, Minnesota