Your Opinion: Who could have known? Climate scientists

Dear Editor:

Who could have known that one horrendous weather event after another would strike America and cause so much human tragedy and economic loss? Well, those who study the changing environment. They are called climate scientists, who for several decades have been warning that a warming planet causes the sea to rise in temperature. This causes increased amounts of moisture in the atmosphere. A changing climate has increased intensity and duration of the storms we now have causing increased havoc and human suffering.

Republicans now control most state legislatures plus the federal government. In the past and now they purge the words climate change and global warming from government documents and websites they control. Out of sight, out of mind. This does not change events in the real world. We see Harvey and Irma on TV.

The president is a city boy. The press has shown how out of touch he can be at the disaster sites. He acts like people who have fled from their homes and rising waters come to see him because he is their savior. He and Melania dress like they are on an outing on "5th Ave" in New York. The press catches all this. Still they seldom connect the dots about the human and environmental disaster that is going on. This is our future and we are not rising to the challenge. Climate change is seldom mentioned in the national press. Federal and state governments are under a gag order from politicians. What about the press?

The behavior pattern of politicians in power is to use the shock of disaster to push through sweeping legislation. As storms destroy the homes of thousands of citizens, our president tweets away, meanwhile regulations that protect our environment and health are swept away. U.S. Rep. Blaine Leutkemeyer and U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt clearly must believe that is their duty. At the same time, shockingly Missouri politicians voted this week against giving aid to Harvey victims. How will they respond the next time Missouri suffers storm damage? Will they then vote for federal aid?

I think we can be sure nothing will be learned from these current environmental disasters. Regardless of cost, politicians seem willing to deny a warming planet while they continue to help businessmen enrich themselves. Who could have known?

A 'friend' in need is not a friend indeed

Mark Rodabaugh

Jefferson City

Dear Editor:

My mail carrier delivers to my door a steady stream of requests for money from charitable organizations, politicians and political parties. "Dear Friend" is how the letters usually start. In fact, the vast majority of the estimated 200 or so requests for money that I get in the mail each year start with that phrase. What's wrong with starting the letter "Dear Mark?" That's what my name is.

I was raised through childhood in the late 1940s and 1950s. I was taught that a "friend" is someone special, a friend is one who will do whatever he/she can to help you in a time of need. You, in turn, will do likewise; it's called a "friendship." A friend is someone you can call at 4 a.m. to ask for a ride to St. Louis to meet an airplane at 9 a.m. First they'll think, "Oh, God, no!" and then they'll say, "What time do you want me to pick you up?" That's a friend.

So when did begging a stranger for money to support a professional agenda become a "friend" request? Is this how cheap our culture has become? Don't we respect our own language enough to even recognize the true and precious meaning of "friend?" Is "friend" fast coming a watered-down mishmash of human relationship nothingness: And don't dare mention to me that you have 50 Facebook "friends," for I might explode into smithereens right before your very eyes!

No matter how much I favor your cause or your candidacy, if you start a request for money with "Dear Friend" you have just wasted your money and time putting that solicitation together and mailing it to me, not to mention my time wasted opening your request. My name is "Mark." Try "Dear Mark" or "Dear Common Concerned Citizen," anything but "Dear Friend." I am not your friend, I'm merely your target.

 

Issue-oriented letters to [email protected] are welcome. All letters should be limited to 400 words in length; longer letters may be edited to conform to the specified length. The author's name must appear with the letter, and the name, address and phone number provided for verification. Letters that cannot be verified by telephone will not be published.