Readers write

Trump marches us backward into hotter world

In his speech before the United Nations, Trump bashed climate change as a “green scam” and “con job” believed by “stupid people.” Of course, this comes from a con man who takes contributions from fossil fuel companies, ignores science, gets his information from biased media and will never admit he is wrong.

Nations, businesses, scientists, public opinion and the United Nations all acknowledge the seriousness of climate change and are taking action. China is making more solar efforts than all the nations combined and will lead the world in its transition to clean energy. Meanwhile, Trump is marching us backwards into a hotter world, death and destruction from greenhouse gas effects, pollution, and technological obsolescence. He is the “pied piper” of ignorance and selfishness.

To our grandchildren, Trump will be a name that will live in infamy for his destruction of our planet, population and way of life. Repudiate him!

Criticizing president is sacred right

The whole dust-up about Jimmy Kimmel (now reinstated by some, but not all member stations) brings to mind a news article I read many years ago, about a naturalization ceremony which featured the humor columnist Art Buchwald as the speaker. What Buchwald told the new citizens went something like this: “It’s my job to make fun of the president of the United States.” Gesturing toward the federal judge who had administered the oath of citizenship, he added, “And it’s this man’s job to uphold my right to do that.”

Those were the days in which we could take our rights for granted. But now we have a president who, while speaking in bullying, demeaning terms to and about others, can’t take what he dishes out. He asserts that negative news coverage of him is “really illegal.” Too many powerful institutions are caving in to him. And, unfortunately, some judges, including the majority of the Supreme Court, are willing to ignore precedent in order to indulge him.

But Buchwald was correct. Criticizing and ridiculing a president is our sacred right. Indeed, in this day and age, it’s our solemn duty. And that’s no joke.

It is a shame that it is so underutilized.

The article was powerful and has the potential to change people’s lives.