Letters 03-16-2015

March 15, 2015

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Change Slow In Michigan

Our great state of Michigan abolished the death penalty way back in 1846, but it took until 1917 until we gave our female citizens of Michigan the right to vote. I know that sounds so backward. In our modern era, Michigan has a Republican governor and a Republican controlled legislature. Our state government does not think it proper for gay people to be married. It is interesting to think that our state government is so willing to side with the narrow-minded and the intolerant.

Change will come with our enlightened youth, but it will take time and many will suffer until then.

John Billette, Traverse City

Action Now On Climate

74 percent of Americans, including half of Republicans, now support government action to address climate change, according to a recent poll conducted by Stanford University, a nonpartisan research group, and The New York Times. Two thirds of Americans said they were more likely to vote for candidates campaigning on taking action and less likely to vote for candidates who denied or questioned the science that indicates climate change is caused mainly by greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate change is still not a top issue with voters. The media must do more to educate us on the many ways climate change will affect our lives. From food security and access to drinking water to even air travel, no aspect of life will be untouched.

47 percent of Republicans in this poll said they believed policies to curb global warming would hurt the economy. They could. That’s why we need to proceed wisely and carefully, but with a sense of urgency. Proceed we must.

Clearly we aren’t going to make this transition overnight. It’s been over a year since Governor Snyder called for more renewable energy and less reliance on coal. The Governor is expected to issue a message soon on energy and the environment. We know Michigan has the potential to generate one third of our electricity from clean, renewable sources by 2035. We also know the average Michigan household uses 38 percent more energy than the national average. There’s much we can do ourselves.

We must reduce emissions by 80 – 100 percent to achieve climate stability and real energy independence. The will to act is now a moral imperative.

Deb Hansen, Levering

Views Of Middle East

After events such as the Netanyahu address to Congress, I appreciate the follow-up by professional columnists and local letter writers. So here is a little more "grist for the mill."

Fareed Zakaria reports after a recent visit with the King of Jordan of the war on ISIL, " it’s not a Western fight," the King said to him, "This is a fight inside of Isalm where everybody comes together (Arab Nations) against the outlaws or renegades of Islam."

Grame Wood in the Atlantic reports, "The biggest proponent of an American invasion is the Islamic State itself." Paraphrasing, he continues that fighting an ideological war against the Islamic State actually points one toward a sophisticated strategy that involves -- for America -- military restraint and close political cooperation with Arabs.

Just what our White House is doing.

Thomas Hagan, Empire

What If

I’ve got to agree with [Express columnist] Grant Parsons on the Jared Ottenwess situation. Could it have been salvaged? Who knows, but the way in which it was handled renders the question moot. I know there are many who just want to say "good riddance," and I understand where they’re coming from.

Thomas Friedman reports his view on what Netanyahu didn’t say: "Bibi’s message was that there is nothing more important than deterring Iran. But if that were my top priority, would I engineer an invitation to speak to Congress by leveraging only the Republican Party and do it without even informing the president, who is running the Iran talks? And would I do it two weeks before Israeli elections, where it looks as though I am using the American Congress as a backdrop for a campaign ad?"

But I can’t help but wonder two things. IF he was a good city manager (and I have no idea if he was) while being hammered and hungover 3 days a week, how much better would he have been IF he could stay verifiably sober 24/7? And IF the citizens of TC, through their City Commissioners, had worked with him to salvage a career that is now likely over, how dedicated and loyal would he be to TC from then on? That’s the kind of loyalty money can’t buy.

Every one of us either is or has a family member or friend who is an alcoholic. I am in no way excusing Mr. Ottenwess’s violent and belligerent behavior, but let’s not pretend that that could never be someone we know and love personally, and that we would want to save that person instead of cut them off.

Sean O’Connor, Traverse City Preserving In Charlevoix Having lived in Carmel, California for 12 years and watched the struggle to preserve even the few designated original cottages of historic value, I’d say it takes more than a handful of interested people. It takes one resolute person who is willing to fight tooth and nail against each and every infraction once the guidelines are set up.

There was such a woman in Carmel and she was anathema to the builders and wreckers and the out-of-towners who wished to be part time residents and thought only of bulldozing for bigger and better. Streets that once were lined with quaint little cottages each personalized with its own name and lovely gardens are now unrecognizable because that woman fought well into her nineties and then died. The fight died with her. There are not enough of those people around these days.

When you visit Carmel, don’t expect to see the sleepy little village adorned with thatched roofed Hansel & Gretel cottages. You will however be able to visit the historic stone home of Robinson Jeffers, poet laureate of the Big Sur region. It’s listed on the National Historic Register. That’s one way of insuring preservation. But I don’t think that’s what is intended in Charlevoix.

I "˜m cheering for the preservationists. Contact the National Preservation group for help if you haven’t already. Good luck and you’ll need all the luck you can get and much more -- and funding, too!

Joan Meyers Hendrickson, Traverse City