I am grateful to David Gerhart for his July 7 Local View column, “Climate change puts oceans at risk,” because it raised consciousness about what some call “the other carbon dioxide problem” but which arguably is the most urgent.
I want to highlight the one-two punch of heat and acidification that climate change is inflicting on both phytoplankton and coral reefs. We care about phytoplankton because they produce half the oxygen we breathe, absorb half the carbon dioxide we produce and form the base of the marine food chain. The first punch for the phytoplankton: Ocean acidification shuts down shell-formation - and the most important natural process for removing excess carbon from the climate system. The second punch: Warming surface waters slow down the circulation of nutrients phytoplankton require for growth.
We care about coral reefs because they provide habitat for 25 percent of ocean fish species. The first punch for the coral: Warming waters around the reefs bleach and starve the coral animals that build the reefs. The second punch: Acidic waters slow down reef construction and leach limestone from the existing structure, eventually leading to disintegration.
This damage is not reversible on human timescales. We owe it to our grandchildren to understand and respond to this existential challenge today.
Michael Segor
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Excess carbon putting coral reefs at risk
I am grateful to David Gerhart for his July 7 Local View column, “Climate change puts oceans at risk,” because it raised consciousness about what some call “the other carbon dioxide problem” but which arguably is the most urgent.
I want to highlight the one-two punch of heat and acidification that climate change is inflicting on both phytoplankton and coral reefs. We care about phytoplankton because they produce half the oxygen we breathe, absorb half the carbon dioxide we produce and form the base of the marine food chain. The first punch for the phytoplankton: Ocean acidification shuts down shell-formation - and the most important natural process for removing excess carbon from the climate system. The second punch: Warming surface waters slow down the circulation of nutrients phytoplankton require for growth.
We care about coral reefs because they provide habitat for 25 percent of ocean fish species. The first punch for the coral: Warming waters around the reefs bleach and starve the coral animals that build the reefs. The second punch: Acidic waters slow down reef construction and leach limestone from the existing structure, eventually leading to disintegration.
This damage is not reversible on human timescales. We owe it to our grandchildren to understand and respond to this existential challenge today.
Michael Segor
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
A piece of all of us died with Philando Castile
I was in the Twin Cities visiting some friends the night of July 6 when Philando Castile was needlessly shot to death by the police after being pulled over in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights. Castile’s girlfriend said he was pulled over for having a car taillight out.
The shooting outraged me, and the next day my friends and I went to the peaceful vigil march that went from the grade school where Castile worked in St. Paul to the governor’s mansion. It broke my heart to see all of the schoolchildren walking with their families in the vigil to mourn the death of their friend and neighbor. I couldn’t help but wonder how much emotional pain these children were suffering - not to mention the deep psychological damage that the little girl experienced who was in the car with her mother while Castile was shot repeatedly.
I believe we are all one people interconnected to one another regardless of skin color. In that spirit, we are all brothers and sisters. When Philando Castile died, our brother died, and a little piece of all of us died with him.
Mark Langenfeld
Foxboro
The writer is a psychology instructor at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College.
AR-15 created for killing with increased efficiency
Some could say the July 10 letter, “Rant against AR-15s showed ignorance about guns,” was ignorant itself about pressure cookers, cars and airplanes - or was just confused about them - because of an apparent love for domesticated assault rifles like the AR-15.
The pressure cooker was invented to cook food, and the car and airplane were invented to transport people. I’m pretty sure the gun was not invented for friendly, non-violent target practice. The revolver and repeating rifle were invented to kill people with more efficiency; and the firearm innovators and manufacturers never looked back, now making after-market conversion kits and ammo drums for 30 or more rounds available to anyone who wants to make their AR-15 more deadly.
The callous indifference shown in this letter, by the NRA gun lobby and by others for the ever-mounting numbers of innocent victims of the violent misuse of such “weapons of war” was not lost on this firearms owner and hunter.
Republican congressional candidate Stewart Mills speaks for the likes of the NRA and the others. DFLer Rep. Rick Nolan speaks for the bipartisan majority of Americans and firearm owners who want sensible public safety laws for the use and possession of firearms.
Joe Lopac
Hibbing
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Downtown Duluth
needs a major retailer
Shawna Mullen’s response (Local View: “Skywalks, poor decisions sucking life from downtown,” July 13) to a June 27 commentary about Duluth’s downtown and skywalks (Local View: “Duluth skywalkers help keep downtown on its toes”) was a start in the right direction.
But it’s not just the proposed Michigan Street bike path, the skywalks or the city’s new transit center that bypass Superior Street. The freeway also bypasses Superior Street. So do the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center and Miller Hill Mall.
It’s not a bike path the city should be spending its mental capital on, but getting a major retailer back on Superior Street after a more-than 30-year absence. How many mayors and city councilors have come, gone and failed to accomplish this one thing during all this time?
There are at least two
Duluths: the Miller Hill Mall area for the locals and Canal Park for the tourists. Ironically, it is only the tourists who cannot bypass Superior Street to get to their destination; on their way they drive on a two-lane, crowded street and see what looks like a half-abandoned downtown.
Building the skywalk system was locking the barn door after the animals escaped. It’s a nice place for senior citizens to get their exercise in the winter, but how does it bring anything of substance to the present downtown area? It does keep people off Superior Street, and why would tourists use it?
Another irony: Locals use the skywalk to get to the DECC as they bypass Superior Street.
I have never been able to decide whether Duluth has been a victim of bad luck (hard national and regional economic times) or bad governance. But it is at least one if not both of these things.
Sanford S. Baddin
North Hollywood, Calif.
Conservatives misrepresent transgender pronoun issue
Ryan T. Anderson’s commentary June 16 about new laws protecting the rights of transgender people to choose the pronoun of their choice when their gender identity is referenced was short on facts and full of seemingly deliberate misinformation (National View: “Government needs to butt out of gender debate”).
A Dec. 28, 2015, Snopes.com article by Dan Evon clarifies this issue. Evon wrote, “Shortly after the new guidelines were released, several conservative outlets published headlines suggesting that (New York City) residents would be fined $250,000 for using the wrong pronoun when referring to a transgender individual. While this claim is technically true in a very narrow sense, it is also very misleading. For instance, an individual who simply mistakenly uses the wrong pronoun when referring to a transgender individual will not be fined under the new law. However, a person who intentionally and repeatedly refuses to use an individual’s preferred pronoun would be subject to fines (that could reach as high as $250,000 for multiple violations).”
So simple mistakes are not subject to fines. But charging $250,000 for willful and repeated offenses ensures that this thinly veiled hate crime won’t be flaunted over and over again.
A common conservative meme includes the backward reasoning that failing (even accidentally) to obey this law persecutes the offender instead of the victim. But it doesn’t penalize honest mistakes; nor does this law have the power to “redefine for all Americans what it is to be a man or a woman,” as Anderson claimed. That would be just as silly as claiming that allowing black Americans to vote violates the freedom of white Americans to vote.
Peter W. Johnson
Superior
Schultz has earned
re-election to House
Two years ago Jennifer Schultz campaigned on her strengths: her experience of adversity and privilege, her teaching skills, her knowledge of health care policies and her vision to give voice to all citizens about their daily life challenges and obstacles. Schultz promised to work for the citizens she represents with a perspective that includes the needs of all Minnesotans. I voted for her vision and promise.
In November, I’ll vote for Rep. Schultz again. I still base my vote on her vision and promise; but, more, I base my vote now on her two-year track record. Schultz shows up to be in relationship with us at forums on driver’s licenses, the arts, restorative justice with indigenous people and citizens of African heritage, and the most vulnerable among us: those with mental illness, without homes and without employment. She arrives prepared to listen with questions to ask and responds with details about current legislative activity.
Our votes for Schultz will enable her to continue her work to meet the needs of all Minnesotans. She will do so through expanded visions rooted in concrete facts learned from conversations with real people to build a future for Minnesota where all may do well.
Jackie Falk
Duluth
Dialogue needed to resolve world’s conflicts
It is past time to communicate with the leaders of all the warring groups in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, Mali and other areas who are taking control of populations and geography. They’re humans and have views and interests that can be better understood by us. So, too, our interests can be better explained and clarified.
Killing leaders is killing those we can best communicate with to resolve conflicts. The later leaders are likely poorer, less practical and less experienced leaders of their constituencies. Good leaders need good leaders with whom to negotiate.
Apartheid South Africa’s policy of capturing and imprisoning opposition leaders is a more prudent policy than killing them. The result is you have someone to talk to, like former South African President Nelson Mandela, and the opportunity to arrange for occasions for secure and serious talking with a view to identifying mutually agreeable solutions.
The pattern of drone killings of leaders is poor policy for ending violence. A policy of capture and prosecute is better for moving toward ending violence.
We must move beyond the language of terrorism categories, which terrorists, in turn, apply to their opponents, including the U.S. Terrorism talk is just an excuse to avoid serious talking and the resolving of difficult issues. The language in the media and governments must be expanded and nuanced for effective representation of their constituencies in these needed negotiations.
Political leaders are stuck. It’s difficult for Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Al Franken and Rep. Rick Nolan of Minnesota to take leadership in helping our government adopt sounder policies in ending these conflicts because their state constituents are afraid to ask for their assistance.
Now’s the time for leaders in the U.S to talk with current enemy leaders in these countries for the benefit of us all.
Larry Spears
Duluth
Glensheen banners helpful, not an eyesore
I guess I was one of the passersby on London Road who found the banners on the fence outside Glensheen very helpful and not an eyesore - in contrast to the June 27 letter, “Banners detract from Glensheen’s history.”
As a much-of-the-summer resident of the Arrowhead, I have been to Glensheen many times with out-of-town cabin guests. However, last summer, after seeing the options for additional tours on the banners, I visited without any out-of-town visitors and enjoyed several of the new tour options. Without having seen the banners, I would not have even known of the option of new tours. So, for me, the banners were an effective way to advertise what was going on at Glensheen.
Kay Kingsley
Circleville,Ohio
