05/11/2007

Letters to the Editor

At Issue: Global Warming

'Flat-earthers' abound

The Record-Eagle's editorial of May 4 lambasting the Traverse City commissioners because of their skeptical views of the global warming hysteria that is sweeping the world is the type of editorial that encouraged me many months ago to stop buying your paper. You may be surprised to learn this, but there are a lot more of us "flat-earthers” than you realize.

And the wild rantings of "right wing radio” cannot compare to the Al Frankens and Air America crowd. You Record-Eagle people would serve readers (and potential readers) much better if you issued reasoned editorials that don't include childish name calling; it might even keep your paper from eventually having to be given away for free like that rag, the Northern Express, though the content doesn't seem to be all that different.

Mark Smela
Alanson

Who's doing the ranting?

As far as I could read, the worst of the rant was (Grand Traverse County) Commissioner (Margaret) Underwood accusing the Sierra Club, Al Gore, Jimmy Carter and the U.N. of being a socialist organization.

The Record-Eagle editorial staff, along with the three or four other letters I read, chose to use their own brand of adjectives to label people who disagree with them. Let me quote some: "out of touch,” "goofy pol,” "wacky world views,” "blowhards,” "grifters,” "Flat-Earthers” and "out-to-lunchers.”

I've always found that when someone disagrees with me, resorting to name calling and making fun of them always makes me feel better. Of course, I'm not 10 years old anymore.

Give us all a break and put someone on your staff who can write a clear dissenting opinion without resorting to personal attacks.

Ken O'Brien
Traverse City

Who's the buffoon?

Perhaps your editorial writer may want to actually do some investigation into the "science” of global warming before calling the commissioners names.

If you can recall, in 1988 Al Gore's fictional "Earth in the Balance” book said that we only had seven years left before major catastrophes would wipe out a quarter of the population on the planet.

Now he comes out with another fictional movie, "An Inconvenient Truth,” saying we now have 10 years left before, well you know the rest.

It seems your commissioners have learned from the past, whilst you've been duped again. Now who do you really think is the buffoon?

Myron Czubko
Ann Arbor
The writer spends time
in the summer in Elk Rapids.

For shame!

What an amazing (May 4) editorial!

It contained no information to back up your obvious disagreement with the elected officials; but it set a record for name calling. Somewhere between 15 and 20! (And those with the nastiest words seem to be in the lead at the present time.)

In my opinion that is not the adult way to prove your point. That does seem to be the standard these days — to see how many putdowns you can make of those with a different viewpoint. They must have taught a better standard of writing in your college.

For shame on you!

Ruth B. Farnsworth
Kalkaska

Insult and embarrassment

I couldn't believe it when I read the comments our county commissioners made concerning global warming and our environment. While I am proud to be a resident of Traverse City, I am actually ashamed to admit I live in Grand Traverse County. What needs to change is the "climate” in our county government and let's elect individuals who live in the year 2007.

What an insult, and an embarrassment, to intelligent people with common sense. Maybe a recall is in order. I will help.

Greg Stone
Traverse City

They deserve respect

Some might question why an elected official would invite the scorn of the Record-Eagle by complaining about an editorial, but to my mind, your rebuke against commissioners Margaret Underwood and Sonny Wheelock went too far.

The Record-Eagle can legitimately complain about a political position an elected official holds. But to do so by calling that official "goofy” or a "relic” does nothing to elevate the level of political discourse in this community. You can do better.

It is also worth noting that "relics” like Margaret Underwood and Sonny Wheelock have, for the last 40-plus years, helped make northern Michigan the place we all love today. For that they deserve our respect.

Rep. Kevin Elsenheimer
Kewadin
The writer is the state
representative from the 105th District.