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Letters To The Editor

Reducing plastics pollution possible

To the Journal editor: Most of us have heard the alarming stories of plastic pollution in oceans and its harmful effects on marine life and water quality. But we need to realize that harmful forever plastic pollution is also present in the Upper Peninsula’s rivers, lakes, roads, landfills, and wildlife. This is what we learned from the alarming film “Ripples of Plastic” shown at Fresh Coast Film Festival in Marquette last October. (see our Oct. 26 letter to the editor on this film). Producing plastics from petroleum contributes to global warming. Moreover, plastic ...

Constitutional conundrum

To The Journal editor: When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade and returned the issue of abortion to the states, Donald Trump claimed that the American people wanted this as a solution. The U.S. Constitution says in Article IV, Section 2: “The Citizens of each state shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of Citizens in the several states.” If our federal government surrenders to the states power over individual liberty and even reversing settled law, what other powers and decisions will be left to the states? The authority to deny half of our citizens ...

New idea here

To The Journal editor: Back during the early days of Trump’s first term in office, it became very clear where his ideas and thoughts and even dreams about the Middle East’s well-known Israeli-Palestinian carnage continues.Very frankly, the one-state solution began to appear as the only way out of that mess, and I did write an op-ed for The Mining Journal supporting it. Almost eight years later, it now appears that a one-state idea, simply, cannot be the solution. That, however, should not mean that there is no solution. Since the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, the ...

There is one earth

To the Journal editor: Right at the outset, we have had (and still do) those whose deeds and orations have been for the good. Healers, who reflexily cared for others. Those who lead by example giving guidance. Teachers sharing learned knowledge with images, language and written words. Brothers and sisters having the common bond of our very existence is reason enough to intuit it’s preciousness. And mothers and fathers provide safety and well being at whatever cost. They, we, us are still here on earth shared by our non-human relatives with us to freely live ...

Climate change real

To the Journal editor: According to the World Meteorological Organization, the time from 2015 through 2023 was the warmest 9-year period in terms of global average temperature since at least the 1880s. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also reports January through October was the warmest first 10 months of any year on record. The great majority of the most qualified scientists in my field of atmospheric science believe the increasing concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases (especially carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide), which trap heat near the ...

Electing a businessman?

To the Journal editor: I was recently at the auto repair shop, I noticed a young man had an “I Voted” sticker on the bill of his cap. I asked him who he voted for and why, he smiled and said Trump because the economy needs a businessman. I smiled and said I voted for Harris because of her leadership skills. We agreed business skills are valuable but mentioned I think running a business isn’t the same as running a country. Compassionate government offers money losing basic services to its citizens, especially for those who are vulnerable while still watching the bottom-line. ...