The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Merrill Foto News, its publishers, Editor, or staff.
To the Editor:
Recently I asked a rather simple question in a Merrill community group on Facebook about something within the city, and it immediately became an attack on me. The comments made me out to be hateful, anti-American, and completely against this whole city. None of that is even remotely true. I know my standing in the city, and I know how many of you feel about me, but what happened was completely uncalled for. You keep villainizing me in Merrill because of my political beliefs and opinions. And it’s not just me, but rather anyone who is a like-minded individual such as myself. It’s even happening within the schools. It needs to stop. Many citizens in this community need to be more accepting, especially towards the “minority.” Merrill is not becoming a better city despite what you think. The belittling and attacks towards anyone with a slightly negative view of the city is both disgusting and disheartening. I know most of you reading this are probably laughing at me and that’s fine. We will not stop trying to make Merrill better. We are not going away. We will not just leave. Stop the hate and learn to live as an actual community. This must start with the leaders of the city and even some of those at the county level. We have to live together to be successful, and we are becoming divided more each and every day. It’s time to think about others. It’s time to actually start making Merrill better. Thank you.
– Dallas Seiwert
Merrill, Wis.
To the Editor:
Maya Angelou once said: “I did then what I knew how to do, now that I know better, I do better.” A few things we did before we “knew better” include, asbestos in building materials, lead in paint and gasoline, sprayed DDT, and refrigerating with ozone depleting Freon. As we continue to “know better,” I believe we are “doing better.” Our exposure to asbestos, lead, and many other toxic substances has been greatly reduced, saving lives. What about the existential threats of global climate change?
The heat trapping effect of CO2 was observed in the 1800’s, but not well understood until the 1970’s. By then, burning fossil fuels was driving the industrial revolution. For 40 cents a gallon I drove my $300 ‘63 Chevy all over the country without a thought of my CO2 emissions. We didn’t know better. Now we do. We have all benefited from burning fossil fuels. But we must “do better.”
There are promising signs. Electric vehicle use is becoming more common. Solar and wind are increasing in the power sector. Agriculture continues developing methods to reduce and sequester CO2. We have the technology to do better. Yet, every day the climate challenge grows. There will be climate legislation in this year’s Budget Reconciliation Bill, and we have an obligation to let our representatives know we want action. If they don’t hear from us, they think we don’t care. Let’s tell our representatives to “know better” and “do better” on addressing climate change.
– Bruce Keyzer,
Sarona, Wis.
To the Editor:
Carbon Fuels and Forest Fire
We’ve come to understand that more heat in the atmosphere can lead to extreme weather including drought. It will be periods of heat and dryness that will suck the moisture out of our fields and forests. Our forests are increasingly vulnerable to loss of moisture as climate change progresses. Today in Northern Wisconsin [August 26], our air is thick with the smoke from forest fires in Northern Minnesota.
Before it’s too late, we should all realize that fossil fuels should only be used where absolutely necessary.
Everyone will win if we install solar panels, switch to e-cars (by the way, really fun to drive), and/or install electric heat pumps. All of these actions will help reduce overall demand for carbon-based fuels. That is a big win for those businesses and people who may still need gasoline or fuel oil. This is because reduced overall demand will drive down prices for those fuels. And we win personally through reduced electric, gas, and/or fuel oil bills. Or we can simply sign up for wind, solar, or other green electricity sources from the power company. Let’s all pitch in to reduce demand for carbon-based fuels. It’s a win-win for everyone. What’s the downside?
Yes, we’ll need to train for new and better jobs, hopefully not as forest-fire fighters.
– George Einar Busséy
Town of White River, Ashland County, Wis.
To the Editor:
U.S. Involvement in Afghanistan, from the Carter administration’s funding of Osama bin Ladin against the Soviets to the Bush II administration’s invasion after 9/11 to the Biden administration’s bungled withdrawal, seems to have been a disaster from beginning to end. No clear purpose, contractor greed, Afghan corruption.
The Afghans are a tough bunch, fierce tribesmen who kept women sequestered for time out of mind. The men are probably the toughest fighters in the modern world, macho and puritanical.
But the sequestration of women may have been cracked open. The clear, honest voice of exiled Afghan women may well contain an examination of the male penchant for violence that the world absolutely needs to hear. And I don’t only mean Taliban violence. I mean the extent to which recourse to violence is so reflexively high on the list of governmental—and male—prerogatives around the world.
Afghan women just might deliver an analysis of male violence that, if we are capable of actually hearing it, could begin (with enough public support) to transform governmental behavior.
If there is a silver lining in this dark and disastrous cloud, Afghan women will rub our faces in it. And it could be a painful but cleansing rub, even a spiritual healing—unless macho pride refuses to lay down its righteous wrath and delusions of superiority.
– Paul Gilk
Merrill, Wis.
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