Letter to the editor: Climate change the bigger threat

After months of lying, denying and downplaying the threat, President Trump finally admitted on March 16 that the virus is out of control (while giving himself a “10” for his handling of the crisis). He waited until it was no longer possible to deny the problem, instead at one point saying it would disappear by a “miracle.” Meanwhile, the problem has gotten ahead of us. People will die, but the human race will survive this crisis.

Meanwhile, climate change, a much more existential threat, is creeping up, and again, the scientists have been warning us about it, but Trump forbids mention of it in his presence, overturns regulations on the energy companies, and even discourages alternative energy with asinine statements like “windmills cause cancer.” He prefers to spend our money on tax breaks for the rich rather than preventative action against what is arguably the most serious threat humanity has ever faced.

If there is a silver lining to the coronavirus, it might be that nature is warning us to listen to the scientists, not the know-nothing politicians who take money from the energy companies and not the sycophants on Fox News.

Al Duerig

Salem