Newspaper should cover extreme heat
Summer is just starting and we are already smashing heat records.
In May 2018, every state in the U.S. experienced above-average temperatures; eight set records.
Last year was the third hottest year recorded, with many parts of the country experiencing oppressively hot days. And 2018 is likely to bring more of the same.
The severity of summer heat is being fueled by climate change.
This summer, I urge you to provide information about the relationship between extreme heat and climate change when reporting on record-breaking heat.
Connecting the dots for readers between the extreme heat and our warming climate provides readers with important facts and context about what we are experiencing, and the urgent need to act to address it.
Moreover, the magnitude of the climate crisis, coupled with the availability of solutions, merits constant, high-quality media coverage to educate the public and spur robust discussion.
This summer, please cover climate.
Martha Rogers, Austin
Don’t believe Trump’s false claims
We are all human and get things wrong from time to time. We also all know that politicians frequently present only partial information, to generate their own “spin.”
However, Donald Trump is in a league all his own. The number of flat-out falsehoods asserted by our president come so frequently that it is impossible to keep up with them. But here is one that deserves greater attention.
At his May rally in Nashville, Trump stated the following to cheering supporters: “I say it, and I say it all the time, we are so respected again. I can’t even tell you — really, the degree to which people respect our country again. It’s amazing.” Indeed, he does say this “all the time,” but it is a lie.
Each year Gallup surveys global approval of U.S. leadership. In its most recent report (January), Gallup reported that “median approval of U.S. leadership across 134 countries and areas stands at a new low,” and that “the 43 percent median disapproval, up 15 points from the previous year, set a new record.”
Since January, the U.S. has reneged on the Iran nuclear agreement, insulted G-7 countries, initiated a potential trade war, withdrawn from the U.N. Human Rights Council, and forcibly removed children from parents seeking asylum — all to the outspoken dismay of our allies — likely amplifying our January-reported negative appraisal.
Two years ago, the U.S. was highly respected throughout the world, but we are now quickly becoming an international pariah. Unfortunately, some probably do not care about this reversal in prestige. Regardless, anyone who believes President Trump’s false claim is being played for a fool.
Will Davis, McAllen
