'Hunger stones' show climate change is nothing new: Letters
'Hunger stones' show climate change is nothing new
Sept. 20 – To the Editor:
The purveyors of climate change panic posit that the droughts in Europe and out west are caused by human activity. However, the “hunger stones” now appearing mainly in German rivers raise questions.
According to Wikipedia, these stones were placed in riverbeds “in Germany and in ethnic German settlements throughout Europe in the 15th through 19th centuries.”
They were carved as warnings to future generations. "If you see me, then weep," a warning that the drought would lead to hardship and famine. There were neither cars nor industries plaguing humanity in 1400. The Earth was not heavily peopled.
Is it at all possible that these droughts were and are, Heaven forbid, part of a natural cycle?
If it weren’t for incessant warfare, disease, pestilence and, oh yes, drought, it might have been a “Golden Age” in 1400, as viewed through the prism of the climate change zealots.
It is to this “Golden Age” that many purveyors of climate change panic porn would have us revert, but the climate has been changing since the Big Bang. The changes have been neither subtle nor gentle.
The solutions lie in teasing out human contributions from those of Mother Nature herself. Human behavior is not the lone agent, and greatly altering it will not create stasis. Nature is oblivious to us and is in constant motion.
History does not begin at dawn each day, my friends.
We would do well to fire Chicken Little and apply level-headed thought to what we can impact and to where we must adapt.
Mark Brighton
Portsmouth
Rochester needs a new District 6 state senator. Vote for Ruth Larson Nov. 8
Sept. 8 – To the Editor:
It’s not about the books. Republicans have tried to argue why queer romance is something to spend their time, energy and political power tearing down when New Hampshire has actual issues they should be working on. Young adult literature is vetted by the library commission in Rochester; something Jim Gray is aware of, showing us that this is just a political stunt. Mere days after Rochester pride and the harassment of a former city councilor, Gray’s anti-LGBTQ stance is nothing short of disturbing. Gray has the audacity to run his state Senate campaign on division, as if his role as a public servant can exclude some of us. Not only is he openly homophobic, but when asked, has spoken out against access to abortion as well.
Luckily for voters in District 6, we have a much more inclusive candidate running this fall. Ruth Larson was a lawyer for many years and is a resident of Alton. Unlike her opponent, she attended Rochester Pride in support of local organizations and LGBTQ residents this year. Ruth trusts women and is pro-equality; she cares about issues at hand, not creating new rifts in our community. Not only do I care about LGBTQ youth and how safe they feel here, but I care about protecting our reproductive rights and holding elected officials accountable for their actions. So does Ruth. We need someone who will represent all of us, and that’s why I’m voting for Ruth Larson this fall.
Lynn Kovitch
Rochester
Michele Meyer best choice in Maine House District 150
Sept. 19 – To the Editor:
This letter is directed to all who fall within Maine District 150 (Eliot, South Berwick, Kittery). I’m writing to encourage you to re-elect Michele Meyer this November. She is our best possible choice.
I met Michele when she was running her first race for office. We discussed politics in Maine and Washington, but I could tell she cared most about the welfare of her neighbors. A lifelong nurse, she understood suffering and wanted to help build a healthier, more interconnected community. I was so impressed I spent days driving the back roads of South Berwick and Eliot canvassing for her.
During the depths of COVID she created Eliot Strong on Facebook. She meant to ensure that in the midst of the fear, loneliness and isolation that had gripped our lives, no one would be forgotten. Not elders. Not the poor. Not children languishing for lack of care. I and many others reached out to those in need, making sure they knew they were not alone.
Michele Meyer has been recognized as one of the leading state legislators in the nation. Yet despite her daunting agenda, time spent in Augusta and commitments to her farm, she has remained fully accessible to her constituents and fully responsive to their concerns. She even ensured a letter I wrote in support of the Capitol Police on the anniversary of January 6 was hand delivered to their Chief in Washington. She's great. Please return Michele to Augusta. We need her badly.
Dan Gordon
Eliot, Maine
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: 'Hunger stones' show climate change is nothing new
