Climate a bigger threat

There is a wave of fear in our country following the San Bernardino killing of 14 people. Many voices are demanding that the government protect us from future similar actions by limiting who can come into the United States.

I’m contrasting this to another reality that is an even more imminent threat to our security: global warming/climate change. Here in Spokane, we are still recovering from the Nov. 17 windstorm that caused more damage than has happened in Avista’s 125-year history. This past summer, Washington experienced the worst wildfire season in history.

Global warming models predict increasing storms of greater intensity that we are now seeing around the world. And yet the majority of our current congressional leaders and GOP presidential candidates dismiss the value of the Paris Climate Summit, while they fan flames of fear that Syrian Muslim immigrants will come and commit terrorist acts here.

Their messages are that violence can eliminate violence and that putting more greenhouse gases into the environment will protect jobs and keep our costs down. Whether these messages come from ignorance or lies, they are the messages that we most need to fear.

Pauline Druffel

Spokane