Wed 4 Jan 2017
Letter # 671
(2nd letter today)
Dear President Obama,
Wow, Indonesia, another island nation, but a much larger one, could sure learn some things from Malta! Some Islamic clerics in Indonesia are trying to ban Muslims from wearing Santa hats at work! https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/23/world/asia/indonesia-fatwa-christmas.html
Indonesia has a Muslim majority, but is a secular country and Christmas decorations are widespread in malls and hotels because they are festive and happy and encourage people to shop. Driving people apart into tribes based on clothing only worsens racial and religious tensions. Indonesia needs to look past the Santa hats and focus on the peat bogs burning! But since they are not moving very quickly to staunch carbon emissions, we need to up OUR game and move much faster. So please do everything you can TODAY to KIITG! Keep it in the Ground! Climate disruption is much more important than Santa hats. Let’s keep focused. Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Santa Hat NOT a Crime
Thurs 5 Jan 2017
Letter # 672
Dear President Obama,
I don’t remember seeing as many photos of boat wrecks, but 2016 was the deadliest year yet for people crossing the Mediterranean. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/23/world/europe/migrant-death-toll-mediterranean-europe.html
And I’ve always suspected that more people die in these crossings than we manage to count. It’s not like they keep a passenger list! This news article down plays the danger. The data are: 5000 dead in 2016 out of 375,000 crossing. In 2015 there were only 3800 dead out of 1 million crossing. So it was actually 4TIMES more deadly to cross the Mediterranean in 2016 than 2015! That’s huge and countries should be scrambling to help. Can you imagine the outrage if 4 times as many people died of cancer this year than last? But these are Africans. It is so unfair. The US and Europe have put all the carbon in the air – and arid parts of Africa are the first to suffer. The real solution here is to quickly cut our GHG emissions. It is the only MORAL option! So please do it NOW. Do all you can to KIITG. Keep it in the Ground. Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Too Many Africans Dying
Fri 6 Jan 2017
Letter # 673
Dear President Obama,
I send you this beautiful photo of the inside of the Guggenheim Museum to honor Charles Feeney. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/05/nyregion/james-bond-of-philanthropy-gives-away-the-last-of-his-fortune.html
This wonderful man gave away about $6 Billion over the last 30 years – his entire fortune (except $2 Million).
He is 85, lives in a rented apartment and has given money for 1,000 buildings, NONE have his name written on them! I so admire him – giving NOW to solve problems NOW – not waiting. And so I ask you to also NOT WAIT, to do everything you can to KIITG. Keep it in the Ground. Climate change is our biggest problem. Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Admire Charles Feeney
Sunday 15 Jan 2017
Letter # 674
Dear President Obama,
Time is running out, but before these letters draw to a close, I want to write to you about a wonderful novel Hopscotch (Rayuela) by Julio Cortazar. It is delightful to read, a love story in Paris, an author’s reflections on writing and many other things, all twisting and turning through numbered chapters. And right at the beginning, the author includes a “Table of Instructions” offering an alternate way to read the novel, a different sequence of chapters.
So too, my letters to you about carbon emissions could be read in several different orders, grouped by topic: food, people, places, activities, or other sorts of categories. My letters have hopscotched about on different topics, but the urgency of reducing carbon emissions brings me always back to focus. So please in the hours left, do what you can to reduce carbon emissions. Because you know that we really must KIITG. Keep it in the Ground. Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Fan of Julio Cortazar
Monday 16 Jan 2017
Letter # 675
Dear President Obama,
Andre Derain, Mountains of Collioure
Here, for my last letter to you, I send you a beautiful painting from Washington DC where the colors are imaginatively used and I remind you that we all need to:
observe keenly, reason soundly, and imagine vividly –
imagine a world with very low carbon emissions, mostly renewable energy, and less climate damage. So please do what you can to KIITG. Keep it in the Ground. Thank you for all you have done.
Susan J. Ringler, Citizen of the World
