To the Editor, In “The Professor forgot to tell us something,” (FCJ, Monday, July 8, 2019) Col. Stan Gudmundson resorts to an old rhetorical trick: If you don’t have the facts on your side, attack the source. The facts are these: the Earth is getting warmer, and emissions of carbon dioxide caused by human activities are the major cause. The article that Jeff Erding cited was … [Read more...]
How should Americans engage globally?
I’ve been struck recently by news coverage of climate change and humans’ degradation of the planet. Two opposing themes keep appearing. One is the sense that, as individuals, there’s little we can do; the forces are too large. The other – and I think many Americans would agree with this – is that as citizens of the planet we have a responsibility to protect it and to pass it … [Read more...]
SMIF Stakeholders on the Bus – Regional bus tour visits Mower, Fillmore and Houston Counties
Every summer I look forward to Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation’s (SMIF) annual bus tour. For the fifth year, SMIF staff and board spent the day visiting partners who are making a difference in their community. This year we traveled to the eastern part of our 20-county region – Mower, Fillmore and Houston counties. We started out the tour by enjoying a meal from SMIF … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Not your typical libraries
By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com Over the past several weeks, I have come to appreciate a few revelations. A newspaper library First, at the Fillmore County Journal office, we do our best to preserve the history of our newspaper. When I worked at daily newspapers in Minnesota, Illinois, and Indiana, there … [Read more...]
The path forward
Watching the “news,” I’m reminded of seeing birds swooping down into a field picking kernels of grain from the excrement of cows grazing there. Finding information, truth and facts in the daily fare we are served by the media is a challenge. There is hope. In the midterm election the Democrats took over the House, igniting the possibility that common sense might play a … [Read more...]
Confirmation bias – the enemy of sound logic
In our polarized society, something that seems to be more prevalent than ever before is the faulty thinking pattern called confirmation bias. Simply put it occurs when a person tries to find information, data, or opinions that support his pre-determined belief. In other words he disregards all evidence that does not support what he wants to believe, no matter how valid this … [Read more...]
Bats and white nose syndrome
“White nose syndrome” (WNS) may be the last thing on your mind most days. It probably is for most people. However, it is a condition that has been mentioned in the news various times since 2006-2007; if you don’t think about it, you’ve likely heard it once before. It isn’t something that affects humans directly so why should you think about it? You’re probably caught-up on what … [Read more...]
Let’s not just focus on elections, but on how we elect
A few years ago, I was at a polling place here in Indiana where a long line of people stood waiting to vote. A woman recognized me and called me over. “Why is it,” she asked, “that you politicians make it so hard and inconvenient to vote?” I thought of this the other day when I read the news reports about presidents Trump and Putin meeting and jestingly accusing one another … [Read more...]
Call for a rational foreign policy
To the Editor, The fact that war would mean endless climate change catastrophes and a nuclear arms race that would risk accidental or intentional use of nuclear weapons that could end almost immediately our civilization, there is a good chance that a public movement will be able to inspire a new U.S. foreign policy that transitions from use of force to diplomacy and … [Read more...]
Jeff Erding has it wrong
To the Editor, Since when has the “far left” included everyone who isn’t far right? Or everyone who didn’t vote for Trump? You (Jeff) have it so wrong. “Every man for himself” is not the American way, in my humble but broadly-educated opinion. 1. To accuse supporters of a sane firearms policy of “wanting to tear up the bill of rights” is childish. 2. Legalization of … [Read more...]