New York Times Readers on Standby!

I just received the email below. Note that they have removed the most caustic sentences from my letter. If any NY residents or NYT readers see me in the Letters column, please alert me!

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To the Editor: Re “We Can’t Wish Away Climate Change” (Op-Ed, Feb. 28):

Al Gore’s thoughtful advocacy for meaningful action on climate change will no doubt bring the climate change “skeptics” out of the woodwork once again. Our inability to address the climate crisis is both an intellectual and a moral failure. In the 1950s, Sputnik threatened our national pride – and America responded with an intensified focus on science education, building a space program that accomplished wonders. Fifty years later, the threat we face is not to our pride, but to our planet – and we respond by ridiculing those who sound the warning. Mr. Gore deserves the thanks of future generations, not uninformed mockery.

Warren Senders
Medford, Mass., Feb. 28, 2010

—–Original Message—–
From: Warren Senders
Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2010 9:33 PM
To: Letters, NYT
Subject: Letter to the Editor: RE: “We Can’t Wish Away Climate Change” by AL GORE Published: February 27, 2010

Al Gore’s thoughtful advocacy for meaningful action on climate change will no doubt bring the climate-change “skeptics” out of the woodwork once again: these conservative denialists would rather watch the country fail and the planet burn than admit the former VP is right. It is absurd to imagine that our politicians and our media will learn enough science to do the right thing rather than the politically expedient one. Our inability to address the climate crisis is both an intellectual and a moral failure. In the 1950’s, Sputnik threatened our national pride – and America responded with an intensified focus on science education, building a space program that accomplished wonders. Fifty years later, the threat we face is not to our pride, but to our planet – and we respond by ridiculing those who sound the warning. Mr. Gore deserves the thanks of future generations, not James Inhofe’s uninformed mockery.

Warren Senders