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Work together to slow climate change

To the editor:

Letter-writer Phil Drietz believes that he can overturn more than 100 years of climate science. Ever wonder why we don’t see scores of angry letters asserting that HIV doesn’t cause AIDS? It’s because that scientific conclusion doesn’t threaten deeply held values.

In reality, the climate debate isn’t about science — it’s about the role of government. Many conservatives dismiss evidence of climate risk because they fear that acceptance of this evidence will lead to greater government intrusion in our lives. Science is a proxy debate.

In his book, “The Constitution of Liberty,” Nobel Prize-winning economist and libertarian Friedrich Hayek writes: “Personally, I find that the most objectionable feature of the conservative attitude is its propensity to reject well-substantiated new knowledge because it dislikes some of the consequences which seem to follow from it.”

How much wiser it would be to acknowledge the problem and offer bold, effective, limited-government solutions.

Our common values like national security and concern for our children’s future should unify Americans on this issue. It just doesn’t make sense to make the permanent changes to the Earth’s physics and chemistry we are making without looking at this closely together, across political divides, with open eyes and open hearts. Let’s work together to find a path to slow climate change.

Terry Hansen

Hales Corners, Wis.

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