White Unconsciousness
Thank you, Harry Duke, for calling out the lack of diversity in the artists performing for Transcendence (“Let’s Dance,” Aug. 8). I’ve been sitting on the fence as to whether to buy a ticket for their productions, hesitating not only because of the pricing, but also it’s a hike for me from Guerneville. It’s so important that we here in a very white North Bay (I am sure the audience reflected the dancers) do everything we can to create an inclusive environment in our various communities. White privilege is less the problem than white unconsciousness, the lack of recognition that we as a group hold the power of dominance. In this age of whites outrageously calling out people of color for invading their spaces, we can model the opposite with welcoming and celebrating any diversity we have. Duke’s comments register objection to perpetuating status quo and inappropriate casting of artists of color with white performers. Thank you, Pacific Sun. Let’s see more of this.
Laurie Lippin
Guerneville
Meat of the Matter
With scorching heat and raging wildfires in the West and torrential downpours and massive flooding in the East, global warming is not just about a gentle sea rise any more. These tragic consequences of dumping greenhouse gases into our atmosphere call for drastic remedies. For starters, we should rejoin the Paris Agreement and actually become a world leader in reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. One of the most effective ways is by changing our diet. Yes, that. Last Fall, Oxford University’s prestigious Food Climate Research Network concluded that solving the global warming catastrophe requires massive shift to a plant-based diet. Carbon dioxide is emitted by burning forests to create animal pastures and by transporting animals. The more damaging methane and nitrous oxide are released from digestive tracts of cattle and from animal waste cesspools, respectively. In an environmentally sustainable world, we must replace meat and dairy products in our diet with vegetables, fruits and grains, just as we replace fossil fuels by wind, solar and other pollution-free energy sources.
Steven Alderson
Santa Rosa
