Controversy Over Proposition 128

I am surprised and disheartened that The Times would print two anti-Big Green columns in a single edition rather than offering opinions on both sides. This is particularly disconcerting considering how poorly Botkin developed his argument. Botkin quotes the initiative on global warming, then states that its authors must not understand the issue or they wouldn’t have explained the results of cutting down California trees as they did. How ridiculous! My 9-year-old son understands global warming. Are we supposed to believe for a moment that representatives of the Sierra Club, the National Resources Defense Council and the League of Conservation Voters don’t? They, along with others, wrote Prop. 128. If we continue clear cutting in California, we will contribute more than our share of global warming.

Botkin ends by saying that we need to “step back” and give the government flexibility. I’m sorry, but we have waited too long for government to act. If a point or two in the initiative turns out to be ill-conceived, we can change it later. We reserve the right to take things into our own hands when the government drags its feet. If we wait around, there won’t be an environment left worth saving.

S. MICHELE McFADDEN

Orange