Readers React: The ‘celebrity cause’ of climate change vs. pollution in our back yards

To the editor: The state’s international status in fighting global warming while poor and middle-class people suffer from local energy operations like the Freeport-McMoRan Inc. Murphy drill site in South L.A. is an example of what I call the “celebrity cause” phenomenon. (“California’s appearance at the climate change talks belies an L.A. oil and gas health threat,” Opinion, Dec. 7)

Both on the federal and state levels, we take on issues like immigration and global warming (both worthy causes) to the exclusion of addressing issues that might affect the poor and middle class. The state of affairs with Social Security (federal) and Medi-Cal (state) are classic examples of agencies that are dysfunctional that get little or no mention or attention from representatives who focus on the “celebrity cause” issues.

A little triage would be just.

Jeff Solomon, Tarzana

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