Readers React: Republicans try a new tactic against environmental groups: McCarthyism

To the editor: I picked up Monday morning’s paper, and the first thing I noticed was the print headline “A red scare among green groups.”

The article reports that Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) is suggesting that the Natural Resources Defense Council, a fine organization fighting for the public interest, must be an agent of the Chinese government because “why else” would the group say that the Chinese environmental record is better than Trump’s destructive agenda. (Whose isn’t better?).

The headline really should have read, “House Un-American Activities Committee returns,” because this is so obviously another attempt to silence opposition by labeling them some sort of “foreign agents.” It smacks of McCarthyism of the worst form.

I have been thoroughly disgusted by this administration’s actions from day one, but among the most infuriating is the ongoing attempt to silence opposition.

Win Carson, Poway

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To the editor: Congressional representatives who are beholden to the oil and coal interests are trying to capitalize on the nation’s fear of foreign influence by attacking such nonprofit environmental groups as the Natural Resources Defense Council that seek conservation of life and protection of the world’s natural treasures.

With more Americans recognizing China’s ascendancy in leading the world’s conservation efforts while making progress in reducing its own dependency on oil and coal, there is this McCarthy-like attempt to cast the issue of conservation as a foreign conspiracy.

John D. McNeil, Santa Monica

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To the editor: Global warming is an existential threat to human beings, including those of us who happen to live in the United States. Investigating groups who fight climate change as possible foreign agents makes no sense.

It would be less crazy to investigate the House Natural Resources Committee as agents for the extraterrestrials who want to take over planet Earth after we’ve finished frying it.

Scott McKenzie, La Cañada Flintridge

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