As my last act as an official Durango Herald subscriber, I would like to comment on the remarkably one-sided coverage of the political issue of climate change, formerly known as global warming.
According to the results of a recently completed poll, conducted by me, from October 2012 to the present, the Herald’s coverage of this topic has consisted of 162 articles presented as news items, 39 opinion pieces and 53 letters to the editor for a total of 254 pieces.
With the exception of 15 letters to the editor expressing skepticism, two opinion pieces and an occasional Dilbert comic strip, the rest supported the notion of “climate change” as an accomplished fact.
Irrespective of the Herald’s overwhelming mass of information appearing to confirm the existence of climate change, there are two sides to this issue and responsible reporting should examine both and allow the readers to make their own determination.
Science is not consensus but facts that can be proven by tests and supported by demonstrated results. If the temperature or the CO2 level is too high, what are the normal levels?
It is one thing to accept an issue on faith, but quite another to base national policy on opinions of what “might” happen.
The First Amendment guarantees the Ballantine family the right to publish whatever opinion they choose, just as the Sulzberger, Graham and Hearst families before them.
I would have it no other way, but I don’t have to subsidize them.
Ray Luley
Durango
