VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY

THINK ABOUT WORLD POPULATION DAY

Editor:

On Friday people around the world will be taking part in World Population Day to raise awareness about population issues. But here in the United States, we don´t talk enough about the specific effects our exploding numbers have on wildlife, the planet and our own future.

There are more than 7 billion people on the planet, and we´re adding 227,000 more each day. Every eight seconds another person is born in the United States.

The toll on wildlife is devastating: Species are disappearing 1,000 to 10,000 times faster than the historical rate.

As we face unprecedented drought, extreme weather driven by climate change, ocean acidification and wildlife extinctions, we need to be frank about our role in it all and shift course before it´s too late.

We can stabilize our population growth and save wildlife with common-sense solutions, such as universal access to family planning and reproductive health care and education for women and girls.

Future generations ought to know what it´s like to live in a world with wild grizzly bears, wolves and all the other magnificent creatures, big and small, in the web of life. But at the rate we´re growing and using up our world´s limited resources, we´ll be passing on a diminished future.

Debbie Thomas

Fernley

COMMON CORE DANGERS

If you can stand a pun, I’d say Ron Knecht really connected with his June 27 op ed piece on Common Core.

His unequivocal description of that insidious program is spot on and the strongest criticism of this federal government power grab I have seen from a candidate for public office.

Knecht’s understanding of where Common Core came from and where it is headed speaks well of the man who would be our next state controller. He certainly has my vote.

As our representative on the state Board of Regents for two terms he has had a close look a the downward spiral of education in America and knows Common Core is not the answer. When it came time to vote on the state’s acceptance of the program he had the guts to go against the grain followed by Gov. Sandoval and the state legislature.

Knecht saw how what may have been a well-intended attempt to improve education is being turned into a program of indoctrination rather than education and a path for some to greater profits. He also saw how it was produced behind closed doors and pushed by bribery and coercion.

Those who missed his excellent article and don’t have access to the June 27 edition of the Lahontan Valley News can find it on the Internet.

Any groups — church, social, fraternal, whatever — or individuals desiring more information on Common Core and the danger it poses for Nevada Schoolchildren are welcome to contact me at jfalk6808@cccomm.net.

Jim Falk

Fallon