Why continue fighting for fossil fuels?

Re First nation mood tense following standoff, Jan. 9

We have had plenty of bad news lately, but news that the might of the Canadian state is being brought to bear against these pipeline protesters gave me a sense of despair, and brought tears to my eyes. It is so simple, really. If humanity worldwide produces more carbon dioxide than nature can absorb, we face disaster.

And yet we are burning more, not less, fossil fuel.

We are already at the point where unstoppable feedback loops are taking over.

And yet, the Canadian government seems to want to produce and export as much fossil fuel as we can. Why? For money, most of which will go to people who already have too much. We can use the workers involved to help build our sustainable world.

Even the traditional resistance to environmental destruction by Canada’s Aboriginal people is beginning to erode, as money is dangled before their eyes.

The resistance being put up by traditional leaders and many others is something we need to admire, and emulate as quickly and as completely as we can.

I am angry and ashamed that my tax dollars are being used to set the RCMP against these wonderful people.

Should the RCMP work for those who are looking for financial gain, and are evidently too stupid to realize what they are doing, or to protect us as we become a better, kinder nation? Jenny Carter, Peterborough