Lecturing Her Elders: Greta’s Fiery Eco Rebuke
Rich Lowry’s scathing op-ed column hit on brave young activist Greta Thunberg was abhorrent and appalling (“Cool It, Young Greta,” Sept. 24).
He basically told her: “Listen to your elders, the same old white men whose policies have massively enriched themselves while ruining the planet. Be grateful to them for lifting a small percentage of humanity above the poverty line, even though in 50 years no sum of money will buy them breathable air or prevent them from drowning in the rising seas or burning in the forests.” (I’m an old white man by the way.)
She may have Asberger’s, but her speech had more integrity and coherence than anything President Trump has ever said. Chuck Kinsinger The Bronx
Do you know what is really stealing Greta’s dreams and childhood? Climate activism.
It’s disgusting that children are being used as pawns to push this agenda. They’re stressed about mass extinction, marching in large and unstable crowds — and missing school to do it.
As adults, parents or not, our responsibilities are to protect the next generation. That includes shielding them from ruthless, politically motivated propaganda.
Poor Greta would be better off eating pizza and watching movies with her friends, and not having nightmares about air pollution or holding a press conference.
This generation is growing up angry and misinformed, and that’s a scary combination. Noelle Albanese New Rochelle
Lowry’s patronizing opinion dismisses Thunberg’s decision to eschew jet travel in favor of windpowered travel as “a publicity stunt.”
Of course, had she taken the jet he apparently would have preferred, he would have all but crucified her for hypocrisy. She is damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t: the perfect Catch-22.
His main point is that, as she is “only” 16, and expressing her thoughts and opinions, she must necessarily be a pawn of devious adults — you know, those awful people who think that future generations ought to have a habitable place, like we ourselves have had.
It’s the self-gratifying tendencies of the self-absorbed, my-comfort-and-profits-first crowd that are creating this existential crisis — not those who demand the necessary and quick change of direction. Roger Hoffmann Fort Collins, Colo.
Thunberg, the educationally deprived child activist, and the rest of the easily manipulated naive children should be back in school, where they might be educated as to the difference between climate and weather.
They might be exposed to scientific evidence, rather than hysteria, showing that there is as much data against climate change as there is for it.
The children are too young to have been around in the ’70s, when Time magazine and other ignorant publications were warning us of “the coming ice age.” We used to have a saying in New York: “If you don’t like the weather, wait 24 hours.” Marty Perry Massapequa
I was profoundly moved by Thunberg’s impassioned address at the United Nations.
Let us hope her stirring speech will finally pierce through the collective apathy of world leaders and serve as a catalyst for change.
I applaud her courage and dedication to her noble cause that we should all embrace and emulate. This living dynamo should awaken the conscience of the world.
Greta, we solute you. Jagjit Singh Los Altos, Calif.
This child ranted and raved like a lunatic. She feels she can verbally attack others because of her age and get away with it. Once anyone talks back at her, they are accused of picking on a child.
If she cares so much about the environment, why doesn’t she go protest in China or India, the two biggest polluters in the world?
Simple answer: She is spoiled and attentionseeking and is doing the bidding of the eco-crazies of the world.
Her parents should be jailed for exploiting her in this manner. This is a form of child abuse. Storm Destro Bayonne, NJ