Letter to the editor

OMG: I love this (“#BlackBirdersWeek takes on racism,” June 2020). Bird nerds are my people. Come on in. Jason White, via Facebook This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline #BlackBirders.

My thanks to Jim Kenna for his a well-written explanation of the current situation at the Bureau of Land Management in “Bureau of Lost Management” (June 2020). I spent almost 35 years with the BLM.  As in the past, most employees work for the people and the land. Many of the public view the employees as adversaries. […]

Belatedly discovering Ethan Linck’s feature story, “Throwing Wolves to the Vote,” in the March 2020 issue leaves me with a sense of unease as his discussion of the pros and cons of scientific justification versus activist promotion of the forthcoming legislative initiative for deciding whether wolves should be reintroduced in Colorado. Although I generally agree with Linck’s […]

Author Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz offers an interesting point of view on the armed reopen “protests.” It’s a chilling analysis that sums up three centuries and their original sins: guns, profits and a culture of privilege. Maybe a tad bit radical, but it makes you think. Jürgen Kraus, via Twitter This article appeared in the print edition […]

Concerning Emily Benson’s interview with Sheridan Alford in “BlackBirdersWeek takes on racism”: This is how we show up as allies. We need to welcome everyone to enjoy the peace and nature of America’s great outdoors. #outdoorsforall #diversityoutdoors #access4all Poppy Davis, via Twitter This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline […]

In Jim Kenna’s “Perspective” piece in the July issue, “Bureau of Lost Management,” the phrase “have lost their way” implies that the same people who did the right thing before now have lost their way. It also implies that the entire designed and carefully executed strategy to replace federal employees with this administration’s shady debris […]

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the border wall construction in Arizona continues at a breakneck pace, using local #water to spray down dusty roads and mix concrete, with a devastating impact on #wildlife, too, including the Yaqui catfish.   Fred Page, via Twitter This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Local […]

The July feature story, “Fish Out of Water,” has everything: colonization’s long-term effects, the ridiculously destructive border wall, the environmental costs of human habitat, the imminent loss of a species that lasted millions of years, and so much more. Jennifer Taw, via Twitter This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the […]

The interview provides a view on the armed reopen “protests,” from an interesting point of view. It’s a chilling analysis summing up three centuries and their original sins: guns, profits and a culture of privilege. Maybe a tad bit radical, but makes you think. Jürgen Kraus, via Twitter This article appeared in the print edition […]

The Gadsden flag has become a symbol of ignorance and hate (“Who’s Treading Now?” June 2020). Worse yet, the purveyors of this image represent the darker elements of human nature, including selfish, violent and anti-democratic sentiments, often under the guise of Christianity. They live in a fantasy bubble where there are no rules, no regulations […]

Graham Lee Brewer’s interview with Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz provides some historical framing for current socio-political happenings (“Armed and contagious,” June 2020). When things don’t make sense, dig into history to find out why. Alan-Michael Foucault, via Twitter This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline America’s historical violence.

Such a tragic story. Poor sweet Tokitae, imprisoned for 50 years in a tank that’s illegally too small. In 2005, southern resident orcas finally received protection under the Endangered Species Act and were never to be kept captive again. But the law excluded Tokitae. She is made to perform circus tricks and be USED as […]

The architect of President Trump’s environmental rollbacks, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, has spent most of his career serving industry, anti-regulation ideologues. J.K. Sloan, via Twitter This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Anti-regulatory architect.

I cannot help but comment in protest of the practice illustrated in the story, “Running hot” (June 2020) of apparently tossing (live?!) salmon up and over a stationary setnet onto the rocky shoreline. I’m sure I don’t understand the business of commercial fishing, but no animal deserves to be dispatched in such a degrading manner. […]

As a subscriber and contributor to High Country News for many years, I have to say I was shocked by the graphic descriptions of animal cruelty in the poaching article (“Digital Shadows,” June 2020). I happened to be browsing the print edition over lunch. Bad timing. The article describes admirable teamwork by the people who […]

The scientific name for the orca is Orcinus orca. To my tribe, the Lhaq’ te’mish of the Salish Sea, they are people. In our stories, they have societies and a culture similar to our own. Quad Finn, via Twitter This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Orca culture.

This is the Trump administration’s environmental shock doctrine (“Reg wreckage,” June 2020): Ramping up the killing of poor, Black, brown and Native peoples, and poisoning the world for profit. Alyosha Goldstein, via Twitter This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Poison for profit.

One of the smartest moves in this story is that the reporter included comment from a foreign terrorism and radicalization researcher. The story is about heavily armed men running a poaching ring in Washington and Oregon. Ian Morse, via Twitter This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Radicalized poaching.

While the nation is distracted by a pandemic, the Trump administration is rolling back health and environmental protections at a breakneck pace. Susan Stone, via Twitter This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Rollbacks at a breakneck pace.

The culling of human beings is what I am heartbroken about — our old, our houseless, our vulnerable. Natalie Hirt, via Twitter This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline The crisis is culling our vulnerable.