Ties That Bind
The President came out to visit my state this week. It’s because we’re on fire again.
Worse than the last three or four times thanks to freak thunderstorms we never get suddenly raining lighting down on a dry, brittle state that’s had over a decade of droughts.
When he visited, our governor prepared a very simple presentation packet for him which a media outlet snagged a copy of and preceded to laugh about - all large photos, gigantic font with bare minimum words per slide, and very large, easy-to-read graphs. They suggested the presentation made fun of the President’s intelligence; however, the governor’s office pointed out they’d been briefed by White House officials that the President preferred visuals over text-heavy reports.
And a key reason they needed the President to actually get through that report was highlighted by one simple graph which showed the amount of Federally owned/managed forest land in California at a whopping 57%; the remaining forestry fell 40% under private ownership with a tiny sliver of 3% owned/managed by the State of California.
Up till now our President has consistently dissed California for failing to manage its forests - which, as that graph clearly shows, isn’t exactly a fair truth. California only owns 3% of the forests to manage; granted it could possibly do more to coerce its 40% private owners to take better stewardship over their lands (a fact those voters likely would protest as the actions of a “nanny” state, and the President might agree). However, we’re still at the mercy of Federal oversight/management for over half of the remaining forests.
Which means we need the Federal government to recognize their role and responsibility in helping manage our forests and fire response. We can’t simply tell the President to F-off and keep his climate skepticism to himself, much as we might like to.
Communication exists mainly because we’ve evolved as social animals. Our greatest, lasting monuments - the great pyramids both in the Middle East and South/Latin America, the giant wall in China, the great aqueducts and ruins of Greece - all of that was built by combined human effort. We rely on each other to do better - to innovate, inspire, achieve, and thrive rather than just survive.
When we give up trying to communicate is where I feel society starts to break down. We can’t simply decide which reality we want to live in and ignore the other side; it doesn’t work that way. Our actions, policies, and economies are inextricably bound together. California isn’t the only state on fire now - our neighbors Oregon and Washington have joined suit. Meanwhile our cousins on the East Coast are facing yet another horrific hurricane season. I call my friends in Florida to hear they’re underwater, while I’m inside trying not to choke on smoke. We’re all feeling the effects of shifting seasons, where instead of discussing how to prevent the wildfires my leaders are literally discussing how to live with the new reality of them.
Yet communication requires two parties to work. No matter how nicely, kindly, or passionately you try, if the other side has already decided what they’re going to believe or do, you’re sunk. It’s harder still if they’re not living with the reality of wildfires, hurricanes, or droughts (yet). Those insulated from the immediate effects of such things can very easiliy ignore them. No amount of big charts, pictures, or font will save you.
Which is sadly why despite the new reality of annual fires and smoke inhalation, many of my California friends stubbornly insist they will die in this state. The fires don’t deter them - rather, the growing heat of anger, denial, and ignorance they perceive in the other states around them does. They would rather save their breath for smoky skies than waste it on deaf ears.
I can’t say I blame them, however for my part - I can’t stop trying to communicate either. I might try communicating smarter, harder, nicer, sterner, whatever I can do. But if I give up trying, it feels like I’ve amputated a part of my humanity.
So if I seem preachy, or run my typers away on a rant, please believe it’s not because I hate or detest you.
It’s because I honestly need you, and I can’t give up on trying to get through somehow.
If it gets too overwhelming though - just bring up coffee. My attention span isn’t so great and we can always refocus on things we agree are necessary for human survival.
However if you can’t acknowledge coffee, or at the very least tea, we may have truly irreconcilable differences.