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letter to the editors
A concept design for a rooftop solar garden on the Notre Dame cathedral by Vincent Callebaut Architectures. (Screenshot)

(Editor’s note: NonDoc runs Letters to the Editors between 300 words and 500 words. NonDoc reserves the right to edit lightly for length, style and grammar. We value a diverse set of voices respectfully discussing issues from different perspectives. To submit a letter for publication, please write to letters@nondoc.com.)

To the editors:

A plan has been presented by some architects to replace the recently burned Notre Dame cathedral roof with a tent-shaped form that also serves as a solar panel. There will be much gnashing of teeth and floods of words over such a proposal, but it’s early yet in the process. I’m in favor of the tent plan.

I think it makes no difference if such a plan is built, or if nothing is done other than throw a blue tarp over the non-existent roof. Our civilization is on the rocks and though no one now reading this will be alive in the next 80 years, we will be unable to recognize the current society that is reduced to a dystopian disaster movie we so seem to enjoy. Not only are Earth’s plants and animals going extinct, but even basic elements such as helium are. We continue to poison our habitat with irreversible changes and depletions even as our population grows making ever more stressful demands on more scarce supplies.

Morality, possibly the crowning achievement of our evolution, has been made subservient to acquisition of power in the form of money by any means; no respect for justice, let alone the law which has always been molded to accommodate the privileged. The Supreme Court is truly living up to its name with currently five die-hard religionists-cum-political lackeys who have never met a repressive legal brief they could vote against.

Minorities are shot in the streets with impunity, child rapers are allowed to preach about morality, con men are elected to office as they exploit the hatred and resentment of their supporters, religion is used to browbeat and shame those who have little resistance to power, women are treated as property not allowed to exercise their own medical decisions. These topics have adherents in both major Amerikkkan parties and still we talk of hope?

Action is what’s needed, not the Monday-night quarterbacking of hope.

James Nimmo
Oklahoma City