Legend has it that “Nero fiddled while Rome burned,” a phrase that has come to mean a leader who has neglected important duties. In 64 A.D., as a great fire swept through Rome, the emperor played his “fiddle” in a villa miles away, ignoring his responsibilities.

As President Trump delivered his State of the Union speech recently, I listened in vain for any meaningful message on climate change. Trump never mentioned it. Rather, he bragged about our “Energy Independence,” ignoring that the Energy Department reports we are importing nearly 10 million barrels of oil per day. After withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement, Trump has boasted about his unyielding support for the oil and natural gas industries, as well as the rollback of critical environmental regulations.

Let’s be honest about it. Climate change is an existential threat facing our planet. It has the potential of vastly changing, or even ending, our civilization. Politics aside, Trump must not be allowed to impose his ignorance and corrupt denials for another four years. We are running out of time. We must answer to our children and grandchildren. They will judge us harshly.

"Trump fiddles while our beautiful Earth burns!"

Rick Gipstein

Mystic