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In 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire occurred before the eyes of spectators who witnessed the tragic fate of 146 young girls and women, many of whom jumped from fiery flames, unable to be rescued by firefighters. Only two years prior, 20,000 shirtwaist workers protested in hopes of improving wages and poor, unsafe working conditions, only to be castigated or even put in jail for their vehement protestations. While other factory owners responded with improvements, the Triangle owners refused.
This event immediately came to mind once I learned that residents of Kerr County, in a part of Texas called Flash Flood Alley, had been told the county, state and federal government would not pay for the expensive warning system. Instead, over 100 people paid dearly with their lives and their families will be forever altered. I believe these lives could have been spared.
Thirty years ago, Al Gore raised the awareness of climate change that is now occurring on a daily basis. Yet despite the scientific evidence meteorologists provide every year, our government continues ignoring the reality of climate devastation which will eventually impact everyone. To our beautiful country with its feckless leaders: Wake up!
Patricia Stowell
Bangor
