Opinion

To the editor: Did Noah’s Flood really happen? I would like to expand on my May 11, 2017 letter in the Gazette which dealt with the impact energy released when a meteor hit the earth and formed the 110-mile diameter Chicxulub crater under the Gulf of Mexico. Recent drilling samples indicate an energy equivalent to some four million H-bombs.

To most Americans, human rights feel like a basic necessity in their lives. Privilege is often the most common reason many people feel that basic human rights are essentially in place for all people. Universal Human Rights month is to raise awareness about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This declaration was established in 1948, adopted by the United Nations, and is the most translated document in the world. The Universal Declaration promises to all the economic, social, political, cultural and civic rights that underpin a life free from want and fear. This was created to protect the rights of people worldwide. There are 30 rights that the declaration states are for all people regardless of any discriminating factors. Just a few of these rights are freedom from torture, freedom of slavery, right to health, right of equality between men and women, and right to liberty and security. Obviously, the creation of this document did not end human rights violations. It should be known that it also obviously has made a difference in some people’s lives. No document is that powerful, but it has given victims of these abuses power to obtain justice within the judicial system, but many people have not gained access to this process. These rights are just a few of the rights that effect domestic violence and sex trafficking victims every day. These rights are taken from people who deal with victimization each and every day. Each of the Universal Human Rights can and are affected by these crimes. We encourage all people to read the declaration to truly feel what basic rights people within their communities do not have the privilege of having within their daily living. Domestic violence victims and sex trafficking victims face many barriers and many of the rights that have been taken from them can and do affect their ability to be free from abuse. Human trafficking is modern day slavery here in the United States, in our local counties and in our local towns. These victi

(Editor’s note: Our state legislators have organized Town Hall meetings in several communities, including Redwood Falls, on Dec. 14. This is your chance to communicate with them about issues of importance to you prior to the Minnesota Legislative Session, which begins on Jan. 3.) State Senator Gary Dahms (R – Redwood Falls) and State Representative Paul Torkelson (R – Hanska) invite District 16B residents to attend their joint town hall meetings on Wednesday, Dec. 14:

Clean Up the River Environment CURE (Clean Up the River Environment), a Montevideo-based rural organization, along with partner organizations in Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, are calling on the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to advise states not to permit any new CO2 pipelines until regulations for high pressure hazardous liquid CO2 pipelines from PHMSA are complete. Due to the unknowns around CO2 pipelines, CURE and Upper Midwest partner organizations, also request that PHMSA hold a public meeting on both the research questions and knowledge gaps that need to be addressed for a rigorous CO2 rulemaking and what CO2 regulations should contain.