An op ed in favor of heavy duty EV's presented in the interest of balance. I wonder if anyone at the St. Francis Indian School was told that Indian mascots are offensive.
Presented in the interest of balance (with one comment introduced because I can't help myself).
I talk a lot about my concerns over EV's and heavy-duty electric trucks (and our state's rules pertaining thereto), but it's good to read widely and consider other opinions.
As I've said, even if all you walk away with is a sense of the other side's arguments, I think it's a good idea to consider things contrary to your opinions.
Thus the op ed in support of our state's push to electrify the heavy duty vehicle market.
I was going to just leave this post at that, but something in here stuck out to me enough that I think it's worth special mention. Take a look at the attached screenshot.
There are two things here that I think warrant extra scrutiny and consideration, particularly if you are on the opposite side of this author. Things which I think we need to reckon with. I present them as questions I'd ask and questions to ask yourself (since I don't want to editorialize overmuch here in keeping with the spirit of balance).
1. Note the "once-in-a-generation opportunity". This is a repeated refrain. Why is it so? What makes this a once-in-a-generation? Additionally, what would you say in response to this? Why should we delay?
2. Note the phrase "electric vehicles are the answer" near the end. Why are they the answer as opposed to other options? What do they offer specifically that solves the problems this author sees.
You should pause and see if you could take the perspective of the author or of those that would agree with him. I think this sort of perspective-taking is useful If you want to consider yourself fully informed and ready to meet a challenge to your perspective.
Something to do if you get bored if nothing else.
https://coloradosun.com/2023/05/11/electric-trucks-rules-ev-sales-business-investment-opinion/
I wonder if anyone at the St Francis Indian School (SFIS) knows that having an Indian mascot is offensive.
I was on I-76 the other day and saw an athletics bus from SFIS (linked below if you'd like to learn more) pass me. It got me thinking.
First, it got me thinking about a former colleague. We had a Franciscan nun teach for a while at the school where I used to teach (she taught Theology and Spanish). I remember that she mentioned having taught at SFIS prior to my school.
Second, I noticed that the mascot was the "Warriors" (see attached screenshot for an image), and the smartaleck that inhabits my brain asked the above: "I wonder if anyone at the St Francis Indian School (SFIS) knows that having an Indian mascot is offensive."
Cheeky comments aside, let me be clear. I don't discount that some Indians may see images like mascots/caricatures and get offended by them. I'm not saying any one individual should or should not be offended.
The subtext in my smart remark is not that there is no harm in mascots. The subtext is the absurdity that, one, all Indians feel the same about everything, and, two, that white politicians are arbiters or what is and isn't offensive to anyone.
If only the Democrats running the state took this attitude more in their policy. Humans, of all races and creeds, are individuals and react as such; no one gets a kit when they're born outlining their attitudes, habits, personality traits etc.
Smart policy, policy that doesn't pit one group against another, takes this into account. It seeks to maximize outcomes for all individuals regardless of who they are.
https://www.sfisk12.org/Page/9