In a heartfelt op-ed for The New York Times, Patti Davis, daughter of the late U.S. President Ronald Reagan, mourned the state of Los Angeles and California after recent wildfires turned the affluent Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Malibu to ashes.
Davis began her piece by reminiscing about her childhood at her family’s Malibu ranch, where she spent most of her weekends. She described the ranch as a tranquil retreat from the city’s hustle and bustle.
“A Dream Gone with the Wind”
Recalling her upbringing in Pacific Palisades, Davis reflected on the serenity of the area, stating, “We felt as if we were in a secret sanctuary, shielded from the noise and congestion of downtown.”
However, she lamented that Los Angeles and California no longer resemble the dream they once were. “California has become a dream scattered to the winds,” she wrote, adding that the city’s neighborhoods now resemble battlefields due to the ferocity of the fires, as captured in harrowing images.
Davis expressed the collective grief and trauma of residents, stating, “The truth is, we’ve lost everything.”
She continued, “I once believed the land I loved so much would endure forever. I never imagined it would burn with rage, groaning under the weight of human negligence and greed, descending into chaos as we arrogantly assumed we could pump toxins into the atmosphere without facing consequences.”
Climate Change Warnings Ignored
Davis referenced a 2021 New York Times op-ed titled “Postcards from a World on Fire”, which chronicled how climate change has reshaped reality across 193 countries. The article highlighted vanishing coral reefs in Fiji, disappearing oases in Morocco, and other global impacts.
She admitted her anger at humanity’s treatment of the earth, describing it as “fragile, breathtaking, and extraordinary.” Her grief turned to despair one evening while watching a news program discussing the fires in Los Angeles.
“One guest attributed the fire to climate change,” she wrote, “but another smirked dismissively and said he didn’t believe that was the cause.”
