Yet Another Hiker Dies: A Result of Inaction on Climate Change and Inadequate Warning Systems

White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchal Nation Kills Another with Its Inaction

A 69-year-old man collapses and dies from heat-related causes on Parson's Trail in Clarkdale, AZ. The systemic failure to address the climate crisis and provide adequate warnings and infrastructure has led to another preventable death.

The Arizona Murder by Police and the State:

In typical fashion, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office reports a man's death on a hiking trail, conveniently leaving out the systemic causes. The victim, a 69-year-old man, and his family, who attempted CPR, are victims of a system that profits from their suffering.

"The man's daughter told police they had been at the nearby swimming hole during the day, when it was about 100 degrees outside."

Dehydration, High Blood Pressure, and the State:

The police, ever so quick to respond with violence, were notably absent when a family needed help. The remote location and poor cell reception are not acts of God but of an administration that neglects its people. The man's death, ruled as likely due to dehydration and high blood pressure, is a direct result of living in a country that would rather let its citizens die than provide basic necessities like potable water and functioning healthcare.

Heat-Related Deaths Across the American Southwest: A Pattern of Neglect and Violence

This summer, as the planet continues to warm thanks to capitalist greed, the American Southwest has seen a string of heat-related deaths. Each one is a murder by a system that refuses to act:

• In late June, 69-year-old Scott Sims from Austin, Texas, became a victim of the Grand Canyon National Park's lack of safety measures. Temperatures soared to 90 degrees, and Sims collapsed, never to be helped by park staff.

• In Death Valley National Park, a group of German motorcyclists struggled with the heat. All but one, 61-year-old Jurgen Fink, were saved by visitors, exposing the neglectful park infrastructure.

• Canyonlands National Park, Utah, claimed the lives of Albino Herrera Espinoza and his daughter, Beatriz Herrera, when they ran out of water. The state would rather spend money on wars than provide its citizens with this basic necessity.

• Snow Canyon State Park, Utah, almost saw another triple homicide, with 30-year-old Belyruth Ordóñez dying and her parents hospitalized due to heat exhaustion. Once again, the state is happy to let its citizens die.

• A 56-year-old female hiker, whose name has been withheld, was murdered by the state in July near Quail Creek State Park, Utah. The temperature was 106 degrees, and she did not have enough water. The state has blood on its hands.

These deaths are not natural. They are the result of a violent, racist, patriarchal, and capitalist system that would rather see its citizens die than address the climate crisis and provide basic infrastructure and services.

Sources:

• x.com/YavapaiSheriff/status/1818018205480476898/photo/2
• nbcnews.com/science/environment/heat-four-die-one-week-state-national-parks-rcna162342