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| May 11, 2017 4:00 AM

You come from where? Don’t you dare run for office!

What phobia is this?

Since it’s apparently a big deal, Mom and Dad were living in Helena so I was born there. A long time ago. Still, I have a question.

Since you’re a xenophobe if you think it’s OK and consistent with Montana values to want to pre-qualify persons from countries that are hostile to us before allowing them to immigrate, what are you if you think it’s OK and consistent with Montana values to immediately condemn an individual seeking to represent us in Congress if he/she is originally from New Jersey?

Would it be even worse if he/she was from Texas?

Or, God forbid, California?

Once I get it, maybe I’ll go down to the dump and shoot a couple TVs. —Tim Plunkett, Kalispell

A defense of Gianforte’s views on science

Among all the letters recently labeling Greg Gianforte as an outsider, a transient millionaire and worse, the most upsetting one was submitted by Alice Millard in Easter Sunday’s Inter Lake.

The difference between historical science and operational science is obviously not understood by Ms. Millard and many others. Operational science is observable, testable and repeatable. It got us all the high-tech gadgets, appliances, vehicles, computers, etc., that we enjoy.

Historical science is the study of the past and developing a narrative of history after viewing the evidence available. Old Earth proponents and young Earth proponents have the same evidence to study. Their conclusions can’t help but reflect their starting bias. Neither view of the Earth’s history (and thus, ours) has any bearing on current operational science.

Gianforte’s young Earth view (and mine and that of thousands of scientists) follows the Bible’s narrative and timeline and is most aligned with the physical evidence around us. He is not a science denier, but rather an astute observer of the evidence and in my estimation is exactly the “inquiring mind who is ready to learn as well as lead” that Alice Millard wants in Congress.

Gianforte’s support of the museum in Glendive is testament to his conclusions and faith and it IS his money. On the other side of the coin, billions of taxpayer and private donor dollars have been squandered in the futile search for life “out there” which stems from the belief that if evolution happened here and the universe built itself, then it must have occurred elsewhere. Operational science easily proves that macroevolution is impossible. So, just maybe, someone with the common sense to stop funding this nonsense is just what we need in Congress.

Ad hominen attacks are made out of desperation when one can’t find a decent counter argument to their opponent’s position. Greg Gianforte’s positions on origins and the age of the earth have no bearing on his ability to serve in Congress. Therefore all the recent mocking statements disparaging his beliefs and scientific conclusions merely serve to strengthen the veracity of those positions. —Gary Goers, Kalispell

Disgusted by politics all the way around

I am sure there are a lot of people who won’t see it as I do, but here is what it looks like to me:

Quist is probably in it for the money and Gianforte for the power. Probably 99 percent of those we elect fit those criteria one way or another.

I thought we were done with all that election crap until Zinke dumped the people of Montana to feather his own nest, now I rail at the TV for having to watch the same stupid ads over and over again — drain the swamp, shoot an old TV, shoot a computer monitor, and on and on. How could someone respect Gianforte for his attack-dog tactics, boy talk about taking the low road and I don’t see Quist putting him in his place for accusing him of so much wrongdoing, and have you noticed Gianforte has changed some of them as he goes along with his mud slinging?

After being a Democrat for most of my life I dumped them when Obama came along and now have voted Republican the last elections, but I don’t know who these guys think they are kidding. No matter who gets elected they will vote their party no matter what. Oh yes, you are supposed to do the right thing and vote, but for the first time in my life I can’t come up with a reason to waste my time. —Glen Hook

Quist’s values are not Montana values

I don’t have a problem with Mr. Quist not paying his bills as at some point most of us may have been in that situation. What does bother me about Mr. Quist is how he smugly sits there with a rifle in his hands wiping it down with a rag and telling the viewer how he believes in Montana values of gun ownership.

This upsets me as he has the gall to lie to all the viewers of this advertisement. Mr. Quist supports gun registration for all commonly owned semi-automatic firearms used for hunting, recreational shooting, and self-defense. He also refuses to answer the most basic questions put to him by the National Rifle Association and others regarding our Second Amendment rights. This is because he strongly supports the Bloomberg-Schumer-Pelosi gun grab agenda. In other words, Mr. Quist has California and New York-style gun ownership values. Not Montana values!

Right now the powerful health insurance industry which controls 20 percent of our economy is more than likely bribing congressional members to keep Obamacare in place as it kills competition and earns these corporations hundreds of billions of our tax dollars. Due to Mr. Quist’s tenuous financial situation, I can see how he could be cheaply convinced by these companies to keep Obamacare or go to a single-payer worse system.

In contrast, independently wealthy Mr. Gianforte would not be that easily swayed by these wealthy corporations. Additionally, Mr. Gianforte is an experienced negotiator with the likes of these corporations and should be able to cut us average folks the best deal possible with the coming financial collapse of Democrat-inspired Obamacare.

I have met Mr. Gianforte several times and believe he deserves our vote for Congress. —Norm Johnson, Polson

Keep in mind the Legislature’s vote on mail-in ballot when you cast YOUR vote

In reference to the state vote on mail-in ballots, it seems that all I do is write letters to the editor but I just can’t let this go.

I think of myself as a good American and am blessed to live in this country but some of the things that are going on, as far as I am concerned, are un-American.

When a representative party of our country goes as far as to refuse our seniors and handicapped the right to vote, something needs to be done. Our seniors and handicapped are not all Republican, Democrat or any other party. Some have no way short of walking to get to the polls. This last legislation they passed is likened to standing in the polling place with a weapon, telling us who can vote and who can’t.

If you know of someone who wants to vote but can’t stand in a line for a long period of time, help them out with transportation and a folding chair to sit on and pray for these short-minded people who voted for this.

I personally will consider what party to vote for in the future and would recommend that you do the same. —Sid Anderson, Kalispell