Letters to the editor Oct. 3

Dealing with a coup

Having visited Kalispell frequently over the past 14 years, I was surprised to see a letter to the editor, which expressed deep concern about the president’s rhetoric. The writer invoked Nazi Germany and asked if rhetoric was linked to mass shootings. Readers were advised to consider this when they vote.

Opposition rhetoric should also be considered. Sen. Booker wants to punch the president in the face. Joe Biden wants to beat up the president. Maxine Waters encourages people get in the face of Trump supporters. A Democrat assaults Sen. Paul. A Democrat attempts to assassinate a congressman. A comedian poses with a severed head of the president. A singer muses about bombing the White House. And a late night host jokes about assassinating the president, just to name a few.

President Trump has been dealing with a coup since he was elected. I choose to give him a pass on his language. I’ll make my decision on what he has accomplished in a toxic environment.

—Joseph Sweeney, Dover, Mass.

It’s no hoax

The Republican Party has fought long and hard to convince people, including their own children, that global warming is a hoax. Why have they done that? Undoubtedly because they frame their world view in terms of making money, and little else really matters to them.

The weaker, caring Democratic Party has fewer resources to compete with the crueler, focused Republican Party. Money matters.

Now, a revolution (climate strike) has emerged headed up by children and students in America, and even worldwide (especially 16-year-old Greta Thunberg), demanding to reveal global climate change is no hoax! They want to live, and grow up to have children and grandchildren, and they will no longer accept their Republican parents sacrificing their lives for the monetary worth of material things.

The human race is careening towards extinction as the climate heats up rapidly. Humans will also destroy all innocent wildlife bystanders. Evidence of this abounds around the world but scientifically uneducated people cannot understand it….so they don’t bother to read about it from valid, reliable news sources, but only get fake news from Rush Limbaugh (illegal drug trafficker), Donald Trump (impeachable con man), and Fox News (fake news outlet.) It is not a mathematical linear curve but rather an exponential curve and it is at the point where the neck of the curve heads upward very steeply/rapidly.

Some of us scientists even believe we have gone past the point of no return. But most admit that whatever action we take to empty the atmosphere of greenhouse gas materials that increase the trapped heat from the sun, Mother Nature will take at least 20 years to respond to our efforts. That response time is too little, too late. So, you parents that have risked the lives of your kids, it is now time to listen to them in order to teach you what it will take to try save us all.

Begin by voting for Democrats. Many are young local people who are non-traditional Democrats with broad appeal to all voters, and who do understand the climate issues that threaten us all: Reilly Neill, for governor of Montana; John Mues, for U.S. Senate; Tom Winter, for U.S. Congress, Kimberly Dudik, for attorney general of Montana; John Muhlfeld, for mayor of Whitefish. I have met them all and have listened to their knowledgeable commentary and do recommend you vote for them. Write it down to remember their names.

You can’t take the money with you. Think of a possible future for your children.

—Bill Baum, Whitefish

Good day at the landfill

I would like to send a big thank you to the young man who helped me at the Creston landfill on Tuesday morning.

I had my pickup filled to the max with bags of debris that covered my yard from the storm last weekend. I was not looking forward to unloading all those bags, especially with a very sore shoulder. I was surprised when the young man whose vehicle was parked in front of my truck came over to ask “May I help you?”

I wanted to yell YES, but instead I said “But you’ll get dirty.” Before I knew it he jumped in the back of my truck and had everything unloaded in no time. As he was leaving I asked his name. “Charley” he said. As he turned again to leave I told Charley to tell his mother that she did a great job of raising her son. He gave me a big smile.

It was a very good day at the landfill. Thanks to Charley.

­­—Gayle Chaffey, Lake Blaine

Kudos to Bigfork

Congratulations to Bigfork Chamber of Commerce Rebekah King and the Bigfork Chamber of Commerce, the Dragon Boat Board and the many sponsors for a job well done.

This year’s Dragon Boat Festival in Bigfork at Marina Cay was beautifully executed. The races ran smoothly, there was a great variety of food available for the spectators and even the weather cooperated.

Kudos to all who worked so hard to make this event in our beautiful village of Bigfork a huge success.

— Elvira Johnston, Bigfork

Trail would benefit Libby

As someone who is invested in the success of Libby businesses and promoting this area as one of the finest outdoor recreation areas in the world, the idea of rerouting the Pacific Northwest Trail through Libby is extremely appealing.

There is so much for hikers and backpackers to explore if they could have a waypoint in Libby and having a full-service area for them to refresh and re-equip themselves would allow this area to be a highlight of their hike.

The second advantage of this plan that springs to mind, is rerouting the trail out of the Yaak moves tourists out of Grizzly bear habitat. It is enough of a wild adventure out here without exposing visitors to an increased likelihood of a hazardous bear encounter. As business people in Libby, we should be looking for every avenue possible to enhance the visitor experience, and rerouting the PNT as suggested will play an outstanding role in that.

­—Troy Douthit, Kootenai Country Montana Executive Director