Letters to the editor Aug. 16

I have not closely followed letters regarding Covid-19 but after reading the Aug. 8 article about Rosita’s restaurant in Libby and their recent dilemmas it was time to react.

First, let me thank Rosita’s and every business and gathering of people that recognized the simple science behind mask requirements; a disease denied opportunities is lessened. Science is applied to Chronic Wasting Disease with our deer populations and people accept its value. Our interventions with Covid-19 are not based on any less valid science.

Nor is some remote government issuing edicts to benefit the few. We gave our government the right to ”…promote the general welfare.” Those who disagree can isolate themselves and enjoy the freedom of that choice.

No need to implicitly threaten business employees and owners by a show of arms. Carry your gun; I’m a big believer in this and if I could shoot Covid-19, I would. I’m more likely to tap three times on the handle and thank someone wearing a mask for keeping me safe enough to do so.

Diseases don’t care how brave or defiant you are; you’re just another meal. Until reason increases as Robert Frost writes in his poem, “Mending Wall,” “…good fences make good neighbors.”

—John Amundson, Kalispell

I read with interest the article in the Aug. 13 paper about local merchants who are struggling to stay in business during the pandemic.

I work at a business on Central Avenue in Whitefish and have witnessed the difficulties of getting customers into the store, creating an online store, reaching out to the community, etc. We are all doing our best to beat the odds, but the odds seem to be against many main street merchants.

So, I would like to make a proposal to all locals, including our friends who are local only for the summer: Please buy from your local merchants. When you open your computer to order from Amazon, ask yourself if you could call a local merchant instead. Your local merchants will bend over backward to help you buy from them. Most will process your order by phone or on line, will offer curb-side pick-up and may even offer delivery. They need your business and will respond with enthusiasm if you reach out to them.

Perhaps the Whitefish Pilot and Inter Lake could publish contact information for local merchants, like you did for local restaurants when they were limited to take-out only. That page came in handy while all the restaurants were closed.

Let’s band together and keep our small, locally owned businesses alive through these trying times.

—Lynnette Ludviksen, Whitefish

This election will indeed be a referendum on “the America we know and love.” I will not argue Don Kaltschmidt’s arguments (Aug. 19) against the Democrats. I disagree with all of them. It is easy to bring up examples of extreme views... on both sides. I suspect the few remaining moderate Republicans disagree with the majority of super conservatives.

This is what I know about Democrats. They fight for every vote. They encourage everyone to vote. Unlike, it appears, the Republicans who use tricks, deception and suppression. In particular, as the Associated Press reported, the Montana GOP Party, for which Don Kaltschmidt is the chairman, “bankrolled Green Party ballot access ... to siphon votes from Democratic candidates this fall.” The national GOP Party followed his example and is now working with Kanye West to siphon votes from Vice President Biden.

So, I ask: Do we want to live in a country where the voters are deceived to win elections? Let us all strive to have a clean and fair election.

—Susan Repa, Lakeside