Letters to the editor Dec. 10
Don’t destroy the Treasure State
Poaching elk (Dec 1), orphaning grizzly cubs, wounding, killing adult grizzlies (Dec.2), and fishing with drones (Dec 3)? And, how is “banning drones for fishing” even a question? Where is the sport in that? Where is the concern for the environment? Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
What is the matter, people? Oh, I know, those individuals have a total disregard for the gift of God’s creation, the beauty, the order, the variety, the wonder of all that surrounds us, and the sanctity of all life. We so underestimate the complexity and intelligence of our wildlife and the fact that they value their lives as much as we do ours. We walk through this world with unseeing eyes, ignorant and arrogant. We are like a cancer destroying the life and well-being of the world we were charged to care for.
If you don’t have an appreciation for those things that have always made Montana the “Treasure State” — its open spaces, night skies, rich wildlife — then by all means go someplace where those things don’t exist, which is just about every other place. But please don’t come here and destroy the things we hold dear and recreate the place you just left behind.
Spoiler alert; life is not all about you and you doing whatever you please.
—Kathryn Berg, Bigfork
The best defense
Jerry O’Neil’s hard-hitting reality check letter on Nov. 22 prompted me to find a letter I wrote over two months ago. It expands on Vitamin C’s importance: “The recent news of a multi-system inflammatory syndrome reminded me of an article I read about cytokine storms. Cytokines are proteins that trigger an immune response to pathogen attacks. From what I read in that report, basically, the immune response to a pathogen such as COVID-19 uses up tremendous amounts of Vitamin C leaving the blood level of vitamin C depleted. Apparently, Vitamin C is the control of cytokine production; without it, the system goes out of control. I did a little online checking and noted that there were reports of Vitamin C and D being used successfully to treat COVID-19 patients and those patients had better outcomes. Important to note: Gulping a few pills is not enough to affect the problem; high dose IV infusions are required.”
Jerry brilliantly mirrored my thoughts on the long-term care facility. Our immune systems get weaker with age — a lot! Young people eat a lot and thus get at least some percentage of vitamins they need to fight disease. Older folks eat far less and so are vitamin deficient.
To expound on deficiency somewhat, think about Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin. We are all deficient — not much sun here for most of the year; the 30 ng/ml Jerry mentioned is the bare minimum. 55 ng/ml or more is the level you need to fight off viruses. Pre-emptive action: 5000 IU/day of D3 and at least 1000 mg of C will most likely keep you in the safe zone.
Care facilities should get patients up to good vitamin levels. The Board of Health should inform people of their immune system being the best defense.
—Gary Goers, Kalispell
Change the election process
Whether it is the Dominion software glitch or the defective machines should be blamed, we, the American people need to know whether we can trust our democratic process. Here are some of my thoughts about our election process.
Update the voter’s registration list regularly every three years. Remove voters who have not voted the last three consecutive years. Use the latest census records to update. Cross check voter’s data with national change of address database.
Use of watermarks on the voting forms will weed out fraud voting forms.
Print and analyze the software used during the election. Check the installation date.
From the list of critical states, choose states where the winning candidate won a large margin and choose states where the winning candidate won a small margin for further verification.
Step 4 will be done after performing steps 1 through 3.
The people who will do step 3, or the quality control, will be different from the people who were in charged during the voting process.
The results of step 5 will be reviewed by a mix party group.
Only after doing these six steps will the results be published and a winner declared.
By the Constitution, if no winner is declared, congress will decide. But only one vote per state.
—Maria Lourdes Ponti, Belgrade
Working together
November closes harvest season, and is a month where we focus on gratitude. I was grateful to cast my ballot at the beginning of the month and I am hopeful, now that the election is past we can return to getting things done. Specifically, let’s continue a collaborative vision that is underway for a special piece of Montana.
The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act is a bill made by Montanans for Montanans. The BCSA brings together anglers, outfitters, mountain bikers, snowmobilers, ranchers, conservationists, and timber interests for shared use while protecting the iconic Blackfoot River watershed.
This is what working together can bring us - providing access for mountain bikes and snowmobiles, wilderness to protect our wildlife and watersheds, and forest restoration projects that ensure timber harvest. A cornucopia of accomplishments, sitting side-by-side on the landscape and supported by 75% of Montanans.
This legislation will be a gift to Montana, to us, in so many ways — protecting the magic of Montana’s wilds, supporting jobs, and boosting the economy. Please take a moment to give thanks for Montana public lands, and send a note to Senator Daines asking him to move this bill forward.
—Chris Rost, Kalispell