Letters to the editor Jan. 18
Toy drive success
Our Marine Corps Reserve 2020 Toys for Tots campaign was a great success! This valley made it what is was, with handing out over 19,000 toys to 2,053 children. Thank you so much to every person. And, a huge thank you to The Party Store for the warehouse space and everything you did for us. To Windmill Storage, thank you for the free storage unit for the year. So many new businesses helped this year, and again Bee Broadcast came through BIG time.
Shout out to the Flathead Valley, this is the best place to live!
—Kelly Hamilton, Columbia Falls
Legislative update
Week two of the legislative session has concluded and there are eighty working days left before the 2021 legislative session comes to a close. The House of Representatives has been off to a productive start for the people of Montana. Republican policy bills to expand rights for Montanans and get our state’s economy opened up are moving through the chambers, while also ensuring safety and public participation through the process.
House Bill 102, of which I was a co-sponsor, passed the House this week and is now headed to the State Senate. The bill protects the constitutional right to carry a firearm for self-defense by allowing individuals who are lawfully allowed to openly carry a firearm to carry concealed without a permit. Legislative Republicans will continue advancing bills this session that protect the rights and individual freedoms of Montanans from government intrusion.
The Legislature’s COVID-19 panel is meeting to respond to the ever-changing public health landscape. Legislators are committed to making the session safe, transparent and accessible to the public. Also this week, Governor Gianforte issued a new directive repealing the previous Governor’s orders and replacing them with simple recommendations.
This week will see pro-life bills being introduced in the House. Follow their progress on the Montana House of Representatives website.
—John Fuller, R-Kalispell
Flag proclamation
Why did Gov. Gianforte decide not to honor the service of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick who was killed during the insurrection on Jan. 6? He gave his life to protect members of Congress, of which Governor Gianforte recently was a member.
Of any of our Governors across the country, he should have honored Officer Sicknick. Officer Sicknick, just weeks prior to his death, had been protecting Congressman Gianforte while he worked at the Capitol.
A spokeswoman for Governor Gianforte claimed “the fallen officers had no ties to the state” as his reason for not honoring Officer Sicknick. This is not how the governors of Idaho, Wyoming, North Dakota, and many other states across our country saw it. They lowered the flag.
As a Park Ranger with 18 years of law enforcement experience I am well aware of the duties and hazards associated with protecting the public’s safety and I am appalled with Gov. Gianforte’s decision.
I wonder what the 3,000 plus Montana law enforcement officers think about his refusal to lower the flag. What does our state’s chief law enforcement officer, Austin Knudsen and Steve Lavin, head of the Montana Highway Patrol, think about his action?
—Craig McClure, Polson
A positive direction
Recent events in America show our deep divisions. Many feel that God is on “our side.” Perhaps we can learn from St. Paul who noted that we “have zeal for God but are not discerning” (Romans 10.1)
Jesus’ Spirit, who helped St. Paul, can help us also ... to forgive and ask forgiveness, speak the truth, stop judging each other, love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, pray for those who mistreat us, feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked and care for those who are sick or in prison. Jesus’ spirit can help us heal and move forward in a positive direction.
—John Lavi, Kalispell