Letters to the editor April 17

Warm Springs

Reading about the problems at the state psychiatric hospital in Warm Springs leads one to wonder how and where in 2022 we should be treating the chronically mentally ill, difficult dementia patients and people needing mental evaluations for the courts.

Warm Springs , like other state mental hospitals, was build many many decades ago to house the mentally ill. They were generally built in rural areas, far from the general public. They provided housing on the grounds for their employees.

Is it any wonder that Warm Springs in this day and age has trouble finding employees. It remains somewhat isolated situated between Anaconda and Deer Lodge, two relatively small population areas. In a state as geographically large as Montana, why should any one be sent to Warm Springs far away from their communities and family support systems.

Imagine if you had a chronic physical illness and there was only one place as an option for treatment provided by the state and you were sent to Warm Springs.

I don’t know what the answers are, but in 2022 the state should not be stuck in this archaic model of housing and treating the mentally ill in only one facility, in one location, far away from their homes and families in relative isolation.

— Marcia Peck, Bigfork

Enough is enough

It’s once again time to say no to another unwarranted school levy.

Every single year we keep getting requests for more and more levies. The world is currently in a dangerous war environment. The U.S. is plagued with horrendous open border policies, increased crime, rampant drug infestation, totally out of control inflation, and drying up energy supplies. Wages that were once starting to rebound have been all but wiped out by inflation.

People on fixed incomes are struggling just to keep their heads above water. Yet, the Democrat-controlled teachers union wants more and more from struggling Montanans. Please vote no. Enough is enough!

— Steve Allen, Kalispell

Climate cult

It must be the result of the cult of climate change. There is no other explanation for the specious and dramatically false letter to the editor by Aubrey Bertrand (The shameless pretext oil, gas industry is using to demand more public land leasing, March 20).

Her claims that the Russian invasion is causing the run up in oil and gas prices is just a smokescreen from the Biden administration to cover up their failed energy policies. Her claim that it’s the oil and gas industry’s fault shows her complete lack of knowledge of business.

We aren’t producing as much gas and oil in our country as we were two years ago because Biden has implemented new rules to show carbon contributions from projected operations has virtually shut down any permits to drill. We are not a “net exporter” as evidenced by Biden’s disparate pleadings with many questionable nation actors and the fact we have been buying oil from Russia up till the last two weeks. Bertrand doesn’t even seem to be aware of the current headlines from last month from CNN, CNBC and the New York Times confirming the Biden war on oil.

Her basis for her claims come from the cultist belief system she so obviously has: The earth is warming — debatable. Mankind is contributing significantly to the problem — very debatable. By implementing draconian measures mankind can affect the climate — irrational. And we can become energy independent through “sustainable” energy sources like wind and solar — delusional.

She is in denial that it is the Biden administration which is the cause of the run up in gas and oil prices; that those policies are devastating ordinary, hard-working people; that those policies are contributing profoundly to inflation; and that they are helping out some of the worst nation actors in our world.

Her opinion letter is absurd and, for the most part, false. But when you live in the wonderland world of the climate cult religion, facts don’t matter. And, it’s readily apparent, neither do people.

— Mark Agather, Kalispell

Title 42

The cartoon on the April 7 opinion page was a disappointment. This cartoon depicted a Democrat donkey hustling away, carrying a door torn from its hinges on which was written “TITLE 42.” Through the now open doorway were five hands, thumbs up, with “Crime, Terrorist, Drugs, Human, Trafficking” written on the five sleeves.

With the onset of a global pandemic, Title 42, implemented at the U.S.-Mexico border in March 2020 by the CDC, was a response to protect Americans by allowing the U.S. to quickly expel migrants. Its history comes from a 1944 public health law designed to prevent the spread of communicable disease. This Trump-era policy was kept in place by the Biden administration until it was lifted on March 23. With the threat of Covid greatly diminished, lifting this temporary order was appropriate. The U.S. border policy reverts to Title 8, which as been in place throughout U.S. Customs and Border Protection history.

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees seeking safety in the U.S. from a homeland being ravaged by a brutal war were detained in prison-like circumstances prior to the lifting of Title 42. It is shameful that the U.S. continued this policy while European countries were welcoming millions of these desperate refugees.

What was most distressing about this cartoon was its depiction of all migrants as threatening. The vast majority of migrants, whether from Ukraine or Haiti or Central America or Africa are seeking refuge from violence or war or other disasters. Of course our border authorities need to carefully screen potential immigrants, but raising irrational fears by characterizing them as criminals or terrorists is counter to all this country has been, throughout its history. American has been a haven for the downtrodden and oppressed. Immigrants have enriched this country enormously.

— Jeanne Welty Southwood, Bigfork