Letters to the editor May 15

Celebrate personhood

Just as we have recently celebrated motherhood, let’s celebrate personhood. Over 100 years ago there were those who believed vehemently someone of a different color was less than a person. Those who thought this way were adamant about their legal right to buy and sell people. Since they owned them, their perspective was the body of the slave belonged to them. So, they were free to beat or even kill them. Today most agree they are wrong and no one can legally take away an individual’s right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.

Now the issue has shifted under a similar guise of certain people falling into a “sub-human” category justifying the right to hurt or kill them. Russian leaders strongly believe their superiority gives them the right to be killing and destroying families and property in the Ukraine, similar to Hitler who believed in the Aryan race being superior to all others. Most of the world views them as wrong and is trying to stop them.

For our nation, a battle rages over the right to destroy the unborn based on a mother believing they own the baby, it isn’t human, and they have the right to get rid of their son or daughter. If honest people know once a life starts, it is human as is now medically supported. Someone who puts themselves above others doesn’t consider hurting or even killing for their own benefit. Those who put others first make sacrifices for the sake of helping others even though it costs them. There will come a day when history will look back and decry the killing of innocent babies as unconscionable.

— Synoia Olson, Lakeside

The ovarian wars

Birth control pills became available in 1960 but it wasn’t until 1972 that the Supreme Court struck down the last of the 100-year-old Comstock law that restricted doctors from prescribing contraceptives for unmarried women. Under the Comstock Act of 1873, it was illegal to discuss birth control or venereal disease, or to mail literature about bodily functions. Anatomy and medical textbooks were banned and confiscated. Women were chronically pregnant, often having 10 pregnancies and more, yet nurses and doctors who educated them about contraception were jailed. Now, we are back to banning books, blocking sex education and jailing doctors..

Voices of the evangelical right have erupted with screams to protect the unborn without a care for the pregnant female. I use the term female intentionally because impregnated children are not women. They are innocents harmed physically and emotionally by amoral incorrigible men, many of them their fathers and relatives.

Incest and rape are common and typically not reported. I know many victims: friends, relatives and patients. Working for decades in ERs has been difficult when faced with abused women and children such as: treating a 9-year-old in labor, a toddler with venereal warts, an abused 5-year-old girl who showed me the condoms in her little pockets and told me what they were for and trying to save women from botched septic “back-alley” abortions.

Under the conservative Republican legislators like those in Montana, and the loss of a fair Supreme Court to partisan religious decisions, women and our democracy are under attack.

To win the ovarian wars, as women we must associate with people who defend our personal rights, educate ourselves even when the truth is painful, support legislation for OTC contraceptive pills and Plan B (the morning-after pill). Most important of all, vote for candidates who support modern medicine and human rights.

— Betty Kuffel, Whitefish

Short-sighted leadership

Montana is a state with much to offer. Spectacular wild lands offer abundant recreational opportunities that help fuel the state’s economy and provide critical habitat for numerous wildlife species. Unfortunately, its leaders have come out against an initiative that would protect these lands, nature and life on earth.

Montana Gov. Gianforte and officials who report to him (Amanda Kaster, DNRC; Hank Worsech, FWP; Christoper Dorrington, DEQ; Christy Clark, agriculture; and Michael Honeycutt, livestock) have gone on record against the 30x30 initiative.

The goal of the 30x30 initiative is a science-based call to action to conserve 30% of land and water across the globe by the year 2030 to mitigate global climate change. Human activity has impacted over 75% of land across the globe. A scientific assessment completed by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services estimates that “1 million of an estimated 8 million animal and plant species worldwide are threatened with extinction as a result of habitat loss, exploitation of nature, climate change, pollution, and invasive alien species.” 30x30 has the capacity to stop the loss of biodiversity, and hopefully begin to reverse some of the negative impacts of human activity.

This initiative has huge bipartisan support (77-95% according to American Nature Campaign cited research) but Montana’s short-sighted leaders apparently are not invested in securing a safe and healthy land for our children and grandchildren.

There are over 340 U.S. nonprofit groups that endorse the initiative. 30x30 is supported by a majority of governments across the globe. According to a Pugh Foundation report, 122 countries have signed on.

Perhaps Gianforte and his officials who have come out against 30X30 should ask themselves if they can bear the responsibility for the future of our planet as it becomes increasingly unlivable.

— Mary Alexine, Whitefish

Mary Todd for Congress

I am supporting Mary Todd for Montana’s District 1 Congressional seat. She has served in many leadership roles. As a strong conservative, Mary stands for Biblical values we see slipping away in the United States. She believes in Montana and wants to see a prosperous Montana, but also believes there are forces trying to destroy our great United States.

Mary is a courageous woman who will fight against government corruption at the highest levels. She will fight for Montana, for our police (rule of law), for our veterans, and for our children (born and in the womb).

It is a travesty that Joe Biden shut down the Keystone Pipeline, which would have provided jobs, provided money to schools, and boosted our economy, but instead gave Russia the green light for the Nordstream pipeline. Nordstream does not help Montanans, but in fact, hurts all citizens of the USA. Mary’s policies want to reverse Keystone at the earliest possible opportunity.

Previous politicians have failed Montanans and we need a reboot; we need someone who is not afraid of the ruling elite and who will stand their ground and fight for us. Montana needs to go forward, not backward when the primaries roll around June 7. It’s time we got some fresh ideas and fresh perspective in Washington D.C. Mary Todd has the expertise and the spirit to fight for us all.

— Toni Sward, Kalispell

Republican endorsements

Democrats use Montana’s primary election system in ways that were not intended. On April 7, Karlene Khor wrote a letter to the editor outlining the procedure for Democrats to steal a Republican primary election. She wrote, “pull a Republican primary ballot,” which means voting in the Republican primary even though the voter is a Democrat. They vote for the weakest Republican or a Democrat filing as a Republican.

I only endorse candidates who have a proven background as Republicans. For the statewide elections: I endorse Al Olszewski for Congress and Derek Skees for Montana Public Service Commission. They have served in the Montana legislature and have conservative records. For the State Senate, John Fuller (SD 4) and Mark Noland (SD 7). For the State House, Braxton Mitchell (HD 3), Matt Regier (HD 4) and Bob Keenan (HD 10) are experienced conservative legislators. Ronalee Skees (HD 11) is chair of the Republican Party and has developed expertise working with legislators. Lyn Bennett (HD 5) is chair of Pachyderm, a conservative Republican organization. Dave Ingram (HD 7) serves on a county committee. Terry Falk (HD 8) and Constance Neumann (HD 9) are conservative. For clerk and recorder, I support incumbent Debbie Pierson.

For the county commissioner race I support Pam Holmquist. She has a remarkable record of accomplishments. She ran a business in Evergreen for 40 years and was a former treasurer for the Republican party. I have served on county committees and witnessed the personal relationship she has with county staff. Also, she contacted me when I was a State Representative in Helena to help her strengthen property rights. She looked far ahead to get funding for the bypass before traffic on Main Street became a disaster.

— Verdell Jackson, Kalispell