Letters to the editor May 22
Where is the outrage?
I have watched the Inter Lake since the most recent school elections for a letter to the editor regarding the Kalispell high school election. So far, not a word. Where is the outrage, the shame, the embarrassment for failure of the high school levy in Kalispell?
A Kalispell high school levy has not passed since 2007. For the past 15 years we have allowed our schools to float toward mediocrity because — why? For most of us, this levy would have cost about $50 a year in additional taxes — half a tank of gas, a pizza and a couple of drinks; less than a dinner for two at most places.
Voting “no” on a school levy fails our community, our dedicated staff members, and most of all our children and grandchildren. Quite obviously in these times they need our positive support, and every tool available to help them be safe and successful. Our teachers and administrators need to know that we value and support them in their untiring efforts to develop our kids into the most they can be. It must be quite discouraging to them to hear us say “no” for 15 years.
Are we all now so angry and uncaring that we take it out on our children and their teachers by saying “no” when they need us the most?
Come on, Kalispell — we’re better than that.
— Dave Peters, Kalispell
Profiting on public resources
We are distressed to learn of the requests for permits authorizing recreation events as well as increased outfitting and guiding opportunities on the Flathead National Forest.
We feel that the ecological health of the Flathead Forest and the surrounding landscape (our plant, animal and human communities, and our lakes and rivers) is already suffering from unbridled recreational use.
The Forest Service will not only endorse, but aggravate this situation if it caters to private interests who want to profit from using public resources. The guides and outfitters will make money, but they will do so at the expense of people and wildlife who value, and need, wild, quiet country.
— Bob and Inez Love, Columbia Falls
Campaign ads
Election season is upon us, and I was so pleased to see the candidate’s television ads being independently strong in speaking about their platforms, strengths, and values. But unfortunately, it happened the first negative campaign ad on television; a candidate spoke unkind and derogatory statements about another candidate.
I will never understand this type of campaigning where a candidate does not believe that their qualities and what they have to offer the citizens of Montana are enough that they feel the need to attack other candidates. I find this type of behavior very unbecoming and reason not to vote for any candidate using such disgraceful tactics.
Candidates need to campaign on their own merits and not lower themselves to mudslinging. These candidates want to represent the citizens and be role models, but how is it possible to be a good representative of the people and an honorable role model when your ads are about verbally attacking another candidate? I think I speak for many people that this type of campaigning turns us off. All we want to know is what you will do for our great State of Montana. We don’t want to hear gossip, nor do we have the appetite for listening to other people’s dirty laundry aired just as we don’t, and I am sure you don’t want your dirty laundry aired for the public.
— Cassie Monaco, Whitefish
State rights
It’s obvious the federal government is over-stretched trying to manage and control all sorts of things better left to the individual states. It’s an old struggle going back to the founding of our country where the larger populated states wanted to have control over their less populated neighbors. Many of our country’s most divisive disagreements stem from this federal overreach.
For example, the abortion issue isn’t about abortion. The overturning of Roe vs Wade doesn’t do anything but allow each state to determine this very contentious issue separately. But our big blue states, which seem dominated by an anti-Christian populace, are demanding that the Supreme Court codify the left’s belief system on all of us.
In our state, the federal government’s confiscation of Montana’s public lands is basically the same issue — incompetent management from Washington D.C., which has left us with rotting, dying forests and endless months of fire with suffocating smoke which is so bad for our health not to mention the destruction of our natural resource jobs and economy. There is no doubt our state can manage our forest much more efficiently to the benefit of all.
The degradation of our educational system is another prime example. With subjects like CRT, sex, homosexuality, relative morality and skewed history lessons promoted by the influence of the atheistic, liberal department of education, the blue states have, once again, schemed to impose their world viewpoints on us and our children. It should be unquestioned that we, in the state of Montana, have the right to determine how our own educational system operates.
Most Montanans believe we can do a better job here then bureaucrats from D.C. Unfortunately, it appears neither of our Congressional Republican candidates, Ryan Zinke and/or Dr. O, seem to have any notion of this profound issue or are too timid to discuss it. But they better start.
For until the liberals, most of whom appear to love supreme federal government power and control, allow states more control, the divisiveness in our society is certain to continue. Or worse yet it will intensify.
— Mark Agather, Kalispell
Open election
When one of the major political parties embraces conspiracy theories, rejects science and facts, and denies wrongdoing for attacks upon the republic and our democracy, something has gone desperately wrong. Yet a well-intentioned and thoughtful campaign underway to encourage cross-over voting is not the solution.
Discussion is taking place in the Flathead asking Democrats, Libertarians and independents to vote the Republican ballot in the upcoming primary, choosing either the most far-right, out-of-touch Republican to go up against a Democrat in the general election, or the most moderate, common-sense Republican to move forward to the general election where Democrats do not have a candidate.
I understand the motivations to do so. Now, more than ever, we need common-sense, fact-based political leaders to address our problems. But manipulating the vote in our two-party system will not help Republicans root out the nonsense and self-centered meanness espoused by some candidates and restore the law-and-order, limited government party that respects individual freedom. As Democrats, we need an honest and respectful Republican party to work with and debate, something that currently doesn’t exist.
At the same time, Democrats need to own up to the fact we are conceding too many races to Republicans without an argument. We need to rally Democrats to run for every elected office. We must inspire Flathead voters to join in our commitment to improve the health of our economy, communities and families.
To those considering cross-over voting as a viable way to solve our problems, I offer this suggestion: feel free to vote for any candidate who has publicly rebuked the current leader of the Republican Party, Donald Trump. Or, to make it easy: vote for, donate to, and provide campaign support for the candidate with a D after her or his name.
— Roger Hopkins, secretary of Flathead County Democrats
GOP outcast
Having been born to a World War 2 infantryman father, and an Army nurse mother, my life has always been one of fairly strict discipline. One of the sayings from my colonel father was, “If everyone in the room is in agreement, then no one is thinking,” — courtesy of General George Patton.
With this in mind, there are lots of bragging going on in the local elections that has me wondering. Many of us elect locals to Helena, and ask very little. What has occurred as of late is what has me wondering. Not once did either of our elected officials, House or Senate, who went to Helena ever contact me to discuss anything that might impact the taxpayers and retired folks, like me.
Both of these gentleman were introduced via Dee Brown to me at a special city meeting. What did occur was voting without much thought from the ever-controlling alt-right that controls local politics and their own agendas.
My mother raised me to never be a lemming, and as a free thinker, I tend to be an Eisenhower/Reagan Republican which puts me immediately in the RINO category. This control is dangerous in that if you do not follow party rule, you become an outcast.
So be it. My suspicions as to what has occurred to my life-long party is for another day. I am not voting for any incumbent who will not contact me about legislation in Helena that impacts Columbia Falls, and ask you to think before voting in this primary, and then general election.
— Michael Shepard, Columbia Falls
Forced birth extremists
How many children do you want to have? Have you really thought about it? Maybe you know you want a big family. Maybe the government is about to force you to have a big family whether you want it or not.
We are on the precipice of huge changes in this country with the almost certain overturn of Roe vs Wade. Republican lawmakers are talking about making abortion illegal nationwide (Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on May 7). Even worse, many GOP office holders are now openly talking about making contraceptives illegal. (Sen Marsha Blackburn, TN; Rep. Brent Crane, ID; Governor Tate Reeves, MS and others).
Imagine a future where any sexual intercourse between a man and a woman has the potential to cause pregnancy and there’s nothing you can do about it. No pill, no condom, no IUD, no abortion. No abortion to save a life when the pregnancy is ectopic. No abortion to save the mother’s life when the pregnancy is killing her. No abortion in the case of rape or incest.
The Republican party is trying to take us back to a time of huge families, whether or not people can support those families. They cut aid to families struggling now but want larger families and more suffering.
Conservatives can no longer call themselves pro-life. They are forced birth extremists who want more babies, period. They give no thought to the consequences and the consequences are severe.
Look at the history of such decisions in Romania under Nicolae Ceausescu. Abortion and contraception were banned and birth rates soared. Children couldn’t be cared for and were sent to orphanages where conditions deteriorated and children suffered.
This dystopian future must be prevented. Vote Democrat and let’s protect everyone’s ability to decide the size of their family.
— Amy Weeks, Columbia Falls
Responsibility
Readers please explain to me, if a woman has the right to “control” her body, why do taxpayers have to pay for her decisions? A woman could abstain from sex, use birth control measures or sterilization. If she decides to have unprotected sex then whomever she has sex with actually enters into a “contract” should a pregnancy occur.
So if she decides she does not want the baby shouldn’t the male also have the option to raise the “contracted” child with the woman paying support for said child? Seems with equality both people are responsible to support and raise the child.
Taxpayers should not be held liable for the outcome either way. If you cannot afford to raise a child do not get pregnant.
Look around as welfare is full of bad decision-makers that rely on others to support their child. Children are the most precious gifts and should be treated as such.
I do agree that medically challenged fetuses need to be dealt with rationally and also rape or incest cases.
How can any civilization abort babies in the womb and even after birth and sell pieces and parts? So women, yes it is your body so take full responsibility. Stop looking for excuses and blaming others.
— Ron Albrecht, Kalispell
Justification
Most of us have heard women’s justifications and reasons for abortion. Let’s just take a minute and address all the justifications and pretend the subject is a 3-year-old child.
Now, let’s hear the reasons and justifications for taking this child’s life.
— Lindie Gibson, Livingston