Letters to the editor Aug. 25
So weird
For years, Republicans have claimed to be the party of Christians while behaving the opposite of Christ. This year, they’ve outdone that hypocrisy by claiming to be the law and order party while picking Donald Trump, a convicted felon and adjudicated sexual assaulter and fraudster, as their presidential candidate.
Here in Montana, virtually every Republican politician and party leader appearing on newspaper opinion pages writes about the dangers of criminals crossing our southern border. So what do they do? They bring a felon convicted on 34 counts (so far) over Montana’s southern border to speak at a rally for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy.
Not only are Republicans demonstrating a classic “do as I say, not as I do” mentality, but their behavior is incredibly weird.
-- Marty Essen, Victor
Bad endorsement
According to the campaigns, Tim Sheehy and Greg Gianforte have 100% ratings from the NRA while their Democratic challengers, Ryan Busse and Jon Tester have 0% ratings.
These endorsements come from an organization whose former president, Wayne LaPierre, was convicted of corruption and barred from holding executive office less than two weeks ago.
The NRA is not the advocacy group it once was, just as the Republican Party is not what it used to be. Both entities have become cesspools of corruption and extremism.
According to Wikipedia, a 2019 Senate Finance report labeled the NRA a foreign asset to Russia ahead of the 2016 election. This conclusion is supported by the conviction of unregistered Russian agent Maria Butina.
Butina rubbed elbows, and perhaps more, with NRA big wigs at the 2014 NRA convention in Indianapolis, the 2015 convention in Nashville, the 2015 CPAC conference and Republican Scott Walker’s presidential campaign launch. Butina attended Freedom Fest in Las Vegas where she asked Trump a planted question about Russia. She also attended the 2017 National Prayer Breakfast and hosted luncheons in Russia for Republican congressmen Dana Rohrabacher and Thomas Massie.
The NRA fails to represent ethical gun owners like myself. Instead, the NRA pushes an extreme agenda of irresponsible gun violence.
Politically, the NRA has long aligned itself with right-wing ideology. In 2015, the NRA paid all expenses for Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke to visit Russia. The NRA also named convicted felon Oliver North as their president in 2018. The ties between the NRA and Republican anarchists is well documented.
It’s no wonder that truth-impaired Tim Sheehy is touting his NRA endorsement. Russia and Sheehy have shared goals around destroying democracy in America and overturning election results.
Gianforte’s NRA rating underscores his commitment to reserve open landscapes for his oligarch friends, at the expense of regular hunters like myself.
If the NRA is the best endorsements these guys can muster, perhaps it’s time to send Sheehy back to Minnesota and Gianforte back to Pennsylvania. For the sake of our hunting heritage and rational political discourse,please vote for Tester and Busse and remember, they have 0% ratings from the NRA.
-- David Daniels, Missoula
Jewel on the hill
A few weeks ago I became seriously sick with double pneumonia and was hospitalized at Logan Health Medical Center here in Kalispell. I cannot praise that hospital and it's third floor staff enough for the care I was provided.
Britt and the rest of the people gave me superb attention, enabling me to get out in time to make a wedding and two family reunions out of state.
I've done my share of complaining about Logan since they acquired our hospital but not anymore. Their people running the place are truly dedicated, exceptional professionals. We are blessed here in Kalispell to have this jewel on the hill.
-- Michael Thoennes, Kalispell