Letters to the editor July 29

Commit to solving homelessness

Since I have loved ones living in Washington, D.C., I’ve come to be neither frightened nor shocked by sights of homelessness like the child doing his homework with a pencil and notebook in a lawn chair under an overpass. How could he focus with cars whipping past within a few feet? But he was trying.

I’m still capable of being shocked at the callous approach some take to the problems resulting from poverty. In our state of Montana, and in fact of the whole country. We’ve recently witnessed the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the case of City of Grants Pass vs. Johnson allowing cities to outlaw homelessness without solving it. We’ve come to a place in our history where sleeping outside can be deemed criminal. People don’t choose homelessness. It’s symptomatic of the underlying problem of skyrocketing housing costs and increasing poverty.

By criminalizing poverty this decision will exacerbate the problem without solutions. Instead of forcing people into jail cells or pushing them on to other communities we should invest in services that help people find a place to live.

This decision demands congressional action. Congress must take immediate steps to protect those homeless among us and address the fact that rent is unaffordable for so many Americans. Enacting a renter tax credit that offsets the high cost of rent is a good place to start.

This horrendous Supreme Court decision should be the catalyst for Congress to act on America’s housing crises. I ask Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester and U.S. Reps. Ryan Zinke and Matt Rosendale to commit to solving the problem of homelessness in a humane, sustainable manner that shows everyone, the respect they deserve as a fellow human being. In our country that shouldn’t be too much to ask.

— Karen Cunningham, Coram

Clerk of Supreme Court

The function of the clerk of the Supreme Court has become increasingly politicized. Erin Farris-Olsen is the most qualified candidate. She is a licensed attorney with 20 years of experience advancing community solutions. Erin has worked for the Supreme Court and led access to justice initiatives statewide. Erin believes the court should serve all the people, not politics.  

The incumbent, Bowen Greenwood, is more committed to inserting prejudice into the court than holding the position. Once elected, Bowen ran for election to a different position only eight months into his six-year-term, but he lost that race. Now, he’s campaigning on the claim that he’s going to expand the duties to work that is outside the scope of the clerk of court. Greenwood also said he’ll work hand-in-hand with conservative attorneys to make their filings successful.

As Erin has said, “as an attorney, when someone comes to my office for help, I don’t ask them about their politics. I will help them.” Operating any other way is a threat to our justice system and a corruption of the office of the clerk. I’m voting for Erin Farris-Olsen. I hope you will too.  

— John Lewis, Helena