Letters to the editor Nov. 13

Sides with Polebridge business

Like many community members, I have followed the recent dialogue on Rep. Debo Power’s No Kings Rally at the Polebridge Mercantile with keen interest.  

Mr. Hammerquist’s initial contribution struck me as both measured and incisive. He wrote a firm endorsement of the rights to assembly and free expression, coupled with his objection to the exploitation of his business asset, the Polebridge Mercantile, as a backdrop for partisan advocacy at best, and click-bait at worst.

Regrettably, the ensuing responses have veered into woolly territory, with interpretations that stray from the facts and from reason. Consider, for instance, David A. Hadden’s letter of Nov. 7, which urges us to “appreciate, not criticize, those who stand up peacefully for what they believe in.”  This is a noble sentiment, and one with which Mr. Hammerquist would surely concur, because his concern lay not with the protest itself. What he didn’t like was the opportunistic tethering of the Polebridge Mercantile’s brand to a cause, akin to an unsolicited endorsement.

Might Mr. Hadden pause to envision a parallel scenario? Imagine loud demonstrators converging on his own workplace, hailing it as an “iconic building” (as Lisa Jones did in her Oct. 30 jeremiad, where she called for a public apology from Mr. Hammerquist). The ensuing cascade of calls, letters, visits and emails asking why Mr. Hadden was hosting a partisan display could well prompt a clarifying statement of impartiality. It would be unfair in such an instance for someone to conflate a desire to avoid involvement with the matter as opposition to free speech.  

Mr. Hammerquist’s wish to keep his brand out of this fray deserves respect. I am on the side of small, hardworking community businesses here: might we leave them out of political matters without their express permission?

— Catherine Potter, Kalispell

Dems fold like a cheap suit

Is it any wonder the Democratic party is more unpopular than the most unpopular president in decades? 

The same week it scores national election victories that clearly scared Trump into promising $2,000 checks (eye roll here), a handful of “leading” Democrats cave on the government shutdown negotiation. They had the GOP in a corner. One negotiating chip: extend Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies for a year so millions can afford health care.  

Then? OK, we quit. Five weeks of stalemate for nothing? 

If Trump does send you $2,000, it’ll be eaten up by your insurance premium in a month. And all I hear from Republicans (Sen. Steve Daines) is “we have to reform health care.” Oh yeah? You’ve been saying that for 15 years since the Affordable Care Act was voted in and became popular with the voting public. 

What’s your plan, Senator? What’s your plan, Mr. President? (Crickets). I thought so.

— Mark Suppelsa, Bigfork

The world’s a stage

Be careful of what you read in the press no matter what it is.   

When I left Columbia Falls to work in downtown Seattle in 1999 as an emergency dispatcher for the phone company, everything was cool. Downtown was walkable at night, same with the waterfront. I lived on Stewart a couple of blocks from work.  

Then came WTO, the World Trade Organization, then followed the hundreds of protesters, all from elsewhere.  

Everything was protested. Pro abortion and anti-abortion stood side by side. The protesters began circling the downtown square around Westlake. Fairly peaceful, but noisy. Then at night came the drumming. 

Next door to where I worked, a big abandoned brick building became the focal point of the national media. Supposedly protesters were kicked out of their homes in the brick building that was abandoned for years. (The owner told the cops to let them go, or else they would destroy his property). 

On the last day of WTO meetings, the protesters circled the whole downtown, not letting anybody in. We were the evening shift and got pizza. Then the drumming, the shouts, the breaking of windows at downtown stores like The Gap. Then the tear gas came.

It was hilarious how phony everything became. The next day, WTO was gone and so was every protester Garbage everywhere, downtown sidewalks full of broken glass, windows being boarded up. Not a protester in sight. A few daring souls brought their families to see the damage. It was like a ghost town.  

So folks, don’t be fooled at what you read, hear and see. The whole world is a stage at times.

— Lyle Christman, South Cle Elum, Wash.