Letters to the editor Sept. 14

Dan John’s legacy

Kalispell lost a hero last week. Not a hero in the sense of someone who jumps on a grenade in a moment of extreme peril. Rather in the sense of a beautiful, selfless human who practiced law and life with integrity, and who committed his life to the causes of others. In Dan John’s case, to the children of Kalispell.

When I came to Kalispell, there were no baseball fields. Kids were relegated to undeveloped vacant lots. They were irregular, unfinished and insofar as next year’s needs, uncommitted. Helena, from where I moved, was not much better. Dan, who already had a family of his own, a busy life and a full agenda, set out to change the playing field for Kalispell’s kids. He rolled up his sleeves and went to work.

Dan’s vision grew as he sought help. And there were many who filled the needs and assisted Dan in taking the next steps. But it was Dan’s dream and Dan’s love for kids energized him over the last 20 years of steps it took to transform the dream to reality.

We know it now as Kid Sports. A beautiful, manicured, well-designed complex of fields which now stands proudly on our north side of Kalispell as we amble up U.S. 93 toward our shopping centers. It is a parklike, conglomerate of mixed sporting fields, for our kids forever.

My point is not to say that the guy who jumps on the grenade is not a hero. He is. But Dan’s efforts and conduct was equally as selfless and took 20 years to create into a reality. The creation of what our children lacked. Dan was an extraordinary individual in all respects. He will be greatly missed.

— James Moore, Kalispell

The melting pot

In response to the lady in Sunday’s police blotter who “hates foreigners.” Unless you are Native American you are a foreigner. The only people that are native to this land would be Native Americans. The rest of us come from other countries which, believe it or not, makes us all foreigners. 

This country is a melting pot of all nationalities and might be good to embrace it, learn from it, accept it. They say ignorance is bliss, but in this case, ignorance is dangerous — dangerous for the human race. I sure hope you already thought this through but if not, I hope maybe you can learn from it.

— Stephanie Mattole, Columbia Falls