Stand strong
The recent swastika-defacing of our precious Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial in Boise was disgusting, horrendous and a disgrace to the reputation of Idaho as being “too great for hate.”
The message appended to the swastikas that “we are everywhere”— meaning the neo-Nazis — serves as an important reminder to all of us of the vital need for vigilance, education and action to defend human rights, while opposing anti-Semitism, racism, and all forms of bigotry and hatred.
Members of the Latah County Human Rights Task Force are responding to this incident by sending contributions to the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights in Boise (wassmuthcenter.org), to help with its valuable work. Others may want to join in this effort. Let us be united and active in the cause for justice for all, including human rights organizations, religious organizations, civic and social organizations, political organizations and all Idaho individuals.
We, too, are everywhere.
Together we can stand strong and make a difference.
Joann Muneta
Chairwoman, Latah County Human Rights Task Force
Moscow
Paved with good intentions
The “Big Picture” of “Santa’s Helpers” in Monday’s Lewiston Tribune showed maskless folks in an office, bundling presents and planning to deliver them to nursing home residents.
If the COVID-19 virus persists on even a small fraction of surfaces and by chance some of these surfaces are on gifts presented to at-risk individuals in nursing homes, disease clusters could occur.
The desire to bring cheer to residents of care facilities is laudable. But nursing home staff and infectious disease specialists may have offered safer ways to spread the holiday spirit.
Sometimes the best of intentions result in lamentable unintended consequences.
Randal Donato
Clarkston
