June 6 letters to the editor: Our Readers’ views

Caring for each other

When Kathy Hay tried to share food with neighbors in her own backyard, she didn’t expect to need the government’s permission first. Nor did she expect to have to pay to get that permission.

But that’s exactly what Asotin County told her when she set up a little free pantry to help fight food insecurity in her community. Though her pantry was popular (people donated and took fresh produce, canned goods and other foods as soon as it opened), the county ordered Hay to shut it down, or face criminal charges.

The county would not let her reopen her pantry unless she paid an annual fee, submitted a written plan that the county would have to approve and followed a list of regulations designed for large-scale food banks. To top it all off, the county refused to let her reopen unless she paid an invoice for the time the county spent shutting her pantry down.

And even if Hay had the time or means to jump through all of those hoops, she would still be banned from sharing fresh produce, breads, and other healthy food in her pantry.

Especially during a pandemic, Asotin County should be encouraging creative solutions to hunger, not throwing up roadblocks to generosity. That’s why Hay has teamed up with the Institute for Justice — where I am a constitutional law fellow — to sue the county in federal court. Together, we will ensure that unnecessary red tape does not discourage people from taking care of one another.

Caroline Grace Brothers

Alexandria, Va.

Overreacted

One fears that we have amputated both legs to treat an ingrown toenail — and the prosthetics store has been deemed nonessential.

Greg Billups

Weippe

Are we safe?

As a white female born and raised in Lewiston, I don’t worry when I leave the house, but my family does.

My husband earned his master’s degree from a private Christian University. He preaches at our church. He is a K-5 elementary PE teacher. He’s a loving father to our two beautiful kids. He is also a 6-foot, 4-inch-tall man who is black with an arm full of meaningful tattoos. Our fear — and unfortunate reality — is that he will be immediately judged and perceived negatively based on the color of his skin — specifically, and historically, by law enforcement.

The 2019 census shows that 0.3 percent of Lewiston’s population is black. Our family is conspicuous. Will my husband get pulled over because he doesn’t belong or because he looked “suspicious” solely due to his color? Is he automatically being observed in public?

We respect the Lewiston Police Department and are anxiously awaiting their voice of solidarity during this time of outrage, grief and lament. Has race and bias training been completed and seen as necessary? What is their action moving forward?

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Black lives matter.

Lisa Faucette

Lewiston

Pinned it on Risch yet ?

I haven’t seen the paper for a while. Has Marty Trillhaase tried to blame George Floyd’s death on Jim Risch yet?

Thomas A. Hennigan

Asotin