A powerful weapon
I had the privilege of attending three Idaho high schools in the 1960s. In Meridian, I took debate. One key element of having a productive argument is to make sure both sides agree on the meaning of key terms.
The term weaponization has emerged on the political landscape ... . The general meaning is “the act of making something useful as a weapon.” Women have used the law as a weapon in their struggle for equality.
March was Women’s History Month. I found more than 81 notations: famous American women, state and federal laws giving and taking away women’s rights, court cases again affirming and denying a woman’s rights and a history of women’s assemblies over the 264 years.
I have selected 10 I judge as significant: 13 states (1777) deny women the vote, 20th Amendment women’s right to vote, Equal Pay Act (1963), Title VII Civil Rights Act ending discrimination (1964), Title IX Equal funding for college athletes (1972), Roe v. Wade (1973) right to an abortion, Violence Against Women (1994), affordable health care (2010) and Supreme Court overturns Roe (2022).
In Idaho, two hospitals close labor and delivery services ... .
I reject Sen. Mitch McConnell’s explanation that Roe was outdated. Tell that to 32.9 deaths per 100,000 white women and 69.9 mortality for 100,000 Black women who die in childbirth when compared to two or three per 100,000 in other industrialized countries.
We can put an end to the madness by weaponizing in 2024 — vote.
Stan Smith
Viola
More flights needed
Last weekend, a series of actions and publications put the Lewiston airport into a place that I thought would never be. Until now.
Delta announced that the cities of Twin Falls and Pocatello will be adding a second flight. But that was only one side of the articles. The other half is said cities’ routes will be served by the same aircraft that flies from here to Salt Lake City.
With said changes, Lewiston is now the only airport with no morning or evening flights, but now is the airport with the lowest seat availability in Idaho.
I hope this is only temporary, but let’s be honest here. The chances of this happening are as low as you or I winning a $500 million or greater lottery prize. Sometimes I wonder how submissive our airport board and director really are.
Welcome to the worst airport in Idaho everyone.
Daniel Erickson
Clarkston
