Idiotic
... The Legislature in its infinite ideological tailspin toward a state governed by, for and of the ignorant has just sent back $6 million in federal money earmarked for the expansion of pre-kindergarten education.
Heaven forbid we should take money from the feds to help struggling young families trying to get their children off to a good start.
Even though the money would have allowed for local control over curricular matters, Rep. Priscilla Giddings of White Bird claimed the money would be used to teach “social justice ideology” to Idaho’s children. And Rep. Tammy Nichols of Middleton argued against taking the money because it would indoctrinate children against the ideals of a conservative state. That leaves us all to wonder if they were being ironic, since their reasons for refusing the money are far more ideological than the ideology they rage against.
But irony would suggest a nuanced logic these representatives lack.
In fact, the word “representative” becomes ironic in a state where lawmakers are willing to refuse funding because they want to honor mothers who teach their young ones at home instead of representing mothers who are struggling at home with teaching their young ones.
This kind of thinking reminds me of a movie I saw once called “Idiocracy.” It was supposed to be a spoof on what happens when a representative government represents idiots.
But Idaho legislators seem to have taken the film as doctrine. I hope the state that gets the money we sent back appreciates it.
Mike Ruskovich
Grangeville
Did Giddings say it?
In the March 6 Lewiston Tribune, state Rep. Priscilla Giddings is quoted regarding the teaching of “social justice” by a state university, which she wants to prevent. She is quoted as saying “We have some required classes where one race is taught as superior to others.”
So I wondered: Which race? In what way are they superior? Are they prettier? Taller? Smarter?
Her information appears to come from publications by the Idaho Freedom Foundation. After reading everything I could find on the subject, I have concluded that either Giddings is misinformed or she was misquoted.
The Idaho Freedom Foundation objects strongly to the teaching that “whiteness” is not a condition of superiority over minority races. So, which is it? A misquote? Or a misunderstanding?
Jody Favre
Lewiston
Take the quiz
This is a proposal for a pop quiz for all who voted for the Biden-Harris ticket. Here are a few short questions to be answered by a simple yes or no.
Reasons for your answers may be provided if you so choose.
1. Are you in favor of the cancellation of the XL Pipeline?
2. Do you approve of open borders?
3. Is the “cancel culture” constitutional?
4. Are you comfortable wearing a mask for months in the future?
5. Do you believe voting regulations should be uniform and constitutional?
6. Do you agree that the $1.9 trillion COVID aid package should pay for the bankrupt Democrat-run states? And do you understand that much of that will be paid out several years in the future, covering pet pork projects in regions under Democrat control?
7. Are you in favor of our Capitol being a constantly fenced fortress with National Guard by the thousands?
If our country doesn’t get back to normal quickly, it will no longer be “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
Please think about current events and the way they are shaping our future lives.
Glenn Richey
Kooskia
Defends Eggleston
It’s fascinating how many people only seem able to differentiate opinion from fact when the opinion in question agrees with their own. They then seem to believe that their opinion has somehow morphed into a fact.
This is routinely evident on the Lewiston Tribune’s Opinion page. A recent example is the overwhelming criticism of Richard Eggleston’s column regarding COVID-19.
We should be able to agree that COVID-19 is called a novel coronavirus because it is novel, meaning new and different.
We’ve watched highly qualified scientists change their opinions about it over and over as our knowledge and experience with it has progressed. Frankly, we don’t have all the facts yet, and the ultimate historical truth of the matter has yet to be written.
Dr. Eggleston was chosen as an opinion writer, not a medical reporter. Many opinion writers include facts within their writings. So did Eggleston, while explaining his own opinion, which is, and should be, colored by the extensive medical training he has had throughout his career.
Several retired local doctors differ with Eggleston’s opinion. They also have much professional training. Readers should certainly consider all those facts when evaluating their opinions as well.
Those several readers with zero medical or scientific training who are insultingly critical of Eggleston, calling him “ ... not a scientist” and questioning his medical knowledge are simply being insulting to get their name in print.
Their opinions are not colored by knowledge, are therefore not fact and should be ignored.
Rick Rogers
Clarkston
Willing to sacrifice fish
This is in response to the column that you printed by Toby Wyatt.
I applaud Wyatt’s hard work and that of his father in building an apparently successful guiding business. I must, however, take issue with his belief that the dam removal proposal brought forth by Rep. Mike Simpson could make winners of us all.
Barging smolts had proven effective, yet has fallen out of favor. Hatchery releases have been reduced. The salmonids are on the menu of birds and other fish all the way to the ocean. Then for returning adults, it’s seals, nets and poles all the way back up.
It seems sometimes that the goal is to keep the numbers of returning fish as low as possible to serve a larger agenda.
All that being said, I’m of the controversial opinion that if the salmon are lost to save the dams, given all of the things the dams bring to our region and even the world through our exported commodities, then it is still worth the cost.
Dam removal improving the runs is an unproven hypothesis.
Hydropower and food production grow more and more important as our country and the world continues to grow. People are more important than fish.
Removal of the lower Snake River dams would not necessarily make winners of any of us and would more likely make losers of us all.
Marty Hall
Pomeroy
Local control attacked
Big Tobacco wants to weaken local public health efforts and hurt our ability to fight tobacco use in our communities. They are using Senate Bill 1087 to do just that.
More than 14 percent of Idaho adults smoke cigarettes and nearly 27 percent of high school students use tobacco products. More than 26 percent of cancer deaths in Idaho are attributed to smoking.
As an American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network volunteer, reducing tobacco use and fighting cancer are important to me. I also advocate for those who do not have the strength to advocate in a public forum, so have entrusted me with their stories.
SB 1087 will prohibit communities from passing or enforcing local ordinances to regulate the sale and marketing of tobacco products. Our state government should not deny local communities the right to implement laws that they feel will protect public health. Our communities need the authority to create standards beyond what the state requires. Once that power is removed, it’s nearly impossible to return that control back to the local level.
Join me in urging our state lawmakers to protect citizens from the harmful effects and the addictive nature of tobacco. Ask them to oppose Senate Bill 1087 and the effort to take power away from our local communities.
Gary Offerdahl
Lewiston
Breeding disrespect
Law enforcement officers can have hard jobs and generally deserve our respect and defense, but not so when they stop hard-working members of the community over minor issues and act like the Gestapo in a TV drama, particularly without need at all. (No wonder there seem to be various incidents of officer involved lawsuits filed in the United States.)
When they do this, it not only breeds disrespect but it is a black mark on their superiors and the department as a whole.
I believe it was shortly after Washington voted to have police officers receive further training with regard to how they deal with the public and using better diplomacy skills that the Clarkston Police chief commented approximately in an interview: “They already get that.”
But I wonder if they do?
Common courtesy and respect go a long way and can often resolve issues without marring a position of authority by using unnecessary and demeaning overkill tactics. There are various organizations within our community — and commendably so — that know this to be true and stress using “dignity and respect” in any given situation when dealing with people.
If you can’t do this as a police officer while involved with the public, particularly when resolving minor issues, you probably shouldn’t be in that position in the first place.
Kelly Jones
Clarkston
Self-destructing
It seems as though the Lewiston Tribune is self-destructing. It is following the Associated Press right down the path of destruction.
In its Feb. 18 edition, the Tribune published an article by Matt Sedensky on the passing of Rush Limbaugh. The article started out as a tribute to Limbaugh, but quickly turned into an article highly critical of Limbaugh.
Sedensky wrote: “But (Limbaugh) often trafficked in lies and conspiracies with contempt for his opposition that often veered into cruelty.”
Nothing could be farther from the truth, yet the Tribune published it.
In a separate article, the Tribune published an article about Rep. Russ Fulcher assaulting a Capitol Police officer. This article had Fulcher found guilty and hanged before the facts were in.
The article was written by Havat Normine of the Idaho Statesman. In a few days, the Tribune had to publish a story that the Capitol Police were not investigating Fulcher and that no assault had occurred.
The Tribune printed this story knowing it to be false. This was a nonstory and should not have been published.
In the past, the Tribune has printed stories on conservative figures that were false, hoping something would become of it. The Tribune, like so many other newspapers, has experienced a decline in readership.
When is the Tribune going to learn that its readership is conservative and doesn’t appreciate the liberal policies?
Until it does, the readership will decline.
David Estes
Lewiston
