Editing ruined letter
Thanks for losing the intellect and punch of my short letter of Sept. 17 by merely rearranging pronouns.
Bonnie Adkins
Clarkston
Setting record straight
On Sept. 27, Leonard Ross wrote: “The real threat was an angry, shouting woman pointing a loaded automatic pistol at people on the street while her husband held an assault rifle.”
First, unless you have a federal firearms license, you can’t own a automatic firearm. Most firearms that are owned are semi-automatic pistols and rifles. You must pull the trigger each time you want to shoot.
Second, what is an assault rifle or weapon for that matter? I think it is anything that one human uses to assault another human. That could be a knife, frying pan, baseball bat, golf club (Tiger Woods’ wife) or firearm. Washington Initiative 1639, which the Democratic Party endorsed, led the public to believe they were voting for assault weapon restrictions. In reality, we were voting for restrictions on semi-automatic rifles.
Case in point: Go to your local gun store in Washington state and try to buy a Ruger 1022, one of the most common plinking .22s in the U.S. You will have to be 21 years old and take an online class. ...
I teach hunter education for the state of Washington. The state says I am safe enough to teach new hunters, both young and old, about firearm safety. I have been doing this community service for 29 years here in Asotin County and I am also a National Rifle Association range safety officer.
And to buy that Ruger 1022, I must take the online class because being a certified instructor is not good enough.
Ronald Landrus
Clarkston
Letter lacked support
I’m going to make an exception and respond to Chris Norden’s Sept. 27 letter to this page.
While accusing others of “ignorance of basic science” Norden failed to provide rhetorical support for his accusations of disingenuousness, selfishness, faux-libertarian views, etc.
Unlike Norden, I try to seek and provide support for what I write in my letters — from primary sources when possible.
For example, when Marty Trillhaase referenced a Brad Little Town Hall (Sept. 4), I audited it and heard Idaho State Health and Welfare Director David Jeppeson assert that mask use resulted in a drop in new COVID cases.
I wrote asking for their data showing that correlation and Jeppeson kindly responded. His reply referenced “observing” increased mask use and stated: “Based on what we know at this time, we can surmise that the increase in the number of people wearing masks and keeping their distance has been a contributing factor in the declining numbers.”
Surmise is, at best, an educated guess and reasonable as advice but not enough to justify measures curtailing our constitutional rights.
That’s a real libertarian view, Chris. You’ll find it reflected at Reason.com and other libertarian venues.
I’m not knocking Jeppeson or any official honestly seeking to protect citizens and I’m not advising against mask use.
I have and am asking that they make clear distinctions between statements based on observation and surmise versus hard science in advising on public policy.
Shouldn’t Norden want the same thing?
Thomas A. Hennigan
Asotin
We will vote
Institutions help us preserve decency and democracy. Those institutions are not ours unless we act to see they work on our behalf. The Supreme Court’s purpose is to ensure that each branch of government recognizes the limits of its own power.
We see the Republican-led Senate has absolutely no power as it has ceded itself to President Donald Trump.
Trump has complete power over the presidency, with few, if any, restraints. With no checks by the kowtowing Republicans in the Senate or House willing to stop him, he is now attempting to bring the third body of government, the Supreme Court, under his control. ...
We have witnessed other authoritarian dictatorships rise, and fall. We will see this attempt at dictatorship fall as well. We citizens will also have the opportunity to ensure the fall of Trump enablers such as Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Mike Crapo, Jim Risch, Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher.
Through their actions, and non-actions, Republicans we thought would represent us in Congress have given their power to an authoritarian leader. ...
They have shown us they no longer believe we should have political freedom and equality. They have shown us they do not represent the people; they will not fight for us. ...
On Nov. 3, citizens will show the supreme power of democracy is still vested in the people. Democracy is not for sale, nor is it obsolete.
We will vote to show Americans still maintain the rights of decency and democracy for all Americans. ...
Pat Bates
Clarkston
Violent agitator
The leader of Patriot Prayer, Joey Gibson, was interacting and supporting the group in Moscow that shut down the Farmers Market due to threats of violence.
I was personally called pejorative names from their supporters for my speaking out against the situation in Friendship Square recently.
Members of the Proud Boys worked to agitate the peaceful sign holding in Friendship Square hoping to incite fights. This person was from Coeur ’d Alene and Gibson is known to reside in Vancouver, Wash. We experienced a church accepting militia assistance to try and force its unsafe religious beliefs on the entire community.
No Farmers Market was held. The farmers and vendors were forced to relocate and many lost their crops and income due to Moscow’s mishandling of a violent person who is being charged currently with inciting a riot (see Cider Riot, northeast Portland), and obviously inserting himself into local politics from out of state.
Andrew Tucker
Moscow
Grow up
When I saw the anti-mask protesters recently active in Moscow, I was reminded of the years I had three teenagers. And at times, it seemed as if I told them to do something, they would do the opposite.
These protesters should use mask wearing not to proclaim their individual rights and religious freedom but realize how foolish it is not to wear a mask.
Why do we, the richest and in many ways the best nation in the world with sophisticated medical experts and medical care, have by far the most COVID-19 cases and deaths in the world? We are No. 1 with more than 200,000 deaths.
Part of the answer is terrible leadership from President Donald Trump with lies, such as the virus will be over by summer, it’s a mild illness and kids are immune; his terrible recommendations, such as bleach and hydroxychloroquine, which don’t work and are possibly dangerous; and his false advice that masks are not helpful.
Unfortunately, another part of why we are No. 1 in the world in virus cases and deaths is people behaving like teenagers. In spite of every expert in the world proclaiming how helpful mask-wearing is to prevent spread of the virus, they choose to protest.
Come on people, be smart, stop acting like teenagers and protest something else.
David Spencer
Pullman
Slogging through it
As this year enters the fall season and heads toward what is usually a pleasant scene of nature’s colors, America continues to slog its way through many issues affecting lives of literally thousands if not millions of Americans.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reached and passed another tragic milestone, 200,000 deaths. More than 900 medical personnel have died providing us health care. The devastating wildfires across many states also resulted in the deaths of individuals and fire personnel as well as the destruction of hundreds of homes and businesses and will affect our economy for some time to come.
In these events, a majority of the loss comes from the failure to take preventive steps that were readily available early on in order to reduce the exposure and spreading of the virus as shown in the resumption of college and other large-event gatherings, some religious and political. The ignition of some fires was caused by parents’ actions of using pyrotechnical devices with colored smoke to reveal the baby’s gender.
On top of this most eventful time is an election filled with anger, anxiety, falsehoods, distortion and division. Many politicians have had decades in office and have forgotten their pledge was to represent the best interests of the people and not their own personal interests.
So all eligible should vote carefully, for it will be a period of our nation’s history that many will not likely be proud of. Hopefully it will be a learning period that future generations will not repeat.
Mike Petrusky
Clarkston
Defends Trump
This is in response to letters submitted on Sept. 19 by Joanne Reece and on Sept. 20 by Janet Danley.
What surprises me the most about these two is their lack of understanding of the issues, yet they hold themselves out as experts.
President Donald Trump did not tear babies from their parents and put them in cages; President Barack Obama did that.
It took the Trump administration almost two years to get that mess straightened out.
Trump did not downplay the COVID-19 virus. At first, we all thought the COVID-19 virus was just another flu. Trump had the presence of mind to see the COVID-19 virus for what it was. The Trump haters called him names for his efforts. While all this was going on, Trump was in the middle of an impeachment investigation, which in the end cost the taxpayers millions of dollars and ended in a non sequitur.
Trump did not refer to dead soldiers killed in combat as “losers” and “suckers.” He was quite incensed at the claim. He did have an attitude towards John McCain. So do I. McCain was no hero. What he did in the end showed good leadership.
I am a Vietnam veteran and I do not feel McCain was a hero.
Why don’t people like these two try to support Trump instead of tearing him down? I would like to answer all of the allegations these two have presented but space does not allow me to.
David Estes
Lewiston
Find better jail plan
It would seem the Asotin County commissioners don’t yet have the motivation to solve the public comment issue. The commissioners said they just can’t figure out how to do that. I would suggest an easy solution. The jail supporters group already has a dedicated Facebook page. Requesting the use of that option would capture all the comments, maintaining them for everyone’s consideration and public response. It makes me wonder why the commissioners would overlook such an easy option. Could it be they don’t want to provide a platform for opposing opinions? Maybe they realize their positions can’t stand the scrutiny of daylight. It certainly makes one wonder.
Why were only two location options presented at the town hall?
The cost estimates of site preparation were provided. Some who wanted to know this information may have been blocked on Zoom — I was. These estimates were far in excess of original expectations.
I suggested a third location option almost a year ago, which would save the county at least half a million dollars. It was rejected.
Plans for building this jail must, of course, include the cost. It also requires compatibility with the community and not endangering funding sources that would make it successful. The Sixth Avenue property should be used for purposes that make the county money, not cost the county money.
It’s currently a poorly thought-out business plan. No other development would be practical next door to a jail. Would you move there?
There has to be a better plan.
Jack Worle
Clarkston
Listen to podcast
In my Sept. 27 letter, titled “Stop starving the watchdog,” the source for the studies was left out since it was a URL.
So sans the URL, the source was from a podcast called Hidden Brain and the episode was from 2018 called “Starving the Watchdog.”
Google it.
The point of my letter was to recognize that newspapers as businesses are unique but play an important role in local communities. Studies show that when newspapers go out of business, taxes go up, voting goes down, etc. Further with a local newspaper, we are fortunate. We need the watchdog.
Listen for yourself.
Mary Minton
Clarkston
No to gill nets
The proposed Nez Perce tribal fishing plan (Lewiston Tribune Northwest, Sept. 25) of using gill nets to harvest steelhead in the lower Clearwater and confluence area is a bad idea.
Gill nets mangle and kill fish. For any of the endangered wild steelhead to entangle in the nets — or even to encounter the nets — is harmful, especially in the current warm river water temperatures. Wild steelhead are at minimum survival numbers now. We should not intentionally kill any wild endangered species, especially not these large spectacular fish unique to this area. There are certainly other avenues of capturing hatchery steelhead for the tribe to fulfill their harvest numbers.
I find it alarming that the Idaho Fish and Game professionals would agree with this tribal gill net fishing for the Clearwater steelhead.
Bill Miller
Orofino
Not an easy job
One big difference between Normal Hill Cemetery and Lewis-Clark Memorial Gardens is that Normal Hill, being an older cemetery, has mostly upright gravestones. It is many times easier to mow when all of the markers are flat.
At Normal Hill, it takes a fleet of little (12 inches wide) mowers to do the cutting in. Then, it is touched up with a weed eater. It is many times more work to do this.
That said, there are budget issues and management issues that complicate things at Normal Hill. Also, because so many people select cremation and don’t use a cemetery, revenue is significantly down.
Since it is a municipal cemetery, it has been suggested a tax district be created to support it. That would require a supervisory board. It needs solid financial support and oversight. It is still the city’s cemetery.
Bill Malcom
Lewiston
Acting like babies
After watching the first presidential debate Tuesday, I do not have high hopes for our country.
Debates are where the commentator asks a party a question, that party answers and then the other party has a chance to respond. Then they go on to another question. All parties are respectful of each other. They don’t try to interrupt, bad mouth or speak while the other party is speaking.
Tuesday’s debate was like siblings arguing. If a party cannot keep his mouth shut when it is not his turn, then his microphone should be shut off. It was a joke to our country that is already divided in so many directions. We need a leader, someone who will do what is best for our country and what the people want and need done. Disrespecting our country does not show a good or great leader.
Chris Wallace did his best to be respectful of each party, trying to get them to stay on track. It saddens me when adults act like babies.
Maybe this debate will get people out to vote.
Please remember that in Washington, it is mail-in voting, which the president may veto your vote because of it.
Please don’t let the White House make your vote null and void. Everyone has a right to have their votes counted.
LeAnn Anderson
Clarkston
Responds to Brandt
I’m responding to Skip Brandt’s comments about the Idaho County COVID-19 case load and his resentment at Marty Trillhaase’s Jeers column (Sept. 29) with the following:
I agree, the majority of Americans are not sheep. But neither are they Donald Trump supporters. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by 2.9 million votes. Trump’s base has not increased in the last four years.
Also, Trump supporters, you say, “ ... recognize that there are some hoping to lead America to economic slaughter through gross misrepresentation of COVID-19 numbers.”
Please provide information grounded in fact, if it exists, for such an opinion. Otherwise, you are adding to the misinformation (disinformation?) of the situation.
Sandra Lilligren
Clarkston
