Underwhelmed
Brian Yochum: I loved the last paragraph of your recent letter.
The following is the first paragraph of the recent letter to the editor that I wrote, that the editor cut and did not print even though I was under the 250 word limit: “The Jan. 26 issue of the Lewiston Tribune had four random photos of various people doing various things. Only one photo identified the subjects. These pictures and many like them almost daily are getting old: a fisherman, a boater, a walker, a jogger, a bicyclist, etc., especially when not identified or identifiable.”
I loved the part of your letter that mentioned boats going left and right. Truly exciting, right? Can we the readers not see these extremely common occurrences for ourselves?
The point of my original letter was that surely the Lewiston Tribune photographers could find something more to photograph.
I will admit that though the number of these photographs has not changed, there are more that have a caption identifying the subjects.
So I assume the editor must have shared my entire letter with Tribune photographers.
I still have not seen any photographs of the eye sores around us.
Donna L. Trump
Clarkston
Crisis is brewing
As we admire the heroic bravery of the Ukrainians, let us keep a few things in mind.
First, we must mix our admiration with sorrow as most of the heroism will end in death.
Second, let us be mindful of the many veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Talk and scenes from this war may be a trigger, so be sensitive.
Third, a humanitarian crisis is coming that is much more horrific than the military crisis. We need truck convoys with food, water and medicine, flying the flag of the United Nations, heading into the cities of the Ukraine. (Perhaps this will restore some of my respect for the organization.)
Finally, pray for the leaders of every nation. Pray more earnestly for those whom you do not trust.
David King
Orofino
Before the dams
I grew up here in the ’50s and ’60s. It’s unfortunate that people who did not grow up here have failed to learn what things were like before the dams.
In the first place, almost all the grain was shipped by rail, not by trucks.
Not only that, but when the locks are shut down for maintenance, nothing goes up or down.
Second, there was as much boating on the Snake River then as now — maybe even more — and that was almost exclusively with prop boats. People fished, they skied, they swam in clean water from beautiful white sand beaches, that were not fouled by silt and goose poop.
In addition, thanks to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, we have lost access to our rivers.
There were at least four privately owned marinas between the blue bridge and Asotin where people could moor their boats without having to take them home every night.
These are just a few of the things this valley has lost. The Army Corps might not even have to drain Dworshak in July and August, which leaves all the camp sites high and dry.
I am amazed the Clearwater County commissioners came out against dam removal considering how much that area depends on recreation. Maybe people should educate themselves and read Congressman Mike Simpson’s proposal before they go off half-cocked and make false statements.
Mark Edelblute
Lewiston
Idaho outdid itself
I thought Washington state had cornered the market on useless elected officials by voting in Jay Inslee, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell.
But Idaho, you’ve outdone yourselves.
Thirty-eight of your legislative morons voted for House Bill 693 to prohibit the use of ballot drop boxes for absentee ballots. It seems as though nefarious state workers have created flammable metal boxes that they place in flood prone zones.
And if that’s not enough, Vince Shlami and his band of Slap Choppers are using them to dump their food into for storage purposes.
Thanks, Rep. Priscilla Giddings, for saving the integrity of Idaho’s elections.
And to top it off, Rep. Heather Scott thinks that another group of nefarious Democrats is building its own drop boxes and placing them all over Idaho.
Maybe all of us voters should quit electing morons to public office.
Mark Lorenz
Clarkston
Trump never said it
Why do we keeping attacking former President Donald Trump?
He is not holding any elected office. In the latest diatribe on March 5, Russell Gee attacked Trump, claiming that Trump undermined NATO, said that Russia was correct in taking over Crimea, withheld military aid from Ukraine, said that Ukraine not Russia interfered in the election process and weakened the election process by claiming the election was stolen.
Gee stated that Trump encouraged Vladimir Putin in Ukraine and called Trump a Putin butt-kisser, a liar and a crook. Gee wrote that Trump said Putin’s invasion showed he was a genius and smart.
If making NATO members pay their fair share for their defense is undermining it, then so be it.
I find no where that Trump said it was OK for Russia to take over Crimea.
Trump did not withhold military aid to Ukraine. Trump gave Stinger missiles to Ukraine which are very effective against Russian aircraft.
Trump never insinuated that Ukraine and not Russia tried to interfere in the election campaign.
I don’t know why people try to take Trump’s statements literally. Is he not allowed to make a facetious statement without someone trying to take the statement out of context or to alter the meaning in which it was said?
I would suggest to Gee and people like him to look at the content in which the statement was made before making such allegations as butt-kisser, liar and crook. Such statements only diminish your credibility.
David Estes
Lewiston
Season of dread
I always dread the weeks and months when Idaho’s Legislature is in session. Rarely do I see them passing any legislation that impacts the citizens of Idaho in a positive and meaningful way.
They’re willing to give tax breaks to the rich while increasing sales taxes that the rest of us pay on everything, including food.
They love to meddle in our personal lives by seeking to make criminals of librarians, families of trans kids and women seeking abortions.
Luckily, some of that proposed legislation will die before even hitting the Senate.
And now, they want us to give them a raise. I fail to see how they’ve earned it.
I do want to say that I’m grateful for Sen. David Nelson and the few sane, credible voices in the Legislature who try to look out for our best interests and act like the adults in the room.
Susan Westervelt
Deary
Resist censorship
House Bill 666 wants to prosecute librarians for distributing harmful content to children. When a representative was asked who determines what’s harmful, her reply was, “I don’t know.”
When asked about content, again, she said, “I don’t know. ...”
If “harmful content” involves things such as transgenderism, biological functions concerning sexual content issues, accurate historical interpretations, experiences and such, under age appropriateness, does that really have to be specified in legal lingo to the point of making criminals out of our librarians?
Children have educational rights. They want to find answers, be engaged. And what about age-appropriate interests?
I’ve read that books on incest get stolen the most. What age group is stealing them? Why?
Because that is something that can’t be talked about, and these kids are looking for a communal element for a way out or to help get their heads on straight?
Will this censorship morph into bigger future censorship and blocks on content?
Corrupt governments cut off communications. ...
Will our escalating disappointment and alarms concerning our own government movements have them scrambling for cover in censorship?
Will we soon have another burning of books and resources in our courtyards? ...
Squash HB 666 please. Keep our librarians free of liabilities on fluctuating interpretations of harmful content.
Is someone setting up a stage for socialism? Are we the people in trouble?
Government liens for health care, government liens for property tax deferrals and censorship — what’s next? ...
Stand your own ground. ... Wake up, America.
Kelly Sherman
Kamiah
