Letters to the editor: Salmon, religion, dams

Salmon

On the issue of salmon restoration, we repeatedly hear two prerequisites: “everyone must be kept whole” and no one can be left behind.” This is a fair goal. However, to be completely fair, we must recognize those who were made “unwhole” and left behind when the lower Snake River dams destroyed our river and our salmon runs. Apparently, the economic pain of lost sport fisheries has finally hit home: At the Dec. 3 Idaho Outfitters and Guides conference in Lewiston, some wheels started to squeak. Outfitters and guides, hotel owners, restaurateurs and others made abundantly clear what salmon advocates “sloganized” many years ago: “Salmon Mean Business.” The estimate of what sport fishing could generate in Idaho alone annually, given healthy, sustainable runs, exceeds $500 million. These “new” voices join those of the others who have suffered from the loss of salmon. Native peoples have lost the foundation of their economic, physical and spiritual well-being. Other losers include commercial fisherpeople and regular folks and families who have lost their salmon fishing traditions. Orca and countless other creatures are losers, too. And, oh yeah, taxpayers fund this whole, insane debacle. We’re long overdue to right the wrongs and make us all winners: Breach ’em!

Jewish religion

Catholics are not a nation unto themselves. Nor are Muslims, Protestants or Buddhists. They are religions and recognized as such. But Trump has taken it upon himself to create a new nation by one of his executive orders: American Jews no longer exist because he has decided that the Jewish religion is a nation. I am an American by nationality and I am Jewish by religion. Does this new executive order pave the way for new concentration camps or pogroms? The hatred and anti-Semitism Trump spews daily will end democracy if the Senate Republicans do not impeach. It is unsafe for me to wear my Star of David earrings or necklace in Meridian. I have experienced the hatred in my city; a city I thought was safe when I chose to move here. I don’t think anywhere is safe as long as we have a lying, name-calling bully president who fuels his base with hatred. I’m baffled. Why do Republicans support such a lying, stupid, hate driven, ignorant bully? Are they greedy, devoid of conscience? Or have they just given up on the rule of law?

Dams

We occasionally revisit possibilities of maybe thinking about what it might take to consider doing something with dams on our rivers that might be making it harder for wild salmon to spawn in their native waters. “I’m an outfitter and, oh my, I don’t know what I’m going to do if we have many more years like this one.” “I’m an elected leader and I think we should have more discussion with all affected parties about bringing possible options to the table.” Here it is: Migrating salmon need unimpeded cold flowing water to successfully reach their natural spawning beds. Smolt need the same for their return. Dams restrict the flow of water. Slow water becomes warmer. Without wild salmon, entire ecosystems fail. Personal gain at the expense of healthy supportive ecosystems is a road to ruin. Four lower Snake River dams – Lower Granite, Little Goose, Lower Monumental, Ice Harbor – must be removed to allow migrating salmon reasonable access to traditional cold water high elevation spawning grounds. People who are in denial, accompanied by those engaged in political foot-dragging must get out of the way. Reflect on that using your own research, thought and intuition. Lives depend on it.

This story was originally published December 16, 2019 at 5:24 PM with the headline "Letters to the editor: Salmon, religion, dams."