Letters to the editor: Idiots, Trump, vaccines

Idiots

“Hi, Boise ‘Idiots’ “...I had to read this headline on Friday’s front page of the Statesman three times simply because I couldn’t believe what was printed on the front page of the newspaper of my beloved Boise. “Idiots”?? There was a front page article about “Idiots”? And somehow this was meant to be a funny, name-calling game for a dad, his young children and the uncle? Is this what you teach your children? When I moved to Boise 23 years ago, I was so proud to call this beautiful, non-judgmental, accepting, and kind city to be my home. I was so proud to see the bumper stickers that claimed “Idaho Is Too Great For Hate”. Then this journalist for your paper is teaching his “young sons an educational new game...we called it Idiot and all it required is winter weather and Idahoans”. Educational? Are you kidding me? This is what you promote as what it means to live in Boise? I work for a local church that serves the homeless, the under-privileged, the “idiots” as Michael Deeds so complacently judged in a ludicrous and embarrassing article. I hope NO visitors to Boise read this on Saturday. Please cancel my subscription!

Mary M. Baer, Boise

Vaccines

Thank you Idaho Statesman for saying “vaccine safety advocates” instead of the pejorative term “anti-vaccine” in a Jan. 18 headline! “Anti-vaccine” conjures up the image of ignorant Luddites being afraid of vaccine and vaccination technology — a sneering and inaccurate description that misses the point.

Because vaccines are classified as “biologics,” instead of pharmaceuticals, gold standard safety requirements do not apply. Unlike drugs, vaccine test subjects are actively tracked for only a few days instead of years, double-blind inert placebo safety testing is lacking, and vaccine manufacturers (aka Big Pharma) are not held liable for damages that occur.

Don’t our children deserve the same level of safety in vaccines as in pharmaceuticals? (Particularly since the recommended vaccination schedule has swelled to 72 doses, from 5 doses when I was a kid!)

Ben Price, Boise

Trump

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the impeachment proceedings is President Trump’s insistence that he did nothing wrong. In fact, he asserts his conversation with Ukraine President Zelensky was “perfect.”

For sake of argument, assume that Hunter Biden’s role with Ukraine’s natural gas company Burisma Holding was not legal (although there is no evidence that it broke any laws). Does that justify President Trump illegally withholding funds from Ukraine that were approved on a bipartisan basis by Congress in exchange for a “favor”?

It is unfathomable and unconscionable for members of the U.S. Senate to act as though there was no wrongdoing. President Trump must go. He doesn’t know right from wrong. And if not removed from office, he will offend again and again.

William Rice, Boise

Impeach

It seems all but certain that Idaho Senators Crapo and Risch will hasten to fall into line with whatever is demanded by Mitch McConnell at the impeachment trial. They will dutifully parrot the current Republican argument that the president’s actions are not impeachable. They will decline to hear any witnesses who might offer further information. They are, in short, “empty sycophantic shells,” who, like their congressional colleagues Simpson and Fulcher, apparently suffer no shame at the fact that their behavior belies their oath to uphold the constitution of the United States. One can only assume that they enjoy the perks of office (the fine office suites, the pomp and circumstance surrounding their office holding,) enough so that it edges their calculus to whatever action it takes in order for them to maintain that status quo.

Jan Schlicht, Boise

This story was originally published January 23, 2020 at 3:37 PM.