Letters to the editor: Recall, protests, masks
Recall effort
Reading about the effort to recall Boise Mayor McLean and City Council member Sanchez, I was struck that the organizers do not seek to unseat them for actions they have taken but for ideas they have entertained.
Mayor McLean has not adopted a “radical agenda.” Recall organizers want to punish her for making ideas with which they disagree public, i.e. they want to censor public discourse. Maybe Boise should not be a sanctuary city, but shouldn’t we discuss how much of our law enforcement budget goes to assisting immigration officers enforcing federal mandates? If kindergarten is too early, shouldn’t we still talk about when to introduce sex education?
Recall organizers want Ms. Sanchez removed for a post pointing out that whites and people of color experience starkly different treatment in the criminal justice system. That is not “racist,” it is fact. Instead of silencing the only person of color on our City Council, shouldn’t we have a dialogue about inequality?
To have a better Boise, we need to open ourselves to ideas different from our own and allow discussion to inform our government policies. Silencing those with whom you disagree is not democracy’s answer.
Mary S. Hobson, Boise
Protests or anarchy
Re: Bob Kustra’s July 12 “Solving racial injustice on the streets could end up helping re-elect Trump”. This rambling hit piece on Donald Trump oozes with professorial arrogance. Kustra alleges that Trump is fomenting divisiveness for fighting back against a hostile media that has attacked him relentlessly. “Divisiveness,” the new liberal narrative replacing the Russia collusion hoax that is repeated 24/7 on CNN and MSNBC. He accuses Trump of making the looting a “disgusting centerpiece” of his reelection campaign. Looting, burning and destruction of property borders on anarchy and serves no purpose in fixing police brutality. People recognize this, and Kustra better be worried for his man if it doesn’t stop. Biden is encouraged to stay in his basement and is used as a means to an office to be exploited by leftist Democrats/socialists if he wins. Kustra says our forefathers “talked the talk but did not walk the walk,” a grossly disrespectful slur. Some owned slaves, a common practice inherited and carried forward by previous foreign occupiers, but they also created a framework of government that is held in esteem by the world today that endowed future generations the means to correct those transgressions.
Charlie Nations, Eagle
Masks
There have been so many letters regarding masks that I wasn’t going to write one, but Michael Deeds’ article on Monday spurred me to go ahead. Let me say that I don’t like masks. I won’t say I hate them, but I certainly don’t like them. You’ve heard of “hat hair”? I get “mask beard.” It’s warm and moist in there; stuff better suited for winter around here than hot summer days. I’m also a bit hard of hearing, so I do better when I can see someone’s mouth who is speaking to me. I can’t always tell what people look like — and people are fun to look at. Finally, I just flat like to see facial expressions. Especially smiles. Smiles are my favorite. And I try to cause them whenever I can. So, I don’t like masks. However, and this is a big however, masks DO prevent COVID spread. I’d rather wait to see you smile next year than see you grimace in pain this year. So, call me a derogatory term if you wish, I’m going to wear my mask. And I’d appreciate if you would too. Even though you can’t see, it’ll make me smile at you!
Curtis E. Stoddard, Eagle