Letters to the editor: ‘Patriotism,’ masks, divided country
‘Patriotism’
Fellow Americans! Patriots! My God-fearing, flag honoring brothers and sisters. Let us rise to the occasion and put down this tyranny of masks, fear, and economic disaster. Are you with me? Toss the mask in the trash, grab your wife and kids and let’s show these whiners what a real patriot looks and acts like. The ones like us. We protect our rights and keep our communities safe. Now is OUR chance to shine. We have nothing to fear, so let’s show everyone how brave Americans truly are.
Let’s not bow down to Dr. Fauci (that wimp?) or anyone else, for that matter. Instead, we can rise up together and prove, once and for all, that we should be able to return to our normal life as it was before the big Hoax.
So, grab your wife, kids, neighbors and anyone else who is with us and head to the nearest hospital. There, we can volunteer, like the patriots and great Americans we are, without masks or any kind of PPE, to care for the patients who are ‘sick’ with COVID-19 (SARS-COVID-2). We can be the ones who are not afraid to hold their hands as they pass away.
Matt Reid, Eagle
Education funding
Idaho schools are dead last in the nation in funding. Reclaim Idaho (the group that succeeded in getting Medicaid expansion on the ballot) disagrees with Gov. Brad Little on “defunding” schools by $99 million. Instead, the group wants to increase funding in a way in which 95% of Idahoans would see no increase in their property taxes. Please go to reclaimidaho.org for details and to sign the petition if you haven’t already done so. Once you have signed it, please distribute it to all you know. It is imperative that we invest more, not less, in Idaho’s children.
Cay Marquart, Boise
Mask mandate
Thanks to Boise Mayor Lauren McLean for mandating masks in public. It feels so much safer to shop now, and we’re voting with our feet. Our local Albertson’s is in Garden City, but we go out of our way to 36th because it’s in Boise. And props to all the people with the cool masks. Fun to look at!
But I’m disappointed in our governor. I knew and respected his father when he was in the Legislature, and I expected more of Brad. I don’t know what he’s afraid of, but he needs to grow a spine.
The CDC report this week puts Idaho as in the “red zone” for case growth. The only rational course of action, for much of the state at least, is to mandate masks and roll-back our reopening.
It is no more an infringement on our constitutional rights to mandate masks for public health reasons than it is to require drivers to stop at stop signs for public safety reasons.
I hope everyone has seen the terrifying graphic depicting the current spike in cases. Our newspapers should publish this daily as a public service.
Jean McNeil, Boise
Divided country
America is at war. One major battle is the coronavirus. The virus may be small compared to how divided our country is. There is so much hate going on right now in the world of politics. Isn’t there a law against “hate speech”? Please don’t say you never hear it. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase: “Your actions speak so loudly that I can’t hear what you are saying.” Kids in school are taught to not bully. Why should kids not bully when their adult leaders are doing it all the time?
How is it we seem to elect such angry, hate-filled, bully politicians? Some of this action is being demonstrated by protest demonstrations with mob mentality, vandalizing, torching and looting.
Are minds so full of hatred and anger that they’ve forgotten kindness? There is a scripture verse that says, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Have our leaders become so blind or brain washed that they’ve forgotten what has made America the greatest nation on the planet?
The new progressive, socialistic, Marxist agenda will destroy our country. Let’s stand up together and go back to our roots and help make America great again. May God bless America, again!
Curtis Vieselmeyer, Boise
Wear a mask
I can’t believe the ignorance of people who believe this is a hoax. People are dying. Is it because this is a Republican state? To blatantly argue and complain about doing something so easy as wearing a mask is absurd and childish. Stop bowing down to the ignorance of foolish people and mandate masks. That’s much better than stay-at-home orders.
Leslie Blakeman, Idaho Falls