Letters to the editor: Guns, Commissioner Davidson, legislature, Republican Party
Gun policy
At what point does enough become enough? When does murder move from being political to being human? Is maintaining a biased view of our constitutional rights sufficient when it involves the wanton taking of human life?
Our politicians must quit being driven by their PAC money. They must stand up finally. And they must do so before it is their family members or those of their constituents who are victims of a mass murder. If Idaho’s politicians are truly representing the “right,” it is finally time for them to be on the right side and support a safe, humane society.
Those elected to serve need to speak with a voice of compassion and care. They must act to restrict (and eliminate) assault weapons and implement waiting periods for the purchase of handguns and rifles. Forget the thoughts and prayers. Act!
Roger Simon, Boise
Commissioner Davidson
The Statesman editorial hit piece against Ada County Commissioner Ryan Davidson is so full of malarkey and bull, that it stinks to high heaven. There is a huge difference in influencing a judge during a criminal proceeding, and asking a judge to open the courthouse doors.
The Statesman cites The Idaho 97 Project as their bona fides in attacking Davidson. This organization is just another left-wing group, the Statesman relies on, for their own propaganda and left-wing bias in their reporting.
The Statesman’s editorial says “some have suggested a violation of “Idaho Code 18-1353,” yet they don’t list who those “some” are. This is standard in the failing news industry.
The Statesman writes how Davidson was “protesting alongside a group of Nazis,” at a BLM protest last year. Davidson just happened to be in the crowd and unaware who was nearby. This is just another fake accusation from a fake news organization.
I’ve had enough of the Statesman constant hate-filled attacks on Republicans and Democrat fluff. Maybe The Idaho 97 Project should look into the Statesman’s extremism and misinformation. My granddaughter will go without Sunday comics as I’ll be canceling my Sunday-only subscription.
Daniel Murphy, Boise
Legislator experts
Politicians face impossible tasks. They are expected to be experts in every area of government and public interest. Fortunately, Idaho’s legislature is blessed with experts in epidemiology and education.
Our numerous legislative epidemiologists know that the main route of transmission of the deadly SARS-CoV-2 is through respiratory pathways. They know that viruses evolve rapidly and that more viral reproductions can produce more virulent variants. But as conservative, independent, constitutional experts, they know not to wear masks or distance to minimize exposure; they are invincible.
The legislature also has many gifted education experts who strive to provide a well-funded education for our youth, and who know what the curriculum should be. Definitely, it should not provide an ability to think logically, to determine fact from fiction, to analyze deductively and to discuss issues in respectful, intelligent manners. Well-funded? No, but certainly being last in the nation is ample funding.
Therefore, they don’t need rational reasons to return federal funds for early learning; to quit taking lottery contributions; to cut money from diversity programs at universities. What a remarkable job! Thanks, experts?
Thomas G. Hallam, Sr., Garden City
Idaho legislation
What is going on at the Idaho statehouse? With all the real problems that we are dealing with, GOP legislators want to restrict public art and control any agency’s choice to rename a school, street, or park?
As a stay-at-home mother of two children who are being educated in Idaho’s public schools, it doesn’t help me, Idaho, my kids, or really anyone when legislators make laws to limit our children’s understanding of the world we live in. I work hard to give my kids a solid foundation so they can grow up to be responsible, decent citizens. I value, appreciate, and need help from my community, which includes public schools and our legislature. It takes a village!
The legislature needs to stop damaging all of us here in Idaho, especially our children.
Sarah Harris, Boise
Flawed Legislature
After weeks of passing legislation addressing absurdly unproven threats (Aussies’ imposing gun control through Powerball, defunding the AG for giving constitutionally based counsel, the initiative process being somehow fundamentally undemocratic, etc.), leadership has suspended their session because the inevitable finally happened. Instead of following health recommendations or wearing masks, this outbreak was predictable. How does Speaker Bedke respond? “We’ll follow the recommended (CDC?) advice of a two-week isolation.” That’s like baking a cake without flour and when it flops, saying we’ll now add eggs. Never mind the risk to all the staffers who work within the walls of the Capitol, those who enter routinely on business or rely on the business the session creates.
The logic behind many of their decisions is blatantly flawed, puts all at risk and is manifestly in conflict with what the majority of Idahoans believe. We can put an end to this in the next election cycle by rejecting every incumbent in your district who participated in this travesty.
Tony Edmondson, Weiser
Republican Party
The March 2 letter to the editor by Stephen J. Brown prompts me to ask when Brown’s dread of the excellent President Donald Trump went wrong. For an individual to not realize the amazing accomplishments that this great man made astounds me. Control of borders, respect from foreign countries, dropping the corporate tax rate to a more fair 21%, establishing a climate for major corporations to return factories and operations back to the USA, establishing an economic climate in America in which all Americans benefited.
Brown’s smearing of the Republican Party is inaccurate. I challenge him to take a close-up look at each party’s platform. Republicans: the belief in the freedom of each individual to the best of their abilities without overburdening government intrusion, the desire for the sanctity of human life, non-celebration of homosexual lifestyles, an America-first position, while the Democrat platform hales this: God kicked out of their platform, the support of government programs and bureaus and the notion that Americans need to be nannied, the exaltation of homosexual lifestyles and worst of all abortion on demand. Now, Mr. Brown and the rest of you North Boise liberals, which sounds the most attractive?
Doug Sweaney, Caldwell