Letters to the editor: Abortion bill, Bundy, initiative votes, Interfaith Sanctuary, coroner

Abortion law

I was born in Idaho and there are many things to respect about this state. Yet understanding a mentality that defied and was incensed for government involvement for masking, yet plans to adopt this anti-abortion stance is conflicted reasoning.

The time limit to obtain a legal abortion would be at six weeks after conception. Yet many women are unaware of their pregnancy that early. Or contemplate the fairness for a woman or a young girl to make a hasty, but wrong decision. With the current overloads the medical field is experiencing obtaining an appointment within the time constraint may be challenging.

As Idaho demonstrated against forced masking and vaccines, this issue, too, should remain a personal choice.

Jana Becerra, Meridian

Bundy

Because judges’ ethics rules discourage them from responding to public criticism, lawyers have a responsibility to defend judges from unfair criticism .

As a former Idaho law professor and a teacher of legal ethics, and as someone unlikely to appear before Judge McDevitt or her colleagues and therefore an unlikely sycophant, I feel a special responsibility to respond.

Judge McDevitt is being unfairly criticized for applying the law. Mr. Ammon Bundy did not do what a prior court order required. Judge McDevitt was hearing the case because she has no interest in any particular outcome. She imposed an appropriate consequence.

Mr. Bundy lives in a world where he claims everyone is out of step but him. Instead of considering that the impartial judge might be right, Mr. Bundy made unsupported claims of extremism and retaliation. Judge McDevitt and the legal system deserve our support.

Greg Sergienko, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Initiative vote

These are the people who say they represent you and want to be re-elected, yet last year they voted for SB 1110 to take away your fundamental right to Idaho’s initiative process. If any of these people are running in your district, don’t vote for them, but if you run into them ask them, why they wanted to take away your right to make law guaranteed under the Constitution, as the Idaho Supreme Court decided was the case.

Senate AYES – Agenbroad, Anthon, Bair, Bayer, Burtenshaw, Cook, Crabtree, Den Hartog, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Heider, Lakey, Lee, Lent, Lodge, Martin, Patrick, Rice, Ricks, Riggs, Souza, Thayn, Vick, Winder, Zito.

House AYES – Adams, Addis, Amador, Andrus, Armstrong, Barbieri, Blanksma, Boyle, Bundy, Cannon, Chaney, Christensen, Clow, Crane, DeMordaunt, Dixon, Ehardt, Ferch, Furniss, Galloway, Gestrin, Giddings, Hanks, Harris, Hartgen, Holtzclaw, Horman, Kauffman, Kerby, Lickley, Marshall, Mendive, Mitchell, Monks, Moon, Moyle, Nate, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Palmer, Scott, Shepherd, Skaug, Syme, von Ehlinger, Weber, Wisniewski, Yamamoto, Young, Youngblood, Mr. Speaker Bedke.

Lee Halper, Hagerman

Community service

Years ago my teenage son went to court for trespassing and stealing fruit from our neighbor’s backyard tree. The judge had a serious talk with him about respecting private property and assigned him to 15 hours of public service.

In addition to apologizing to the neighbor, my son fulfilled his public service by volunteering at the local library. He certainly didn’t even consider suggesting that doing his homework or chores would suffice as a service to the public.

This experience made a positive difference to my son. He learned a lot. If a teenage boy can “man up” and take responsibility for his actions, surely a man running for governor of our great state should too.

Kayla Dodson, Boise

Interfaith Sanctuary

I support Interfaith Sanctuary’s move to State Street. It owns the property, and the vast majority of the site is zoned to permit use as a homeless shelter. I live near State Street and we patronize businesses near the new site. Thus we are neighbors of the relocated shelter.

I understand the concerns of the property owners who live near the new shelter. As a pastor, I worked with homeless shelters in both Canada and Indiana. I have seen some badly run shelters. Our neighbors near State Street are apprehensive about living near such a shelter, with lines of guests waiting for the doors to open, loitering on the grounds and cigarette butts littering the neighborhood.

But Interfaith Sanctuary is a well-run shelter. It connects its guests with services that help them find housing and employment. It offers families living in their vehicles a safe, clean and warm place to stay while they find permanent housing. It will welcome guests throughout the day, thus eliminating long lines and loitering. And it offers its guests the dignity that every child of God deserves.

I urge City Council to grant the conditional use permit to Interfaith Sanctuary.

Bruce D. Ervin, Garden City

Canyon County coroner

I support Jennifer Crawford for Canyon County coroner. I worked for coroner Crawford as a deputy coroner. I can tell you that not only is she very good at her job as an administrator, but she is an excellent and qualified death investigator. While the duties of the coroner are too graphic for detailed description, suffice it to say that when you need the coroner you need a professional who you know can do the job. At the same time it is indispensable to have a person of integrity and compassion. Coroner Crawford is superbly fit for the job.

It would be catastrophic to elect anyone who cannot conduct a death investigation or perform a post-mortem exam, commonly called an autopsy. Not only is it necessary in order to certify death certificates (cause and manner of death) but the coroner must be able to handle the graphic nature of death, sometimes accidents or worse crimes. To elect an inexperienced individual into this position would corrupt the integrity of medicolegal death investigations.

Geoff Williams, Caldwell

Personal attacks

On April 14, a flyer was left at my door attacking two of my fellow Boiseans. It included their photos, addresses and phone numbers. So to (the judge and the prosecutor who were targets), I’d like to say thank you for doing your jobs, at considerable risk to yourselves and families. We are happy to have neighbors like you and regret that a cowardly, shameful attack by the ignorant has been perpetrated against you. Please endeavor to persevere in your difficult tasks. The majority of your fellow citizens appreciate and support you. To the anonymous and misguided people behind this attack, please stop.

Erik Payne, Boise