Boise firefighters union objects to being reduced to a stereotype in column | Opinion

Firefighters

This is in response to the recent column on police and firefighters unions’ support for Mike Masterson for Boise mayor.

We are the men and women of Boise Firefighters Local 149, those who put our lives on the line every day for our community. We do this not because of a paycheck, but because of a calling, a calling to serve our community to protect those who need it, to support, protect, give assistance and care to our fellow members of our city, a community in which I believe you’re a part of. The long-term price we pay for the honor of being ones who serve cannot be measured. But let me tell you they are intense and real.

Our union represents people from all walks of life and political affiliations. We take serious offense to the directed assumptions of our character. Starting with a reference of underrepresented populations, of which the current city council and administration control, not the Union.

Secondly, a reference of pickup trucks and red shirts somehow relegating an entire group of community-driven public servants to being Trump supporters is horribly derogatory at best. The awareness of the fact you live in Idaho where most people enjoy the outdoors and might just prefer a 4-wheel drive vehicle, shows a huge lack of self-reflection in your appeared judgment of others. The colorblind statement referring to our red shirts, being of Republican nature rather than the obvious true meaning of red shirts commonly used in representing “firefighters” through our rigorous recruit process, begs some obvious naivete, and ill conclusion. Following your logic do we now have an entire fleet of Trump-supporting fire engines? Your lack of an unbiased slant toward your own partisan issues is deafening and apparent.

In short and in closing, we are deeply offended by the blatant assumptions you reported and the disrespect you showed to the bravest and most selfless group of individuals I have ever had the privilege to serve alongside.

Jason Shuey, Local 149 president

Labrador

Paying our tax dollars to defend Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s personal interpretation of the law to match his political agenda really chaps my hide. We were warned by those who actually understand and support the Constitution, but too many voted for him anyway. Be prepared to pay more tax dollars for legal expenses to defend unconstitutional positions taken by the Legislature and Attorney General Labrador.

Sheila Robbins, Boise

Idaho’s delegation

Yes, politics is a tough business. Look what it has done to our congressional delegation. We have known these men for decades. It seemed safe to assume they were principled statesmen who would courageously defend America in times of existential crisis. It has been sickening to see them exposed as cloakroom cowering Trump toadies whose primary motivation is holding onto their offices.

They know Trump is a textbook sociopath and wannabe autocrat whose Big Lie incited the insurrection to stop the transfer of power to the honestly elected president. They know that when America needed them most they literally turned and ran.

They had the chance to do the most important right thing in their careers and didn’t. And they continue to be meekly complicit to one of the greatest internal threats our nation has ever faced. These men have shown us that their Job One is self-preservation. Shut up, lay low and hope the crisis passes.

What a pitiful legacy. I have never favored term limits but maybe it is the lesser evil.

Ross Borden, Boise

Permitting reforms

Congress can fix the permitting process and advocate for workers.

It is great to hear that Congress is considering ways to reduce review times on major energy and infrastructure projects on public lands, which will allow workers to get on these job sites faster and help our country’s push toward more energy independence. Members of Congress should also make sure all permitting reforms have community input and account for working families, including prevailing wage provisions.

I know how important it is for major infrastructure projects to have clear timelines and expectations because I am a union carpenter in Boise. Project delays can add up quickly and directly impact my own paycheck.

There is a lot of public land in Idaho, which means permitting reforms will have a big impact on our state and workers here. As the country invests in energy infrastructure, the skilled workforce on these projects deserves to be paid a fair wage and benefits. We encourage our representatives to keep us in mind while considering permitting reforms.

Steve Kramer, Meridian

Climate action

Rod Sadler (Idaho Statesman, Aug. 9) provided some important steps we can take to address the climate crisis. Sometimes our busy lives and keeping up with competing issues in the news make it difficult for us to act. Here’s one way to make it easy; we all love easy.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization whose primary focus is on national policies to address the climate crisis. Systemic (policy) change is essential to solve this crisis with the time and resources that we have available.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby’s website makes it easy to contact your elected officials by providing links and templates about important climate issues, such as putting a price on carbon: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/get-loud-take-action/price-carbon/

Or to support permitting reform to speed up the pace with which the U.S. builds and deploys new clean energy projects: https://tinyurl.com/ccl-permitting-reform/

Citizens’ Climate Lobby makes it easy to learn about tax credits and rebates you might qualify for under the Inflation Reduction Act’s homeowner electrification and efficiency incentives: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/our-climate-solutions/building-electrification-and-efficiency/

Want to get involved locally? Citizens’ Climate Lobby has a Boise chapter. We’d love to include you. Send us an email boise@citizensclimatelobby.org and follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/CCLBoise/) We have a shared vision of a better future world.

Kayti Didricksen, Boise