Kilmeade’s comment shows right-wing cancel culture hypocrisy | Opinion

Kilmeade

On Fox News, Brian Kilmeade recently said that mentally ill homeless people should get “involuntary lethal injection.” Days later, a shooting at a Minneapolis homeless encampment left multiple people critically wounded. While no single broadcast can be blamed, statements like Kilmeade’s only encourages others to treat human lives as disposable and creates a climate where violence becomes more likely.

The homeless need our help, not our hate. Homelessness only exists in a society that has failed to provide the necessary supports for the most vulnerable among us, including veterans.

The hypocrisy becomes evident when Donald Trump and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr use the power of government to pull Jimmy Kimmel off the air for calling out the politicization of the violence, while Kilmeade remains employed and Fox, the FCC, and Trump remain silent. That double standard is clear and cannot remain unchallenged.

Our own representative Mike Simpson has leaned into the hypocrisy, defending the actions that canceled Kimmel, while saying nothing about defending our homeless.

Kilmeade should be removed from the air, Fox should denounce his words, and advertisers should refuse to be associated. Words have consequences, and when media personalities call for violence, real Americans pay the price.

Joseph L Turmes, Nampa

Five freedoms

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects five freedoms: religion, speech, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Free speech is under assault.

Mary Feeny, Boise

Charlie Kirk

Charlie Kirk’s life is no more or less important than any of the 20 six-year-old children killed in Sandy Hook, the 16 ten-year-olds murdered at Uvalde, the 12 teenagers gunned down in Columbine, the 14 young adults killed in Parkland, or any of the over 200 children massacred to date in school shootings. Yet, never has a single American child, gunned down in an American classroom, by an American citizen, ever been memorialized, honored or eulogized, with the same moral outrage as Kirk. Donald Trump is devastated by the loss of his friend; let’s ask the parents of 202 kids about profound devastation and grief. To those of you who are outraged over the killing of Charlie Kirk, where was your sorrow, outrage, and moral indignation when 6-year-old, 8-year-old, 10-year-old, 12-year-old, or 14-, 15-, 16-, 17-, and 18-year-old children were gunned down in our country’s classrooms? Where were you then?

Julie Davis, Boise

Boise levy

Every day, I experience the value of Boise’s clean water and open spaces. When I visit friends across town, the Greenbelt gives me a safe and reliable route that helps me avoid vehicle traffic, exercise and take in some fresh air. When I was a student at Boise State, I traveled every day via a safe, pleasant and low-cost bike commute on the Boise Greenbelt. Boise parks hold numerous community events and space to spend with friends and family. Boise trails are traveled my many who are connecting with nature and exercising on public land.

The Clean Water and Open Spaces Levy will fund the Boise parks, trails and pathways now and into the future, protecting our rivers and open spaces. This investment is a way of life for people like me and thousands of others who rely on clean water, accessible parks and connected pathways. By voting “Yes” this election season, we can ensure Boise remains a place where we can all play freely and breathe easy.

Nathaniel Frantz, Boise

Salmon

Well, it’s back to court for salmon, those who value them, orca and the countless other species that depend on them vs. those who are actively trying to send salmon to extinction. The people of the BPA, BOR, USACE and the current administration have lost 6 out of 6 times because they knowingly continue to come to court with the same grossly inadequate “plan to restore Snake River salmon.” They will undoubtedly do it again. We know what Dr. Einstein would call that, but sadly it’s much more heinous than that. These people, and clearly we are talking about people and not some hide-behind-acronym, will again enter the courtroom with a blatant, directed, deliberate and criminal intent to hasten “bright extinction” because their plan will once again not include the “centerpiece action” (NOAA) necessary to restore our fish and the cultures, economies and ecosystems they support: The seventh plan will again ignore the unequivocal science and not include restoration of the Lower Snake River via removal of the four Lower Snake River dams (LoSeR dams). Notably, this deliberate and incessant insanity is taxpayer funded. Congressman Simpson’s proposal would replace the services the dams now provide and restore our fish.

David Cannamela, Boise

Constitution

The loss of three constitutional amendments:

The First Amendment: Those who holler about “freedom of speech” have completely gutted the word “peacefully” which means no riots. Witness Jan 6.

The Second Amendment: Those who holler about “right to bear arms” have completely gutted the word “well regulated” which means gun control. Witness open carry such as ID.

The Fourth Amendment: The fourth amendment which means “no illegal searches without warrants” has been gutted. Witness the Supreme Court allowing arrests based on skin color, job or residence.

So now we have witnessed the beginning of the end of the Constitution.

Daniel Bacon, Middleton

Free speech

As you read this do not assume that I approve or disapprove of any of the comments on either side of the posted opinions about the murder of Charlie Kirk other than the idea that murder is never an appropriate response to discord. But let it be clear that I think that for an employer to monitor an employee’s private posts and to fire or promote anyone for any reason other than performance on the job or the posting of an opinion on an official site is 100% inappropriate.

Philip R. Ehrnstein, Meridian

A modest proposal

In my youth, when LBJ was president, he typically began his national addresses with: ”My fellow Americans.” This simple phrase was often repeated by succeeding presidents. Until now.

I urge Donald Trump to adopt and promote that preamble to all conversations he has with us. Perhaps it will help set a unifying tone that is sorely missing from today’s political/cultural climate.

Ralph Sims, Eagle