Let delegates in Florida, Michigan count
I recently wrote a letter to the Democratic National Committee, and I would like to share it with fellow Missoulians:Dear DNC, I am writing to you from Montana. I have been a Democrat ever since I could think - even though I had Republican parents. I have been a Democrat because it was obvious that the Democratic Party cared about social justice when the Republicans did not. However, I am having serious problems with the Democratic party at the moment.
You must count the Michigan and Florida delegates. To not do so is to violate Democrats’ trust that we are the party of inclusion, that each person’s voice matters. We cannot exclude nearly 2 million voters who voted in good faith. They should not have their votes cast aside because of infighting in the party. This cannot be a message that we send about ourselves as Democrats. I dislike it intensely and I do not live in Michigan or Florida. Can you imagine how those voters feel? Do you think that we can rely upon them to stay Democratic or to vote in the general presidential election if we send them the message that they are expendable to our party?
Adrienne Johnson, Missoula
Letter wrong about our country
I am responding to Lucien Hut and Katherine Skinner’s letter to the editor (Feb. 27).I do not believe President Bush intentionally lied to the American people. I think he presented the facts he had at the time. The facts at a later date turned out to be wrong. That makes Bush human, not a liar. That would be like calling the weatherman a liar because he predicted a sunny day and it rained.
I am going to assume that presidents Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe had a pretty good knowledge of the intent of the Constitution when they used their commander in chief powers and used the military to protect our country. The same powers and principles that Congress and the president are relying on now.
I will address the kidnapping of people off of streets of friendly countries. Let’s describe the people we are talking about. These are the people who murdered Americans, Muslims and planted bombs on children and sent them into crowds to blow up (murder) innocent people, and are in the process of planning more terrorist attacks. I think I am going to have to say that it is a good thing that these terrorists are no longer free to plan and commit similar acts.
The sixth commandment is “thou shall not murder.” We don’t want to mislead.
In conclusion, I am going to say that I believe America is a just and fair country and I am going to continue to believe that our military is good. If Hut and Skinner want to believe that America is evil, that is their choice. But let me say, I believe it is a poor choice to make. In America we can disagree and still be friendly, as it obvious we are going to disagree.
Willis Hintz, Lolo
News on slaughter leaves out details
With spring coming to the Northwest, we are already starting to see the press reporting on the bison-related activities around Yellowstone. As one reads these reports year after year, one can make two guaranteed predictions as to how the reports will read.First prediction: The report will make mention of the concern that the bison carry the disease brucellosis (aka “bangs”), that bangs is a disease that causes abortion in cattle and that it is feared this disease will be spread to domestic livestock. The implication always seems to be that there are some whiny ranchers who are behind the bison control measures.
Second prediction: The reports will fail to mention one little detail. Bangs is just one of a number of diseases that can cause abortions ('Trich’, IBR, BVD and others), and which, like bangs, can be vaccinated against. The detail the press never points out is the reason bangs is so notorious; that is, bangs, unlike the others, can be transmitted to humans, manifesting itself as a very serious disease known as undulant fever. Undulant fever causes severe flu-like symptoms, may become entrenched in the human system for life, resistant to antibiotics and can be fatal. Since the widespread use of pasteurization in milk, it has become rare, but the powers-that-be do not want to take any chances of an outbreak in cattle that could be passed on to people. Montana is currently listed as bangs-free, but an outbreak in cattle near Yellowstone would immediately make the millions of cattle across the state suspect.
Besides, the herd is outgrowing its food supply. Culling policies have been in place at the National Bison Range for decades with no controversy. Why is it such a big deal at Yellowstone?
John Ohrmann, Drummond
Water belongs to American Indians
My name is Louise Stasso, and I am a full-blood Kootenai and Salish Tribal member. My parents were Lassaw Stasso Sr. and Angelic Finley Stasso. My parents spoke both Kootenai and Salish as their first language. I grew up on the west shore of Flathead Lake at Elmo.Our only source of water was Flathead Lake; it provided for all of our needs. Today the lake is so contaminated and polluted that I can no longer swim in it.
Non-Indian residents of our reservation need to get informed. Our reservation is Indian, tribal land.
In 1914, the federal government illegally opened our reservation to non-Indian homesteaders. Our treaty, the “Hellgate Treaty,” was signed in 1855. This was Washington Territory, not Montana Territory.
All of Montana is Indian land by aboriginal rights.
Today, American Indians continue to live in poverty and are still the most oppressed, especially those of us who are at least 50 percent or more Indian. I am an advocate for this group.
Seventy percent of our tribal members are less than half Indian.
Our water is not for sale at any price. I’m not for compromising or for negotiating our water. I am for litigation - litigation will outlast our precious Mother Earth.
Mother Nature and top scientists have warned us that unless drastic changes are taken within the next 15 years, it will be irreversible to save Mother Earth. We will destroy her.
The Wind River Tribe in Wyoming have been litigating their waters for 32 years, since 1975.
Louise Stasso, Arlee
Youthful candidates can make difference
Campaign season has arrived again and the words fly furiously around.Honestly, most of us average citizens are cringing more than a little about the political climate. Things are divided and contentious and we truly don’t know who to trust. We’ve been lied to and marginalized. It’s no wonder so many of us throw up our arms in frustration and wonder why we continue to participate. What other option is there for those of us fed up with politicians and government as usual?
One hope I’ve found is in a new generation of leaders. It stands to reason that fresh, youthful faces should bring a new perspective and a new approach that would make us proud participants in the political process once again. An excellent example of the new blood in politics is Dustin Hankinson, a Democratic candidate in House District 91 east of Missoula.
His platform is solid but more importantly, he’s campaigning on a different set of principles. On his Web site, www.dustinforhouse08.com, Hankinson discusses principles of accountability to constituents as the most important people in the process, of running a “green” campaign using as few resources as possible, and conducting a campaign based more on who he is and what he has to offer then how much money can be raised and spent to make an impression. The almighty dollar is not something Hankinson will bow down before. Rather, the good of the average person is of ultimate value. Maybe if we give the new generation and people like Hankinson a chance, the process can begin to change for the good of all.
Theresa Martinosky, Missoula
Candidate best choice to guide children
On Feb. 25 a fresh wind in the form of a very well-qualified and energetic candidate for supervisor of the Office Of Public Instruction signed up to run for that office at the Secretary of State’s Office.Thank goodness we now have a candidate for that office who is not carrying a partisan agenda and has no goal other than to make needed changes and improvements to the education system in Montana that will benefit the long-neglected children of our state. In the last eight years, the focus of the Office Of Public Instruction has been more concerned with politics than with the education our children so they can take their rightful place in the modern world. This has to stop now!
The time has come to elect Elaine Herman as the new supervisor of the Office of Public Instruction and give your children the chance they deserve to be all that they can be. This time let’s vote for our children, not for a political ideology. The time for excuses is over and the time for positive action has come.
John S. Forbes, Helena
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