Letters for April 23, 2024
May matters
The other day as I was driving toward Sandpoint on Highway 200, I happened to notice a yard sign. It read simply, “May Matters.” I saw several others on different lawns over the next few days. I thought it was a real estate sign.
At first, I said, “there’s an aggressive new Realtor in town.” Then I started seeing several other signs for candidates in the upcoming primary. Then the words finally hit home – “May Matters.”
Of course, May matters. It is our only real chance to pick who is going to represent us.
I’ve been shouting for years that elections are won or lost in the primaries. Only 15-20% of the registered voters even turn out in the primaries. That tiny percentage of voters has determined the outcome in every election in Idaho for well over a decade. Only those voters that are truly motivated show up at the polls.
Become a participant in our society and vote! Become one of the people that enables all women control of their bodies. Be a voter that says “No” to the extremists, “Yes” to education and access to health care. So yes, May matters. Get out and vote.
Gil Beyer
Sandpoint
Punish Cody Roberts
Imagine chasing a wolf with a snowmobile and running it over. The wolf is disabled, so you take it home to show your family and take pictures. With its mouth muzzled, you then take the still-alive wolf to a bar, for all your friends to see. You then drink beers with your buddies, and shoot videos of the wolf lying disabled, muzzled and suffering on the floor. Finally, you take the wolf outside, and shoot it dead. This is the story of Cody Roberts of Wyoming.
Cody is the new poster child for everything that’s wrong with the state management of wolves.
Ever since Senator Tester orchestrated the removal of federal protections for gray wolves in 2009, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho have unleashed a barrage of policies that have resulted in the slaughter of wolves numbering in the thousands. Hunting, trapping and strangulation (snaring) are some of the tactics employed by “sportsmen.” Don’t forget poisoning, killing wolf pups in their dens, and state-sanctioned aerial gunning and bounties. It’s been a blood bath.
I support the recent lawsuit seeking federal protections for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies. And Cody Roberts should have his hunting privileges suspended for life and be sent to jail.
Brett Haverstick
Missoula
Stop acting without thought
Well, we should congratulate Lisa Brown, one of the first things she wants to do is raise taxes on our homes; I am in hopes that all of us will reject this as we did the school levies as we are all so tired of being taxed to death. Her threats of consequences are just that, a threat.
Why won’t the city and county bring back the tab dues, I can’t even imagine how much money that would create in just a short time. The government needs to think instead of acting without thought to the people of Spokane and others.
Carleen Reilly
Spokane