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Equal justice should cross party lines

Many of the recent news stories are very upsetting!

Yes, I hear the Democrats preaching about Trump’s bragging about female exploits, as is common amongst men, while they are actually sexually abusing and raping women and it is an accepted practice. I refer to Bill and Monica along with 35 other women making accusations, Weinstein with 30 years of known sexual exploits for women to advance in the job market, Weiner’s photos and underage exploits, etc.

Really? Equality is slammed down our throats so let’s start with equal justice to fit these crimes! —Ron Albrecht, Kalispell

Council not up to speed on aircraft types?

At the City Council workshop, they were talking about what should be in a lease agreement of the City Airport. One council member asked the rest of the council members and the mayor if they knew what the difference between a B-1 type aircraft and a B-2 type aircraft. I know this council member, and he knows the difference, so I think he was putting them all on the spot to see if any of them would respond to my requests for them to say no to any B-2 aircraft in the lease agreement. None of them knew, none of them said anything. They acted like they didn’t know. So the councilman asked the city manager if he knew. He said it has something to do with the wing span, and that’s all he knew. And that’s all they had to say about that. Folks, these are the people that are drafting and planning a 40-year lease agreement for the use of the City Airport. One cannot make this up. These are the same people that are protecting your property, your safety, your town and lifestyle, your schoolchildren. What a joke. We are being sold out by our own City Council and mayor and city manager.

Kalispell has been dealing with this City Airport issue for 15 years. And these are the people that run for City Council because they are in the know of what’s going on in our town and want to do what the people want. And a City manager himself had worked closely with the FAA on airport expansion issue’s. (ah, it’s something to do with the wingspan) GIVE ME A BREAK! And our city attorney, who has been in the middle of this for years, didn’t tell the City Council member what the difference was. It saddens me to no end. Yes, I got up then and told them how I felt. And so did a number of other city residents.

My fellow taxpayers, neighbors and residents of Kalispell … Demand no B-2 aircraft at our City Airport in the lease agreement or, better yet, close it down! —Scott Davis, Kalispell

Freedom of religion carried to the extreme

The Department of Justice memo about religious “freedom” states “free exercise of religion includes the right to act or abstain from action in accordance with one’s religious beliefs.” That’s wonderful. The memo goes on to state, “Americans do not give up their freedom of religion by participating in the marketplace, partaking in the public square, or interacting with the government.” Not so wonderful. I can give you some examples.

Managing Editor Frank Miele says forcing a baker to make a cake for a gay couple is no different than forcing a Muslim or Jewish restaurant to serve irreligious meats. A restaurant has a menu, so we can see what is served and decide whether to go there. Same with a church or a religious school with a big sign. We know what we are choosing. We need some of these advertisements to make this up front: “Don’t buy a cake here if you are gay”; “This classroom will not teach evolution”; “This ER does not provide blood transfusions”; “No female bosses here, sincere belief that women are subservient to men”; “I’m against adultery, so no insurance for your Viagra”; and “I will fire you if you get pregnant outside of marriage.”

But this is my favorite. “I will be withholding my federal income taxes this year because I have a sincerely held belief in pacifism and I will not have my taxes pay for war.” The new regulations for religious freedoms suggest that the government may not judge me for this.

You might have to tear down statues of Thomas Jefferson. After all he was the one who “built a wall of separation between church and state” that we busy tearing down. —M. Jennifer Allen, Kalispell

Protect children

I am concerned about what state, let alone federal budget cuts, will mean for some of the most vulnerable children in Montana. Readily available information documents that 20 percent of our children in Montana live in poverty, but those statistics tell only part of the story. Speak to any teacher at your local school, and they can tell you of at least one student who comes to school without the resources to obtain appropriate clothing or enough food for the weekend. Montana already has some of the highest rates of mental health issues, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide rates in the nation. Managing ever fewer resources, and having to pick and choose who will receive limited services, is a sobering thought.

There is ample documentation to argue why assisting children saves money and prevents ongoing suffering when they become adults. There is no moral argument stronger than, “taking care of our children is the right thing to do.” That is a universal belief.

With this in mind, we need our elected officials to actively collaborate to figure out solutions to address this mounting budget crisis (including raising revenue) so it does not adversely impact Montana’s many children in need. We have gifted teachers, social workers, counselors and foster parents in our community who meet the needs of traumatized and at risk youth on a daily basis. It is imperative to continue to let them do their profession and support Montana kids without the growing stress of looming financial cuts. —Lance Isaak, Kalispell

Tax the rich more

To help Montana’s budget shortfall, we should consider imposing a 5 percent surcharge on the richest families of Montana.

Currently, our workers and poor pay 10 percent of their income on taxes while the rich, like the Walton welfare family, pay only 5 percent of their income on taxes.

I protest the workers and poor paying for the welfare of the Walton family and the rich. —Daniel Gawain Waters, Libby

Lie detector, anyone?

Regarding Roy Moore and the ladies who accuse him of inappropriate sexual advances: Has anyone ever heard of the lie-detector test? —Poul Houlberg, Kalispell