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History, community, and paying it forward

I have heard many reasons to vote yes or no to the Somers School Building Bond. One common theme has unexpectedly emerged as a source of pride and inspiration for me. In talking with some of my fellow neighbors, all with kids that have long since left home and most have families of their own, I hear about the rich history of Somers and Lakeside, the community coming together to rebuild after the school fire, and the key role of paying it forward.

My neighbor Linda Heim had this to say, “Besides community involvement, I always like to say that those of us older taxpayers need to be supportive of our school children. It’s called “pay it forward” to me because taxpayers made it possible for me to attend schools with good facilities from grade school through high school. In fact, I was in the first grade when the Somers school burned down (first through 8th grade attended at that time). All of us then attended school for one year at what is now known as Tiebuckers in Somers. Then the new school was built. Talk about excited. We were so fortunate to have this new facility.

And while attending the OctoberFest fundraiser for the Somers Museum, I had the opportunity to talk with some neighbors who are passionate about Somers’ rich history and the early days of the school. They too talked about the fire, rebuild, and the need to now do it again. And one other Missionview neighbor had this to say, “yeah, someone paid for me when I was little so I can now do it for someone else’s kid.”

I voted yes because I think infrastructure is a good investment. Now I have a few more reasons. —Christian Shaeffer, Lakeside

Former judges endorse Hileman

It is our honor to recommend Bill Hileman for the position of Whitefish Municipal Court Judge. We have known Bill for approximately 30 years, Stu as a Justice Court judge and then District Court judge for a total of 28 years, and Kitty, first as a practicing attorney and then as a District Court judge for 18 years. We have always found Bill to be a very competent and well-prepared attorney who is fair, ethical and respectful to the court and everyone he encounters.

We have also known Bill most recently as a friend and a highly respected member of the Whitefish community. We believe Bill has the character and temperament to be an excellent municipal court judge, and we encourage you to support his candidacy. —Stu Stadler and Kitty Curtis, Whitefish

Is Montana Chamber for ‘growing government’?

One would think that the Montana Chamber of Commerce, as an advocate for business and commerce, would be inclined toward free market principles and less taxation and regulation by state government in its lobbying efforts in Helena. One would be wrong in that assumption.

The Chamber’s “top overall priority” (their words), HB 473, was the largest tax increase in the last session (approx. $56 million in this biennium and more in the next as the tax on motor fuels continues to increase).

Other “growing government” bills the Chamber supported included SB 367 (almost $100 million in spending, mostly by authorizing state debt via bonding), HB 270 ($3.7 million increase in spending for certain K-12 programs), HB 185 (establishing a “Montana Promise Grant Program” for certain qualified community college and tribal college students) and several “tax credit” and “tax abatement” bills that negate free market competition by allowing the state to use tax policy to control and manipulate business while granting “favored” status to those who meet the state’s criteria.

Theodore Forstmann had it right in a classic essay he wrote over twenty years ago. He called it “The Paradox of the Statist Businessman”:

“The statist businessman is, by definition, a lobbyist. Having made his peace with 20th-century collectivism, he is fundamentally concerned with ‘who gets what’ from government’s redistributive powers. He seeks subsidies for himself and penalties and regulations for his competitors. He is the miserable figure Ronald Reagan described as the fellow who hoped the crocodile would eat him last.

“Lobbyists give a bad name to the things they lobby for. The NEA gives a bad name to education. The AMA gives a bad name to medicine. But the statist businessman does not give a bad name to statism; he gives a bad name to capitalism!” —Rick Jore, Ronan

If you are against tearing down monuments, you might be lacking empathy

Recent letters on this page remind me of lines from a song about the Confederate flag: “Being a rebel ain’t no big deal, but if somebody owned your ass, how would you feel?”

It’s a matter of perspective. It may not take much effort to understand how people who are like you might feel about flags or monuments or certain words. But it takes a little more effort to understand how others might feel. It’s called empathy, understanding another’s feelings.

If you lack empathy, bigotry is more likely to creep into your thinking. If you have empathy for others, especially for those who aren’t like you (from another race, religion, country, etc.), you’re more likely to have sympathy for those others. And that leads to understanding, and to tolerance.

Even if you’re a pretty avid reader of history, if you lack empathy, you might have difficulty grasping how other people feel about what you call facts. Try this little exercise. It might require a little mental effort, but maybe it will lead to a better understanding. When you think you know all the facts, ask yourself how you would feel if you were part of one of those groups of people you call little sensitive children and snowflakes.

Could your understanding of history be a bit too narrow and limited? If your ancestors were enslaved by another race of people who now erect monuments to the enslavers, how would you feel?

Consider the fact that expressions of bigotry and racism are also expressions of insecurity and weakness. If you felt confident and secure about yourself, you wouldn’t feel compelled to attack others. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. —Steve Gniadek, Columbia Falls