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Is Bigfork under attack?

Certain decisions have been made and are being made that will have a negative effect on Bigfork and the residents who live here.

For whatever reason, the leadership of the Flathead County Republicans seems to think it is a good idea to invite an admitted felon, Dinesh D’Sousa, to appear in the Bigfork Center of the Performing Arts as a fundraiser. Why anyone would pay $100 for a ticket to listen to someone who heartlessly told the survivors of the recent Florida shooting who suffered a legislative loss that they hadn’t received sadder news since their parents told them they had to get summer jobs is beyond me. In my opinion, D’Sousa is also an outspoken white supremacist.

Meanwhile, the Flathead County commissioners are considering a zone change request that could allow the gateway to Bigfork to be negatively impacted by a huge RV park. Such a change would also seriously impact the wetlands and wildlife that exist on the property. Fortunately, the Montana Fish and Wildlife Department has submitted an objection to the change request. Hopefully, the commissioner will listen.

It’s time for the citizens of Bigfork to get involved in making the decisions that affect Bigfork again. The Bigfork neighborhood plan was well conceived. —Edd Blackler, Bigfork

Attacks on D’Souza are character assassination

The old adage, “With friends like these, who needs enemies?,” came to mind as I read one of the two letters in the Sunday Inter Lake amounting to character assassination of Dinesh D’Souza by half-truth, distortion and the old stand-by, name-calling.

The writer of one of the letters claimed to be a friend of my good friend Jerry Molen, who has collaborated with D’Souza on three excellent documentary films (“2016: Obama’s America,” “America: Imagine the World Without Her” and “Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party”). The other letter called D’Souza a “vile, hateful, far-right convicted felon.” Jerry’s “friend” was slightly less virulent in her slurs, but characterized D’Souza’s carefully documented account of the fascist and Nazi roots of U.S. “progressive” ideology as “extreme ... name calling, labeling and fear-mongering.”

First off, D’Souza’s big felony consisted in persuading friends of his to match his and his wife’s $20,000 contribution to Wendy Long’s U.S. Senate campaign by promising to reimburse them if they did so, and making good his promise. For this Obama’s Justice Department and a vindictive federal judge sent D’Souza to prison. Beyond that, Mr. D’Souza is a rigorous scholar and a dynamic speaker, and, as with any articulate critic of their false narrative, the left labels him as a hater — an absurd, ridiculous charge, as anyone who knows the man can testify. —Lee W. Smith, Somers

D’Souza not worthy of a Christian audience

I am concerned about the Flathead Republicans bringing Dinesh D’Souza to their fundraiser. I write this letter not as a representative of my congregation, but as a private Christian. I write as a voter for people in both political parties, and feeling no allegiance to either. I write this not seeking to censor, but as someone who wishes Christians to know this man’s public qualities.

D’Souza is a non-denominational Christian. He served as president of The King’s College for two years. After a September 2012 speech, D’Souza checked into a hotel room with a woman he had introduced as his fiancee. The trouble is that he was already and still married to another woman. This led to the end of his King’s College presidency.

He pleaded guilty to making an illegal contribution to a New York Senate campaign. He is currently serving five years’ probation.

He routinely belittles and degrades those who disagree with him, the latest being the students of Parkland, Florida. Referring to a photograph of the students crying after the Florida legislature rejected gun regulations, he tweeted, “Worst news since their parents told them to get summer jobs.” These people watched classmates die. He has since apologized, but his tone remains.

Jesus Christ teaches us to comfort those who mourn, to respect others, and to honor our spouse. Dinesh D’Souza does not follow any of these tenets. By bringing him here, the Flathead GOP (which includes many faithful Christians) makes me wonder if they simply don’t care about essential matters of Christian faithfulness, when it is convenient to ignore or explain away the failings of political allies. Dinesh D’Souza is to Republicans as Cecile Richards is to Democrats, and both should be listened to the same amount by Christians who care about life in all its forms. —Christopher Miller, Bigfork

Authorities messed up, so I should give up my gun?

Well, I only have news reports and government agencies (known to be unreliable at best, false at worse) on which to base the following. Regarding the recent school shooting, it appears:

1. School ignored warning signs ... Had “pact” with law enforcement to ignore crimes at school.

2. Local sheriff’s office ignored warning signs.

3. Local police department ignored warning signs.

4. FBI ignored warning signs.

5. “On site” sheriff’s deputy/guard didn’t enter school to confront.

Based on this, I’m supposed to surrender my self-defense/Second Amendment rights? —BenjScout, Bigfork

Prayers and thoughts aren’t going to help

I think that I may vomit if I hear one more sanctimonious politician, or for that matter, any with power express their heartfelt sympathy and prayers for the victims of these mass shootings and then sit on their hands and do absolutely nothing. And just for the record, there is almost no reasonable way to make our schools much safer without making them prison-like. Mental health issues absolutely must be dealt with better. The problem there is that it costs money that they would much rather spend elsewhere. No more excuses and glib cliches. —David LeBleu, Kalispell