Letters to the editor July 7

Democrat debates

As a retired individual, I found the comments made at this past week’s Democrat candidate debates to be most interesting. Montana history tells us that in the early 1900s, political candidates often stood outside of the community voting area and handed out money in an attempt to influence the voters before they cast their ballots.

Fast forward 100 years and we see in the TV debates how the politicians are now using taxpayers dollars in an attempt to influence the voters. Free education, abolish students loan debts, free medical care, guaranteed paid vacations, are among the many that were proposed. The one I found best of all was to give $1,000 per month to everyone over the age of 18.

All of these vote buying schemes come with a high price — increased taxes and allow the federal government to have greater control of our lives. As a retiree, the only one that would benefit me is the $1,000 per month scheme. I wonder if it would be worth it?

We presently have a president who promised us a lot of things, but most of them were related to our ability to find work and provide for our families through our own achievements. We can see that employment is up, unemployment is down, there are less families drawing food stamps and unemployment benefits, while the U.S. Treasury is collecting more tax dollars.

I am not sure which approach is best for the nation, i.e., being on the government dole and having our government determine what is best for us, or having people take responsibility for their own lives and finding fulfillment through their achievements. I do hope and pray that the approach we take will benefit our nation and its ability to assist other nations around the world.

—Dale B. Heldstab, Columbia Falls

Right to gather peacefully

Jack Heller’s opinion piece June 30 contained many errors related to the peaceful rally on June 15 located on the public sidewalk on the west side of Depot Park.

First, a public rally on a public sidewalk requires no permit to use the park. Second, when we were told of the memorial service, our group moved to the north end of the sidewalk and dispersed early, before the service began. Third, we are exercising our First Amendment Constitutional rights of free speech. Fourth, under Indivisible Guidelines for gatherings, we avoid confrontation and engagement with protesters.

However, on that date a female Trump supporter parked her car and tried intimidating our group near the veterans memorial site by yelling loud epithets and screaming conspiracy stories. When informed, she stated she didn’t care what was happening at the memorial. We photographed her behavior to document the inappropriate actions.

In America, our group has every right to gather peacefully and express opinions to defend our democracy from what we view as a destructive president and his corrupt cabinet. Many of our rally group members are veterans still proudly defending the United States of America.

— Big Sky Rising-Indivisible Flathead coordinators Betty Kuffel and Terry Davis Browning

What is happening?

Independence Day — It’s hard to imagine what the Founding Fathers would think of what is happening in the country they struggled to build. We are so very far from “Give me your tired, your poor. Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” that our Lady Liberty represents. Family separations continue at the border, with threats of deportations across the country. Every day there is something tragic; the young father and his 23-month-old who drowned in the river crossing while the mother watched from the other side. People seeking asylum are being made into the enemy, as our president allies himself with dictators, and sets himself up as the centerpiece of Independence Day Celebrations in Washington.

—Debra Tinkey, Hungry Horse

Invasion of foreigners

We’re fast approaching a national emergency. 45,000 illegal-immigrants were arrested recently, entering Texas. This is a drop in a bucket of the nearly 10 million unknown, illegal elements already wandering about and working in our country. Thousands of illegals are presently invading our borders from all over the world, including Africa and India. This can not be accidental. It’s orchestrated for both economic and political chaos, and will eventually lead to civil strife. It’s an army without guns.

I suspect this sudden invasion of foreigners was designed to promote a one-world government, commonly called globalism. President Obama signed a Paris accord recognizing this years ago, and it’s already causing chaos and great violence in the European Union. Sadly, no president has the ability to declare war on this phenomenon. It’s impossible to bare arms against enemies who don’t carry guns. So, we have to decide before we lose power to decide, and end up overwhelmed by civil chaos, fighting each other. There is no doubt some group has organized this massive criminal migration for the sole purpose of destroying the rule of law in the United States of America.

Steps need to be taken without doubts, or regret. Assaults on rights to Constitutional law for our own citizens should not be tolerated, especially now, and especially concerning our Second Amendment. Yes, our laws were written to protect freedom, but not “criminal freedom.” Secondly, immediate investigation into the origin and coordinators of this massive invasion should start with our Congress. Global characters, well-known for malevolent activities in the past, should be incarcerated or hampered if found accountable.

—Mike Donohue, Kalispell