Letters to the editor March 10

Border invasion

Tom Muri’s goofy comparison (March 3 letter to the editor) of his Vietnam “wall thing” to a sovereign country needing a secure border is silly.

It’s really shocking why there’s this big fight over having a secure southern border anyway. Why wouldn’t anyone who loves our country, America, be for having a real border to protect and keep the country safe and orderly. Property lines, fences and borders work to keep your family home safe, don’t they? Without them, anybody could wander in, do whatever they want. It would be like a flop house thing. Do we want a flop house country? Where you don’t have to identify yourself, commit to anything, no allegiance, nothing, just self.

This 50-year-old unsolved problem is way overdue. Finally there is somebody who wants to fix it. This dilemma has nothing to do with race, ethnicity or lack of compassion, it’s about using your God given common sense to fix the problem, and it is a problem.

I happened to stumble upon a 2014 movie named “The Arroyo” that fairly well describes what is happening along our porous border. What we accomplish inside our country’s boundaries won’t matter, because of the steady invasion tide of people coming in.

It’s idiotic. Are we stupid? We have been so far.

Without secure borders around the country, it will most certainly fall, it’s just a matter of how much time it takes.

—Robert Gansel, Rexford

Refreshing take

Thanks to Tom Muri for a concise informational article written without overly spearing either political party. How refreshing.

— Diane Myslicki, Kila

Working together

At times like this, when the snow is deep, I am grateful for snowplows and the people driving them, grateful for government, which keeps them running, grateful for taxes even. It makes sense to team up and plan ahead for the common good, so that we are not stranded in our homes with nothing but cross-country skis to get us to town for food or for our jobs. Is this socialism or working together to solve community problems?

—Carolyn Beecher

War on drugs

Many say we must do something about the opiate crisis. But House Bill 86 is not a solution but is an extension of the U.S. government’s failed war on drugs.

The 1920s prohibition against alcohol did NOT curb the public’s desire for alcohol but did cause a rise in organized crime. Alcohol won the war. Government war against marijuana raged from the 1930s, and, like alcohol, marijuana won. The war on drugs focused on cocaine in the 1970s, methamphetamines in the 1980s. While these substances have not been legalized, cocaine remains in use. Meth use continues to rise. Organized crime is flourishing by peddling these illegal substances.

The failed government war on drugs extended to opiates focuses the strategy on physicians and their pain patients, most of whom are innocent of any intent of wrongdoing and should not be criminalized. This current phase of the war on drugs will fail because as with alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and meth, government cannot stop people from seeking their substances of choice no matter how many laws and regulations are passed. This type of strategy must be rejected as it will fail the stated purpose and hurt innocent people in the process.

— Julie Dockery, Kalispell

Pro-life v. pro-abortion

In Thursday’s Daily Inter Lake Ms. Taylor shared her views on a recent Congressional vote. I applaud her for her honest and open views and for engaging in the political process.

As someone who has had an abortion I do however take exception to one particular phrase she used: “the pro-abortion camp.” After 40 years I have yet to meet anyone who is pro-abortion, male or female. Meanwhile I have met thousands of good people, good Americans (faithful or not) who strongly support the right of women (and men) to control their sexuality, reproductive rights and right to life (from abstinence to birth control to abortion to death with dignity, etc.).

The commonality I’ve found over these years is an incredibly intense soul searching by each and every person who faces life choices that have terminal consequences. Though I’ve been active in this “pro-choice” movement before and since my abortion I’m often alone when it comes to opposing war, poverty, gun violence, the death penalty, etc., other forms of what you describe as “a society of death.” I’ll stand in solidarity with Planned Parenthood. Meanwhile I’ll continue to pray for a true and full pro-life movement.

— Pat Malone, Columbia Falls

Support Evergreen Fire levy

There comes a time later in life when you can almost, but not quite, take care of yourself. Children, grandchildren, neighbors all have a kind eye and help when they can. Unfortunately there comes a time when the need is for emergency services. Thus was the case with my parents when they lived at Village Greens Golf Course.

We called 911 and the crew from the Evergreen Fire Rescue came and totally saved the day. They were so quick to respond, kind and compassionate, professional and so good at what they were doing. It was a scary time for all of us but their arrival provided the professional help we needed.

Please join me in voting YES for the modest levy they are seeking. It helps everyone living in the Evergreen and surrounding communities to provide that helping hand when you most desperately need it.

Blessings to Evergreen Fire Rescue and thank you!!

— Brenda J. Bernard, Evergreen