Letters to the editor Sept. 22
Stand up to the gun industry
September 14 marked 12 years since my sister Jessica was shot to death by her husband in front of her two young children. He had recently attempted suicide and displayed violent behavior towards her on one occasion.
There were several safeguards that may have made her safer, including not allowing her husband’s father to be the designated supervisor for the handoff of the couple’s children. Another safeguard would have been the presence of a red flag Law. These provisions allow family members and law enforcement officers to ask a judge to temporarily suspend a person’s access to guns if there is evidence they may try to hurt themselves or someone else. During this time of crisis in my sister’s life, temporarily removing guns from this dangerous situation may have saved her life.
The American people across party lines, gun owners and non-owners alike, overwhelmingly support measures such as background checks on all gun sales and red flag laws. Therefore, we desperately need to find a way to come together to convince our legislators to take action and stand up to the gun industry, even if doing so may offend those that financially back them.
I would like to personally thank Bob Brown, a former Montana Secretary of State and former Republican state senator, for his letter to the editor entitled “The Guts to Stand up to Guns.”
Keeping our loved ones safe is not a partisan position. Please call Senator Tester and Senator Daines today to ask them to do the right thing by supporting bringing this type of legislation to the Senate floor immediately.
—Emily Casey, Kalispell
Heart-felt story
Daily Inter Lake, you really know how to make a gal cry. In fact, an entire family! Wednesday’s front page story by Mackenzie Reiss “Katie Come Home” had EVERYONE crying tears of complete joy and happiness for the owners of this precious dog. It was such a wonderful, truly heart felt story of love and concern. Not only by Katie’s loving owners, but, oh! all those people who got involved.
They say there is more good than evil in this world and I personally think our Flathead County people have proved this to be mighty true. Thank you, fellow residents!
Seeing the ad every single day in the Inter Lake’s lost and found section broke our hearts, but, now...THIS! It’s a dream come true. Such a great article! So worthy of your front page! You did good!
—Brenda Anderson, Columbia Falls
Another oil sheen on the water
It’s been 30 years since the Whitefish Lake diesel spill. It still haunts us with recurring oil sheens. One is there now. Damage and threats to Montana’s land and water from coal, oil and gas continues. Google “Koocanusa selenium pollution,” “Colstrip water contamination,” “Yellowstone River oil spill,” “Badger-Two Medicine drilling.”
I am grateful for fossil fuels which have boosted our country to incredible advancement. However, cheaper, cleaner energy is now common sense. Let’s put these unfair fossil fuel disasters behind us.
How do we get there? A gentle, but persistent nudge with a strong dose of fairness is needed. The bipartisan Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, HR763, puts a low but rising price on pollution and returns that money equally to households.
With predictability, American investment in clean technology will become a priority. Rewarding companies that are most efficient and pollute the least is fair. It is also fair for every household to get a monthly payment. Middle and lower income households come out ahead with this policy. By choosing things sourced with less pollution, which will be cheaper, you’ll have more spending money. Think Flathead cherries instead of those trucked from California.
As a plus, when we stop burning fossil fuels we slow climate change. Our local Hilary Hutcheson, nationally known fly-fishing guide, said “It’s truly becoming independent of fossil fuels that’s going to do the trick” when commenting on climate change in Todd Tanner’s 2019 film “In the Heart of the Rockies.”
Local Ryan Busse, chair of the board for Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, has said the biggest action we can take on climate change is to contact our state representatives. So, take action now. Ask Senators Tester and Daines and Representative Gianforte to support the Energy Innovation Act.
—Robin Paone, Whitefish