Letters to the Editor

The Editor:
On the plains of Camelot
The painted ponies dance
Bowing to each other
They pirouette and prance
Whirling, swirling, dashing
Manes and tails
Bright hoofs flashing
Across the plain
They speed
Racing
One against the other
Trying to take the lead
Through sage and sand
Now these coursers
Take wing in flight
No longer horses
In undulating waves
They meld and blend
Flying forth
A phantom wind
Singing now
A somber song
Once we were here
Now we are gone.
George Tranberg
Blaine

The Editor:
Blaine is what you might say, “the preview to the U.S.A.”
What do people really see and think as they pass through our favorite city? Sites familiar to us can stand out as old fashioned, not friendly, even threatening to passers through or visitors to Blaine. Every day thousands of people pass by or through our little town. Many are from foreign countries such as Canada, Japan, China, etc. What really is the impression they receive from us in Blaine?
I have the past couple of issues of The Northern Light and I am in full agreement with the writers who have an issue with the military gun that is placed in front of the Blaine police station. Many of us have seen this impressive display of gun power over the years so we might be a little desensitized by the meaning of its display. Do we really want to confuse people passing through Blaine? I say this because Blaine has an international address at the Peace Arch Park. On the one hand, we declare we are the city of peace. Drive downtown and our symbol on the main street of town is firepower! Also when so many police stations have asked of its citizens to turn in handguns, why would the city of Blaine want their police station to have this huge high powered gun facing all with such a sad symbol of destruction?
I am a third generation resident of Blaine and I must say this is not the image I want to portray to others. Let’s replace the gun with a big bronze motto, “Give peace a chance, Blaine, Washington.”
Roderick Pagnossin
Birch Bay

The Editor:
Just to set the record straight, the national Democrat party is virulently opposed to the Minutemen and has been since the day they started their patrols. The Washington State Democratic Party doesn’t think that any immigrant should be denied educational opportunity, social services, or employment access “regardless of their immigration status.”
The Whatcom County Democratic Party passed a resolution in which they made serious and unsubstantiated charges against the Minutemen, including accusing them of being vigilantes and of being involved in “execution style murders;” one charge a misuse of the English language, the other a vicious and baseless attack. So is it any surprise that the Whatcom County Democratic Party would, with no substantiation whatsoever, accuse the Minutemen of being complicit in attacking city officials on hate websites.
There is no evidence whatsoever that the Minutemen organization had anything to do with, or supports in any manner whatsoever, any hate websites. This is pure hysteria driven by an organization, the Democratic Party, which has virulently opposed a legal citizens group performing what is, in effect, a Block Watch program on the borders.
The Minutemen are possibly one of the most effective and well organized and trained citizens groups in the country. They are required to undergo hours of training prior to standing watch on the border and are prohibited from carrying rifles or shotguns. They are allowed to carry concealed handguns only if state law already permits it. Their strict instructions are to call law enforcement if they observe any suspicious activity along the border.
The Minutemen have worked closely with local border patrol to ensure that Minutemen volunteers did not interfere with local law enforcement actions. Additionally, the union that represents most of the Border Patrol agents in Arizona strongly supports the Minutemen, stating that there had not been one single complaint from rank and file border patrol agents regarding the conduct of the Minutemen.
I suggest that before people take the word of the Democratic Party, they take a serious look at the truth about the Minutemen. They are preventing illegal activity that has the potential to harm this country. They are doing so in a completely non-violent and legal manner with the full support of the rank and file border patrol agents. There is no evidence whatsoever to support any of the reckless charges that the Democratic Party has made against this group. These attacks have been made in an effort to support the Democrats platform that not only has no interest in stopping illegal immigration, but wants to encourage more illegal immigration into this country. Don’t believe me? Well, you don’t have to take my word for it, just read their platform.
Calvin Armerding
Blaine

Letters Policy
The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions expressed are not those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. Thank-you letters should be limited to 10 names. A fresh viewpoint on matters of general interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published.

Please send your letter to:
225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 or fax 360/332-2777.
E-mail:editor@thenorthernlight.com

Letters Policy

The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions expressed are not those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. Thank you letters are limited to five individuals or groups. A fresh viewpoint on matters of general interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published.

Please email letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com