Letters to the Editor: March 25-March 31, 2021

Posted

The Editor:

It saddens me to read letters that perpetuate misinformed perspectives.

Let’s work together to understand why the 2020 election was not a fraud. If that were true, all candidates down the ballot, Republican or Democrat, were not lawfully elected. Every court dismissed every election fraud case filed.

Let’s work together to understand the psychological and economic implications of constantly being exposed to four years of hate-speak, racial slurs, social media misinformation and a dangerous alternative reality.

Let’s work together to understand the meaning of white privilege and the luxury of unearned access to social power based on membership in a dominant social group.

Let’s work together to understand, according to the five doctors in my family working on the Covid-19 frontlines in the U.S., how the media has actually underplayed the significant dangers of Covid-19.

Let’s work together to understand the negative human and environmental effects of the Keystone XL Pipeline and why we should be investing in environmentally sound energy projects to create jobs. What happens to the petroleum-based jobs when car manufacturers finish converting to electric in the next 10 years?

Let’s work together to understand why each political party has passed a stimulus plan focusing on its voter constituency. The Republican/Trump backed CARES Act distributed $140 billion to state and local governments giving the largest per capita benefits to Republican states. The Democrat stimulus focused on urban areas, which tend to be Democrat. These are not failed states as falsely stated over the last four years; these are states with problems that differ vastly from rural states.

Let’s work together to understand the complexity of immigration issues that both political parties have failed to properly address over the last 30-plus years.

Let’s work together to understand why public health mandates are not freedom restrictions but instead promote respect for our fellow human beings and science. Freedom means responsibility to others.

Beth Cassel

Blaine

The Editor:

I read with interest and appreciation the letter in the March 18-24 edition written by Anne Freeman of Birch Bay and must admit that she has a very appropriate last name. She obviously loves our country.

To continue, I must say that I do take exception to the attempted “fact check” by the person or persons who wrote the publisher’s note. In their note they chided Ms. Freeman that she was “not entitled to her own facts.” Well, I must chide the publishers note folks that they are not entitled to their own facts either. The facts are that all the courts including the U.S. Supreme Court did not adjudicate the numerous cases brought forth, they all declared that the litigation had “no standing” which is a legal dodge used to refuse to see a case without determining any aspects of the case. Further research by the publisher’s note people will validate that. The truth is that Biden’s Presidency was jammed through regardless of the legality of the process. Everyone ran out of time.

I must say that history will probably write about the amazing similarity of this election and the elections of many third world countries, and how it all came about. Or they may not because the U.S. will have become one of those “third world countries.” What a shame.

Paul McFadden

Blaine

(Publisher’s Note: Standing, or locus standi, is enshrined in Article III of the U.S. Constitution which establishes the judicial branch of the federal government. In order to bring a case to court, a party must show that he or she is sufficiently connected to and harmed by a law or action; in other words, the party must have standing. Without standing, a federal court cannot hear a case. Of the 55 post-election lawsuits brought to court, 14 were dropped by plaintiffs, 30 were dismissed, 2 have ongoing appeals, 2 have ongoing trials and 6 have been ruled against. Many, but not all, of the dismissals were due to lack of standing or jurisdiction.)

 

The Editor:

Regarding the railroad crossing at Bell Road, I propose a write-in campaign to Warren Buffett, owner of BNSF Railways, asking for his help in solving our life-threatening problem caused by his trains. Explain that we’ve explored many ways to solve the problem, but as a border community, with the Canadian border closed this past year, we do not have the means to remedy this crisis situation.

BNSF trains are not restricted from crossing between the U.S. and Canada.

Blaine does not have the finances to do what is necessary to save lives at these train crossings. The ambulance coming to transport my husband to the hospital was severely delayed as all traffic was stopped while the train crawled past the inspection checkpoint.

BNSF workers assured me years ago that they were moving the checkpoint to avoid the danger at Bell Road. Obviously that did not happen.

Fire engines, police and ambulances have all been stopped and severely delayed by these trains. How many people need to die before something is done?

The reach Mr. Buffett, email berkshire@berkshirehathaway.com. The company’s general mailing address is 3555 Farnam Street, Omaha, NE 68131. Please address Mr. Buffet personally in the first sentence. I believe the more appeals he receives the stronger our impact.

Next is rave for Toastmasters. If you would like to feel more comfortable and confident talking about who you are, what you do or what interests you, Toastmasters is a great way to accomplish that in a very supportive and fun atmosphere.

We meet on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., leaving the rest of the evening for dinner and whatever. The first section of our meeting has impromptu 1-2 minute talks and the second half is for prepared speeches. We have an entertaining mix of personalities, backgrounds, ages and intentions.

We are still using zoom for now, so it is very easy to visit and check us out. Call or email Pete for the Zoom link. 360/933-1671, pcorcorran@gmail.com.

We would love to see you there.

Laura Sullivan

Birch Bay

 

The Editor:

In response to the various, often negative, letters to the editor over the past months, I was prompted to send a different type of perception.

With all the harmful rhetoric and divisiveness in the U.S. today, this passage from an ancient scholar can provide valuable insight:

From the cowardice that shrinks from new truth,

From the laziness that is content with half-truths,

From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,

O God of Truth, deliver us.

Carol Park

Blaine

 

The Editor:

Donald Trump ravaged our country and took advantage of all it had to offer. He devoured our treasury coffers as fast as a bucket of chicken, then wiped his greasy hands with the Constitution and his mouth with our flag. Aided and abetted by the majority Senate and screaming crowds of fringe lunatics, Trump threw out, along with all of the chicken buckets and bones, our democracy and the dignity of the office he swore to uphold.

Now those who continue to worship Trump want President Biden to undo the damage overnight and they have “flip flopped” on all the issues they stood for under Trump. They are now taking the high ground and are blaming the Democrats and liberals for the wrongdoings of Trump and the Republican party.

How do the Republicans and fervent Trump followers expect Biden to undo the damage overnight? Remember Covid-19 and January 6; Trump was president then. It takes minutes to bomb a country, and years to rebuild.

A Stanford University study done in 1979 showed it is easier to con a person that it is to convince them that they have been conned. No one works this better than Trump and his Republican Cohorts. No one works this better than Trump and his Republican
cohorts.

Linda Peterson

Blaine

 

The Editor:

I travel over to Blaine often; this time, not only to enjoy the harbor but to acknowledge in your surrounding area some distinguished businesses that choose to fly our nation’s American flag daily.

Our Custer post 9474 would hope that your paper might choose to support the nation’s flag which symbolizes their service and Whatcom County’s support.

I can assure you, as my entire family has served every branch except the U.S. Coast Guard, the flag is a symbol of respect and honor.

Thank you for your consideration.

Cynthia Sue Ripke-Kutsagowitz

Lynden

 

The Editor:

As the one-year marker passed for the first Covid-19 case in Whatcom County, the good news is greater vaccination coverage comes as case numbers begin to fall.

We still have a lot to learn about SARS-CoV-2. But one thing we do know is that studies show doctors should prepare for a significant rise in chronic kidney disease due to the pandemic.

As a nephrologist, I know we will grapple with how to deal with the uncertainties of the impact of Covid-19 on kidney function in the long-haul.

The Mount Baker Foundation supports a Kidney Health Awareness initiative that encourages proactive approaches to kidney health online at mtbakerfoundation.org.

March is National Kidney Month, but the initiative will be on-going. Take a one-minute risk factor quiz: minuteforyourkidneys.org – if the test shows you’re at higher risk, contact your primary care provider for testing.

Did you know that the two primary causes of kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure? Did you know kidney disease is called “the silent epidemic” because it is typically diagnosed at an advanced stage, when it is more difficult to treat?

We can disrupt the progression in many cases of kidney disease to renal failure if we identify early who is at increased risk. One in three of us is at risk. Find out if you’re the one.

William E. Lombard, MD

Bellingham

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here


OUR PUBLICATIONS