Letters to the editor, Aug. 26

Billboard thanks

I would like to thank all of those involved in the creation of my Montana Paint the State billboard. The hospital paid more than $500 to have my sign printed on their billboard. Providence St. Joseph Medical Center staff built the sign and it was placed on Providence St. Joseph Medical Center land. The only thing I did was paint the sign on my computer. I would like to show my appreciation with this letter. Thank you everyone involved, for giving me the opportunity to display my artwork, win some money, and spread a good anti-meth message.

Kyle Joseph Butterhof

Polson resident

Get out to vote

Elections are approaching fast and we need to become involved in the process.

However, eligible voters are staying away from the polls in droves. In the most recent primary election in Lake County, only 31% of eligible voters participated. If this privilege of voting were to be taken away from us, the uproar would be deafening. Folks complain about governments, but don’t participate enough to influence desirable changes.

Let’s look at the average voter turnout records for the past twenty years. Nationally 54 percent of eligible voters went to the polls in presidential election years. During the “off” year elections, the turnout was only 37 percent. Montana’s record is somewhat better, but still not stellar, with 71 percent and 63 percent in those elections respectively. The United States is far down on the list of international statistics. Australia leads the world with 95 percent turnout (voting is compulsory).

Western European countries average between 80 percent and 90 percent. Canada has a 76 percent turnout.

What sort of example are we setting when our leaders in Washington go around the world promoting some form of representative government and so many of us are not even interested enough to vote?

I’ve heard it said, “My vote doesn’t count anyway.” If everyone had this attitude, the results of every election would be 0-0. I appeal to eligible voters to make your voices heard, make your votes count, and get involved in promoting better government.

Irvine Milheim

Dayton resident

MV Soccer

Soccer in the Mission Valley needs your help. Nine years ago over 300  children didn’t have a chance to have fun, learn sportsmanship, or take part in a healthy activity because the YMCA fell apart without warning. Eight years ago, Shannon Buhr, Eric Poole, Dave DeGrandpre and I filled that vacuum and created the Mission Valley Soccer Association (MVSA). My child is no longer eligible to play in the league, so I’m stepping aside. The others, after eight years of service to the league, are stepping aside too.

The MVSA needs your help if it is to continue running. When I started the MVSA I knew practically nothing about soccer. Good organization skills and a desire to help over 300 children is really all that is necessary.

The MVSA needs coaches (no experience necessary, I sure didn’t have any), people to help set up the fields Saturday morning, and people to collect and distribute forms.

Don’t let 300 children lose out, volunteer now.

Thomas Trickel

Ronan resident

Mosque response

In regards to Bob McClellan’s letter to the editor on Aug. 19: For quite some time now, I have been reading your letters to the editor in the Leader newspaper. For the most part, I usually just strongly disagreed with you or felt you were, by choice, just not looking at the whole picture.

However, this last letter of your opinion on the building of the mosque near Ground Zero in New York City sent me over the top of “tolerance in America.”

It is unbelievable that you ask “what better structure to build new Ground Zero than a place of worship (mosque)?” Knowing that over 3,000 innocent lives were mass murdered on this ground by terrorists that claim to be Muslims, (and I will even agree that they must be extremist Muslims) is a fact. Because of the destruction of these human beings on this piece of ground, many of their body parts were in effect buried there and within the immediate four blocks surrounding all of this area. Body parts, however minute, lay in rest in this area. This too, is a fact.

That in my mind makes this ground extremely sacred. Sacred not only to the families of the victims, but to me, as an American. Their lives were ended in a most inhumane way for nothing but political and religious hypocrisy.

What is alarming is that these and other despicable acts of terrorism are done behind the shield of religion. As you have pointed out, “the true foundation of all major religions that is love-based,” is to not let fear and anger breed divisiveness. So why are we not hearing objections from the millions of Muslims that live in America, that out of love and respect for those that still are suffering the pain of losing a loved one or friend in this tragedy? Why, out of their love-based religion can they not compassionately insist of their leaders that they build this “temple of worship” in another location? I can only hope that it is fear of these leaders and not a lack of compassion that prevents them from doing so. These leaders that are in control of building this Mosque have been offered other land/locations to build this on. That too, is fact.

So where is the “love-base” on this one? Will not the mosque be a constant reminder of how these terrorists destroyed, without provocation, 3,000 human beings, while cowardly hiding behind the Muslim religion?

It doesn’t matter that they have the legal right to build this mosque in this location. What matters is that if you are a “love-based religion” the bottom line is that you would not want to inflict this pain on your fellow human beings. Out of respect, sensitivity, and yes, out of love, you would not want to do this, especially if you have options to build elsewhere.

So, you see, it is really in the best interest of the peaceful Muslims in this country to stop this building of the mosque near Ground Zero. Otherwise, any intelligent American can only come to the conclusion that the building of this mosque is a deliberate provocation of the radical Muslims to intentionally politically and psychologically force us to accept, what is in their minds, a major victory.

You must ask yourself, why is it so important for this mosque to be built in this locations when so many Americans are pleading that it not be done?

Joelene Frey

Polson resident