Letters to the editor
Occupy Polson
I was very upset to read about the plan to “Occupy Polson” by high school students concerned about possible reduction in federal aid for students. It is a symbol of the times we are going through. It is also a reflection on our lack of morals and integrity. We have people that have in their mind that they are owed everything in life and have no need to work for it.
After reading their manifesto and the comments that some supporters left, there is no question that they desire a socialist form of government. In reality, the Occupy crowd is a offshoot of the radical Van Jones and Democratic party trying to make sure that President Obama will be elected. It is their alternative to the Tea Party. One of their stated goals is to destroy capitalism.
President Obama is a student of Saul Alinsky who was a Marxist communist that advocated organizing. In his book, Rules for Radicals he states: “An organizer must stir up dissatisfaction and discontent... He must create a mechanism that can drain off the underlying guilt for having accepted the previous situation for so long a time. Out of this mechanism, a new community organization arises...”
This is why Obama doesn’t try to unite people for the common good of the country but feels he must be a divider to create conflict. He uses class warfare to single out different parties, which he accuses of greed and insensitivity. He then draws on human greed and jealously to rise up against his intended target until there is total chaos. When everyone is trying to destroy each other, time is then ripe for revolution.
These students should get a job so they can afford to go to school instead of feeling that they are entitled and that someone should pay for it for them. I am reminded of the story of “The Little Red Hen,” no one wanted to help the little red hen when she found wheat seed to plant it, harvest it, make it into flour and finally make it into bread; but everyone wanted to help eat the bread.
Socialism and communism have been proven to be great failures in history. If you want examples of misery and bondage just look at the countries that practice them. Capitalism is not perfect but it is sure better than any alternative. In capitalism, one is free to succeed or fail. It is the heart of the man that needs to be changed.
I know that there are some well intentioned people involved in the “occupy movement” who desire to correct some injustices that we all experience in life, but they are being duped for a more sinister purpose.
Lonnie D. Haack
Polson
Snow plow damage
I’m writing to say that the citizens of Lake County who live on county roads like I do can not afford to replace their mail boxes after the snow plows have knocked the mail boxes off the posts as they are plowing the roads. It is nice when they come out to plow the roads in the winter time, that is what they get paid to do (right?).
But it doesn’t mean that the drivers have to go fast to plow the county roads which entails that the homeowner ends up having to go outside afterward to go and dig out their mail boxes out of the snow drifts left by the snow plow.
So to all Lake County snow plow drivers when you plow the county roads, don’t get so close to the mail boxes so that the snow drifts knock off the home owners mail boxes. Thank you!
Lynn Delecaris
St. Ignatius
Arts coverage
We wanted to compliment Brandon on the great arts coverage, the article on Julie Christopher being the most recent.
He is so careful about quoting exactly and the writing is interesting and informative. Our area needed arts coverage and I think he is doing a great job!
Thanks so much for the special attention to this important part of our culture.
Joanne and Jim Simpson
Polson
America
Just a quick note from Barcelona, Spain. As I talk with people in Spain and some from France about our presidential campaign, the 2012 election and the Republican fervor to defeat President Obama with all the talk about Obama being a liar and a poor excuse for a president, I’m discovering that this does not really ‘sit’ well over here.
Ideas and comments seem to run something like this: “It is perfectly understandable that President Obama has not been able, in just three years, to undo the damage done by not only the Bush administration but many previous administrations. And it is completely understandable that he has not been able, in just those same three years, to accomplish all the things he promised about “changing Washington.” What do you Americans expect? And why do you have just a four-year term for a president? That seems too short. You are always running for office. Why not at least a six-year term?”
At a New Year’s Eve party we were all sitting around in a big circle in a living room, and a nice young lady loudly asked: “Bob, would you be put in jail if you burned the American flag?” She was serious, so I tried to be serious in response. I gave quite an impassioned reply, in English of course, the only language I know. I spoke about it being rare that anyone with any good sense in America will burn our flag.
I talked about how people love America. And that it is not our country that people are angry at, it is our political system run by greed, big money, and special interest groups. And that people are upset with our government for not responding to the will of the people and doing the work that needs to be done. I was really wound up at 1:30 a.m. 2012, and raring to go! They all listened very politely, with some nodding (off?) and blank stares.
My son, David, was probably the only one who understood a word I was saying. And he knows better than to translate much of what I say over here.
Hasta la vista.
Bob McClellan
Polson