Letters to the editor

Toys for Tots

On behalf of Toys for Tots, I would like to thank all of the volunteers of the Hellroaring Detachment 1041 of the Marine Corps League, Share the Spirit and CSKT for their super support during the 2011 Christmas season.

All of the hard work of the volunteers of these organizations made it possible for Toys for Tots to provide multiple toys to over 2,500 children in Lake County. Without the help of Share the Spirit and CSKT, Toys for Tots would not have been able to deliver this number of toys in such a short period of time.

Additionally, I would like to thank all of the residents and merchants of Lake County who so generously donated funds and toys to make Christmas 2011 a very successful year for Toys for Tots and bring such joy to so many children. The generosity of the citizens of this county is truly humbling, particularly considering these difficult times.

Thanks once again to all who made this a Merry Christmas for so many and I wish you all a very Happy New Year.

Mauri Morin

Polson

Bumpusses

This Christmas I had to take in a puppy that was dumped because the Shelter and Life Savers were full. I felt like the neighbor of the Bumpusses on the Christmas Story because so many dogs were on my porch for this Christmas.

God gave us dominion over all things, but with that came instructions. Read Exodus 23, Moses and David were great shepherds and cared for God’s animals.

I am asking people to be more caring and responsible to your animals God gave you, they are at our mercy. Getting an animal spayed or neutered is much cheaper than vet bills and dog food for 10 years. This county is full of homeless animals. Visit Life Savers (http://www.lsar.org) and our wonderful Shelter 883-5312 (http://www.montanapets.org/mvas/index.html) before you buy a dog.

Most full breed dogs now are so over bred they are dying at 5 years old of cancers and other diseases, I know I lost two that way. So this year give a homeless animal a home and be better shepherds of what you do have.

Patricia Lundgren

Polson

Thank You

MSU Flathead Reservation Extension would like to extend our sincere thanks to the CSKT Tribal Council and community members who have given their support, time and expertise to our programs in 2011.

Special thanks goes out to all school principals and teachers who helped Ginger Pitts make the SNAP-ED program a success. Jean Tchida and Christine Laskody, master food preservers who helped teach food preservation classes. Leona Harris, Master Gardener, and Amy Vaughan, 4-H volunteer for their mentoring and hard work in the Boys and Girls Club garden. To Janene Lichtenberg, CSKT Wildlife Management, and Germaine White, CSKT Natural Resources, for their wildlife presentations to the youth of the Boys and Girls Club. We would also like to thank Danelle Ludwick for her 4-H leadership and Lake County Search and Rescue members Chris McGinness, Frank Brown and Amy Vaughan for their presentation to the youth of the 4-H Outdoor Adventure Club.

With all this support, we know that our programs in 2012 will be even more successful. We thank you for supporting our program and look forward to working with you in the coming year!

MSU Flathead Reservation

Extension Team

Agenda 21

Kudos to John Swenson for his recent letter concerning the Polson grant. There is nothing more important than taking the time to look beyond the headlines to see whether or not something that sounds as innocuous as a grant to “preserve our town’s character,” has strings attached that have a more insidious intent.

By pointing this out, I’m not saying that the group responsible for securing this grant has bad intentions, but am suggesting that it’s possible they’re not educated on the bigger issues as pointed out by Mr. Swenson.

The best way to shift a culture or an ideology is through incrementalism, and by controlling the debate. In large part, this is accomplished through a failing education system, a negligent media, and citizens who are more concerned with electronic gadgets and reality TV shows than they are about the loss of their property rights and freedom.

Here’s an analogy: Think about what it takes to get on an airplane now compared to 10 years ago. It used to be you could check your bags and walk to the gate with family and friends. Post 9/11, we immediately saw long lines and baggage checks, and no one off to the gate except the traveler. Then we had to take off our shoes. Next they began confiscating toothpaste and deodorant. Now we must tolerate naked x-ray photos, and if you’re too modest for that, you’re subjected to being frisked. All of this infringes on our fourth amendment right guarding us against unreasonable search and seizure, however Americans keep silent.

These changes were done incrementally, over a decade, in the name of security. During that time, we’ve gone from giving up a little freedom, to being physically, invasively searched. Do you really think any of this makes us more secure? If the government was really interested in national security, wouldn’t our country’s borders be secured? I would argue that it has more to do with conditioning us to be more like the collective (cattle) rather than the self-governing individuals we are supposed to be.

Do your homework, and check out Agenda 21. While you may think it’s a program that does not impact us here in Montana that couldn’t be further from the truth. Smart growth, the environment, wild life habitat, endangered species, water rights, zoning, density maps, sustainable development, and citizen’s advisory and civic minded groups are a few of the vehicles being used to implement this United Nations program at our most local levels of government.

Knowledge truly is power, should you choose to find it.

Terry Backs

St. Ignatius

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