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Letters to the editor

| March 26, 2012 11:00 AM

Outside teacher

I have many teachers, both in school and out of school. Everyone has had several teachers. People just don’t realize how much they should appreciate it when they have someone willing to teach them something or help them figure stuff out. The teacher that I have had that’s inspired me socially and spiritually is Nancy Hausermann.

Nancy has a good heart and reaches out toward kids. She’s independent, strong willed and one of my role models. She treats the kids in her program like her own and makes them feel important. Nancy has taught me several things and has always been there for me. Even when I’m about to fall, she will be there to hold me up just to make sure that I don’t.

Nancy has taught me how to be independent, how to treat others well, how to give to my community and what is right from wrong. Without Nancy, I don’t know where I would be today. She helps keep me in line, and when I screw up, she lets me know that she still loves me unconditionally.

I’m thankful for meeting Nancy and want to live my life to the fullest like she has. She is a friend, a teacher, and a wonderful person. I love her with all my heart and that won’t ever change. I know that if I ever need anything, Nancy is who I can turn to.

Jenny Usher

Polson Middle School

Irish pride

TRIC (The Ronan Irish Community) would like to thank all who braved the elements to participate in the 23rd annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade held this year to honor Kevin Templer and Jim Morgan. These guys have stood behind us every year. As usual the weather was a little dubious, but the Irish and Irish “cousins” are a tough bunch.

Thanks also to all the spectators who are so important to those of us who try to put on the show.

The winners in this year’s parade are as follows: Most Irish Animal – Templer Family Horses, Best Walkers – Kids’ Green Team “Walk & Roll,” Most Irish – O’Leary’s Ol’Ladies, Greenest – Koda King, the Irish Hulk, Best Irish Attire – Second Chance Saloon, Most Shamrocks-Linda and Valley Journal, Most Likely to Cause a Riot – Solo Cup, Best 1st Timer – Be Happy Telegram, Most Likely to Spend the Night in Jail- Kevin Templer and Jim Morgan, and Best Float – Pioneer Days. Thank you also to the color guard and anyone else who participated to make this year’s parade a fun and successful event.

Carlene Bockman

Ronan

For the birds

Why Daylight Savings? I love my clocks, but I have too many when I have to change them an hour ahead, then get used to the time change. Arizona never changed — why can’t it be like that here?

Daylight savings time? It’s for the birds!

Amber Arndt

Polson

Cleaner energy

After reading Janna Taylor’s “From Your Representative” printed in the Lake County Leader on March 1, 2012, I was shocked for many reasons. I am proud to have been raised on timber dollars, however, I still believe in freedom of speech in this country.

She compares environmentalists exercising their freedom of speech in a peaceful public forum to terrorists.

I probably wouldn’t agree with many ideas these environmentalists put forth, but 6,075 and counting American soldiers have lost their lives defending freedoms that include the freedom of speech, I hope.

I would never label environmentalists worried about clean water and air for their grandchildren as terrorists because of a few radical people who use violence to push their agendas. If I labeled people in this fashion, I would have to label every anti-abortion activist as a terrorist because of a few violent people in their midst. That is not the way I think. I was amazed at the amount of hate, fear and name-calling in Rep. Taylor’s column.

Secondly, Janna Taylor claims that Montana has a history of “a great balance in the way we responsibly mine our treasures.” Was she sleeping through her Montana history classes in high school?

Has she personally visited the town of Libby, Mont. where people, for years and years, have been watching their friends and relatives die because of mining practices in this state? They’re still waiting for a settlement over and above their tremendous medical bills. There are mine tailings still lurking in the upper Blackfoot River because of negligent mining practices.

I have been lucky enough to swim in way more than my fair share of clean rivers, mountain lakes and tributaries all over this state for 40 years. Swimming in the Clark Fork River below the Milltown Dam feels nothing like swimming in clean water. I only tried it three times because when I got out of the water, my skin and hair felt dirty.

I would hate to see more rivers in this state polluted by irresponsible mining practices, which place no value on Montana’s water supply. I can only hope that future politicians in this state at least hold out some hope for a cleaner energy future for this country.

Tonya Marshall

Polson

Good news

I listen to Sen. John McCain being interviewed by Chris Wallace and it reminds me, once again, how hard the “hawks” are attempting to ramp up the anger, keep alive “Semper Paratus” (Always Ready), and belting forth the old hymns glorifying, “We the mighty army, marching off to war.”

People like McCain may not recognize it, but times are changing. Attitudes are changing through Occupy type movements and other mass citizen protests all over the world. Our very advanced instant communication systems are so effective that nothing can be covered up, glossed over, kept out of the media, or hidden from public view. This goes for both the good and the bad. The contrasts are obvious, inspiring, motivating and causing people to wake up all over the world.

When ‘we the people’ begin to awaken to the obvious contrasts between right and wrong, good and bad, right before our eyes as it is happening right now, it does not take long for public opinion to make itself heard.

In my growing up, I was taught that we have been created in the image and likeness of God. And that God is good. God is love. So this has become my belief system.

So, in this belief, it makes all the sense in the world to me that what is happening right now, with this strong outpouring of public opinion in our world, is a most logical change and shift.

And it is all because the contrasts between good and evil, right and wrong, good and bad, right before our eyes every day run so counter to how we were created that the outpouring of public opinion calling for change is inevitable. It trumps all governments, whether dictatorial or democratic and will overrun all so-called ‘authorities’ attempts to shut it down, eliminate it, ignore it and kill it off.

It is my firm belief that we are in a tremendously exciting and hopeful transition and transformational period in this world. It will not be without its conflicts, without its pain and without its challenges. That comes with change. But true change it will be.

This, to me, is the good news.

Bob McClellan

Polson