Are “terrorists” anyone who disagrees?
To the Editor:
I sat in the Chambers of the Klickitat County commissioners on Dec. 30 and witnessed White Salmon resident John Gotts’ plea to the commissioners for assistance in petitioning the State Attorney General’s office for an investigation of those who were “organized” to prevent economic development in the county.
The next day, a letter to the editor by Gotts appeared in The Sentinel drumming essentially the same tune. His “hearsay” list of offenders was much longer at the meeting.
“Hearsay” was a word used several times by Gotts at the commissioners’ meeting and again in his letter to the editor. “Hearsay”, as defined, is information heard from someone else.
Who are these people Gotts is listening to?
Are they developers who try to take shortcuts to get their projects underway without taking the slower steps required by law?
For example, skipping the step of an environmental impact study raises red flags for those who believe in protecting the environment. Much to his credit, Commissioner Sauter informed Gotts that citizens have the right of appeal under provisions of the State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) when they feel the environment is being threatened. Sauter also said he was unaware of any such organized activity.
A self-professed democrat; Gotts carried his demagoguery to extremes in the recent elections by endorsing republican Rex Johnston. Very little was said about Johnston in the countless radio spots that Gotts purchased, but democrat Lea Rachford was slandered viciously; based entirely on hearsay. It was at this time that Gotts began using the term “eco-terrorists” or simply “terrorists” to identify those who might disagree with him.
To democrats in the county, his betrayal of a fellow democrat was looked upon as treasonous; a harsh word, but not nearly as harsh as terrorist.
I personally witnessed the transition of Gotts from a hard fighter to protect the environment in July to his present position as being an anti-environmentalist.
Can Gotts be trusted when the only “green” he values seems to be the color of money?
Loren P. Johnson
Goldendale
Our economy needs more than a tweak
To the Editor:
Few would disagree that the top priority for the Obama administration on Jan. 20 is fixing our sick economy. In the short term, a massive bailout may be necessary. But like human sickness, short-term treatments don’t often address the underlying systemic problem. For the past four decades, through so-called “good” times and bad, our economic health has been failing. Most of us haven’t noticed because we’ve been using the wrong thermometer --- our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). GDP measures only the amount of money we spend, not the actual value of anything we own or create. Our rising GDP has masked the real problem - the widening chasm between the rich and the poor.
Today the top one percent in this country owns more than the bottom 91 percent. Not only is this morally disgraceful, it is economically dysfunctional! It represents the greatest resource discrepancy and concentration of wealth since just before the Great Depression in 1928.
Real wealth is by its very nature common wealth, common to all. It is the hard work we do, the natural resources we share like clean air and water, and the goods and services we create with our own hands and sweat. False wealth, that which has increasingly infected our economy, has no real substance. It is built on speculation and greed and is both created and measured by numbers we put on paper or type into a computer.
To really fix our economy will take more than tweaking it (i.e. a little more regulation and oversight here, a few more bailouts there, etc.) As Obama said, the only real solution lies in devising a system to “spread the wealth around.” What that system will look like I have no idea. But I do know that is it likely to be the only long-term cure for our ailing economy.
David Duncombe
White Salmon
Santa Baby routine a little too sexy
To the Editor:
Did you see the belated Christmas concert? (Or “holiday” concert if you prefer.)
Hats off to my old band director from 1984 - wow, time flies.
I really loved the concert. there were no squawking clarinets from the fifth and sixth graders.
They sounded good especially for there age. The music was interesting with nice arrangements.
It’s amazing how they can cram bands from fifth grade all the way through high school into one night and still have time for the extra routine of nice young girls in short skirts dancing to “Santa Baby.”
Okay, here’s where I began feeling a little uncomfortable:
I'm sitting there to watch kids doing a what kids do.
We don't expect perfection or adult themes, but when you hear the late Eartha Kitt singing (baboom baboom) “Santa cutie, hurry down the chimney tonight. Come and trim my Christmas tree...”
Santa looked like Santa but I think his slight blushing was from this Vegas-style routine, which now makes me question his judgment of who’s really being naughty.
Now before you call me an old Grinch, don’t take it from me but from the mouth of babes.
When a mother asked her son what he thought of the girls’ routine - even before she gave her impression - he replied, “it was a little weird.”
Hmm...okay he’s not exactly full of adjectives, but the look on his face told more.
The dancers were great and flawless, but my humble opinion is that any future dance theme for Christmas or holiday messages shouldn't be sexy.
It used to be about Christ (but I know we cant ignore all the other religions that do not exist in Goldendale.)
All I ask is, let the kids be kids - time flies.
Butch Mesecher
Goldendale
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