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RESPONSE: Sinking Dan's slams

Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 8 years, 4 months AGO
| January 4, 2017 12:00 AM

I have read all of Dan Gressler’s recent letters and have come to the conclusion that he is a very hateful person. All he does is complain, but offers no realistic solution to any of the “problems” he complains about. I didn’t realize it until I read his letter of Dec. 7, that it was possible to put that much garbage in one letter.

Gressler seems to have no respect for anyone. Early in his Dec. 30 letter, he writes, “I love how when I write a letter, I state facts…” yet he finishes that same paragraph talking about his “opinion.” Then he goes on to state his opinion about Shirley Plumlee, and half the country, as if it were a fact.

He then goes on in that same paragraph and expresses blatant disrespect for United States military veterans; even those in the same department he claims to have served in…the Department of the Navy. He claims to have served at least two years in the Marines, keeping some fish in the San Francisco Bay safe, but really, Treasure Island? I spent a couple months there at the beginning of my second enlistment in the Navy, and there is nothing there but a couple barracks, and an enlisted club. But, in all fairness, I suppose we should thank Gressler for keeping them safe for us.

He goes on in his next paragraph pretending that he knows something about the Navy, and states some of his own fantasies as facts about sailors. Then he seems to think that calling a ship a boat irritates sailors. It shows how little he knows about the Navy. Ships are gray and float on the surface, and boats are submarines.

But enough about that. I served my country proudly for 21 years and worked with all other branches of the military without slandering them. I am not a Republican or a Democrat…I prefer to be an American, and place America above any ridiculous political party slowing down the system. I believe it is possible to disagree with someone without calling them childish names and degrading them. I also believe that a person who voices their opinion (or writes their opinion) publicly should also walk their own talk; something Gressler doesn’t seem to understand. He writes about how he “loves” to write the facts in his letters, but when you read his letter of Dec. 7, and those statements he makes as facts, it is hard to understand what his definition of fact really is: “Russians helped him [Trump] get elected…12 women he [Trump] sexually assaulted…doing Hitler rallies,” none of which have been proved in a court of law or otherwise. And as far as Trump’s bankruptcies go, I guess Gressler wasn’t listening (or didn’t want to listen) when Trump explained that at, I believe, his first debate. For that matter, the same goes for Trump’s tax returns. Gressler doesn’t seem to listen any better than the news media.

I believe letters to the editor published in the paper are very important for several reasons. Not only are they an expression of freedom of speech, some of them are entertaining, some of them provide information some of us didn’t know. And some seem to be written for the sole purpose of riling up the public, which is counter constructive, and not what I would consider a purpose for the opportunity to voice your opinion. So maybe Gressler will read this letter and perhaps learn something, grow up and write some useful letters to the editor without having to degrade everyone (even sailors who had nothing to do with what he is complaining about).

JOHN STONE

USN Retired

Coeur d’Alene

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