Commissioners failed to lead

I’d like to express my appreciation to the Daily Inter Lake and reporter Kianna Gardner for the article in the Nov. 22 edition regarding the county commissioners.

The fact that the commissioners were given the opportunity to address the issues that the public has raised illustrates how our society should work. The fact that the commissioners chose to hide behind the technical details of the mask mandate really showed their lack of understanding of the real issue.

When a crisis happens in our county, we look to our elected leaders to provide a positive response. Their failure to do so became clear in the article. The fact is that until an effective vaccine is widely available in our county, we need to do our best to combat the spread of the virus. Ideally the commissioners this spring should have led the way in encouraging the wearing of masks and social distancing by our citizens and should continue that message. While I agree with their point that wearing masks while communicating with the public is detrimental, the wearing of face shields makes the point without interfering with communication.

We are fortunate that the Trump administration and the many private companies that have worked so hard to get a vaccine, have apparently been successful. It is still our responsibility to do what we can to contain the spread of the virus until we can get vaccinated. If the 30+ people who have died were killed in a terrorist attack here, we’d be shocked; but to choose to ignore their deaths because they happen over time is really unforgivable.

—Roger Brewer, Kalispell

Abdication of freedom

I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to the long, dark winter Joe Biden has promised. The four to six week nationwide lockdown, which we’re told will be significantly harsher than any imposed so far, is exactly what we need to completely destroy our economy, raise the suicide and homicide rates, increase opioid deaths, increase the incidences of child abuse, and send alcoholism and depression skyrocketing.

Lockdowns destroy small businesses, devastate entire industries, cause massive unemployment, and, according to economists, could double the poverty rate.

A recent CDC report found that between March and October, there was a staggering increase in the number of excess deaths not Covid related: 40% increase among Hispanics; 46% among blacks; 38% among whites. Among adults aged 25-44, a 77% increase; and among adults aged 65 and older, a 39% increase. A report by Oxfam estimates that 123 million people worldwide will die, 12,000 per day, from starvation and other lockdown-related economic crises.

But by all means, let’s worsen these statistics to protect ourselves from a virus that, co-morbidities and ages over 70 aside, has a 99.3-99.8% survival rate.

Politicians have incited a campaign of irrational fear which has resulted in gross violations of our civil liberties and freedoms. We are being told that Covid is a death sentence when it clearly is not. We are being conditioned to fear sharing holidays with family and friends; our loved ones are left in hospitals to die alone; we’re told human contact is dangerous. This is insanity. And to what purpose?

Justin Trudeau, Hillary Clinton and the Pope have told us the purpose: the Global Economic Reset. Look it up; it’s not a conspiracy theory. But it is frightening. Then ask yourself how much longer you’re willing to abdicate your precious freedoms by complying.

—Cynthia Granmo, Whitefish

Worried about future of GOP

I am alarmed by what is happening in our country right now concerning the presidential election. I am a conservative Christian who in no way embraces the policies of the Democratic party. But I live in a democracy. The people have spoken and Joe Biden will be our next president.

But what we worries me more is the future of the Republican party. The silence of our two Republican members of Congress — Senator Steve Daines and Representative Greg Gianforte ­— during all these legal shenanigans is appalling. President Donald Trump lost the popular vote. Donald Trump lost the electoral college. Not one shred of evidence for voter fraud has been presented. So why the silence from our two Montana Republicans?

I am afraid that they are both more worried about their job security than the health of our nation. So I need to ask: Where is their conscience? Where is their morality? And, more importantly where is their allegiance?

Mine is first to God and then to country. I believe in God. I believe that He is more powerful than any human government. I also believe that this nation was founded on Christian principles and the rule of law. So where are you Steve Daines? Where are you Greg Gianforte? Please speak up and give me a reason to believe in the Republican party.

—Jeff Van Fleet, Kalispell

Board ignores students and staff

The Whitefish School District Board of Trustees has gone directly against the requests of its students and staff and decided to reopen the school to full capacity after Thansgiving break, saying that “there will never be a good time so we might as well.” Most of the trustees no longer have children in the schools, so the decisions they make affect very few of them.

After a school board meeting that ended near midnight, having listened to hundreds of voiced concerns, the school board chose not to change their mind. One member went as far as to question the science behind Covid-19. The blatant disrespect for staff and students at the schools that it is their job to watch over is appalling to the more than 250 community members that signed a petition that circulated in the days before the school board met.

Students are transitioning to fully online because they can’t afford any more exposure than school already offers, which is putting children in a postion to make potentially life-saving decisions for their family members and themselves.

The board of trustees deliberately put its staff and students at risk while acknowleging the risks; that is the definition of reckless endangerment. They ignored the pleas of its students and staff and completely disregarded health-care proffessional recommendations.

—Sofia Beers, Whitefish