Letters to the Editor: July 30 - August 5, 2020

Posted

The Editor:

Partisan manipulation has to stop. The investigation of Alicia Rule because there was a political flyer around the ballot is an absolute ruse. Anyone who has a mailbox or P.O. box realizes that any delivery is often wrapped inside the largest mail piece, so that it can be delivered efficiently.

The outside “wrapper” might be an advertisement for home improvements, mattresses, weekly grocery coupons, a paid for church flyer, the voter’s pamphlet or anything else. We know that a certain group of people want to stop USPS and mail service. Their agenda is to eliminate mail-in ballots, but to use this coincidence of what was the largest foldable piece of mail used to contain the rest of the delivery on a singular day is preposterous.

This is a smear campaign against candidate Rule at the least, but usury for a specific national agenda at the worst. Come on, just because you can legally do something doesn’t mean you should. This is such obviously partisan bull.

Donna Starr

Blaine

 

The Editor:

The number of candidates for governor is overwhelming. But for me, there is only one choice: Jay Inslee. You may not like Jay Inslee. You may disagree with a lot of his policies. One thing is indisputable though: Among all the governors in the nation, Inslee has done far better than most in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is not a time to elect a Republican, especially a “Trump Republican.” Covid-19 is not a hoax, and it will not suddenly just magically disappear. We should not be asked to sacrifice grandma and grandpa for an economic recovery.

The states with the highest number of new cases and deaths month after month all have Republican governors. This is not a coincidence. We do not want to go backwards with a Republican governor and join Arizona, Texas and Florida as examples of how not to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. Vote for a governor who believes that science, not ideology, is the way to defeat this pandemic.

Pat Anderson

Birch Bay

 

The Editor:

Alicia Rule, currently a Blaine City Council member, is running for election to Position 1, State Legislative District 42, challenging the incumbent.

Alicia is a mom of three energetic boys, a small-business owner and the past president of the Blaine Downtown Development Association. She cares deeply about affordable housing, climate, environment, healthcare, living-wage jobs, and veterans.

She comes from a five-generation Whatcom County family, graduated from Meridian High School and earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Washington. See votealiciarule.com for more information.

She will whole-heartedly put the people first and serve us well. All you need to do is vote in both the August primary and November general elections. Urge your family and friends to exercise their great privilege and join you in voting.

Ruth Higgins

Blaine

 

The Editor:

Lately I’ve read in several places about the city of Blaine losing a lot of revenue due to the Canadian border lockdown. Not surprising at all since so many of Blaine’s businesses rely on Canadian customers.

Just a quick thought: I wonder if there’s been any consideration that perhaps Blaine’s businesses should be encouraged to focus more on catering to Blaine’s residents and residents of surrounding communities instead of just selling overpriced stuff to Canadians? I mean, really, one time I asked a manager of one of our local businesses why his products were priced so much higher (sometimes 200 percent or more higher for food, 60 cents per gallon higher for gasoline, etc.) than the same product in other close by towns. His response was a curt: “Because we can,” obviously referring to the willingness of Canadians to pay much higher prices than many of Blaine’s residents care to pay.

Wouldn’t our local city economy be better off right now if we had more businesses focused on things our residents need and want at competitive prices rather than ignoring our residents needs in favor of Canadian cross border shoppers? Perhaps there’s something our city leaders could do to start encouraging a move in this direction that would benefit everyone?

Wayne Seymour

Blaine

 

The Editor:

I was pleased to see Jim Whittaker’s involvement in the “Wear a Mask” initiative made possible by a local volunteer group, the Realities of Advanced Medical Interventions team.

Whittaker, the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest, is a persuasive voice to raise awareness about the necessity for face coverings if we want to bring Covid-19 under control to get our economy humming again. An effective vaccine could be months in the future but wearing a mask is an immediate, easy step to take that is a proven component in slowing the coronavirus spread.

The “Be an American Hero” concept in Whittaker’s mask messaging is a positive, no shaming narrative. Ferndale and other areas of north Whatcom County, unfortunately, are experiencing worrisome cluster outbreaks of Covid-19, which we must address before schools can safely open.

Mask up. It depends on all of us working together as local heroes.

Delores Davies

Ferndale

 

The Editor:

In response to Covid-19, the Blaine Food Bank was forced to move distribution operation outdoors. We have continued with a “market shopping’ model with distribution set up in our parking lot.

The area that is being used was not designed for excessive foot and heavy cart traffic. Uneven levels and edges make it difficult for clients and volunteers to safely maneuver and to move product in and out.

As a result, we are having the entire area resurfaced. The resurfacing will begin Tuesday, August 4 and be completed Thursday, August 6. We anticipate returning to normal operations Friday, August 7.

Unfortunately, the resurfacing will require time to set and cure, so we are forced to close distribution on Wednesday, August 5. Our distribution schedule is:

Monday, August 3,  open 9 a.m to 12 p.m.

Wednesday, August 5, closed.

Friday, August 7 open 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

All home deliveries and receipt of donations will continue as usual.

All of us at the Blaine Food Bank are so humbled by the continued and generous support of our community. For all the monetary support and donations of food and beautiful handmade masks, we thank you. We could not do this without you. You have all validated our mission, and strengthened our commitment to serve our friends and neighbors.

Sally Church, Blaine Food

Bank

Blaine

 

The Editor:

Be an American hero, wear a mask. It used to be, bad people wore masks. (Jesse James, Dillinger, Ku Klux Klan) and good people didn’t. Now the good people wear masks and the bad people don’t. In essence, bad is now good and good is now bad.

1984 was late in coming, but it’s here at last. What good do masks do, besides keeping us separated, isolated, dehumanized and compliant? How, exactly, does a mask keep you safe? If you go into an establishment and pick up contamination there, what do you then do with your mask? If you take it off with your hands, the hands become contaminated. If you wait until you are in the confines of your car, then your car becomes contaminated.

In healthcare facilities there is a very rigid protocol: Suit up before going into the patients’ room and immediately after leaving, masks and gloves are carefully removed and disposed of. What is your protocol for disposal? If you had told me five months ago that free Americans would cower in their homes like scared bunny rabbits, businesses be destroyed, jobs lost, all on the word of a governor who likes to play “Simon Says,” I would have said that you were nuts and that nobody would stand for it here in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Beware of this returning philosophy of despotism. Those who lay down their essential freedoms will find it difficult to take them up again. All of this is all about freedom, control and subjugation.

Mark Aaron Aamot

Custer

 

The Editor:

Adults 18 years and older need to remember what a privilege it is to be an active registered voter. Far too often, we Whatcom County voters think, “My vote doesn’t matter because all the central and southern counties will outweigh my ballot” but this is not true.

The most recent stats I read said that less than 10 percent of Whatcom County ballots have been cast, which means far too many people are shying away from all the political shenanigans (can’t really blame them for that) and choosing to ignore their responsibility.

We can do better than this, people. It is important we take the time to read up on the candidates and the issues, and make wise selections. Too many people say, “My friends are voting for this guy” or “My family always vote this way.” Both of which are lame excuses for being responsible voters. Do your own homework and be proud of being a grownup.

I am casting my vote for Joshua Freed for governor. I’ve met him, spoken personally with him, discussed political issues and global concerns, and I’ve found him to be a deep-thinking, well-informed, experienced, level-headed servant leader. His record speaks for itself; I won’t waste your time persuading you because that would be giving you an excuse for not doing your homework.

Jeanne Halsey

Blaine

 

The Editor:

Democracy is in peril. At the ballot box we have voted for $30 car tabs and for no tax increases for years. Yet the political establishment has tried everything they could to silence our voices and tell us to do the opposite.

Locally, Blaine city councilmember Alicia Rule signed a city council resolution telling us, the voters, to vote against $30 car tabs. Now our courts are blocking our voice from being law. I knew what I was voting for when I voted for $30 car tabs. I appreciate that our representative, Luanne Van Werven, is fighting for $30 car tabs. She is fighting for my voice and our democracy. She has my vote. If you want $30 car tabs, you should back her too.

Kathy Miller

Lynden

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