Letters: Global warming, Idaho dams, mail-in ballots and more | June 7

Honor Society brightened her day

On May 28, I opened my front door to find a note card from the Kamiakin (High School) National Honor Society that said, “Have a great day and stay safe.”

The card made my day!! Congratulations to the Honor Society for providing something positive and that made me smile.

The consequences of global warming

An article in the May 12 Tri-City Herald summarized a report on how rising heat and humidity are starting to make some regions of the planet lethal for humans during summer months. This is a direct consequence of global warming.

The increasing severity and destructiveness of the fire and hurricane seasons have received more media attention. However, scientists have anticipated that this would likely happen in the future — and the future has arrived.

The article goes on to suggest that the increasingly hostile conditions to humans and other life humans depend upon is likely to severely strain agriculture and ecosystems and trigger mass migrations (e.g., Syria, Central America). Mass migrations are very likely to trigger widespread civil strife, geopolitical instabilities, wars and immigration crises that will directly or indirectly affect our national and economic security. This is going to have long term and ongoing effects on the cost of food, the taxes you pay and the availability of goods and services as economies are disrupted globally. If you think you are immune to the effects of global warming in the Tri-Cities (wildfires, hurricanes), you might want to reconsider.

Shutdown also leads to deaths

Ken Robertson (guest opinion 5/24) is wrong. It is not a matter of lives versus the economy; it is a question of lives versus lives.

Reports aired on NPR indicate a rise in people dying at home because they are reluctant to come into the hospital. Anecdotal accounts indicate that suicides and domestic abuse are rising. I read an article that showed an average of 13 countries in Europe had 50% more deaths than would normally occur at the same month of the year (“excess” deaths). Sweden, which did not do a shutdown, had a 20% increase in “excess” deaths. This indicates that the shutdowns caused a 30% increase in excess deaths while the virus caused a 20% increase. This is a single data point that needs to be verified, but it does show that for every live saved up front, we may lose another on the back side.

More importantly is what shutdowns do to us as human beings. The purpose of our life is not to keep breathing but to care for others. And what kinds of humans do not comfort the dying, attend their funerals and pray for their spiritual welfare? It is not the life I want to live.

No fish passage past Idaho dams

Reporting about the reservoir water temperatures: So you as (a) newspaper reporting the news, let’s add to the opinion of EPA. How good is the information coming from EPA as compared to FBI, CIA, the NSA and other federal agencies? There are nine Snake River Dams in Idaho. Plus, 16 plus dams on other Idaho tributaries of the Snake River system. Do these 25+ dams with reservoirs increase the water temperature of the Snake River?

There are three major obstacles for fish on the Snake and Columbia River drainage. News articles say these four Lower Snake River dams block the return of fish to Idaho cool water tributaries where they are supposed to spawn. These all have fish ladders.

Why doesn’t the news media identify the real detrimental cause of fish migration? Idaho’s Dworshak Dam at Orofino, no fish ladder. Hells Canyon Dam, in Idaho border with Oregon, no fish ladder. Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River in Washington, no fish ladder. Research Idaho Snake River dams.

Sacrificing lives for money twisted

I appreciated Ken Robertson’s guest opinion piece on May 24. As a young person, I too am distressed at the fact that this country seems to be prioritizing the economy over the lives of our most vulnerable citizens.

I would gladly keep my life on hold for the safety of older and other immune-compromised citizens. I am horrified at Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s suggestion that “lots of grandparents” would be happy to sacrifice their lives to COVID-19, if that meant getting the economy running for the younger, working people. Since when is it okay to sacrifice Grandma for money? While I may differ a lot from many young people — for one thing I like to read the physical newspaper — I don’t feel like I’m speaking too boldly to say that risking older and immune-compromised people’s lives is not an acceptable solution.

I understand there are far-reaching consequences to keeping the state shut down, but to me the idea that older people’s lives are disposable is a twisted logic that I can’t get behind.

Thank you, Ken, for your piece, and stay healthy.

She’s not feeling one iota safer

Reading letters to the editor today (5/3/20), I was pleased with the increased space given to people with thoughts about this COVID-19 mess. I am surprised that no one has written about the contradictory blather that comes from many governors regarding “safety.”

They tell us to “stay at home and save lives.” Then they throw open the prison gates and set free the criminals who might get Coronavirus, “for safety.” Then they support all the anti-gun legislation that’s introduced, which aims to confiscate gun owners’ property “for safety.” Notice anything?

I watch news reports, without surprise, about newly released felons who go out and immediately commit crimes again. Safety – for whom?

I resent being served the pablum of the public, expected to blindly accept whatever our “trusted leaders” say, when the contradictions are so glaring. I resent being put at further risk in my own home, as I comply with current rules. I resent the suggestion that felons in prison are somehow more important than law-abiding citizens. And I object to being ordered to take on more risk at home (aka: sitting duck) so that state governments may ease their risk of potential wrongful death suits from the families of prisoners.

I don’t know who the genius is who thought of this strategy, but they need to be fired. This is an unacceptable risk for the public to assume, in order to save a buck for the state governments.

Transit system is invaluable asset

I’d like to thank Ben Franklin Transit for continuing to provide service and adapt appropriately through COVID-19. For those of us in the community who have no other viable way to get to jobs, purchase groceries or otherwise make essential trips, their services have been invaluable.

Daughter gone, ballots still come

There has been some discussion lately regarding voting by mail. Here is our experience: Our daughter lived in Seattle for a few years and registered to vote there. Six years ago, she moved from there and now lives in New York, where she is registered to vote. During those entire six years at each voting cycle, we have received a ballot from King County with her name on it mailed to our address in Kennewick. Every voting cycle for the entire six years.

Interestingly, last October we moved to Richland and the same system that can’t figure out that Kennewick isn’t in King County sent her ballot to our new address within days of our moving.

Use your imagination to conjure all the ways that ballot could be misused, by her or by us, or by someone living at our old address if the addresses hadn’t been switched. Is anyone naive enough to think that we are the only ones having this experience, or one like it?

Is it because we are too needy or that we are too lazy that we switched to vote by mail.

Anyone else with a similar experiences?

Thanks due for honoring veterans

I would like to thank Donnie Landsman for holding a bell ringing ceremony to commemorate the veterans of these United States of America. The ceremony was held on Memorial Day at the Regional Veterans Memorial in Columbia Park. It was a small gathering of Benton County veterans and citizens.

Donnie Landsman is a Benton County citizen who is running for District 1 county commissioner (www.Donnie4Commissioner.com), Jerome Delvin’s current position. While Donnie did mention his campaign at the ceremony, his focus was to recognize the sacrifices of our servicemen and veterans, both past and present.

Donnie’s wife, Julie, joined him as he read off the casualties and deaths of over 80 skirmishes and wars that the Veterans of the United States of America have participated in. For each war and skirmish, Julie would ring the authentic tabletop replica of the Liberty Bell. In attendance were several veterans from the Korean, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Gulf Wars. Some of us had fathers who served in WWII. It brought to memory the stories that my father had shared with us kids as he took part in the cleanup after the Normandy Invasion.

Whose idea was this Manhattan?

The column by Dana Milbank (“It’s Worse Than Pearl Harbor” 5/10/20) was very good, except I heard it went another way:

Trump, upon hearing about The Manhattan Project, went screaming for his Twitter “Who is this person who wants to start a project in Manhattan? Everyone knows that’s MY turf!” When I find out who, on my staff, didn’t tell me about this, I am going to fire someone, let me tell you!

“And while I am thinking (something I seldom do), do not believe the rumors about me and that Murder Hornet! I left that woman! I don’t know her! Don’t let the fake media show you pictures of me and her. I left her! My plans are to ruin the reputation of the media so that you only have me to listen to, so don’t look for any other plans. I have been right a lot! Do not look for plans, of any kind, from me!”

Disappointed in some Tri-Citians

We are currently fighting an epidemic, and if you haven’t looked lately, we are not doing very well. We are not wearing masks as extensively as we should. They can cut the risk of infection by 50% when worn around others. Violating our freedoms! This is about taking care of your brothers and serving your country with virtually no infringement on your freedoms.

We are lax about social distancing. It’s an easy thing to do. Just do it. Stay home when you can. When we get to the point where contact tracing can limit flare-ups, the fewer contacts that require tracing, by far the better.

And what are our governor, county commissioners, city councils and health departments doing to solve the shortage of testing materials? This should be front page news every day. And speaking of that, our news media needs to be reporting and investigating these aspects with much more fervor than I’ve seen or heard.

Come on, Tri-Citians. We can do better than this. Our new infection rate at present is almost 10 times what it needs to be for proceeding to Phase 2 opening. I wonder why?

Solution for voting by mail this fall

Solution for the Democrat concerns in other states (Washington state should try, also) that folks cannot vote at polls because of Coronavirus danger — hence, need for “vote-by-mail.” Put voting machines in the lines-6 feet apart - entering Costco, Walmart, Home Depot, etc.

This story was originally published June 7, 2020 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Letters: Global warming, Idaho dams, mail-in ballots and more | June 7."