Letters: Leftist agenda, wind farm, Georgia voting law and more | April 4

Celebrate Easter, learn its meaning

We celebrate Easter Sunday on April 4 this year, representing Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead! Hopefully as we celebrate it, we understand and teach to others what it actually means!

That God loved us so much that a part of Him became flesh in Jesus Christ, who was born and grew up and lived as one of us being tempted in all things as we are, yet lived a totally sinless righteous life in order to be the perfect sacrifice for all our sins. He was tried illegally and executed on a Roman cross as the perfect substitutionary sacrifice for us so that we can be delivered from the penalty of all our sins, past, present and future, and be saved.

He then shocked the world by miraculously coming back to life on the third day after His burial. In so doing He gives us the opportunity to have the free choice to trust in Him alone as our personal Savior and Lord in order to have inner peace and joy in time, and eternal happiness guaranteed forever in His Kingdom in Heaven one day if we trust in Him alone as our Savior and Lord!

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Argument weak on wind farm plan

Your March 19 editorial whining that a wind farm near the Tri-Cities is a bad idea because looking at wind turbines would make you sad is perhaps a low point in your paper’s effort to provide news to your readers. You could consider making a science-based argument that the benefits don’t outweigh the costs (maybe they don’t, I’m not an expert). Or you could weigh long-term considerations regarding impacts to the climate and environment. You could acknowledge — rather than pouting that the state would consider putting a wind farm in a (gasp) windy place — that maybe there’s a reason for siting the project here instead of in Bellevue.

Instead, your best argument is, all places should be treated equally when considering where to build infrastructure (your quote: “Why should [the Horse Heaven Hills] be be valued any less than other remarkable sites in Washington state?). I can only assume that means the Tri-Cities can’t host a wind farm until everywhere has a wind farm?

I’m not arguing forcefully in favor of the wind farm here. I’m just saying, if you want to argue against it, take the time to build a real argument, because this was weak.

Editor’s note: The editorial also said that, “while we support fighting climate change and reducing carbon emissions, many of us in Eastern Washington are tired of feeling like we’re the sacrificial spot for that agenda.” That was the gist of the piece.

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Playground plan isn’t sensible

It never ceases to amaze me how the people with the authority to make decisions seem to be the people who show the least common sense. The campground situation in question here has been a 20-year loss of tax dollars for even minimal upkeep and when suggested it should become an RV park, it’s totally disregarded, and it’s been suggested that it turn into a playground?

Sure seems that if was too expensive to put in a septic system 20 years ago, putting one in now would really be expensive, plus having to pay for playground equipment, etc., and the playground wouldn’t generate any income like $400- to $500-a-space-per-month RV park would. Let’s get some people in these positions who have enough sense to spend our tax dollars wisely. Time to drain another swamp.

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Being P.C. stifling to free speech

Mr. Mansperger’s opinion article in the March 21 Tri-City Forum has a lot to be agreed with, especially his advice to the current president of the U.S. However, Mr. Mansperger seems to place some positive value on political correctness, which I think is clearly not correct. Political correctness is the very antithesis of free speech, which is clearly one of the core tenets of the First Amendment and a core belief of the founding fathers. Political correctness is used as a weapon to stifle free debate and also the open examination of ideas, and thus should have no place in U.S. society. Political correctness should be banned.

He also should take his own advice to heart, that is, his admonishments of his last two paragraphs. Sadly, he violates his own advice with his inflammatory description of George Floyd’s unfortunate death.

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Let’s stop bashing Trump letters

I see that the “bash Trump” letters still prevail on the “Letters to the editor” page. I guess I feel like enough is enough! These letters do nothing but perpetuate the hate that seems to prevail amongst many of your readers and likely cause more racial discontent as a side effect.

So, if this is not true, there should be space for those who feel that Mr. Biden and Mrs. Harris are not legally elected to the office of the president (this would be the reverse of “Trump is not my president” sayers). Yes, the election has been settled months ago. There seem to be those who want to protect that: and continue to elevate Mr. Trump to an office of disgrace in the eyes of the public.

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Let’s not skip hard stuff, Congress

I think most people know that the majority party has first chance at new laws in our national operation. However, that doesn’t allow them to violate the Constitution or change the ethics or direction of the peoples’ intent without the consent of the people. That is exactly what is wrong with the Pelosi “vote for and pass before reading.” Some in Congress do not care about our country but wish for not the people but themselves to control people thinking.

This is how to destroy a nation by dictate and is adequately explained by China, North Korea, etc.

The wholesale change of a country direction with malice indicates unthinking. Two indicators of this in the U.S. now are excess spending with no hope of repayment and unethical use of our laws like abortion and immigrant problems.

Of course the solution to these problems are opinions, but serious solutions are fleeting to us. Our Congress and president seem to avoid any real solutions. My feelings are they are trying to skip the tough stuff and make their own agenda.

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A reader lists her ideas of ‘leftist’

The leftist agenda of labeling everything they don’t like as “racist” is despicable. “You’re a racist” is screamed at anyone who dares disagree, question or ask for supporting facts.

The following are all now suddenly racist concepts:

• Freedom of speech — enter Cancel Culture.

• The Fillibuster - remove to ensure one-party rule.

• Books — ban any that may offend anyone.

• Voting laws requiring proof (ID) that the person voting is who they say they are.

• Vaccination distribution.

• Borders — nonracist countries do not require borders?

In order to divide our country into categories based on skin color (rather than promote allegiance to America), we now require mandatory training in the workplace, our armed forces and in our schools emphasizing:

• Institutional racism in America is rampant.

• White people are inherently racist and privileged.

• Critical race theory.

• 1619 project.

• Teaching our children you are either “an oppressor” (white people) or “oppressed” (all others).

I’m sure there are more, but my head is spinning and my heart is breaking thinking about the irreparable harm this agenda is doing (or has already done) to our children and our country.

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Not understanding racist argument

Why is it considered racist or not acceptable to call COVID-19 the “China Virus” but perfectly acceptable to say UK Variant, South African Variant or Brazil Variant? China’s outside influence on the WHO maybe.

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Would color make a difference?

I recently returned home from a trip to Western Oregon. As I passed through the area between Biggs Junction and Arlington, I observed hundreds of windmills along the tops of nearly every ridge. Since I live in Benton City, I couldn’t help but notice how distracting this would be to anyone who enjoys the natural scenery of the eastern side of both Oregon and Washington. With my mind on the distractions these white windmills caused, I began to observe other obstacles along the horizon, i.e. cell phone towers, metal and wooden electrical poles, cement light posts, etc., and began to wonder why they don’t pose the same amount of distaste as the windmills.

My conclusion is that because the windmills are white, they draw the eye to them immediately. Now with the amount of technology available in today’s world, surely the company that manufactures the windmills can come with a product that blends in better with the natural surroundings, such as dark gray or dark tan. Perhaps we can then learn to overlook them with time, or at least not find them so offensive.

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Data, facts would bolster his case

Regarding Rollin Swansons’ claim (3/4), that Carl Grando (2/26) was “Outrageous, … hateful, … defamed (i.e., to “lie” verbally, or in print) individuals, … and contained factual errors (lies?) ... was in poor taste,” and should never have been printed.

After reading Grando’s letter several times (great letter, btw), I couldn’t find any lies, etc. Grando listed 11 “reasonable” claims (I could add a few more myself.) I wish Swanson took the trouble to list exactly “which” ones he thinks were lies, and “why.” Grando may even have a good explanation.

If you call someone a “liar,” at least say exactly “what” the lie is, and “why” you think so. Listing data, facts and sources of such would probably also benefit.

Some of us still consider these important.

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Find other ways to help landowners

In most articles on the proposed Horse Haven Wind farm, the opposition to the project has been focused on government officials being for or against wind power. Blaming the governor’s clean energy programs. The opposition to these projects is both Democratic and Republican. If we are to call out individuals who are responsible, we should be focused on the landowners that are willing to lease their land to the energy companies. These landowners may not have other options to increase the revenue from their land.

Energy companies are going to continue to provide landowners with great leasing opportunities; it is up to the community to provide them with alternatives. Some ideas: a network of scenic county parks and trails to preserve our landscape. This could include low-maintenance dirt trails as well as mountain biking trails.

Our local leaders need to focus on solutions to provide these landowners alternative solutions to energy company leases. There are many areas in the state that are ideal for wind farms …. Tri-Cities shouldn’t be one of them. Lets get something done with these landowners.

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Supporting those bullied Canadians

I am a Canadian-American. Years ago, people said I talked funny and they would say, “Eh.” It hurt my feelings and caused me to eat too much, so now I have a fat tummy and I look funny. I strongly urge President Biden to order all books that have the word “Eh” to be taken out of libraries and bookstores and thrown into the trash.

Supporting all bullied Canadian-Americans.

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Jim Crow alive, well in Georgia

On March 26, a coalition of civil rights groups filed a federal lawsuit against Georgia’s new voting restrictions. They say the Republican-backed law, signed by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp on March 25, is intended to make it harder for poor people to vote, especially Black voters. It imposes limits, like stricter ID requirements for voters, it shortens the early voting period for runoff elections, and makes it a misdemeanor crime for people to offer food and water to voters waiting in line.

Gov. Kemp lauded this law, saying, “Significant reforms to our state elections were needed,” and, “With Senate Bill 202, Georgia will take another step toward ensuring our elections are secure, accessible and fair.”

This, despite Georgia finding no problems with voting fraud in the last elections.

The legislation comes just months after Democrats celebrated historic wins in Georgia, helping the party win the White House and control of the U.S. Senate. It’s one of over 250 bills Republicans have filed nationwide, proposing new voting limits since the former Republican president lost the 2020 election.

Hopefully, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department will also aid in putting the quietus on these obvious Jim Crow maneuvers.

This story was originally published April 4, 2021 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Letters: Leftist agenda, wind farm, Georgia voting law and more | April 4."