Bias is evident

Anyone who’s not as biased as Bertha Cooper and have witnessed the statements made since their election from the several freshmen congresswomen would agree that these women have made inflammatory statements, some purely lies or exaggerations for their own leftist purposes, and would know a saying as old as many of us can remember: “Love it or leave it,” as pertains to our country.

Implying that President Trump is responsible for their actions is simply fanning the flames of dividing our country.

Bill Ring

Mission Viejo, Calif.

Yes to MAT facility

I am writing in support of the medication-assisted addiction treatment (MAT) facility in Sequim. As a member of two Sequim pioneer families and a recent Masters in Public Health graduate, I am alarmed at the protesting of the building of a health facility that will provide desperately-needed services for our community.

In 2018, based on Washington Department of Health data, both Clallam and Jefferson County had higher drug overdose deaths, 17.2 per 100,000 and 19.2 per 100,000, respectively, compared to 13.6 per 100,000 statewide. Rather than address these rates, the protesters want to maintain our appearance as a tourist and retirement community per their Save Our Sequim website.

Methadone, Suboxone and Vivitrol have been shown to be effective treatments for addiction. These medications do not substitute one drug for another, but relieve withdrawal symptoms.

Furthermore, both outpatient and inpatient treatments are proven effective treatments for addiction, and with plans to build a campus on the site that will include both, our community would finally have the resources to treat addiction.

Many protesters are concerned about the potential for increased crime in the area. However, research demonstrates that violent crimes do not increase near MAT facilities and that patients enrolled show a decrease in criminal activity.

While at Sequim High School and since, I have seen classmates struggling with drug addiction and our community lacks the resources to provide the appropriate support to them and their families. This facility fills a large need and will help make our community healthier.

Amanda Tjemsland

Sequim

Persepctive on ‘Mod squad’

My husband and I have just recently begun a subscription to the Sequim Gazette so I am not all that familiar with your opinion column. However, the column, “Mod squad” in the July 31 issue by Bertha Cooper, caught my attention.

Regarding that column, it seems Cooper takes President Trump to task for confronting the four junior congresswomen because they disagree with him. I thought about this and at first I disagreed with her but, on second thought, she is absolutely right. President Trump is for America and the four are against America. In my opinion, all the President was suggesting was that, if they hate America so much and they believe it to be so wrong, then it would be a good idea if they left America and returned to the country from which they came, or, if they were born here, to seek asylum elsewhere.

On another point, she states, “I know cheering cruelty is wrong. It’s wrong. Say it again and again. It’s wrong. We have lost our soul as a democracy if no one can win without being cruel to the innocent.” Again I agree with her. No doubt she heard the cheers and saw the standing ovation when the New York Legislature passed the bill to kill the unborn, not only until, but even after the child is born. Anyone who does not protect the first of our inalienable rights is not fit to be our President. From what I hear, the destruction of life is one of the main planks in the platform of the Democrat Party.

As God Himself has decreed: Thou shalt not kill. Cruelty, especially the ultimate cruelty of killing an innocent person, is wrong and it always will be.

Jeanette Daignault

Sequim

Selective stats deepens divide

July 31’s Sequim Gazette contained a letter from Dick Pilling of Port Angeles. In his letter he had created a “Misery Index” in order to “advise some foreign friends” who are contemplating a move to the U.S. The “Index” rated U.S. cities on factors such as the high cost of living, high taxes and high crime rates.

Mr. Pilling pointed out that cities high on these variables are governed by Democrats (denigrating Democrats was the thinly-disguised purpose of his letter).

In contrast, I would like to offer a “Hopefulness Index.”

To Mr. Pilling’s foreign friends: The five cities most accommodating to immigrants are :Washington D.C.; Baltimore; Seattle; Boston and Los Angeles, Calif., all whose leaders are Democrats.

The five cities with the fastest economic growth are San Jose, Calif., San Francisco; Austin, Texas; Seattle and Denver, all whose leaders are Democrats.

This Hopefulness Index might be extended to include cleanest cities, best public education, best health care … (sources: Business Insider, Wikipedia)

As you can see, its easy to cherry pick issues in order to vilify the political party that you don’s agree with.

I would offer that that the core problem in our country is not the Democrats, and its not the Republicans. As our president has pointed out, there are good people on both sides.

The real problem is the deepening rift between left and right. The sarcasm and negative focus of Mr. Pilling’s letter both contribute to that rift.

Gary Stanton

Sequim

Four more years

With reference to “Misery Index” (Letters to the Editor, Sequim Gazette, July 31, page A-10):

The writer hit the spike squarely on the head with a 10-pound sledge hammer.

With reference to “Mob squad” (Bertha Cooper’s column, Sequim Gazette, July 31, page A-10):

Now Bertha, it’s August and a little warm but you can cool down by remembering that Donald J. Trump defeated a heavily favored Hillary R. Clinton in the Presidential election held on Nov. 8, 2016. I realize that liberals like yourself have not (or ever will) accept that as ineluctable fact, nevertheless it is true.

Now to make your day here is my look at the future … We Americans will re-elect Donald J. Trump as President of the United States on Nov. 3, 2020. Just think, that will give you four more years of column fodder. Isn’t that wonderful?

Ethan Harris

Sequim