Cougars have no choice
Dear Editor:
As people, we have many choices. Most of us chose to move here from someplace else for many reasons. One reason, I’m sure most will agree, is the wild, natural beauty that surrounds us, which includes cougars. We chose to move here, the cougars did not. They were here. When we decide to live in cougar country and bring our domestic animals with us, there will be ramifications. We can choose to understand those ramifications through our love for this place, or our fears. So when your dog, cat, sheep, etc., gets eaten by a cougar, understand the call you make to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife will have that cat hunted with dogs, and killed. So far, four cats have been killed this year, leaving this place a little less wild and a little more domestic. Personally, I like things on the wild side.
Mike Kutz, Winthrop
‘Hick-onomy’ copyrighted
Dear Editor:
“Wolves” — now that’s a hot topic. “The lack of snow” — another hot topic. “Hick-onomy” — maybe not such a hot topic, but it was mentioned in last week’s paper in reference to an article titled, “Hick-onomy,” which appeared in Patagonia’s most recent 2014 gear and clothing catalog.
We were flattered by Patagonia’s use of our phrase. However, we were advised that it was prudent to mention in writing at this time that certain phrases using the new word “hick-onomy,” as we have used it on T-shirts, bumper stickers, etc., over the past three years, have copyright protection.
Craig and Jenni Tissell, Twisp
Still giving
Dear Editor:
Methow Resource Recovery (MRR) recently gave the Winthrop Barn a gift of $1,000. We are sincerely grateful and we realize again how much that organization served the community with its energy, time and imagination. They are now closed, but Nancy St. Clair, MRR board member, shares their enjoyment about distributing remaining funds around the community.
This is just another proof in this valley that when someone says “how are you,” we stop to listen. They listened. Thank you.
Janet Verkuyl, Winthrop
Don’t be shackled
Dear Editor:
Like most of us backcountry dwellers, our family was raised and lived for generations in the rural outback. We octogenarian grandparents still live simply in our remote self-built cabin, and still keep our simple chicken house, barn and outhouse over these last 33 years. Although low-income, we still faithfully pay our land taxes, vote and support our civic causes.
It is a tribute to Okanogan County integrity that in these long 33 years we have never been persecuted or subjected to any shakedowns, intrusions, dictates, extortions or the like.
Now, after generations of benign, helpful and constructive local governments, a new and threatening government has taken over. Apparently it now intends to be an invasive and predatory agency, pushing new dictates which we cannot meet. Why?
Many of us old-timers are now mostly retired or disabled. We still insist on our rights to live independently within our means and resources and not be a burden on society. We must not be shackled with intrusive dictates.
Perhaps it is coincidence, but since the outbreak of “Obamalaw” in Washington, D.C., the whole country is afflicted by what looks like an oppressive contagion of Shariah law. Politicized bureaucrats, with no work experience and no useful skills, try to get their whole living by parasitism and predation against low-income hard-working local people. That’s like Obama!
Covetous bureaucrats like Obama are still obligated by law to read our Bill of Rights and obey them. The appetites and encroachments of lawless bureaucrats have no other boundaries than our Constitution. In my generation, such tyrants, under pretense of law, gassed and looted 6 million Jews, Gypsies, Slavs, Poles, dissidents, protesters, handicapped and feebleminded. Is today’s America taking that same course under Obama? May God forbid or God avenge!
In America just last year, Obama ordered 2 billion bullets to “suppress dissent.” Two billion bullets would kill every human on our entire continent — not just dissidents. Would patriots be the first to die? Then Constitutionalists? That sure worked in Nazi Europe, didn’t it? What a wasteland tyrants bring on! Don’t sign on to Obama’s agenda, and die!
Ward Hartzell, Twisp
Teamwork for trees
Dear Editor:
Teamwork pays. Through all the tremendous support and teamwork, we were able to net $3,672 in Christmas tree sales for the Methow Valley Community Center’s gym/kitchen area improvements. Thanks to the following: Hank and Judy Konrad for all you do; Hank’s Harvest Foods for the space; OK’s Services and crew for the tents; and the Public Development Authority for the storage. Thanks too, to John Doran, Harry Dunn, Mike Dunn and Keith Rowland for the many hours they donated selling the trees, and to Keith Strickland for always being the right hand. And especially to you, the customers. See you next year.
Larry Smith, Project coordinator
