Thanks from American Legion
Dear Editor:
Recently Hank’s Harvest Foods in Twisp began a “Bag It Forward” program to encourage patrons to bring in their own grocery bag to the store when shopping. After checking out, a person with their own bag is presented with a wooden nickel to place in the jar of the local nonprofit that they wish to help fund. I am proudly reporting that 661 wooden nickels went into a check donated by Hank’s Harvest Foods to American Legion Post 0143 Methow Valley this July. That $33.05 could just be the beginning. I would like to encourage those that do bring their own grocery bag to Hank’s to consider giving a token to the veterans and their Legion Hall. We have a small budget with an all-volunteer crew. These nickels are significant to our American Legion Post finances and we thank all who have donated.
Tristan B Gilbert, Twisp
Reconsider noise rules
Dear Editor:
The Town Council in Winthrop is apparently enforcing a noise ordinance that does not allow certain establishments such as Copper Glance to play live music outdoors after 10 p.m. I hope that there are enough people to sign a petition to overturn the curfew since it affects the bottom line of these excellent establishments that have been bringing in some great musicians, and in my opinion they are not very loud.
I don’t how many neighbors have complained, but I think the residents should learn more tolerance on this issue. If you live close to the downtown area, you should accept that there is going to be live music outdoors and single people know that the party is just getting going after 10 p.m.
I have to wonder if the complaints are legitimate. There are things that one can do to mitigate the effects of loud noise — earplugs, insulated construction, other sound barriers, white noise (such as running a fan or air conditioning unit that will be block out the unwanted sounds, or nature sounds on You Tube). People who live by an expressway get used to the sounds of the traffic.
I think the Town Council should reconsider the noise ordinance, at least for Thursday through Saturday. If people are bothered by the music, they could always move further from town. People, the music is not very loud, and we are not talking about construction noise.
Brad Campbell, Twisp
Stop the injustice
Dear Editor:
Rhetorically I ask who holds the moral compass of our society? While on a national scale, we cage innocent children. We push them into overcrowded pens, deny them adequate food, force them to sleep on concrete floors, offer little or no water to bathe, force children to care for infants and deny representation in the courts. As a veteran, was this the national policy I got drafted to represent?
Recently, I read in local papers inequality, injustice, sexism and racism continue to exist in our local criminal justice system, if not in the entire community. Let me explain.
A white male was arrested allegedly with the body of a woman in the trunk of his car. He was seen trying to set the car on fire. He went to court, was charged and bail was set at $75,000.
Another person, described as being from “Nespelum,” was allegedly driving under the influence, and wrecked their vehicle. A passenger was killed in the wreck. The “Nespelum” person was charged and bail was set at $500,000.
I am not insinuating that the bail bonds were adequate or inadequate, just that they were unjust, sexist and racist. I ask why the Caucasian male was required to post so little when the Indigenous person’s bond was so high? Is this equal justice under law?
Why do our courts continue to discriminate against Native People? I am surprised that more people are not appalled at the blatant racism of our courts. Or was the decision for bond made because the dead person in the trunk was a woman and the intoxicated driver of the vehicle was also a woman? These questions need to be asked by the public and answered by the courts. When will justice be served for our Native Community, innocent children, and the women of our society?
I am embarrassed to be a privileged white male taxpayer, despite being a veteran. To quote the writer Louis De Bernieres, “In the past, we had the barbarians. Now we have only ourselves to blame.”
Enough!
Michael “Buffalo” Mazzetti, Tonasket
