Sept. 4 Letters to the Editor

Alarming misconceptions

NBC debunks the propaganda surrounding health-care reform. A recent NBC-Wall Street Journal poll uncovered some alarming misconceptions out there.

Opponents of reform have twisted a provision of the bill regarding planning living wills into untrue claims that the government would start making decisions about when to stop providing care to the elderly, and 45 percent of Americans falsely believe them.

Although the public option we support will be just that — an option that would give Americans more choice and keep private insurance companies honest — 54 percent of Americans falsely believe health-care reform would lead to a “government takeover of the health care system.”

The nonpartisan accountability group FactCheck.org says President Obama’s plan will cover only those who are legally in the U.S., but 55 percent of Americans falsely believe President Obama’s plan would extend health insurance coverage to illegal immigrants. In fact, the very Republicans who are demagoguing this idea voted for this same language in President Bush’s Medicare part D bill in 2003.

Larry Davis

Longview

Fisheries plan is flawed

So let me get this digested correctly if I can. Fisheries is going to kill all salmon over the 3,500 they need at the hatcheries to protect the “wild” fish that are going to be left to spawn in the rivers. Excuse Me. The DNA is all the same. Where do they think the hatchery fish came from? They began with wild fish and you would not know the difference if they didn’t clip that little fin.

We need to scream bloody murder at this proposal and stop it in its tracks right now. Those hatchery fish will spawn just like they are supposed to and have for thousands of years. I live on the Kalama and witness this ritual every year. All the fish in the river respond as nature made them to by mating with the strongest ones of their species and will continue to do so if left to live as they should be.

I believe the fin is clipped to keep track of how many hatchery fish return. Stop clipping and just keep the first 3,500 fish that return, take out the trap and let the rest go up river and spawn naturally like they should. Many dollars were put into raising those “extra” fish, so do not waste the resource and kill them and hope the next heat wave doesn’t kill all those hatchery babies and leave us with nothing. Now let’s hear it from the rest of you.

Bill White

Kalama

Compassion needed in Longview

Our community has suffered another loss of a life by homicide. A victim’s life has been taken and the community has a chance to choose compassion or judgment. Any family member or friend would have a difficult time dealing with the violent death of a loved one. Brian was not perfect, but he paid his past debts.

I attended the funeral for Brian Robert Garner. I saw many people that knew him personally, that will miss him dearly. I saw a family that was grief stricken over their loss, yet united in support of Brian’s surviving, beloved son. It is my belief that members of Longview can take pride in unity and strength, as we honor all victims in our community.

Please access Crime Victim’s Advocacy Program (888-425-1176). They offer help to anyone that has been a victimized directly or indirectly. Advocates support, listen and offer help in a variety of ways specific to the crime.

DiAnn Strozyk

Longview

Where’s the decency?

A big thank you to the thieves who stole my American flag on my front porch. I hope they are enjoying the fruits of their labors.

Other homes in my area used to be nicely decorated with flags and ornaments. Stolen displays, do you think?

A 3-by-5 flag — you’d think a thief would go for something bigger to pawn or sell. Maybe they wanted the aluminum in the pole.

Guess if it’s not put away, chained down or locked up, it will eventually “go missing.”

It takes all kinds. Thieves have no decency, plain and simple.

J.M. Lundgren

Longview