Letters to the editor

Bigotry booms

The recent decline in Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s poll numbers sheds some light on a disturbing trend in American politics — the re-emergence of religious bigotry.

Although Romney’s political platform is identical with the Religious Right’s on abortion, homosexuality, etc., conservative Christian evangelicals will not vote for him solely because of his faith. Robert Jeffress, a Baptist pastor from Dallas, said recently — and quite dispassionately — “Mitt Romney is a Mormon. Mormonism is not Christianity. Mormonism is a cult.” Theological conformity trumps political agreement. Is this the extent to which our political discourse has evolved over 231 years?

I wouldn’t vote for Romney, not because he is a Mormon, but because of his political platform. Find me a candidate who pledges to rescind this immoral war, to restore America’s reputation in the world, to place environmental protection on par with corporate profits and poor people on par with wealthy donors, to let women decide their own reproductive fate, and who thinks freedom of religion means any — or no — religion, then I wouldn’t care if he (or she) was Mormon, Buddhist, Hindu, Wiccan, atheist, or Presbyterian. I might even vote for him if he were — dare I say it? — an evangelical Christian.

W. Craig Heymann

1618 Lyndale

Helping out

Generosity is not about seasons.

It is about helping people.

People like Sandy & James Rojas, owners of Capital City Perks (formerly Main News), exemplified that by going out of their way to open their doors & their hearts to help nearby Walking-Mall neighbors with a successful emergency fundraiser to help people in need.

Thank you, neighbor!

Bob Carlquist & many others

2615 Gold Rush Ave.

Sponsors thanked

Thank you to all who helped make the first annual Bill of Rights Peace Celebration a success! The voting booth is one voter’s forum, but there are many ways to exercise your rights. We decided to invent a new one — a free variety show celebrating the First Amendment rights to free speech and peaceful assembly. The result was a great success, and we plan to continue the tradition next year.

Thank you to the many sponsors of the raffle, including Grandstreet Theatre, the Helena Symphony, and the Myrna Loy, and many more. Thanks also to the Staggering Ox, and the performers and workers who donated their time and talent. Special thanks to Lanny Messinger for being the inspiration for this event, and for donating so much of his time and resources. Special hanks to James Madison and George Mason, the original authors of the Bill of Rights, and also to Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, Anti-federalists, but willing to compromise. Thanks also to John Locke for his wisdom on natural law. And thank you Helena for coming out! If you want to be involved in keeping the ball rolling on free speech please contact us at 443-6046. Happy holidays, Helena!

Debbie Jakovac

Lanny Messinger

1817 Cannon St.

On reporting

The comments by Robert Funk, letters to the editor printed on Dec. 19, regarding the lack of reporting of the demise of a Helena soldier only demonstrate how far removed some members of this community are from reality!

Any rational reader would note that the circumstances of the death of this young man were specifically not revealed by the department of defense in reporting his death!

As anyone who ever wore the nations uniform would know, there are many reasons why details of a fatality in the military, in or out of country, is often “classified material” until clearance by the D.O.D.!

This protects not only the deceased, should inadequate information be given the soldiers command regarding the circumstances of the death, but his family and his unit as well. More than one “desertion” turned out to be “something else!”

The IR is to be commended for their handling of what information they did not have and their objective reporting thereof!

Mike Hankins,

Host, “Voices of the Veterans”

P.O. Box 455

God’s Love

I am the office manager at God’s Love Family Transitional Center. I would like to extend a very huge thank you to the community for your wonderful support during our Christmas Season. You have gone above and beyond the call of duty, in supporting our organization. It is so awesome to see people in the community donating monetary gifts, as well as toys for our playroom, clothing and food for our residents, and even personal gifts for our clients to enjoy on Christmas. In particular, I would like to thank Dawn Kangas, Lisa Wilson, and the First Assembly of God Youth Group for the Christmas Party that they held for our women and families. They cooked a wonderful ham and turkey dinner, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all of us (staff included). They included our children in some fun comedy and musical skits. And Santa was there, doling out the exact gifts that our children had asked him for! Helena, thank you so much for your love and help during this Holiday season. You will never know how many lives you have changed! God bless,

Hilary A. Turner

God’s Love Family Transitional Center

533 N. Main