Letters to the Editor

Student seeks help

My name is Shawn Donaldson. I am a fifth grade student from Napa Valle Language Academy in California. I have chosen to research the state of Montana for m state report. I will be doing an oral presentation and displaying interesting items that came from the people of Montana.

I am looking for people to send me tourist maps, post cards, souvenirs, photos of your state capitol, state bird or other important or interesting buildings or parks in your state. Thank you for your help, and I look forward to hearing about the awesome facts about your state.

Shawn Donaldson

C/O Maestra Llamas-Cruz, fifth grade teacher

2700 Filburn Ave.

Napa, CA 9588

Dems took money

Most Senate Democrats, 90 percent, took Abramoff-related cash -- though reporters continue to insist that it is a Republican scandal. The list follows:

Max Baucus, $22,500, Evan Bayh $6,500, Joseph Biden $1,250, Jeff Bingaman $2,000, Barbara Boxer $20,250, Maria Cantwell $21,765, Tony Carper $7,500, Hillary Clinton $12,950, Kent Conrad $8,000, Jon Corzine $7,500, Chris Dodd $14,792, Byron Dorgan $79,300, Dick Durbin $14,000, Dianne Feinstein $2,000, Russ Feingold $1,250, Tom Harkin $45,750, Daniel Inouye $9,000, Jim Jeffords $2,000, Tim Johnson $14,250, Ted Kennedy $3,300, John Kerry $98,550, Mary Landrieu $28,000, Pat Leahy $4,000, Carl Levin $6,000, Joe Lieberman $29,830, Blanche Lincoln $14,891, Barbara Mikulski $10,550, Patty Murray $78,991, Bill Nelson $20,168, Ben Nelson $5,200, Barack Obama $7,500, Mark Pryor $2,300, Jack Reed $3,500, Harry Reid $68,941, John Rockefeller, $4,000, Ken Salazar $4,500, Paul Sarbanes $4,300, Chuck Schumer $29,550, Debbie Stabenow $6,250, Ron Wyden $6,250.

When the rhetoric and toilet is clean, maybe we may see the whole picture.

Chuck Baraby

555 Third St

Forget fat free

The New York Times reported on Feb. 8 that "the largest study ever to ask whether a low-fat diet reduces the risk of getting cancer or heart disease has found that the diet has no effect."

I could have used this information a month ago, when I began my annual effort to live without Ben & Jerry's ice cream, Oscar Mayer bologna and super sized onion rings. I don't appreciate denying myself the finer things in life if there's no long-term benefit. Perhaps I shouldn't throw caution to the winds as the study was confined to women aged 50-79 over an eight year period. Could it be that fat-free diets are gender specific? Could life be so unfair?

Whether or not I return to my former consumption of (now) non-artery clogging fats, I expect we'll soon see revised advertising from our favorite fast food chains. Take heart McDonalds, you don't have to plug those tepid, tasteless salads any longer! Let's look forward to commercials arguing for the healthiest choice: The Big Mac or Whopper. I sort of feel sorry for Jarrod over at Subway.

Mark Huber

609 S. Sanders

Thanks for donations

On behalf of the Helena High School Speech and Debate teams, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the following area businesses for your generous contributions to our tournament concessions: Albertson's Supermarket, Lehrkind's Coca-Cola, Meadow Gold Dairy, Park Avenue Bakery, Wheat Montana, Van's Thriftway, Wal-Mart, and the Real Food Market and Deli.

Thanks to you, we were able to offer an outstanding choice of healthy food for the young men and women who participated in the tournament, some of whom traveled long distances to compete in Helena.

Thanks also to all of the volunteers who helped with concessions and judging. We appreciate the gift of your valuable time.

Lucy Morell-Gengler and Peg Hunter

Helena High Speech and Debate parent volunteers

1300 Billings Ave.

Buying elsewhere

The Jan. 31 IR reported Exxon Mobil gained $36 billion in profits last year. Then today George Bush was reported to say that was not a problem with him because the "free market" was at work, and that's OK. It was also reported that Exxon Mobil has yet to pay restitution of $6.75 billion for the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, which happened almost 17 years ago. The victims of that disaster have had their lives ruined while Exxon gouges the rest of us, and Bush thinks all is well in the marketplace.

I don't believe the "free market" hocus pocus, because the market is not free when corporations like Exxon are at large and their toady George Bush is in the White House. But I am a realist, and if those are the rules of the game so be it. I am in the market for gasoline, and I will never pay for another drop of Exxon gasoline again.

Dave Morey

907 Hide Out St.

Stepping up

BRAVO Matt and Ann Komac for your letter "Bengal parents appreciate support" this morning! We applaud you for stepping up and taking a stand in support of Matt, the boy's basketball team, Coach Schlepp and all of the great things that these kids represent.

You also have our total support in your comments made about "the contract." Thank you for putting these words on paper so eloquently, and for saying what so many of us want to say but don't.

Curt and Kim Dallas

3806 Canyon Ferry Road

Shaunna Baertsch-Wing

PO Box 6254

We mean no

It appears that we have a man in Washington who does not take "NO" for an answer. Americans are usually proud of people who will stand up that way. So when I read this article in Newsweek, I should have said: "That's my man, NO is not in his vocabulary."

However, that was not the case and now we have to tell him all over again why "NO" is the only answer we will accept.

Here is a portion of what you may or may not know:

"Last year, even though Bush talked endlessly about the supposed joys of private accounts, he never proposed a specific plan to Congress and never put privatization costs in the budget. But this year, with no fanfare whatsoever, Bush stuck a big Social Security privatization plan in the federal budget proposal, which he sent to Congress on Monday.

"If this comes as a surprise to you, have no fear. You're not alone. Bush didn't pitch private Social Security accounts in his State of the Union Message last week."

Make sure your voice is heard to our representatives again that we mean "NO" when it comes to Bush and Social Security privatization plans.

Larry Pfeiffer

4148 Fox Ridge Dr.

Duped on Fairgrounds

If this government belongs to us, then why are we letting them do this to the racetrack?

In a letter to the editor, Ron Solberg said, "We have been deceived, duped and swindled into believing our votes were to save the Fairgrounds, not to destroy it."

All of this is true Mr. Solberg, but "our" government does not care that Montanans are not happy with what is happening to the Fairgrounds. They don't care that they are destroying a racetrack that has been around since not long after the Civil War (circa 1870). They are confident that they can ram this down our throats and we will forget about it before voting time comes around again. The sad thing is ... we probably will.

Governor Schweitzer, isn't it time you throw your hat into the ring on this issue? Step up and do what you can to save an important part of Montana's history.

Korey Packer

Rocking KM Road

Fulfilling a promise

About a year and a half ago, this world lost an angel. Her name was Hazel Wells. I worked in the nursing home where she resided the last few years of her life.

I was privileged to get to know her. Her one wish was to be buried with her husband, Kenneth Wells. However, she could never tell me where he was buried.

After she passed away, I began searching for his burial plot. It has been fruitless. If anyone knows of this family and could point me in the right direction, then I could fulfill my last promise to one of the most amazing people I have ever known.

Danielle Godlevsky

1385 Van Orsdel Road

Word goof

Reference is made to the article on Page 1A and 8A of the Feb. 4 IR entitled "Guard, missile cuts loom for state."

"Gen. Randy Mosley, adjutant general of the Montana National Guard, returned Friday from Washington, D.C., where he met with adjutant generals from all 50 states to discuss the Pentagon's plan."

According to my Amerian Heritage Dictionary, the plural of adjutant general is adjutants general.

Frank E. Willems, CW4 Ret.

1414 Highland Street.

Where's the beef?

While attending a recent luncheon featuring guest speaker Sheldon Bartel, executive director of Gateway Economic Development Corp., I heard with my own ears that the wave of the future for Helena, Lewis and Clark County and surrounding counties is development, development, development. ... Why would a farmer or rancher want to work their property when they could subdivide and retire in comfort?

When Mr. Bartel was asked where we could expect to get our food if all our agriculture land is developed into wall-to-wall houses or even 20 acre ranch-ettes, he said, "Go to Safeway." When asked where he thought Safeway got its meat, Bartel stated, "they can get it from Argentina. ... It's cheaper to produce beef in Argentina."

Argentina beef? Why would a local tri-county economic development spokesperson, from South Africa with an MS in agriculture economics, promote foreign beef -- to Montanans?

Patty Rambo

P.O. Box 5988

Take America back

Who ever guessed our great country would come to this? Most would have never guessed we'd elect and empower an administration caring less of world peace, the United Nations, or mounting environmental issues. It's therefore not surprising they don't care about our individual civil liberties. Repeatedly we're told "the president and his administration are breaking the law." If so and OUR Congress doesn't hold THEM accountable, indirectly they're telling us that the current administration is above the law. This administration already has the power to immediately wiretap suspected terrorists, without prior approval. The Bush administration insists that the illegal wiretapping program be only applied to suspected terrorists. More lies! Folks, this is only the beginning, this administration has no accountability. The Patriot Act needs either a major overhaul or trashing. The mounting opposition to this administration's power grab is bipartisan. Republicans and Democrats together have questioned his authority. Voice your opinion while you can, call your representatives in Congress. Tell them you want a full-scale investigation. Congress mounted an impeachment hearing on President Clinton for far less. Montanans, this is no Monica issue, this is your freedom and it's at stake. Voice your concerns today, let's take America back!

Rick Cottingham

928 Logan St.

Party of death

I am a woman, a citizen of Montana, and I resent Channel 12 News and the IR making it sound like if I am the above, I must be pro-abortion. I am not.

I was once a Democrat, my dad being strong in the union. But since that party has become a one plank party -- abortion -- to me it is the party of death.

Why do I say the above? Listen to the news bites, read the quotes. All the Democratic senators said is that no matter how qualified a judge, Mr. Alito may be, they won't vote for him because he is not 100 percent pro-abortion.

Channel 12 announced our governor was given a B+ by the women of Montana because he is pro-abortion. You have forced many like me, who once considered a a candidate's ideas before I voted, to stand against any Democrat because you have made them all pro abortion.

To be pro-abortion under the ruse of "privacy" you have taken away the first inalienable right stated in the Declaration to have been given to all by God. The right to life. Everyone is entitled to a birthday.

Virginia Geier

P.O. Box 766

East Helena