Letters to the editor

Too many people

Billings reader Trish Flynn ("No compassion," 7/11) wrote about the "Statue of Liberty," the "golden door" mentioned in Emma Lazarus's famous poem, and their supposed connection with immigration to the U.S.

Flynn is mistaken. The statue's actual title is "Liberty Enlightening the World." It was a gift from the French people honoring the U.S. centennial. It celebrates the workings of liberty in American society and suggests it as an example for the world. The statue isn't about immigration, and it doesn't invite everyone to move here.

Further, the poem isn't part of the statue. It was added to the pedestal years later without anyone's permission, including that of American citizens who would have to make room for Lazarus's "huddled masses."

Flynn apparently thinks that mass immigration should continue simply because there was lots of immigration in America's past. But our country is overpopulated now. The resulting increased interference with each others' activities and the growing government regulation needed to referee it are making our lives ever less free. In short, continued immigration (the biggest driver of our population growth) is destroying the liberty extolled by that famous statue.

Paul Nachman

1611 W. Koch

Bozeman

Banned doggies

This year would have been our fourth outdoor Helena Symphony Concert at Carroll College. We have attended all of them and enjoyed each one. Unfortunately, my boys and I will not be attending this year's concert since dogs have been banned this year, according to an article in Thursday's IR. Our first year at the concert the boys were just three or four-month old pups and couldn't get enough pats and pets from the crowd. The second year, they were "teenagers" and accidentally rolled into the people in front of them, causing the need for more pats. Last year, the boys were grown and looked forward to seeing the people, hearing music, and watching the sun go down among friends. This year, in just a small portion of a very large crowd there was a little less joy because my boys were no longer welcome. So, when they played the "Star Spangled Banner" this year, there was no soft "woo-woo," as Whiskey as would try to join in the singing each year. There will be no gentle frolics and petting at intermission. Whiskey and Rock were at home this year, with the family that loves them the most.

Pat Potts

6375 Mount Vista

Spit tobacco not safe

Paul Bergen's July 17 letter promoting spit tobacco needs a rebuttal. Mr. Bergen works at the University of Alberta, which accepted $1.5 million from the makers of Copenhagen and Skoal. Not surprisingly this grant has given spit tobacco the veneer of academic approval as a "safer" alternative to smoking.

In 1991 the American Journal of Public Health published an article showing tobacco-company funding influenced the beliefs of scientists regarding safety of tobacco products. See: www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=2053667

Readers are cautioned that the marketing use of the word "safer" is another tobacco company deception. Addiction to spit tobacco may be less harmful than smoking but it is not "safe"; the hoped for belief from the marketeers of spit tobacco. See: www.webmd.com/content/Article/131/118194.htm

Trading one addiction for another is not the best public health choice. And for adolescents, initiation of spit tobacco use is now marketed as the "safer" alternative. Does anyone remember filtered cigarettes in the 50's and light cigarettes in the 70's being marketed as the "safer" alternative? Dr. Helgerson got it right. Spit tobacco is not a safe nicotine addiction.

Richard P. Sargent, MD

635 Tamarack

Park fence

It is time for Montana to build a buffalo- and elk-tight fence between Montana and Yellowstone National Park to keep the park animals inside the park.

It is often said, "A good fence makes good neighbors." It is also a time-honored policy that land owners and operators control and have complete responsibility for the grazing animals within their property.

Controlled hunting seasons in Yellowstone National Park could do much to reduce wildlife numbers to the available amount of forage in the Northern Winter Game Range, allow for much needed range condition improvement, and make big game hunters very happy.

This, alone, could entice more votes for public electees than adding a "buffer zone," which would only extend the existing overgrazing problem and brucellosis problem.

Montana ranchers have spent millions to gain and maintain their brucellosis-free status. They stand to lose many more millions if brucellosis is not contained.

Cost of a fence would no doubt be less expensive for Montana to build than the animal hazing, shipping and slaughter program. It would certainly be cheaper than having to lose our brucellosis-free status.

Bob Ross, Range Ecologist

306 East Story

Bozeman

Cardboard Cup

On behalf of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and Spring Meadow Resources, I would like to thank all of the following who made the 9th annual Cardboard Cup Regatta at Spring Meadow Lake State Park July 14 such a success:

Sponsors Allegra Printing and Imaging, Bergum Drug, Capital Sports, and Western States Insurance, Inc., the MC/DJ Ben Juvan with R & B Productions, Donna and the Espresso Express, L&C Deputy Pat Hurley, St. Peter's Ambulance crew, and the Helena Scuba Club.

Volunteers FWP personnel Craig Marr, Dillon Johnson, Tanner Mitchell, Gene Hickman, Bob LaRue, and Rick Hickman; Spring Meadow Resources staff and families LaDonna Todd, Suzie Beck, Jasyn Edmondson, Connie and Jericka Griffin, Colleen and Coltan Pipinich, Andy Kelley, Karen Morris, Rick and Mary Taylor, Gloria and Ken McLeod, and judges Mayor Jim Smith and Brian Rodriguez from Beartooth News.

A special thanks to all the media, Taylor McCormack for the event logo on the T-shirts; Liz Lodman, Bullman's Firepit Pizza, Godfather's Pizza, Howard's Pizza, McKenzie River Pizza, and Pizza Hut, and to all those folks who came out to either compete in the regatta or watched and cheered on each boat.

Tiffany Sauer

Spring Meadow Resources

2850 Broadwater