Letters to the Editor.

Innocent Iraqis?

This global whining over the safety of so called "innocent Iraqi civilians" is about to manifest itself in ending the lives of American servicemen and women.

Those who claim that individuals can live and work and breed under their country's social system while enjoying immunity from the ethics and policies of that system, are attempting to assert that human life and politics have nothing to do with one another. On the contrary, it is every individual's responsibility to seek life under the right social system, which means, if necessary, to fight or flee an oppressive or immoral one. The "innocents" are those who have emigrated from or escaped corrupt governments -- or have been imprisoned or killed while trying. It takes a life-or-death scenario to remind some people of the life-or-death importance of knowing where they stand and for what; no adult who evades such introspection until his political system is at war with someone else's can claim innocence, even the first time.

Nor can any American president who would trade American lives for the lives of those who have accepted the system with which his country is at war.

Michael Russell

P.O. Box 5075

Save Bair Museum

The Bair Family Museum is a story about an inheritance to a community. The Bairs must have been aware of the benefit to the economy this museum would have.

Now it's in the hands of people who are considering pulling the plug on this gift. Martinsdale's economy has lost the railroad, has limited hunting due to private guides, and drought has left Martinsdale reservoir not much bigger than a puddle.

Growing up in Martinsdale, there were two grocery stores, two gas stations (my parents owned one), two bars, two café/hotels, a post office and a railroad. Today the town is struggling to hang on to one café/hotel, grocery store, gas station, bar and the post office. The museum gives people a reason to drive to Martinsdale. I live in Billings and drive to Martinsdale through Broadview, Lavina, Ryegate, Shawmut, Harlowton. All these little towns are struggling. If the museum stays in Martinsdale, these little towns will also benefit from tourist travel.

My hope and prayer is that the people at U.S. Bank and board of trustees for the museum will see beyond the cost of the repairs to the museum and weigh the cost to Martinsdale

Lindy Haugan McGinnis

819 Yellowstone

Billings

Hands off initiatives

It does seem ironic that while U.S. military forces are sent across the globe to defend and promote democracy there are some at home who view the initiative process provided by the state constitution as too much of a good thing. HB 719 would make the placing of citizen-generated initiatives much more difficult. This bill requires petitioners to go through many legal hoops, and would squelch public initiatives.

Let your senator know the importance of this issue.

Julius and Carmen Christianson

435 Paxon St.

Against sales tax

If you think a sales tax is the answer to all our problems, beware! I grew up in a state that had a state income tax and property taxes. The legislature imposed a two percent sales tax saying they would eliminate or substantially reduce the other taxes. However, they would need two years to make the transition. Of course, in that two years they had found ways to spend all the new revenue and so they had a budget that ate up all the new income. Today, they still have a state income tax, property taxes and a six percent sales tax! So much for reduction.

I also notice they use a double standard in levying taxes. They want to put an extra tax on cigarettes but not on soft drinks. If they want to target a certain segment of society how about a luxury tax on snowmobiles, motorcycles, boats, SUVs, expensive jewelry, etc. The people who can afford to buy these items are not the lower middle class who would bear the brunt of a general sales tax. Think carefully before you put a Band-Aid on a hemorrhaging wound in our tax system.

Alice Dritshulas

6801B N. Montana

Planned charitable gifts

The Board of the Lewis and Clark County Community Foundation (LCCF) commends the Independent Record for its March 21 supplement on estate planning, and the important focus given to charitable bequests and planned gifts. We encourage residents to remember their favorite charities when preparing their estates or wills.

It is remarkable how effective one can be in making donations known as "planned gifts" -- it is possible to make a contribution to a Montana nonprofit's endowment and concurrently increase one's income during retirement years.

Montana is at the forefront nationally in offering tax credits to encourage individuals and businesses to make gifts to endowments. Legislation restoring the tax credit to earlier levels has passed the Montana House and Senate, and is headed to the governor. Please be sure that you and your financial advisors know the final disposition of the legislation, and fully understand how its provisions can help maximize your financial and charitable goals.

For those who would like to give back to the community, but do not have a favorite charity, we suggest contacting your local community foundation, or the Montana Community Foundation, for information on how you can make an endowment gift that will benefit your community in perpetuity.

Lizzie Range

Lewis and Clark Community Foundation

P.O. Box 1615

Back Estrada choice

While all eyes are focused on the hostilities occurring in Iraq, a conflict that is much more important to the future of the United States and its citizens is going on, and it is doubtful whether many folks even know about it.

I am speaking of the stalled nomination proceedings for Miguel Estrada. Mr. Estrada is eminently qualified for a position in the federal judiciary, and was nominainated by President Bush for such a seat, but the liberal members of the senate, including Senator Max Baucus, have subjected Mr. Estrada to harsher examination than any previous candidate because they are afraid that he might be a conservative. At present, a filibuster is being waged to obstruct his confirmation.

During President Clinton's term in office, the vacancies in our federal judiciary were described as "critical," but now that there are even more, scarcely a word is said by the media.

Please write to, call, or e-mail Senator Baucus and urge him to vote to end the filibuster and to confirm Miguel Estrada to the position for which President Bush has nominated him.

Larry Roland

613 Dakota

Missoula

To the protesters

Open letter to all of those who are protesting the war:

The very fact that you have the right to protest was won by brave men fighting for our country, brave men that rose to the occasion each and every time our freedom and security have been threatened. What would have happened if our citizens had behaved the way that you are now? What if we had turned our back to war then? Do You honestly think that we would still be a free country?

You say you are in support of our brave men and women that are in Iraq, but the truth is, you cannot be in support of them and protest the very thing that they are there for. Our country was attacked, if you are so delusional that you think Saddam Hussein was not involved in the 911 attacks, you truly wear rose-colored glasses. Your time would be better spent, giving comfort and support to the family's of these men and women, and by writing letters of encouragement and appreciation to the ones who are in Iraq for our benefit. Let them know that we are praying for them and their safe return.

June White

3670 Old Highway 12 E.

East Helena

Diverse ideas are good

The beauty of being human is that we can draw upon our experiences, education and background to form our own opinions. The beauty of being an American is that we are given the privilege of expressing our ideas, thoughts, and beliefs. As one of the largest countries on earth, it makes sense that collectively we represent a wide range of opinions. Most issues have few people at the very far right and very far left of the curve, but in general most of us fall somewhere in the middle. These days, it seems many people are losing grasp of the fact that the differences between us tend to help build dynamic public policy, and that diverse opinions and beliefs are foundation upon which this country was built. I hear people on the news and in reports angrily attacking others with views that differ from their own. Aren't they the types of people that we fight against? Lets all try to take a step back and be thankful that we can all have different beliefs and ideas and be equally American. This is grace of our country - no matter what you believe, you are equally as American as anyone else.

Shawn Whyte

718 Joslyn St.

Support education

I feel the children of today deserve every chance and opportunity to get a good education. A good education is so important. So lets see that they get it.

Another thing I feel strong about. We need to support our troops. They are taking chances and risking their lives for our freedom.

Support our lawmakers who support these two important things. They make a difference to our state and government.

Mrs. Mary Schrader

P.O. Box 4935