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Letters to the Editor: December 16, 2022

Placing trust

Lindsey Manfrin, public health administrator and director of health and human services for Yamhill County, makes decisions based on her education, training and command of current factual information.

Lindsay Berschauer and Mary Starrett, members of the county board of commissioners, make their decisions based on ideology, conspiracy theories and an inane agenda.

I know who I’ll trust to make decisions about public health.

Stuart Gunness

Sheridan

Above the law?

Brittney Griner does not save lives or the environment. She does not possess insights into advanced technology.

She does nothing for humanity. In fact, as a sports figure, she’s a drain on humanity.

She bounces a ball and plays a child’s game. That’s all. And she makes millions for doing such.

She’s a spoiled, self-centered celebrity. She believes she’s above the law and I guess she is.

Personally, I’ve been to 104 nations, and have always researched and obeyed their laws. I even cut out pictures of the Dalai Lama when going to Tibet and removed images of my ex-wife in swimsuits from my laptop when visiting socially conservative nations.

Griner broke Russian law, so she should serve a just and normal sentence in Russia — no more, no less. It was her responsibility to obey its laws upon entering the country.

Viktor Bout, “The Merchant of Death,” is a war criminal of the highest degree. He’s responsible for the killing of hundreds of thousands of people for profit.

He made hundreds of millions, maybe even billions, supplying arms to anyone that would pay him — especially terrorists. Many of his contacts are dead, but not all, so he still is a major threat to world peace.

Agents from the U.S., European Union, United Nations and Thailand put their lives on the line to capture him. Now he is freed for a rich, self-centered ballplayer.

I hope he doesn’t seize the opportunity to take vengeance on those who captured him.

Meanwhile, I trust Griner will reimburse the U.S. government for her private flights back home. She is rich enough.

If some unknown person from McMinnville were arrested in Russia, would the Biden Administration swap a global killer or just ignore the situation? Apparently we’re not all viewed equally under the law.

John Miller

McMinnville

Right to know

We recently received a notice telling us, “Yes, it’s true a monthly “tax” (service charge) will go into effect in January to the customers of McMinnville Water & Light.”

It appears this tax is needed to bail the city out of a $1.8 million shortfall in its budget. But before I offer thanks for this wonderful privilege bestowed on us, I would like a transparent explanation as to why the city ran up a $1.8 million shortfall in the first place.

The city took out a loan to cover this debt. Only after the November elections were we officially informed that we were being taxed via Water & Light to pay for city services financed through the General Fund. I saw no mention of any new programs or services, so assume that when we have repaid the $1.8 million loan in seven months, this tax will cease — or will it remain and increase as needed to cover future overspending?

I sent a copy of my letter to the editor of Oct. 13 to the mayor and city council expressing the same concerns, but did not receive an answer.

Therefore, I am again asking — begging even — for answers to these questions. As a taxpayer, I have a right to know.

Donna Lunt

McMinnville

Comments

Lulu

Donna Lunt, you are absolutely correct. What W & L is pulling is an outrage. Maybe they need to fund their new totally undecipherable statements.

BigfootLives

Lulu, not sure if that was sarcasm. W&L is not pulling anything. This is the city of McMinnville pushing off their mismanagement as a 'service fee' instead of what it is, a tax. In fact, W&L argued that their lawyers were pretty sure what they were doing was illegal. This was 'service fee' was to fix a 2 million dollar budget overspend, a one time overspend. However, the service fee is permeant, it won't go away once this year screw ups are taken care of.

Don Dix

John Miller wrote (speaking about the release of Brittney Griner) -- 'Apparently we’re not all viewed equally under the law.' That sentiment has been on display way too much lately.

But the most astonishing statement made about Griner came from the president -- "She represents the best America — the best about America — just across the board, everything about her." So I guess one must disrespect the national anthem to gain that status, at least from this administration?????

MR. S

every time you use the word "conspiracy theorist" as a pejorative... go get another booster.

Or you know... trust in God alone.

tagup

Don- I think “being viewed equally under the law” is a matter of perspective. I’m certain that Ms Griner, as a woman, a woman of color and a member of the gay community has seen plenty of discrimination that a Yamhill county male of my demographic( and yours) probably never need to consider. “Freedom and justice for all” sounds nice, but in reality, it isn’t true.

Don Dix

tagup -- she didn't want the national anthem played before WNBA games. That alone would disqualify her as 'the best about America', IMO. And since being freed, she has been thanking fans, friends and family for their support and diligence, yet nothing for her country that brought her home -- respect is earned, not granted.

sbagwell

"Brittney Griner on Friday expressed her gratitude to members of the Biden administration who helped secure her release from Russia this month and pledged to aid President Biden’s efforts to bring home former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who is still imprisoned in Russia.

" 'President Biden, you brought me home and I know you are committed to bringing Paul Whelan and all Americans home too,' Griner said in a post on Instagram, her longest public comments to date since she returned to the U.S. last week.

" 'I will use my platform to do whatever I can to help you. I also encourage everyone that played a part in bringing me home to continue their efforts to bring all Americans home. Every family deserves to be whole,' she added.

"Griner thanked Biden, Vice President Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, other members of the Biden administration, her Russian legal team and others for their work in the months leading up to her release.

"In the Instagram post, Griner wrote that she intends to play in the upcoming WNBA season for the Phoenix Mercury, 'and in doing so, I look forward to being able to say ‘thank you’ to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person soon.' "

Bill B

SBagwell- Your point? What do any of these comments have to do with the comments on this page. I'm really surprised that anyone supports the exchange.

tagup

Bill- maybe re-read the post prior to Bagwell’s…

sbagwell

In response to Don Dix in the immediately preceding post. Sorry. I thought it was obvious.

Steve

Don Dix

I guess we will see when they play the anthem @ the first game she dresses for -- if she respects it, good for her -- if not, well not so much.

Bleepbloop

Don, is standing for the anthem your first (and possibly only) litmus test to show patriotism. Seems strange to me. Civil dissent, especially when trying to spotlight racism seems very patriotic to me. You seem to equate the anthem with supporting the soldiers, but not everyone does. I find the blue line flags unpatriotic Denise you are deciding to deface our national symbol. Look at it from that point of view.

Don Dix

When the anthem is played, the flag is presented/raised (and 'our flag was still there'). I was taught to respect the flag as a youth beginning with the pledge (which has apparently been 'canceled') -- it means something to me.

If one cannot muster any respect for the many (military and non-military) who made the ultimate sacrifice to make and keep this country free, relocation might be the best case. Reaping the rewards, without acknowledging the 'why' or the 'how' it was accomplished, is greedy, disingenuous, and obtuse (IMO).

Have a "Merry Christmas" all!

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