Inequality
Dear Editor: Our new president and Congress have vowed to stand up and defend the interests of ordinary Americans who feel left behind by deepening economic inequality. But actions speak louder than words.
More than 43 million Americans still live below the poverty line in this country, and that number would actually be twice as high if not for federal anti-poverty policies. So it’s truly puzzling that some members of Congress are preparing to attack key pillars of our safety net programs; programs their constituents depend on to survive, like SNAP (formerly food stamps), WIC and Medicaid.
Now more than ever, we need to focus on helping hardworking people across the country make ends meet, not put up roadblocks in their way. We must stand up against schemes to “block grant” health and anti-poverty programs and efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. I hope we can count on our elected officials to reject any proposals that undo what we know works.
Lisa Sadleir-Hart, Sitka
Sitka Women’s March
Dear Editor: Sitka’s Women’s March on Saturday marched for equality, tolerance, freedom of religion, respect for Mother Earth and our rights for our quality of life. We were amazed by the turnout. A lot of work by a number of people went into pulling it together and we think we all feel inspired by the energy that Sitkans exuded.
Special thanks go to Reverend Julie and the Episcopal Church for providing words to set the tone for the march and a location to meet after it; to Cara Jane Murray, who provided the art work for our poster and created our banner; to Bethany Goodrich, who created the poster; to Edy Leghorn, Eleyna Rosenthal, Matthew Jackson, and Kelsie Barbour who helped with the pre-march work, and the rest of the Sunday group of young people who made many memorable and motivational posters; to Melissa Thorsen-Broschat of the Highliner for the mochas as we were setting up the church; to Sharon Sullivan of Unity Botanicals who provided the tea; to SCS for the mic; and to the non-profits who spent time on a Saturday sharing ways people can get more involved in issues locally that address the values we marched for: Planned Parenthood, Sitkans Against Family Violence, Brave Heart Volunteers, Southeast Alaska Independent Living, Sitka Community Land Trust, the Lutheran Church on social issues, the Episcopal Church on social programs, Alaska Native Sisterhood, Sitka Conservation Society, Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Chichagof Conservation Council, Sitka Global Warming Group, Bags For Change, Citizens Climate Change Lobby and UAS Sitka.
Thank you everyone who was there for your expressing your First Amendment rights. We hope that you have been inspired to take another step in getting involved in an issue that we marched for.
Marian Allen, Kathy Ingallinara,
Bernadette Rasmussen, Sitka
Trump
Dear Editor: The following message was sent to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Sen. Dan Sullivan and Rep. Don Young.
President Trump lied, again, to the public and to congressional leaders Monday falsely claiming he lost the popular vote due to fraudulent voting by “illegal” immigrants. There is no data nor are there “alternative facts,” to back up this claim. President Trump lied earlier, joined by Press Secretary Reince Priebus and counselor Kellyann Conway about numbers attending his inauguration. Both lies are unacceptable.
The definition of “complicit” from the Webster Dictionary for English Language Learners is: “helping to commit a crime or do wrong in some way.” Remaining silent and taking no action, in our opinion, is “doing wrong in some way” to your Alaska constituents, to the American public and to citizens of the world.
Will you continue to be complicit by not insuring that qualified facts are presented to your constituents and to the American public from President Trump and his administration?
Krisanne Rice, Jim Clare, Sitka
