Letters to the Editor

Readers write: Letters to the editor, February 19, 2018

Swamp is plenty full

Sooooooo. … The DC "swamp" got drained with this administration? Now we have a Great Lake sized pond filled with hugely entitled secretaries who travel high-class as they aren't treated nice with those of us who fly coach. Oh, and a VA executive who takes a questionable trip with his wife because it is critical to vets that he/she know all about tennis in England, Hummmmm? Swamp doesn't look so bad right now.

— Beverly Metcalfe
Anchorage

Guns certainly do kill people

You know the saying "Guns don't kill people, people do." If you believe this, then you need to educate yourself. Let's start with some facts: 62 percent of firearm deaths are suicides, 90 percent of attempted suicides with a gun will die while over 90 percent of those attempts by other means will live. Seven children are killed with guns in the U.S. a day. On average 96 people are killed with guns in the U.S. every day. There are 13,000 gun homicides a year in the U.S. For every one person killed with a gun, two more are injured.

Why is this happening here? Why are Americans 25 more times likely to be murdered by a gun than any other country? Because the gun lobbyists control our senators. Murkowski and Sullivan are not driven by the need to keep guns out of our children's hands or to keep us safe. No, they are servants to the NRA. In 2015 both senators voted to block efforts to pass a common-sense gun law right after the deadliest mass shooting. This somehow has turned into a political battle between the Democrats and the Republicans. It shouldn't be. Please, Sens. Murkowski and Sullivan, it is time to do the right thing and have a bipartisan conversation about some common-sense gun laws. I, for one, do not want to open the paper and read about another mass shooting in a school full of innocent children.

— Mary Ripp
Eagle River

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Trump on Gold Star families

We have seen how Trump expresses appreciation to Gold Star families. His disgusting call to Ms. Johnson in which he reminded her that her husband had volunteered. Just the tender touch you would expect from the President of the United States.

Can we forget his treatment of the Kahns? Not only whose son volunteered but emigrants whose son felt he needed to show that his religion too believed in our stated ideals. At least the ideal many of use believe in.

Trump's contribution to the military? Bone spurs. Funny how our last two Republican presidents made sure they did not serve. Judge them by what they do, not what they preach.

— Gregory Schmitz
Anchorage

A UA program worth funding

As the governor, state Senate and state House weigh concerns about the revenue coming in versus spending going out, I hope they take the time to 1) familiarize themselves with how University of Alaska Research benefits the state of Alaska, 2) visit the people and laboratories that make up the University of Alaska Research machine and, 3) learn about the value added by funding the University of Alaska at the board of regents ask. University of Alaska Research laboratories, staff, faculty, and students further Alaska's natural resource economy through assisting mines with reaching their exploration and development goals (examples: Red Dog, Fort Knox, Pogo, Kensington, and Greens Creek).

The University of Alaska Research machine also provides a framework for hydrocarbon exploration in frontier basins like the Nenana Basin and frontier formations like the Nanushuk of the North Slope. University of Alaska Research has investigated the geothermal energy potential of Chena Hot springs and Pilgrim Hot Springs. University of Alaska Research has also assisted in natural hazard assessments (examples: earthquakes, slope for the infrastructure (ex. trans-Alaska pipeline, Goldstream Valley permafrost mapping). University of Alaska Research has benefited the timber industry, fishery industry, and the state's game management. University of Alaska Research has also helped further the food and military security of our state. Visit a large mine in Alaska and ask where folks were trained, and it will be clear University of Alaska Research is synonymous with workforce development. Next time you think you see the University of Alaska Research community with a hand out, shake it for we are all in this together.

— Jeff Benowitz
Fairbanks

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