Moyar has rationale of a bully
Holy Cow! Reading Mark Moyar's opinion piece from Dec. 10, "Trump will restore healthy fear in US foes," I found myself wondering whether I was reading a memo from ISIS or a nationalist manifesto from the United States. This guy makes Machiavelli look like Mickey Mouse. He is clearly advocating that the U.S. should rule internationally by means of fear, violence and intimidation. What's the biggest thing we've been worried about and told to fear since 9/11? Terrorists using terrorism to terrorize us. I forget, what's the definition of terrorism again? Oh yeah, it's "the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims."
There's a huge difference between "carrying a big stick" and bludgeoning everyone in front of you with said stick. This is the mentality and rationale of an elementary school bully. Wouldn't the world just run so much more smoothly if we all feared the police, feared our neighbors and feared our government? No wait, he just wants the rest of the world to fear us. I think George Orwell is either laughing or crying in his grave right now. It's hard to laugh.
— Simon Corcoran
Talkeetna
Butler owes Mat-Su an apology
In response to Jason T Butler's comments (Letters, Dec. 15):
I don't know how Richard Rhyner and Chuck Orr feel, but if I've made a Democrat happy, I feel quite accomplished. (If that's the article you are referring to that I wrote) I can handle you berating me all day long. But I think the only intelligence insulted in your article was that you disparaged the fine people who live in the Mat-Su Valley. I think you owe them an apology.
— Rolf L. Bilet
Anchorage
Thank you, AFD
I would like to give thanks to the firefighters at the Anchorage Fire Department. They responded this week to a fire in a neighboring condominium building. While I don't know the details of the fire, I was impressed (and grateful) for the amount of vehicles and personnel that were dispatched to the scene. I felt reassured that the fire would not be allowed to spread to neighboring units or buildings. The firefighters who responded were courteous and professional. I was able to go back to sleep knowing that my building was fully protected.
When considering budget cuts, I would like to remind everyone that when faced with the possibility of fire spreading to your place of residence and losing everything that you own, you are thankful that the fire department is able to send out the appropriate amount of equipment and personnel to keep that from happening.
Thanks again, AFD. You were appreciated.
— Suellen Geis
Anchorage
GOP coup d’état?
With the help of the Russians, we now have a minority controlling our country in what is appearing to be a real coup d'état. Authoritarian leader Trump and the putsch that the GOP has ridden into power does not bode well for our crumbling democracy. Yet his underlings blithely cheer him on.
— Wayne Jones
Palmer
Cameras not a waste of money
I'm responding to Edward Plaza on the red light cameras (Letters, Dec. 15). First off, the cameras are already in place. Every intersection in town has what are called traffic flow cameras — that's how emergency vehicles have green lights whenever they are needed. All it will take is a software change in the programming. Secondly, the program would be paid for after only about a year — by people who are breaking the law, not by every taxpayer. If you don't like getting tickets, don't run the lights. It's that simple.
— Jason Karpinski
Anchorage
The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter under 200 words for consideration, email letters@alaskadispatch.com, or click here to submit via any web browser. Submitting a letter to the editor constitutes granting permission for it to be edited for clarity, accuracy and brevity. Send longer works of opinion to commentary@alaskadispatch.com.