Letters to the Editor for Jan. 22

It would be good for our state senators to take a clue from this cooperative style, so they can work together effectively on legislation that affects all of us. There are important items on Oregon’s 2020 legislative agenda, like funding for police and wildfire protection, that are important to all of us and that need to be dealt with conscientiously, not be thrown under the bus by partisan politics.

This year, our state senators need to stay in Salem and negotiate all legislation before them in good faith, instead of sowing seeds of mistrust among us and taking off for the hills as they did last year.

Pamela Starling

Mosier

‘Memories’

Mr. Nybroten’s Jan 18 letter “Dance in the Streets” is a great example of what happens when a small part of any argument is dissected. He wants us to dance and rejoice that our president unilaterally assassinated a known bad guy for reasons no one but the president openly supports.

If Trump is truly a world savior, when can I expect the assassination of North Korean dictator Kim Jung-un? My research says he is ruthless, already possesses nuclear weapons and has concentration camps where he imprisons his own people. It is pretty hard to listen to North Korean refugee stories because so few make it out alive. Certainly, he is as bad a guy as Soleimani?

I doubt has Trump has any plans to take out Kim Jung-un. In their June 2019 photo-op, the president is grinning from ear to ear as if he was meeting Winnie the Pooh at Disneyland for the first time. Since that “historic” nuclear summit, the master negotiator has failed to produce one shred of positive negotiations with North Korea regarding nuclear arms. In his defense, he did make some beautiful memories.

Steve Kaplan

Hood River

‘Glorious capitalism’

It looks like Australia is showing us the shape of things to come, but the collateral damage of our collective future is a small price to pay for over 200 years of glorious capitalism.

Think of all the wonderful billionaires we’ve made.

David Warnock

Hood River

Poisonous

Mr. Nybroten should know that I do not feel safer now. And I suspect neither do the families of passengers of Ukraine flight 752, mistakenly shot down by an Iranian military on a heightened state of alert, in the midst of a military response to the Trump ordered killing of their top general.

Our troops are not safer; 11 suffering blast concussions in the aftermath of Iran’s retaliation. Trump claimed no one was injured as he deliberately ratcheted up tensions via Tweet.

Safe at the White House or at Mar a Lago, does he even think about our troops in harm’s way? Does Mr. Nybroten think that there aren’t any other Iranian generals who may feel the need to avenge the death of one of their own?

Because I believe that Trump’s actions were reckless and needlessly added tinder to the powder keg that is our involvement in the Middle East does not make me a hater. The pejoratives used to defend this president are tired, and only continue to stoke a dangerous divide in this country, as Trump himself often does.

Lastly, I am not blind. I see now. When Trump said he could shoot someone on the street and not lose voters, I laughed. After reading the many defenses of his recent behavior, I see that he was right. May we as a people find a way to end this poisonous state of affairs, and soon.

Jennifer Ouzounian

Hood River

Extinguish  war flames’

It’s heartening to see growing support in the Senate for limiting Trump’s use of war powers.

Last week the House passed a resolution to limit his war powers against Iran. The measure, although it doesn’t carry the force of law, said Trump should withdraw U.S. forces from conflict with Iran within 30 days if he does not get congressional approval.

Sen. Ron Wyden and Sen. Jeff Merkley should push for the same, or even a stronger version, in the Senate. We do not want war with Iran, and we most definitely do not want this rogue impulsive president to create or fan any more war flames.

Vicki Nunenkamp

Hood River

Operation Christmas Child

I am writing to thank Hood River residents for sharing the true meaning of Christmas with children in need this past holiday season.

Because of the generosity of donors in Hood River and across the United States, Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, collected more than 8.9 million shoebox gifts in 2019. Combined with those collected from partnering countries in 2019, the ministry is now sending 10,569,405 shoebox gifts to children worldwide.

Through shoeboxes — packed with fun toys, school supplies and hygiene items — Hood River volunteers brought joy to children in need around the world.

Each gift-filled shoebox is a tangible expression of God’s love, and it is often the first gift these children have ever received. Thanks to the generosity of donors, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 178 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories since 1993.

It’s not too late for people to make a difference. Though drop-off locations serving Hood River are closed until Nov. 16-23, 2020, information about year-round volunteer opportunities can also be found at samaritanspurse.org/occ or by calling 253-572-1155.

Thank you again to everyone who participated in this global project — many who do so year after year. These simple gifts, packed with love, send a message to children worldwide that they are loved and not forgotten.

Dana Williams

Operation Christmas Child; Boone, N.C.