Tell your Representatives
Dear Editor:
Thank you for your comments last week on national issues. They are important locally.
By the Constitution and by Congressional Acts, only Congress can establish (or dismantle), fund (or de-fund) federal agencies. Not Elon Musk.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provides emergency food aid and medical care for impoverished populations in the global South. I saw its work first-hand in East Africa, starting many years ago. It brought hope, and it engendered deep appreciation for America. Shutting down USAID puts millions of people worldwide at immediate risk for malnutrition, disease, and death. Shutting down USAID harms our own national security. Disease and political instability don’t recognize borders. Tell your Representatives.
Our new Administration also has crippled our own public health system. It denies our nation’s health care workers access to critical information. Practicing doctors and public health agencies no longer receive notifications of disease outbreaks, food contamination, and other public health emergencies. That puts your health at risk. Directly. Tell your Representatives.
Finally (for this missive, but only the tip of the iceberg), Musk and his bandits have gained access to data files at the U.S. Treasury Department. Those files contain your bank account information, Social Security, Medicare, tax files, and other personal identification. Elon’s gang have no security clearance, no legal authority for such access. Tell your Representatives.
Write your Congressman and Senators. Tell them to protect Congressional authority. Tell them to stand up for you and for your rights. And while you’re at it, please take a minute to thank the dedicated public servants in this community, your friends and neighbors, who have dedicated entire careers to protecting your health and safety, your environment, and your economic opportunities. They deserve our respect and gratitude.
Congressman Jeff Hurd:
https://hurd.house.gov/address_authentication?form=/contact/email-me
202-225-4676
Senator Michael Bennet:
https://www.bennet.senate.gov/contact/write-to-michael
202-224-5852
Senator John Hickenlooper:
202-224-5941
Dr. Bob Dorsett
Meeker
Public libraries are for the public
Dear Editor:
The purpose of the many Boards in Meeker is to serve the people of various districts – School, Hospital, Library, etc. These representatives serve to make informed decisions for the people, so that it is not necessary for hundreds of people to come to a meeting and try to reach a consensus. If you agree to serve on a board, you should not be there for personal issues but to serve all the people in your district.
The situation at the library has become a major concern for our community. A library should be a place where one can find information on any topic and a variety of genre of books to read. I may not agree with all the choice people make but I believe that is the beauty of America. We do not need to agree but we have no right to deny access to the choices of others. We have different tastes in books and different attitudes in life. A library should afford the opportunity to explore these differences. The information should be available to enable informed decisions to be made instead of ignorant assumptions.
I have lived in Meeker more than 50 years and am very proud of our library and the librarians in charge. We have a wonderfully diverse selection of books, magazines and reference materials in a variety of media. I do not want to see narrow minds taking away my options in these materials. There are many areas in the library where you can see what you want to see and avoid the areas you do not like. I do not pry into what books or magazines anyone has in their private home library.
A public library is exactly what it says — Public — for the people. Please keep it that way and allow our librarians to do their jobs.
Thank you for listening.
Elaine Jordan
Meeker
