Letters to the editor, Nov. 26, 2008

Pep talk to America
Even if you don't believe in God, please read this. There is so much fear in our country and world today. It seems nobody has the answers. As we celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas, I would invite you, if you have not, to take another look at the possibility of a Creator.

If there is a Creator, there is a reason for our existence. If there is a reason for our existence, this Creator has a plan out of this mess as well. Give the God of the Bible another chance. He can give you peace that goes beyond economics and war and a reason to exist. Look at the Christmas story this year and ask God to show himself to you. He will. Our area churches are there to help if you are in need.

To all the Christians, we are God with skin on to the world. Let us not live in fear, we need to be more loving and full of grace than ever to our world. We are the voice of hope and, let's face it, this may not be the end of the world many are preaching.

I am going to listen to my own advice. I am turning off my news radio, tuning out the stock market and focusing on what truly matters, people. Let's see this crisis as an opportunity to re-evaluate our finances and priorities. Once we get through this, and we will, we are Americans; we will be stronger for it.

Take a step back today and take a deep breath, enjoy the season. Be thankful and then have a merry Christmas.
God bless America
Nathan Funston
Sequim


Successful food drive
Exciting results from our food drive/harvest breakfast held Nov. 15 at Irwin Dental Center. We served breakfast to over 200 guests and raised $2,539 in donations and 1,540 pounds in foodstuffs. All the proceeds from our event went to the Port Angeles Food Bank. We couldn't have had such a successful event without the generous support from our sponsors. We hope that our team can continue to serve our Clallam County's civic needs and that this event was our first annual harvest breakfast and food drive with many more to come in years ahead! Thanks to our entire team and especially all those who donated to the Port Angeles Food Bank. It was an honor and pleasure to serve.

Thanks again for your support!
Darci Ulin
Irwin Dental Center
Port Angeles


Support local business
The need to support local businesses is clear. One of those reasons is the wonderful way that local businesses support our community. I have a great example in the help that Pacific Mist Books has given to Parenting Matters Foundation, a nonprofit corporation designed to help parents be excellent parents.

Pacific Mist Books has been helping Parenting Matters Foundation, PMF, in three ways: 1) Pacific Mist provides publisher copies of books to customers who donate money to PMF, 2) Pacific Mist submits a grant to the National Book Sellers Association which matches what Pacific Mist donates to PMF, and 3) Pacific Mist helps PMF buy books for its parenting library.

This contribution and support from this local business allows a local nonprofit corporation to provide help to parents and children throughout Clallam County.
Cynthia Martin
President, Parenting Matters Foundation


Past and present
One way of approaching problems is to take the reasoning of today and apply it to the problems of the past. For instance, look at the problems of the horse industry a hundred years ago. The noble horse had a history as long as anything recorded or remembered. They had been instrumental and essential in producing food and getting it to the market, and in warfare, getting men to the battle scene. It would be called too big to fail. And it was being seriously challenged.

The dairy industry of China seems to be a lot of small herds, like we had 50 to 100 years ago. Contaminated products are coming through. Portions of the industry passed three inspections and were not inspected again. That is an angle that never occurred to dairy inspectors of my acquaintance, nor the officials in our Army when I worked for them. We wish they had thought of that much sooner. So there are some new things on earth.
R.W. Robinson
Sequim


Fair, smart tax loses
The Sequim Transportation Benefit District (TBD) tax failed by a narrow margin in the final count. I don't live in the city, but I do spend my money there. I would have been more than happy to provide a few additional pennies on my discretionary purchases so that we could have decent streets in the community where we all live and work.

This time, it was not to be. I hope the city council will put it back on the ballot as soon as possible. When they do, I will be much more aggressive in my support. Sequim voters missed an important opportunity and now all of us will suffer. The plans for road and sidewalk improvements are off the table. We will be lucky to fill a pothole or two.

Like most governmental jurisdictions, the city of Sequim is facing tough times. This TBD tax would have given the city the resources to plan for and implement modest transportation improvements and, more importantly, put the city's needs in play when the inevitable federal infrastructure stimulus package hits the state of Washington. It takes money to plan and strategize for this kind of federal assistance. Often it takes matching local resources to make the effort work. Sequim doesn't have the money. Our community will be left out.

The Gazette is to be commended for speaking to the importance of the TBD initiative. It was fair! It was smart! It was important! It would have made a difference.

Although there wasn't a massive "food fight" over this issue, some folks raved about "socialism" and "taxes never." Some councilors chose not to support it but at least did not actively oppose it. Now all of us will have to suffer from that missed opportunity. Next time, perhaps common sense rather than fear and misguided emotion will prevail. Let's hope so.
Pat Johansen
Sequim