The Idaho Way: Say it loud and clear, extremism and hate are not welcome in Idaho
By Scott McIntosh, opinion editor
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This week, the Idaho Statesman kicked off a two-part series by Statesman reporter Nicole Blanchard and McClatchy reporter Michael Wilner looking at the rise of white nationalism and extremism in Idaho.
It’s not good.
It’s been 20 years since Idaho defeated the neo-Nazi group Aryan Nations in North Idaho, but the state continues to fight the stereotype of being a refuge for white supremacists. Meanwhile, such attitudes persist, with recent incidents of antisemitism in Boise and the Patriot Front’s attempted disruption of a gay pride picnic in North Idaho.
There even has been an infiltration of Idaho politics by figures with white nationalist views — and they’ve been legitimized within the state’s Republican Party.
Why are they coming to Idaho?
From Blanchard and Wilner’s reporting, it’s clear that these white nationalist, Christian nationalist and white supremacists see Idaho as a haven, a refuge for their vitriolic beliefs. They think they have a safe space here to practice their brand of hate.
It’s up to all of us to send them a clear message, forcefully, loudly and repeatedly: You’re not welcome in Idaho.
Read our full editorial here on how we cannot go backward in Idaho.
Fear, cruelty and control
I found it fitting this week that, after we wrote an editorial calling out the Idaho Republican Party for its convention dominated by fear, cruelty and control, I received some hate email from people who disliked our characterization of the convention. Without a hint of irony, their emails displayed those very characteristics: fear, cruelty and control.
Read our full editorial here on how the most extreme elements of the Republican Party are fully in control after its convention in Twin Falls.
Role model Spokane?
Spokane City Council members this week approved a temporary zoning change to open up the city to more multifamily housing styles and townhomes, options in all residential housing zones, according to The Spokesman-Review. The interim zoning ordinance will allow duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes and townhomes in all residential zones citywide for one year, according to The Spokesman-Review.
Come on, Boise, if Spokane can take bold action on housing solutions, we can, too.
CHIPS Act
Mayor speaks for CHIPS Act: Given Micron’s key role in our local and state economy, and the key role their products play in our national security and technology advancements, legislation like the Bipartisan Innovation Act is critical to protecting our city’s economic health, its leading industry and our workforce, writes Boise Mayor Lauren McLean.
Micron CEO urges passage: America is built on ideals, innovation and leadership. This month, Congress has a historic opportunity to reclaim those ideals by passing a bipartisan bill to fund U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing. Some are saying we cannot afford to do this. But the reality is the U.S. cannot afford not to do this. Semiconductors are the backbone of a secure, modern economy and foundational to our national security. This issue is not political, it is generational. It is not partisan, it is transformational, writes Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra.
Keystone XL Pipeline
Ever since boycotts started blocking Russian petroleum products, social media has been rife with memes that blame rising gasoline prices on “the cancellation of the Keystone Pipeline.”
Here’s what really happened: No one shut down, canceled or shut off the Keystone Pipeline. It is fully operational, daily delivering 590,000 barrels of tar-sands oil in Canada to U.S. refineries.
What some pipeline advocates think is the “Keystone Pipeline” is a 1,700-mile “shortcut” called Keystone XL, or KXL. It would have sliced through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma to the Texas Gulf Coast, delivering 830,000 barrels of tar sands oil per day. Many residents of those states fought fiercely against the pipeline cutting through their land.
Despite efforts to scapegoat President Joe Biden, Keystone XL Pipeline wouldn’t mean cheaper gas.
Copper is key
Copper, a vital metal for electrification, is of key importance to an all-electric future. Solar and wind power, electric vehicles, and the infrastructure to transport renewable energy all rely on the red metal. Countries across the globe have set goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050 by reducing dependence on fossil fuels – which is expected to skyrocket demand for copper.
That’s why Copper is key to an all-electric future, and domestic mining is the best way to get it.
I’m listening
Send me your story ideas, news tips, questions, comments, or anything else on your mind. You can reach me via email at smcintosh@idahostatesman.com.
Find me on social media:
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What you’re saying
This week, we received letters to the editor reacting to the Idaho Republican Party convention, consequences of abortion law and limits to the Second Amendment. You can read these and more letters by clicking here.
You can submit a letter to the editor or guest opinion by clicking here.
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