Letters to the editor: Abortion, burn pits, Marriage Act, climate change

Abortion

I would like for Idaho citizens to have a more direct say in crafting our abortion law. I do not believe that our trigger law reflects the views of most Idaho citizens, and our tax dollars should not be used to defend a law that we don’t agree with. Rather than defend a bad law, why not rewrite it? My ideal law would define pregnancy at implantation, define abortion as ending a viable pregnancy, and make abortion illegal at any stage of pregnancy with clearly stated exceptions for the health and life of the mother, rape, incest and for disabilities so severe that the baby cannot reasonably be expected to survive past birth. Those who disagree with my ideal law should have a voice equal to mine. I would love to see more citizen debates on what a good abortion law looks like. If citizens had more say in the crafting of this law, then it would make more sense to spend our tax dollars to defend it.

Barbara Clawson, Rexburg

Burn pits

The US Senate finally passed the bill providing for the care of veterans suffering from exposure to “burn pits” in recent military actions.

This long overdue action passed by a healthy 86-11.

For the third time, both Idaho’s senators voted against this most basic obligation of our country — to take care of our troops wounded, sickened and disabled by their service to our country.

When a young American answers the call to serve our nation and joins the military, he or she is assured that our country will meet this responsibility.

Without this assurance, who is going to endure the many deployments away from family, the many nights “sleeping in the shallow end of the puddle” and getting shot at.

As a Marine, I always knew that it was our obligation to take care of fellow Marines and their families, even at great risk.

United States Senators share this responsibility.

As a 22-year Marine Corps veteran with combat service and a 41-year Idaho resident, I consider this lack of support for our troops and their families an affront to the tens of thousands of Idaho veterans and their families.

Risch and Crapo must explain.

Keith E. Carlson, Lewiston

Marriage Act

I’m extremely disappointed in Russ Fulcher’s “Nay” vote on the Respect for Marriage Act.

Our nation espouses freedom and liberty for all. Plain and simple — we must not restrict any person’s freedoms while others enjoy them unimpeded. Idahoans deeply value freedom, and that includes privacy in their deeply personal matters such as whom we choose to marry.

Idahoans value kindness, not cruelty. Peace, and not violence. Freedom of religion, not tyranny from it.

Willfully attempting to tear apart families and reversing lawful marriages is not representative of any of those values. I expect Rep. Fulcher to represent all Idahoans equally, whether his personal lifestyle or beliefs aligns with theirs or not — particularly in personal matters of freedom and autonomy that big government has no right to govern or restrict.

Christopher Vogl, Boise

Climate change

With heat waves devastating both the United States and Europe, it is clear that we need to act on climate change immediately. The blocking of the climate elements in the recent Senate reconciliation bill was a terrible step backward. Now, more than ever, legislatures and government officials should be acting on this issue. Anyone who is tired of weeks of hundred-degree weather should contact their representative and tell them to fight climate change now.

Nicole Donald, Boise