Letters to the editor: Republican convention, abortion, Second Amendment

Right turn

Hard to believe what has been happening in Idaho since 2020. The biggest election denier is not even from our state and is now the chair of the Republican Party. How did she get elected when our elections are so flawed (by her account). Maybe we should do more recounts to see how this happened. The Republican Party has gone so far right by people who are not even from this state. Wake up, Republicans, and get rid of these crazy people who do not share our ideals of a true Idahoan.

Lynn Lovell, Meridian

Second Amendment

Let us get it straight. The First Amendment says citizens may redress grievances by peaceful assembly. That means no guns, no knives, no face shields, no 40-round mags, etc.

The Second Amendment says a well-regulated militia. That means no felons, no men with protection from abuse orders, no mental illness, etc. Our forefathers would never have allowed hot-headed misfits with anger issues, felons and people who cannot take orders to join a well-regulated militia. Many of the Jan. 6 rioters have protection from abuse orders.

A gun owner,

Daniel Bacon, Middleton

Abortion

The religious-right Idaho Republicans have gone too far in their opposition to abortion. A law stating an abortion is illegal when a woman will die if she does not end a pregnancy is an abortion of law. It is an evil law. When did it become a good idea to kill two people if, indeed, a fetus is a person? A woman with an ectopic pregnancy will die without interrupting the pregnancy. How can you justify the death of a woman carrying a fetus that cannot survive? She will die because an accident of nature formed fetal cells outside the womb where a fetus cannot possibly survive. Without an abortion, her death will be on your sanctimonious hands forever. You claim to be pro-life. You care about your own life, not a woman’s life. A woman is disposable under your rules. Your rules deny an abortion to a woman or child who has been raped. You smile benignly but you are all hypocrites. You have never been raped.

Joan Ehrnstein, Meridian

Lack of respect

I have been an Idahoan for 54 years — most of my adult life. In the last years have I been embarrassed to say so, on occasion. But this is over the Moon (as in Dorothy Moon, newly elected chair of the Idaho GOP). At the Idaho GOP Convention in Twin Falls last week, she had this to say: “We will never treat hardworking Idahoans with anything less than full respect.” But she also said this: “We have to make sure with the Democrats coming at us with full force that we have our barriers up, our guns loaded and ready to keep us safe.” Does this imply that Democratic Idahoans are not hardworking, or that only hardworking Republican Idahoans should be treated with respect?

Jake Hoffman, Boise

Big tent

The Idaho Republican Party should remember that RINOS have horns. The actions at the party convention take the party further from the principles that this lifelong Republican valued. I can’t in good conscience stand quietly by while the fringe becomes the mainstream. Smaller government and fiscal responsibility are the mainstay of the party I joined 39 years ago. I will remain in the party so I can influence who runs. But after that, unless qualified for office, I will vote for the opposition. And if that angers the guardians of party purity, tough. Reagan’s big tent is folding up, and the conspiracy nuts have the reins.

Like-minded Republicans need to speak up or watch the party dissolve into a bad joke for late-night fodder.

Brad Cozzens, Eagle