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Letters to the Editor

More than meets the eye

To the editor: Despite Michiganders twice voting against the hunting of wolves, here we are again facing threat of a rushed wolf hunt through the adoption of Sen. Resolution 15. Why the need for this hunt you ask? Well, the resolution states it will limit potential wolf and human contact. Such occurrences are extremely rare, despite the fact we have an array of humans in our forests year-round. My goodness, we Yoopers live in the woods. This hardly seems like a valid reason to suddenly override the DNR’s existing management plan—though it does make for good copy. Sen. McBroom, one ...

Is it true?

To the editor: An Associated Press article in the DMG on April 5, 2021, stated the following: A Michigan sheriff is speaking up for an Upper Peninsula man who was charged in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Karl Dresch “stepped over the line” by going into the Capitol but he’s not a “dangerous man or dangerous to the community, … nearly all homes here have weapons as we have a tremendous number of hunters and fisherman,” said Houghton Sheriff Brian McLean in a letter filed in federal court in Washington. “In spite of his history and flaws, he has managed to raise a ...

Support slowing climate change

To the editor: I’m a retired meteorologist with two degrees in atmospheric science. The great majority of the most qualified scientists in my field believe human-caused greenhouse gas emissions (and other short-sighted, careless actions like widespread deforestation) are responsible for a dangerous climate change that is causing an overall global warming and more extreme weather-related disasters around the earth. In fact, NASA reports 2020 ended up tied with 2016 as the warmest year in terms of global average temperature since records began in the 1880s and the earth’s average ...

Where do we draw the line?

To the editor: The Second Amendment to the Constitution states “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” This amendment is ambiguous since a well-regulated militia and arms are not adequately defined. The Founding Fathers lived at a time when arms consisted of muzzle loading muskets and crude mortars; but what constitutes arms? An arm might be defined as anything used for individual defense, collective defense, or predation (hunting). A hammer, screwdriver, ice pick, ...

Who needs this change?

To the editor: Recently, Walmart went to self-checkouts. I wonder if anyone did a poll or asked customers how they felt? There were always long lines but now they’re very long. I’ve seen people just leave their carts and exit the store. I personally don’t like it. Looking for UPC symbols, bagging, and a lady next to me found out after doing all that, the store doesn’t take checks. She was told to go to customer service and do it all over again. I will be doing the bulk of my grocery shopping at Econo’s or Pat’s IGA. Your groceries are bagged, put in a cart, and ...

Voting bills not helping

To the editor: Thirty-nine bills were recently introduced in the Michigan Senate that will suppress voting rights, all done under the false premise – aka “The Big Lie” - of securing elections in a state where there has not been a single documented and verified instance of individual or voting machine fraud. Republicans created a phantom problem in order to pass legislation designed to curb voter turnout. Michigan is not alone. These types of bills are being passed in Republican-controlled legislatures across the country and are targeted to make voting more difficult, ...