Our readers' views Nov. 15

I am happy that the Fort Vancouver Regional Library Board and Westfield Vancouver mall management were able to arrive at a solution that doesn’t involve closing the mall library. My family and I frequently use the library and know first hand how much it has been instrumental in our learning, teaching, and growing.

Activities geared toward children and young adults provide great opportunities for learning and help enrich the lives of these young ones and their relationship with their family members. We have been so thankful for being able to take part in and experience the mall library programs with our son.

The mall library serves the community in so many positive ways that to have had it close would be detrimental not only to our citizens but to our future as well.

It is a social institution that helps an individual and a community thrive. Now that’s worth keeping.

Diana Frome

Vancouver

I wish to thank the wonderful people of Vancouver and Clark County who stood in the rain to honor their veterans on Nov. 8.

For those of us who marched in the parade, seeing old and young enduring the weather in appreciation of their veterans was a vivid reminder of values for which we fought.

Don Beatty

Camas

For those of you that agree with the Nov. 10 letter, “Buy American,” from Roger Jones, I ask: Where are we suppose to do this? Congressman Brain Baird, D-Wash., has also made that comment several times, advocating “Buy American” legislation.

I was Christmas shopping for my grandchildren. Of the 40 items I purchased most were from China, two were from Korea, and two were from Canada. Even most of the Christmas cards I found in the stores were made in China. I sent this information to Congressman Baird asking him where I could “Buy American?” I haven’t received an answer.

Instead, many politicians work with China, helping to arrange for more corporations to move their production over there.

Walk through the major retailers and all the other big corporate stores and try to find something made in America.

Dale Shotwell

Vancouver

On Nov. 19, Ingrid Newkirk, co-founder of PETA, will be appearing at Powell’s Books in Portland. Newkirk is an animal rights extremist of the worst kind. If she had her way, no one would be allowed pets of any kind.

Newkirk likened the Holocaust to slaughtering chickens, “Six million people died in concentration camps, but six billion broiler chickens will die this year in slaughterhouses.” Regarding the Animal Liberation Front, designated a terrorist organization by the FBI, she said, “I will be the last person to condemn ALF.”

She has irrational ideas and attempts to insinuate her followers into city councils with the goal of passing legislation to make having a pet, farm, or even zoo, illegal. About her death she said, “I plan to send my liver somewhere in France, to protest foie gras … I plan to have handbags made from my skin … and an umbrella stand made from my seat.” Does that sound like a rational person?

Harold A. Lay

Vancouver

We are in a terrible state in this country with people losing their jobs at record paces.

Former Vice President Al Gore has a great plan that everyone should look at. It’s all about renewable, clean energy, getting back on track with jobs, and helping the planet at the same time. See the plan at repoweramerica.org. Hopefully readers will care enough to support it. We all need to do our part.

Beverly Young

Vancouver

These are interesting times. Many of us have spent the last year engaged in political activism.

Regardless of which side you wanted to win the presidential, state or local elections, we’ve shown that our community has the energy and determination to fight for our cause. To fight long and hard and to dedicate our time, talent and treasure to something bigger than ourselves. We do this with the intention of improving our country.

But with the election over, it is time to redirect that energy to other projects. And now is an especially good time to find a new cause into which you can channel that energy and talent. Southwest Washington has myriad not-for-profit organizations that need your help now.

Look around for something that speaks to your heart whether it is children’s mental health care, a homeless shelter, an environmental or educational cause.

Find a place to donate your resources and help make our community stronger and better.

Jeanne Bennett

Vancouver

In post-election discourse a recurrent theme of Barack Obama supporters has been that the “Right” is busy attacking the president-elect before he officially takes the helm and its inherent counter-productivity. While the voting majority did choose Obama, 46 percent of voters did not. Telling these citizens they must now swallow their objections to an Obama administration seems obtuse at best.

In any time, much less volatile times, manifold public duty includes holding elected officials to account. Regardless of which candidate one picked it would be irresponsible to not question the actions of any elected official.

To blindly trust is to seek a destiny of failure.

For eight years there’s been a stunning display of overt hate, disrespect and vulgarity towards President George W. Bush and the Republican Party. Now in an unashamed demonstration of hypocrisy, a double standard is being handed to Americans that it’s now unfair to critique and criticize vis-a-vis Obama’s stated intentions and current actions.

Gregory Noelck

Vancouver

Let’s see, the automakers and the unions want the U.S. government (that’s us) to lend the automakers $25 billion so the automakers can then give it back to the unions to fund a negotiated health care plan for retirees.

How about having the automakers instead write an IOU for the $25 billion to the unions, and keep the U.S. government (us) out of it?

John Kimbrough

Vancouver