Our readers' views July 5

So, what did you all do for the Fourth? I know you didn't watch fireworks from the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. And I think the reason may relate to the fact that we have become a society of "takers."

What happened to good old-fashioned responsibility? At last year's July Fourth event, patrons were asked to donate $4 per person. With more than 60,000 people taking advantage of a beautiful fireworks show along with tons of family entertainment, fewer than 10,000 paid the $4. Does that mean that fewer than one-sixth of us are responsible citizens? Shame on us.

And shame on the venues on the south side of the river that have reaped financial benefit from this event via their big Fourth of July parties without donating a dime to the fireworks show. Because many are unwilling to pay their fair share, the rest of us lose. That's sad.

Ginger Metcalf

Vancouver

I just noticed that Clark Public Utilities offers wonderful incentives for home weatherization. For an average home, I estimate the incentive is about 25 percent of the cost. Conserve energy and lower your heating bills. This incentive applies only to electrically-heated homes. Take advantage of this. For details, go to clarkpublicutilities.com.

Compact fluorescent bulbs are great but L.E.D.s are even better. They haven't been available until recently. I have found them at a local store. They have spot lights and candelabra style bulbs with the small bases.

Don Steinke

Vancouver

This is an historic moment. Fifty years after tobacco smoke was found to be hazardous to health, the absence of meaningful regulation gave the tobacco industry dangerously wide latitude — addicting more customers and making it harder for users to quit. Thanks to recent actions by the president and Congress, the tobacco industry will finally be subject to strong regulation.

The industry will be required to disclose the ingredients in its products, including arsenic and polonium, two of the world's most potent poisons. It will no longer be able to entice kids with candy and fruit-flavored products or flashy advertising. Parents can feel safer knowing tobacco companies will no longer be able to prey on children. So long Joe Camel and good riddance.

Every day, 1,000 children become addicted to tobacco products and one-third will die prematurely as a result. Granting the FDA authority to regulate the manufacturing, sale and marketing of tobacco products will reduce this deadly toll.

The American Cancer Society and other public health advocates have fought for more than a decade for this lifesaving law. I'd like to acknowledge our government for protecting our children.

Jane Pallister

Battle Ground

Since his death, it has been nearly impossible to turn on the television, tune into the radio or visit a news Web site without seeing or hearing more news concerning Michael Jackson.

Jackson was one man.

Since the inauguration of Barack Obama on Jan. 20, 95 Americans have died in Iraq serving their country.

I'm not sure why these noble men and women are any less deserving of our respects than an entertainer whose most pervasive message was "Billie Jean is not my lover."

Jacob Marsh

Vancouver

I wish someone would explain to me how living in a simulated war zone is celebrating of the Fourth of July. Didn't people celebrate our independence when the war was over? As in, the bombs were no longer going off and the fighting had stopped? Did people keep blowing stuff up after we won the war?

Our independence holiday is July 4. Why then do people in my neighborhood begin lighting mortars at 12 a.m. June 29? What part of the July 4 celebration is littering the streets and keeping people from their sleep beginning the last few days in June until well after July 4?

Fireworks may be safe in the hands of responsible people, but responsible people pick up after themselves and are considerate of sleeping households. This brings me to the conclusion that I should be afraid because the people detonating mortars near my back, front and side yards are obviously not responsible.

Once again, it is the few that ruin things for the rest of us. Some people are abusing tradition by setting off fireworks irresponsibly. Fireworks should be a celebration, not an excuse to disturb the peace and litter the streets.

Larynn K. Dole

Vancouver

As executive director of Conservation Northwest, I'm disappointed in U.S. Rep. Brian Baird for using the climate change bill to grant favors to the timber industry at the expense of our nation's public forests and our planet's atmosphere.

Baird touts that he, by threatening to oppose the most important environmental bill in history, forced changes for biomass production. But the bill already included sensible biomass provisions. Baird added a subsidy to log late successional forests (80 to 200 years old) in the case of fire and disease.

Top scientists say salvage logging harms the forest. Since wildfire only releases 5 percent to 15 percent of the carbon stored in a forest, and logging releases more, the climate will also suffer.

The fossil fuel required (used in chain saws and trucks) to obtain the biomass often outweighs the power generated by it.

The only beneficiaries of Baird's effort might be timber companies on the dry east side of our region. Unless the policy goes haywire, Baird's own district and constituents won't feel any effect.

We should ask Baird why he held hostage a key bill for this agenda, and why he hasn't helped conservationists and timber folks collaborating in his own district, such as the Pinchot Partnership, to improve forest management and produce wood and jobs.

Mitch Friedman

Bellingham

I read there is yet another bill in the House regarding paying reparations for slavery. (H.R. 40: Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act is currently in committee.)

My family is from Italy. We were not in this country when slavery was legal. Could someone explain why I should have to pay to try to correct a wrong that never could be corrected with money when my ancestors were an ocean away? Where is the fairness in that?

Michelle Nelson-Peninger

Vancouver