Letters to the Editor 4/1/2020

To the Editor:

A message to the citizens of Sisters — STAY HOME!

Yesterday (Saturday, March 28) I was appalled to see literally 75 to 100 people walking around the downtown core visiting restaurants and shops! Just because it seems that the virus has NOT reached our small community yet does not mean that it can’t or won’t. Because if it does it will rip through our tiny and much-loved hamlet leaving a wake of dead elderly and very sick adults.

The anger I felt driving through town on my way to pick up some essentials from the Bi-Mart was palpable! I have been locked up in my house for seven days with my fiancée and two kids and it has been far from easy. However I do this, not to protect myself, but to protect the elderly or immune compromised that live here in “our” Sisters. To see these flocks of people out walking around in arms length of each other just literally blew my mind. The false sense of security is shameless and we need to do something to change this.

If the virus takes hold here it will rip through our largely elderly community with impunity and we will be virtually helpless to stop it. The ONLY way to stop it is to take away that which it feeds on. And that is people! If there are no people in town and people are ONLY going out for groceries or medical then we can HUGELY REDUCE the chances of this virus making its way here.

I am a 47-year-old healthy male who cares about this town and this community but it seems there are many who do not and that angers me greatly. Now that being said many of these people may not be from here and may be people who are driving through town. Well this is what SCARES me the most.

Somehow, some way we need to get the message out that people need to stay inside. Sure it’s not easy, believe me I know with two kids 12 and 14 bored out of their minds locked inside. But I DON’T CARE; tough it out! The message needs to be that these people’s lives are NOT better than this community and the elderly that live here.

I am not saying you need to lock yourself in a dungeon. Go for walks on trails where there are no other people or people are scarce. I think we all know that around here that it a very viable option. Go for a walk around your neighborhood or a bike ride. But stay clear of clustering in town.

People are not taking this seriously and sadly will not till it is far too late.

Patrick Tougas

To the Editor:

OK, I’m a little late with this, but I just want to say it’s good to see Craig Rullman’s ruminations in print again.

For way too long I’ve been checking every Wednesday for a Bunkhouse column, only to be disappointed. I thought maybe he’d given up on writing for us, but finally last week (March18) there he was.

Encourage him to be a little more frequent with his submissions, will you? And maybe at the same time tell him it’s OK to voice a controversial opinion when he has one. Some of us enjoy seeing our own thoughts in print, as a reminder we’re not alone out here.

Jerry Wright

To the Editor:

I was agreeing with David Purviance’s letter to the editor (Mar 25) until he stepped into the sewer by naming what he considers to be the most reliable news sources. Those he lists have lied to the American people repeatedly for more than three years. When one lie is proven incorrect, they don’t apologize or correct the record, they just move on to another sensational lie. Their sole purpose is to take down a duly elected president. Remember the lies they encouraged Michael Avenatti to propagate? Remember Stormy Daniels’ lies?

Remember the Russia lie? Remember Robert Mueller’s band of Trump-hating, left-wing lawyers, who found no evidence of wrongdoing by Trump? Yes, they did find campaign associates who have admitted to committing crimes (none of which are about colluding with Russia). Remember the FISA lies? Remember the impeachment fiasco they knew would be proven true and would remove President

Trump?

Remember they castigated Trump for restricting flights from China? Oh, they are now claiming he didn’t act soon enough. Remember they praised New York Governor Cuomo for criticizing Trump two months ago when the governor declared there was no threat from COVID-19? Do they now praise Cuomo for declaring Trump didn’t act soon enough and for not sending enough supplies to New York?

He doesn’t like Fox News, and sometimes I don’t either, but Hannity, for instance, has never been proven wrong on the illegal activities he and his investigative reporters have unearthed that came from the upper leaders of the DOJ and FBI. In fact, issues that I doubted initially have been proven

accurate.

I do agree with most of Mr. Purviance’s letter: Be cautious about texts, tweets, e-mails. Let me add, listen to news cautiously and don’t be repeatedly duped by lies. I pray we all stay safe.

John Miller