Readers write: Letters to the editor, May 13, 2016

The Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman newspaper published an editorial May 3 justifying its decision to sack Chuck Legge, an award-winning cartoonist. It was an odd document. On one hand, the paper argued that firing the homegrown cartoonist would allow it to carry more “hyperlocal” content. On the other hand, the bulk of the supporting detail in the editorial dealt with the controversial nature of Legge’s work, and the complaints the paper received from some of its more conservative readers.

The editorial failed to mention the paper also sacked Don Grota, a columnist who writes about issues from a veteran’s perspective.

Many years ago I taught a journalism class to my high school students in Texas. I taught about independence, about the journalist’s duty to follow a story where the facts lead — not where the writer wants them to lead. I taught them about the necessity of maintaining a strong wall between the business and editorial sides. I lectured long and hard about the need to resist intimidation.

Those ideas seem so quaint now. The Frontiersman has announced to the world it will be intimidated, and if someone with financial resources doesn’t like the news, all they have to do is threaten to quit, and the paper will pull a story, or pull back on a story, no matter how legitimate, no matter how well-researched.

Both Grota and Legge will be missed. Even more so, what will be missed is the trust in the Frontiersman’s integrity.

— David Cheezem

Palmer

While money will always be a factor in politics, ignoring conflict of interests by our legislators should not be. For example, Sen. Meyer and Sen. Micciche, both employees of ConocoPhillips at the time, stated a perceived conflict of interest in considering SB 21. Under the cover of Rule 34 (b) of the Uniform Rules of the Alaska Legislature, their recusal had to meet with unanimous approval. A member objected and Meyer and Micciche were required to vote. Their yes votes assured passage of SB 21, 11-9. This subterfuge can be avoided by replacing the last sentence of Rule 34 (b) with the following: “A member, on stating a perceived conflict of interest, may not be permitted to vote except upon the majority consent of the membership.” It is time to elect legislators who have the courage to change Rule 34 (b) — Alaska deserves laws enacted without the taint of a member’s conflict of interest.

— William Maxey

Anchorage

Should men and women occupy the same public bathrooms and shower areas at the same time? Society is once again holding a conversation and making decisions that will profoundly affect the disabled without including the disabled in the conversation.

A man who wants to use the women restrooms and showers is not going to be in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual as a person with a mental illness. On the other hand, my diagnosis would be in the DSM. I was sexually assaulted as a young lady, developed PTSD and was treated for a severe mental illness in my 30s. The state has classified me as disabled.

If I am in a woman’s public bathroom and a man walks in, I am going to be traumatized to the point of setting back my mental health and stability. The number of women who have been sexually assaulted or have a mental illness numbers into the millions. Disability and trauma are not always rational but the disabled have a right to some form of recovery.

States should recognize the disabilities of individuals who have been traumatized. Men should use the men’s public bathrooms, women should use the women’s public bathrooms.

— Faith Myers and Dorrance Collins, Mental health advocates

The Anchorage LIO is back in the news. This would be an excellent time for someone from the Legislative Council to explain why the available space at the Atwood Building is insufficient. Significant savings, abundant parking and downtown location clearly recommend the Atwood Building.

Additionally perhaps someone from the council might tell us why we need an LIO at all.

— Ken Flynn, not related to Patrick

Anchorage

I always look forward to reading Charles Wohlforth’s articles and I hope a lot of others share that opinion. If more Alaskans read his articles there would be lot more interest taken in our Alaska government and politics.

Several months ago, I read an article in ADN about someone being appointed to a commission or board and I was amazed at what his salary was going to be.

In light of our current budget crisis, I think it would make a interesting article for Wohlforth to explore just how many boards and commissions there are in state and local government, their purposes, how often they actually meet, how they are appointed and what their actual cost is to Alaskans.

— Glen Tilghman

old retired guy in Houston

Why do you spend so much newspaper space talking about Donald Trump — do you actually want him to win?

As a voter I want to know where candidates stand on the various issues as well as their past record — and I see very little of this in ADN. Most of the articles are the polls and whatever ridiculous thing Trump has said that week.

Please — improve your reporting.

— Joan Bundtzen

Anchorage

So Sen. Lisa Murkowski is back in print, whining about the Affordable Care Act. That’s ironic — where was she when the president was asking for help from Congress in drafting the best possible law? Well, of course, she was with her party blocking his every initiative to ensure Obama was a “one-term president.” They failed, of course, but they’re still trying, years after the election. Guess this latest editorial is her opening salvo in support of her man, Donald Trump.

One might reasonably ask what she, or any in her party, have done to improve the law and correct its deficiencies, real or imagined. The answer of course is: nothing. The problem with Alaska’s health insurance crisis is simple: In this conservative state too many “healthy” people decide not to take responsibility for their own care by buying insurance but instead take the risk, knowing that the rest of us will pay for them when they go to the emergency room or submit to expensive treatments they know they can’t afford. Instead of railing against the program that has brought relief to millions of Americans, she should be admonishing the freeloaders to ante up and pay their share of their health costs. When everyone has bought into the system, premiums will drop dramatically and as research nationally has shown, overall health costs will decrease.

— Terry Johnson

Anchorage

Interesting that in 2010, the voters of Alaska ignored the Republican party and backed Lisa Murkowski against the legitimate winner of the Republican primary, Joe Miller.

Alaskan voters clearly said we vote for the person not the party. Now in 2016 our senator who refused to accept the party’s defeat in the primary is supporting the Republican candidate for president, Donald Trump. Why, does she believe this guy is good for Alaska? Good for the country? Good for our future? I doubt it, she is supporting Trump because the party wants her too and that is more important to her than the independence and leadership we expected from her when we did not follow party rules.

— Steven Russell

Nikiski