Cary Weston works for us
A neighbor saw the “Cary” sign on our front lawn and asked why we are supporting Cary Weston for the Maine Senate. The reason is that we need people such as Weston so state government will not only work, but work for us.
Weston is totally approachable. He is sincerely interested in what you have to say, in what you think about the challenges we have in Maine, and he cares about finding the right solutions to our problems. He has a record of doing that on the Bangor City Council.
Bangor is a city of older neighborhoods, and Weston introduced a common-sense ordinance change that cleaned up language in an antiquated building code so residents in those neighborhoods could rebuild failing garages. He worked to make absentee landlords more accountable for their properties, strengthened council-school board communication and tightened accountability standards for general assistance, which resulted in an $800,000 decrease in annual distributions.
Based on his open, personal style, his impressive contributions to his city and his collaborative and successful work with other municipal leaders in Maine, Weston is a Senate candidate who can represent us capably in Augusta. He brings something else, too — a quality few candidates offer: the potential for growth as a representative and a leader. That’s why we have the sign.
Mark and Bridget Woodward
Bangor
Don’t be cruel
Vote yes on the bear referendum. Stop the cruel baiting, trapping and hounding of bears. I don’t oppose fair-chase hunting, which is often necessary because overpopulation of humans and wildlife.
Everyone should be skeptical of the information from any Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife division. These people are hunters. Their priorities are to enhance hunting opportunities and profits. They also are government employees who are subject to politics, where science often takes a back seat to special interest groups. Do you believe everything the government tells you?
Opponents claim that this referendum will destroy Maine’s hunting industry. Not so, even in Maine’s dense forests. Hunting thrives in virtually every state without these horrible practices. It should also have no effect on the hunting of other animals.
I define hunting as a search for animals for the sole purpose of killing them, regardless of overpopulation and nuisance complaints. I don’t consider hunting a sport because the playing field is so horribly lopsided, even without baiting, trapping and hounding. The animals don’t even know they are in danger.
You should also know that IF&W is seeking a permit for the incidental killing of lynx, which are on the federal endangered species list. Where will it all end?
I don’t live in Maine but vacation here often. We love Maine and its people and are very interested in what happens in this beautiful state.
Richard O’Brien
Edison, New Jersey
End violence rally
As we witness the brutality of the Islamic State in Iraq, it’s understandable that there is a call for retaliation and military responses. But we have seen that 13 years of military responses have only increased terrorism. Violence is not a solution: It always ratchets up in an endless cycle. Each drone strike creates more recruits for extremist groups.
Tearing up the earth to extract fossil fuels raises carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to dangerous levels and acidifies our oceans. Glorification of violence in the media has spiraled into a dead-end culture of violence. It’s time to think more creatively.
You can take a stand against violence by attending End Violence Together, a rally and march at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, on the Bangor Waterfront at Railroad and Main streets — or at the Brick Church if it rains. The event is held in conjunction with the massive People’s Climate March in New York City on Sept. 21 and is one of many planned across the country that week. There will be drumming, singing, speakers and a walk through downtown Bangor. Co-sponsors include Pax Christi Maine, Manna Ministries, Veterans For Peace, Spruce Run and the Church of Universal Fellowship, among many others.
For information, visit the website for Campaign Nonviolence. You also can call the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine at 942-9343 or visit their website at peacectr.org.
Christina Diebold
Bangor
Speed limit illogic
In recent weeks, there has been discussion on the BDN editorial page of the recently raised speed limits on interstate highways in Maine. On Aug. 29, the BDN editorialized approvingly of these increases. Nowhere on the BDN pages have I seen mention of the impact of increased vehicle speed on efficiency of fuel consumption and carbon emissions. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data show that for speeds above 55 mph fuel consumption per mile increases by 8 percent and 23 percent at 75 mph. Carbon emissions increase proportionately.
Given that about 32 percent of carbon dioxide emission in the U.S. is from the transportation sector, that personal vehicles and trucks account for most of these emissions and that anthropogenic climate change poses a great threat to our economy, environment and security, does it make sense to increase speed limits?
The editorial suggests that driving speed reflects social and cultural factors affecting human behavior — in this case, how fast we drive. I believe that this and many other negative aspects of human behavior can change if people fully understand the implications of their behavior.
I find it troubling that otherwise well-informed members of the Maine Legislature acted to promote these speed limit increases. If legislators fully understood the environmental impact of their recent legislation, would they be brave enough to admit their error and reverse themselves to help protect all of us from environmental catastrophe?
Ronald B. Davis
Orono