Overcoming extremism
The recent terrorist events in France highlight the intense need for governments around the world to attack, if you will, the threat that religious fundamentalism poses to humanity and civilized society. However, the tactics we must use to oppose these extremist movements in the short term differ from those we should employ in the long term.
As was the case in the Boston bombing, the reaction to the barbaric carnage in Paris was swift and decisive, and it served to demonstrate that such acts will be answered with immediate, appropriate justice. There should be no mercy, even in the name of innocent-until-proven-guilty, for would-be perpetrators must know that they will answer for their criminality.
In the longer run, though, society must combat such horrendous terrorism with a proactive approach. Since the extremists are supposedly motivated by some idea of a divinity, the only way to counter their ideology is to teach that whatever you call Him — be it God or Allah or Yahweh — the divine being creates us all not to destroy but to make life better for us all. No man or woman has a direct line to God and cannot claim to be carrying out, by his individual ideas and acts, the will of God.
This is something we need to instill in all who might feel that theirs is the only way. We should teach all, children and adults, that our maker cares for each and every one of His creations. He is not offended by, nor does he prefer, any person, for he in fact gave us the freedom to do as we see fit.
Steve Colhoun
Addison
Positives of park plan
This past summer, I had the experience of a lifetime. My goal was to ride my cross bicycle through Baxter State Park and the incredible lands that surround it. As I spent countless hours studying my Gazetteer and snowmobile trail maps from previous machine operated travels, I couldn’t help but wonder what was under all that snow I’d ridden on. Was it the beautiful gravel road I envisioned it could be?
Zooming in on the land tucked between towering Mount Katahdin, Baxter’s eastern border, and the East Branch of the Penobscot River, I discovered the Katahdin Woods and Waters Recreation Area: a 100,000 acre plus chunk of land. I had ridden the outer fringe on my snowmobile, but it was what I hadn’t seen that lured me in like the powerful magnet the North Woods is to my nature-seeking soul. I also knew that this beautiful land mass has been proposed as Maine’s next national park. The further my friend Dan and I rode through this land, the more incredible the wilderness became.
I understand that if the land is designated as a national park, the major ITS corridors will be preserved and about half of the land will be open to snowmobiling. As an outdoor type and seasonal motorhead, I can understand both sides, but ultimately it comes down to respecting the landowner’s decisions. Gifting this land to forever be preserved and protected for people to enjoy far outweighs any perceived negatives.
Steve Jacques
Eliot
Replacing offensive mascots
We should all congratulate the people in Fort Kent who saved the “warrior” name of their teams by changing the image from a Native American to a Spartan. No one is likely to object to the Spartan warrior, and this is a good first step toward resolving the controversies about using Native American images as mascots for sports teams.
There are at least three other names that some have deemed offensive: Indians, Redskins and Braves. All these names can similarly be saved by replacing Native American images with others.
The Cleveland Indians and other teams with that name have only to substitute a true Indian image — I suggest Jawaharlal Nehru or Mahatma Gandhi.
The Washington Redskins have several images to choose from — tomatoes, radishes and chili peppers all have red skins. Or, taking a little poetic license, they could adopt a red cooked lobster, though they don’t really have skins, or a red bull, though it’s the bull’s hair not skin that is red.
Finally, the Atlanta Braves and other similarly named teams could change their image from a Native American to one of me, which I would supply. Who else has the courage to make these suggestions?
Lawrence E. Merrill
Bangor