We are all under pressure
The real issues in the shooting at a congressional baseball practice in Virginia have little to do with mental illness or gun control, though greater gun control would be helpful.
It has everything to do with the chaos and lack of democracy in Washington, D.C., today. President Donald Trump and Republicans are putting the nation through great turmoil. It has to do with the beginning of the end of democracy in America. With the alt-right takeover of our institutions. With Congress closing its doors to democracy and real public debate on issues and deciding our future behind closed doors. With no regard to the will of the majority of the people. With the majority of our congressmen hiding from their constituents.
We are all under pressure. The man responsible for the shooting just snapped. The shooter could have been anyone one of us.
Steven Roth
Swans Island
Keep Mayhew out of Blaine House
As a former member of the board of visitors at the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland, I would like commend the BDN for shining a spotlight on the efforts of the governor and the Maine Department of Corrections commissioner in blocking and dismantling citizen oversight of Maine’s prisons. The public and the Legislature need to have objective information about conditions in Maine’s detention facilities.
Missing from the reporting and discussion is the role played by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and former Commissioner Mary Mayhew in allowing youth with acute mental health needs to be routinely placed at the Long Creek juvenile detention facility. Mayhew and her department abdicated their responsibility to provide needed medical and therapeutic care to these young people in acute crisis. The tragic result was the suicide of a transgender teen with severe mental health needs late last year.
During my time on the board of visitors, I watched with growing concern as young Long Creek residents in crisis were sent out of state to behavioral health facilities because there was no place for them in Maine. Leaving aside considerations such as morality and compassion, Mainers should ask whether it is cost-effective to pay for sending youth out of state for care and treatment, or pay to place these teens in prison, instead of providing the needed treatment that could allow them to become productive members of their communities.
Now Mayhew has launched her campaign to become Maine’s next governor. For the sake of Maine’s most vulnerable youth, Maine voters should not allow her to get anywhere near the Blaine House.
David Vickrey
Cape Elizabeth
Protect the North Woods monument
Almost exactly a year ago, I wrote in these pages about the sham congressional field hearing that was conducted by the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee — led by a man with a clear record against the protection of public lands through the Antiquities Act.
Despite the showboating and denunciations by Rep. Rob Bishop, President Barack Obama used the Antiquities Act to designate the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. The region then began to look for ways to capitalize on its new recreational destination and people began making capital investments and improvements where there had been none for many years.
Our governor, however, could not let this go. For some reason, he decided that the prospect of new economic development, tourism dollars and the revitalization of the depressed local economies of Millinocket, East Millinocket, Patten, Island Falls, Sherman and surrounding townships should not be realized, so he contrived to get the monument on the list of those under review by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.
I was relieved to hear Zinke’s comments following his visit. That he sees no wisdom in either reducing the size of the monument or of removing ownership from the federal government is cause for exhaling — slightly.
The fact that he called for a major overhaul of the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah gives me pause and should inspire all of us to continue to make our voices heard in support of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument heard.
Maj. Gen. Don Edwards, retired
Bristol
Implement ranked-choice voting
Last November, Maine voters decided to lead the nation by approving a common-sense voting reform, ranked-choice voting. This is one way to steer away from caustic political divisions and allow voters more choice. Our Legislature should respect Maine residents by keeping ranked-choice voting in place and amending the Maine Constitution accordingly.
Ann Haley
Bangor
What happened to common courtesy?
Has common courtesy gone out the window? At the grocery store the clerk’s response is “There you go.” The drive-thru window employee says, “There you go. Have a nice day.”
What has happened to people saying “thank you” or “you’re welcome”? I was brought up in the 1970s, and we always said “thank you” and “you’re welcome.” My husband’s reply is usually, “Well, I’ll say thank you.” And he usually does it quite loudly.
I thought customer service meant that we should thank “our” customers when we are done. For without customers, some people would not have a job.
Jennifer Strouse
Bangor
US can’t judge Cuba
President Donald Trump’s June 16 policy announcement on Cuba has generated a lot of talk in the national and international media. Most of the response has not been positive, especially when compared to President Barack Obama’s December 2014 plan to normalize relations with Cuba and the broad support that greeted it. Many analysts believe that dialogue, travel and trade are of more benefit to both countries than threats and petulance.
U.S. pundits, however, attempting to create a “balanced” nuance in their criticisms, invariably include the caveat “of course we want to see changes in Cuba.” I feel compelled to ask: who is the “we” and why is it necessary to demand “changes” before entering fully into respectful bilateral relations. Cuba may not be a perfect society, but truly, what are the complaints that the U.S. puts forth? Freedom of speech, political prisoners, control of the media are issues stunningly apparent here at home.
I suggest, let’s pull the plank out of our own eye. When the United States achieves a just, equitable and sustainable society in which everyone can take part and be proud of, at that time, and not sooner, we might be called to export “our values.”
Judy Robbins
Sedgwick