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RUBY RIDGE: Let us not repeat it

| September 15, 2010 5:25 AM

I am pleased that the Hagadone papers carried the recent story about the tragedy of the FBI killings at Ruby Ridge. It deserves to be told fairly everywhere. This is current drama, not old history. A repeat can be prevented.

Regardless of your political stand, the killings of the Weavers were improper and unjustified. One entire town turned out to ask gun-toting officials to stand down. Officials refused and those needless deaths are the result.

For years now the Spokane paper has been inflaming the public, telling people to fear anyone with a Conservative or Republican bent.

Our concern today is that Coeur d'Alene is setting up the whole ugly scenario again. There are several "Human Rights" organizations that are arguing in favor of unprovoked political and social attacks on anyone who is not a Democrat.

The Weaver killings all started with unprovoked violence against a Catholic religious named Bill Wassmuth. That man's response was distinctly non-Christian. Anti-hate hate groups grew voluminously. Amazingly, the Weavers and Wassmuth had never heard of each other.

We can do better. If you don't like the way someone thinks or talks, chat with that someone. Understand the whys behind mysterious behavior.

Understanding is hard work. It takes time but prevention beats shootings any day of the week!

(Yes. The term, "Catholic religious" is correct. This is a polite alternative to calling such a person a priest or minister.)

JOHN WIEGMAN

Missoula, Mont.