COLUMN: Too far to the right, Dean

I discovered a column last month by Dean Haagenson. One bizarre idea he expressed was withholding citizenship until a person completes some kind of term of service.

The message he presented that I really want to counter, however, was his attack on the school’s summer nutrition program. During my remarkably unsuccessful campaign for a seat on the Coeur d’Alene school board, I researched this issue thoroughly, and found that there are several conservative reasons to support this program.

What I found most compelling is this: As conservatives, we should be concerned about upholding traditions that reinforce family ideals. Many children these days aren’t taught that meals are to be a scheduled, social gathering. Instead, many homes have an “open fridge” policy, where children graze, at will, alone, with no conception that breaking bread socially is one tradition that holds our culture together. Anything we can do to counter this trend is an essentially conservative initiative.

I found it contradictory that Mr. Haagenson attacks the tiny government institution of school nutrition programs, but proposes a massive, in his words, “system of universal service to create citizens.”

I do applaud Mr. Haagenson’s willingness to explore far right fringe ideas. I have impeccable extremist credentials myself. But even I wouldn’t go this far. Providing free and low cost nutrition to our community’s poor children is a very cheap way to show that our community cares about them.

BJORN HANDEEN

Coeur d’Alene