HISTORY: Build upon this

“The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.” — George Orwell.

Who would think that conservative Kootenai County would be Orwellian? But that is just what’s happening. Our 12 museums and historical societies are fragmented and supported by the county with a piddly $15,000 as opposed to Boundary County’s $23,000 with 10 percent of our population! More importantly, it’s costing us tourist money by not having a vibrant history environment. The county is tasked with preserving our culture, but whines about not “having any money” in a $100 million budget! Is there a solution? Yes!

The county owns the old 8,000-square-foot Army Reserve building at the airport. It cost it nothing and can be a county museum and storage facility as well as a possible location for a Rutan Aerospace Learning Center, as well as a possible location for the Bird Aviation and Invention Museum when it moves from its current location in Sagle. But all of this lucrative and cultural goodness won’t happen with the county’s current plan to sell the Army Reserve building. Why sell it with so much at stake? Tell the county commissioners to take it off the market today so the art and cultural community can form a plan to make our county even greater. You can make a difference. Call the commissioners today.

RICHARD Le FRANCIS

Coeur d’Alene