MY TURN: Some common-sense solutions
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." — George Santayana, The Life of Reason, 1905. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man. Great quote by George Santayana, and I completely agree with the quote. We must never forget the past.
I think all the upheaval over the "Breaking Bread" reader board was not the quote, rather than wrongfully giving credit to the wrong author of the quote. Hitler definitely did not make this quote. He was for disarming the people and we know what happened. As a lifelong resident of Kootenai County, and my whole adulthood living in Hayden, I, too, was shocked by any business wanting to quote such a murderous tyrant as Adolf Hitler.
I remember as a young adult with a fight still in me how our community rallied together to disband hate, intolerance and racism from Kootenai County. Guess what? We may not have booted all the Aryan Nations out of here, but we shut them up.
Sadly, as I see so many "radical" newcomers coming here to live, they are bringing back the hate we never stood for. Reading the Sunday letters to the editor, I was astonished how many nasty letters were directed at the person who had the courage and spoke up and said she did not think the "Hitler" quote was appropriate. Yet these same people who scream freedom of speech are the same people trying to pass through Idaho legislation the banning and "destroying" of books. I believe in the First Amendment and the Second Amendment; I don't think banning guns is going to solve much. Banning books will solve nothing.
Instead of just complaining, I would like to make a few common-sense solutions. I propose instead of taking more rights away like my right to choose my own health journey. Let's throw our money to mental health, obviously someone who is mentally stable is not going to go shoot up a school or kill innocent college students with a knife. Make sure that people with a violent history or mental health issues cannot ever obtain a gun legally. I say legally because, from my understanding, these shootings, the guns were legally purchased. Start making parents responsible and liable for the acts of their children, whether they taught the behavior or refused to seek help for their troubled child.
Banning books, boy this one sets me on fire, all the self-righteous people trying to ban books and make a one-religion country, I would say ban the Bible first. The Book of Judges and the Book of Revelations are two of the bloodiest and violent books I have ever read. Well, that won't work either. Let me propose a citizens committee of not far-right or far-left individuals, but educated, "normal" people to review the questionable books and give their recommendations to the library board. I also believe that books must be rated like the movies are, G, PG, R, XR and put in appropriate areas in our libraries.
Parents, as you monitor, or I hope you are monitoring, what your children watch on TV you would with their reading choices. And for God sakes, don't let them unsupervised on social media or YouTube. I have worked in our local schools as an employee, volunteer and parent and I can tell you if I didn't agree with a book the teacher assigned, all I would have to do is go to that teacher and explain (without screaming and demeaning the teacher) this is not a book I want my child to read, and I guarantee, that teacher would make accommodations for your child to read and report on a different book. Our teachers are so necessary and wonderful. I have known a few that I wouldn't want my child to have, but that was rare. If it had not been for Rick Lopes (who sadly passed away too soon) and Shelley Rosenburger at Hayden Meadows 25 years ago, our son today would not have succeeded. Today, our son holds a bachelor's degree in business.
Please vote yes for your children, teachers and our future leaders for the May school levy. Let's keep people working, students learning and extracurricular activities going. OK, I'm finished. Thank you for the opportunity to vent.
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Stephanie Saterfiel is a Hayden resident.