Letters to the editor: View from Washington, BSU football games, Idaho politics
View from Washington
As a fully vaccinated Washington state resident, I am concerned that so many unvaccinated Idaho residents, who have contracted COVID-19, have crossed into my state to seek hospital care. Vaccinated Idaho residents are welcome here, but their unvaccinated brethren are not.
The lives of many Washingtonians are affected by the indifference of the unvaccinated. They crowd out the sensible, vaccinated Washingtonians who suffer heart attacks, need knee replacements, or have other urgent or emergent needs.
And still, Idaho’s governor does nothing. Perhaps, he is just living down to his name. He has proven he has Little respect for the lives of his citizens; Little sense in his refusal of vaccine or mask mandates; and shown he has Little heart. That’s too bad for all of us.
John R. Scannell, Sammamish, Washington
Football games
Boise State University’s cynical disregard for public safety would be shocking if it were not so predictable.
In the face of statistics showing increasing cases of COVID-19, record deaths from the disease, and hospitals overwhelmed by victims, BSU disingenuously uses on-campus reductions in cases as justification for relaxing football stadium vaccine and COVID test requirements. As if the stadium and campus somehow exist on an island separate from Boise and Ada County.
The administration knows full well that the vast majority of people attending games do not live on campus. It would be almost impossible to find a responsible public health official that would support this policy. It is disgraceful that BSU ignores public safety in service of keeping those turnstiles spinning, and the cash registers ringing.
Bruce Harris, Meridian
Deciding factors
I’m dismayed by the letter to the editor from the state’s AARP director and the suit by Justice in Aging. And I am one of the group they claim to defend. Both fail to acknowledge that we are in a crisis situation. We have all contributed to this dire medical situation, and age will only be one of a multitude of factors that may decide medical care.
No doctor or hospital will wish to be in the situation of making a decision to limit a person’s medical care. Any decision will be prejudicial. What about a deciding factor being diabetes or a cancer currently in remission? Should they be removed as considerations as age is being suggested? It appears as if the greatest generation is being replaced by the selfish generation.
Kirk Hall, Boise
Right-wing path
I fully support your recent editorials pointing out the failures of our elected officials to effectively tackle the pandemic. I have also read a number of letters addressing much the same.
I believe there are a lot of closet moderates of both parties who would love to see our state released from the clutches of the right wing and ineffective members of Idaho government we have here now.
With the election coming up, my hope is the Statesman will highlight the candidates and support the moderates running for office. Idaho cannot continue down the right-wing path it is on now.
Glenn Anders, Meridian
BSU decision
I wonder if there are any officials or employees at Boise State University who are feeling uncomfortable about the decision to scrap the covid protocols for football games. It was made clear by St. Luke’s that it is inadvisable to host such spreader events when the Ada County coroner is overwhelmed, the hospitals are in crisis, and Idaho has an appallingly low vaccination rate. Certainly BSU’s reputation will suffer after such an affront to public health. Sadly, the excellent reputations of St. Luke’s and Saint Alphonsus will be negatively affected, as well.
Eileen Schoenfelder, Boise
