‘Just delete’ Schirard from office
To the editor,
Not only does Sheriff Duke Schirard belittle by name people who disagree with him in his Facebook rants and opinion pieces in the Herald, he also uses his publicly funded, official county email for sending highly partisan emails to his staff. (See article in Durango Herald, June 29.) Both of these show how unprofessional he is and why we need a change in the Sheriff’s Office.
His lame excuse for his political emails – “I thought they were funny. .. and (staff) could just delete it” – entirely misses the point. He is the head law-enforcement official yet has total disregard for policies regarding private use of county email. If he had sent his cartoons and political rants on his personal email, no problem whatsoever. But I resent someone who is elected to serve all of us mocking the President, comparing him to Hitler and posting right wing jokes on email we all pay for.
The head of an organization, especially a law-enforcement organization, should hold to a higher standard of conduct. I find it so telling that Schirard said if someone had officially complained, he would have stopped. That is not being a leader.
Luckily for us, there is an opportunity to change the arrogant, insular mentality of the current sheriff. Sean Smith is an experienced law enforcement officer and a professional leader who will set a high standard for himself and the entire Sheriff’s Office. Twenty years is long enough for Schirard to show what kind of a leader he is or, in this case, isn’t. Now I expect he will post a personal rant against me on his Facebook page.
– Laura M. Godfrey, Durango
Sour over ‘Lemonade-gate’
To the editor,
I’m writing in response to the unfortunate fact that Tom Cramer’s lemonade stand is no longer present at the Durango Farmer’s Market (DFM). I loved his fresh-squeezed lemonade! Tom’s lemonade was one of the most popular venues at DFM – there was always a long line for his lemonade. I have read Tom Cramer’s letter to the editor and was very upset to hear what sounded like a bureaucratic and/or politically motivated decision by the board. It is very disheartening to see something like this happen in a venue that is supposed to serve the community. DFM has always had a “small town” feel to it, so this decision wipes that feeling away for me.
Could it be DFM has changed so much that only certain vendors, who meet the board’s conformist criteria, can participate? It sounds like Tom spoke up for the small business person, the board did not agree with his views, and thus Tom was nixed from the market. How many other vendors who may have voiced an unpopular opinion were nixed from DFM as well? I find it coincidental that the board has a “new rule,” which just so happened to greatly affect the vendor who spoke up for the small business person.
The DFM Board should take a good, hard look at themselves and make sure they are not losing sight of their original purpose and mission. DFM used to be a friendly, small community-like venue. Is the board only allowing larger vendors into the market and thus leaving the small business person out? Why are there so many empty booths in the shoulder seasons? It seems small vendors such as artisans and craftspeople could fill those booths until agricultural vendors begin to harvest their product. Other markets I have attended certainly have a large variety of vendors available to the customer.
Tom Cramer’s idea of starting a different, grass roots, small community-minded market is not a bad one. Maybe it’s time to boycott DFM to hopefully open up the ears and eyes of the self-serving board.
– Patty Coen, Durango
Schirard should put politics aside
To the editor,
On Thurs., June 26, federal judge Marcia Krieger upheld two Colorado gun laws, one limiting gun magazines to 15 rounds, the other calling for background checks on all gun sales. “Of the many law enforcement officials called to testify, none were able to identify a single instance in which they were involved where a single civilian fired more than 15 shots in self defense,” stated Judge Krieger. And is anyone really loosing their “rights” when they have to reload their gun? Judge Krieger also noted that no evidence was produced at the two-week trial that indicated a person’s ability to defend their self is seriously diminished if magazines are limited to 15 rounds.
This must have come as a (partial) blow to our own La Plata Country Sheriff Duke Schirard, who along with 50 some other Colorado sheriffs, sued in court (in their official capacity) that the law impinged on their Second Amendment rights and that it was unenforceable. Schirard was quoted in the Durango Herald as saying, “I don’t have the resources to go out and ask for sales receipts on magazines that anybody possesses.”
We wouldn’t want our elected sheriff to bother to enforce State of Colorado laws he doesn’t agree with or that take too much effort to enforce. Just like I’d not be expected to pay taxes, bucking a federal tax law when I don’t agree with how the money is being spent. Sadly, Sheriff Schirard and many other sheriffs in Colorado have wasted a lot of time and effort in court over a political issue, while portraying it as a practical one. At least from now on he’ll have to disagree with these gun laws as a private citizen and not in his “official” capacity. And maybe he’ll even start to enforce these Colorado state laws, even if he does have to check a few sales receipts now and then.
– Tim Thomas, Durango
The Nature of Futility
In the quiet of the night,
If you should arise,
be aware that
you may unexpectedly
be surprised to find,
“Tragedy,”
slowly rocking in your
favorite chair,
impatiently tapping
that shining blade.
Tapping that vile instrument
on the window’s pane.
And under this colder moon,
it impatiently awaits
its nemesis,
“Good Fortune,”
who never fails to foil
its latest intrusion.
– Burt Baldwin, Ignacio