McLachlan protects gun rights

To the editor,
Being an effective elected official requires strong leadership. I am proud of our state representative for standing up against violence in Colorado by supporting background checks for all gun purchases. I am proud of Mike McLachlan for taking leadership on a common-sense measure to protect the rights of gun owners while simultaneously restricting access to weapons for felons, perpetrators of sexual assault, and the mentally unstable. With the recent ruling from a federal judge upholding these laws, it is obvious that his vote was the right decision for our district.

Our state has felt the horror of gun violence too often for us to stand idly by, with our children unsafe, even in their schools. In Colorado, many are proud of the long tradition of gun ownership, but it also demands a crucial sense of responsibility.

We understand that guns must be used safely for them to serve their purpose. Background checks are critically important to ensuring that guns are no longer readily available to those with a history of violent crime. They ensure guns are kept out of the hands of criminals, while still protecting the rights of Colorado’s gun owners.

Representative McLachlan understands this dichotomy. As a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Mike understands the importance of protecting our Second Amendment Rights. However, he is equally aware that steps must be taken to ensure guns are not readily available to those with violent intentions.

Mike will continue to work hard to protect the rights of gun owners; anyone having any issues with buying 4  or transferring a gun after being cleared by a background check should contact Mike for assistance. Nevertheless, the gun bill was an important step to ensure that we remain safe and secure in our every day lives.

Please join me in supporting bipartisan leadership. Vote for Mike McLachlan for State Representative to ensure Southwest Colorado has a strong voice in Denver to make sure our interests are heard.
– Cherry Miloe, Forest Lakes

The breeding of obedient people

To the editor,
“You have owners. They own you … You know what they want? Obedient people who are just smart enough to run the machines and do the paperwork but just dumb enough to passively accept all these increasingly sh***ier jobs with the lower pay,” George Carlin, “The American Dream,” 2010.

How do our owners breed obedient people? The patriarchs of the Supreme Court just gave our owners another tool to crush their patriarchal religion upon women. In so doing, corporations and politicians resume their goal of controlling fertility and forcing young women to bear unplanned children that no one can or will feed. Next, they slash funding for nutrition and education programs to program America’s poorest children for failure, for malnourishment, for obedience as cheap labor, especially the cheapest labor of all, prison inmates. 

This action is the mark of a dead beat parent. Why are we electing dead beats? Is it any surprise that the patriarchs of the Supreme Court voted for their stock options instead of our Constitution? Have they a divine right or duty?

The First Amendment clearly states that we are absolutely free to obey our own religion. We are absolutely not free to enforce our religion upon others. Why are we abandoning the Constitution to allow the Republicans and other patriarchs to create a malnourished child mill to serve the owners? Why do people humiliate, intimidate, bully and harass young women to serve themselves while sacrificing women and children to corporate greed? It is not Jesus they are serving between women’s legs. Republicans serve ALEC, the Koch brothers, corporate power, and themselves. Unfortunately, the patriarchs’ goal is to destroy creation to turn it over to their lord. Separation of church and state is a really good thing.

While we malnourish almost one in four of our children, America has been hustled into depending upon, and addicting itself to, processed grains with our sugar, salt and fat. Perhaps we are all malnourished. 

Perhaps the owners have us where they want us. The bottom line is above all and our halos are our horizons.
– Ann T. Johnson, Durango

Morrissey capable problem-solver

To the editor,
I personally encourage people of La Plata County to elect Allison Morrissey as your County Treasurer. I believe that she has the skills, abilities and desire to create a professional office that provides the services you deserve in a way that gives you confidence. Allison will provide you ethical and effective services to better serve the citizens of your county.

As a manager of Allison Morrissey at a global software company, I was impressed with Allison’s ability to drive quick results on a very complex problem. In this project, Allison analyzed a very complex worldwide problem, created a strategic vision, and managed the implementation of a new software solution that involved hundreds of key stakeholders worldwide. Her project plan included understanding how work was currently executed in multiple countries and designing a solution that increased employee productivity while taking into account the demands of the cultures of these countries. Not only did she overcome financial and technological issues related to the worldwide software implementation, but she also solved many people issues related to changing their work habits. This particular project was so successful in our business unit that the concept was ultimately picked up and used in the rest of the business.

The La Plata County Treasurer’s job may not be as complex as this project was, but she will bring these experiences with her as she improves the quality and efficiency of the work being done in the Treasurer’s Office. Allison is personable and fun to work with and I encourage you to elect Allison Morrissey as your next County Treasurer.
– Norm Hodne, Kent, Wash.

Hobby Lobby’s pull-out method

To the editor,
The Telegraph’s “thumbs down” on the Hobby Lobby decision and the corresponding editorial cartoon (July 3) imply that private companies can deny all contraception coverage. In fact, the decision referred only to closely held companies and said Hobby Lobby was not required to cover four birth control methods deemed to be abortifacients.

Hobby Lobby’s employees continue to have coverage for 16 birth control methods. The Affordable Care Act as passed by Congress did not mandate coverage of all 20 FDA-approved birth control methods; that mandate was added by the executive branch after the Act’s passage. About 30 percent of insurance plans offered through large corporations do not cover erectile dysfunction drugs such as Viagra; most of the rest limit coverage. Is that a war on men?
– Marjorie Fowler, Durango