Letters to the Editor

Transparency about UAPs

I am writing to address our government’s lack of transparency for 75 years concerning its knowledge about UAP (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena).

Personally, I disregarded the topic until December 2017, when the New York Times revealed a secret government program investigating UAP. Three videos were leaked to the New York Times where unknown vehicles displayed the five observables of UAP (1. Sudden and instantaneous acceleration; 2. Hypersonic velocities without signatures; 3. Low observability; 4. Trans-medium travel; 5. Positive lift.)

People ask me if I believe in UAP. My answer is that “belief” is irrelevant. The government has acknowledged UAP’s existence. “Unidentified” being the key word in UAP. We don’t know what this phenomenon is. In June 2021, the Director of National Intelligence issued a report acknowledging that UAP are real.

In July 2023, I watched the UAP hearing in its entirety. Intelligence officer turned whistleblower David Grusch testified under oath before Congress that our government is in possession of an intact nonhuman craft — and its “nonhuman” occupants — and has been concealing a UAP “crash retrieval and reverse engineering program” for decades, even from Congress and some presidents. I found the testimony to be an ontological shock but worthy of serious investigation.

People sometimes ask me why we should care about this topic. The vehicles filmed by our military pilots are using physics beyond our current understanding. Even if science determines these are human-constructed and not NHI (Non-Human-Intelligence) constructed, these technologies could provide solutions to our energy needs and climate crisis.

As a democracy, we must have an open and transparent government. It’s time we, the public, take action and contact our representatives in Washington, D.C., to demand more UAP hearings with whistleblowers like David Grusch. It is time for us to learn the truth about the UAP phenomenon.

Anthony Haynes

Pullman

Undecided voters

There have been town halls and group interviews by both parties as well as the media trying to understand the indecision of these voters.

Having watched some of these “talks,” it seems to me these people are more interested in their own individuality than anything else. After watching both the presidential candidates actions over the last eight years, everyone else has decided. If these undecided people can’t choose between Harris and Trump by now, then they don’t understand the difference between democracy and dictatorship and shouldn’t vote but rather enroll in the witless protection program.

RM Strongoni

Moscow

Can’t trust Harvest Hills Wind Project

Recently, the Harvest Hills Wind Project had a public viewing of their project around Kamiak Butte. I was surprised and shocked to see two of their photo simulations depicting wind turbines on our property and neighbor’s property next to Kamiak Butte.

This seems like a sloppy disregard for the property owners and citizens of Whitman County. If they can’t get their “approximate simulations” correct, what else is goofed up? Are they not showing turbines where they know they have leases already? Are the turbines in the photos at the actual height they are scheduled for in the project? What is else is inaccurate?

Other people in the community know that I am against this project and would never have turbines on my property. However, if they saw the erroneous photo at the viewing with turbines on my land, they would think I had changed my mind. There is already deliberate gossip spread by certain landowners claiming that some of their neighbors are signing leases for turbines when that is not the case. We don’t need further misinformation spread in the community by an inaccurate photo simulation.

I’ve talked to Harvest Hills five times over the last couple of years and their information is always changing. I don’t believe they can be trusted. They will say what they need to say to get the project.

I encourage those who have not signed leases to not be tempted by the temporary dollars, and for those who have, to back out now and save our land and community!

John Clark

Pullman

Vote yes for Open Primaries Initiative

Once the Open Primaries Initiative (Prop. 1) qualified for the ballot, our partisan Attorney General filed suit to stop it. Soon, you will be swamped with disinformation from a small, far-right faction of the Republican Party, desperate to keep 270,000 independent Idahoans from exercising their right to vote in primary elections.

The Idaho County Republican Central Committee stated that, “ranked-choice voting will require extensive voter education ...” To fill out a ballot? Come on now. A former Labrador staffer from Meridian claimed to have been misled by the signature gatherers, but later admitted that he never read the entire initiative available to him.

Simply put, this faction hates ranked-choice voting because they can’t control the election outcome. They insist that it’s confusing, opaque and demoralizing. Ridiculous. In fact, it’s the opposite of the closed, “rigged-choice voting” the far-right group currently uses, where strict party loyalists choose the candidate.

Idahoans believe that all legal voters should be able to participate in all the elections that their tax dollars pay for! They want the transparency of a fair voting process that lets them evaluate all candidates’ values, voting records and important issues. Candidates running will have to earn the confidence of the voters, as it should be.

For the voting process: Easy. From a broader selection of candidates in a single primary, rank four candidates by preference. The top four will proceed to the general election, where the winner will be chosen by the largest number of voters. This way, voters know that their votes really matter.

Currently, there is disputed information that it may cost $25 million to $40 million to adjust our voting system. We can avoid this by updating the software instead. But even if Idaho voters had to pay to what amounts to a one-time tax of $40 per voter, it’s a small price to pay for the incalculable value of your vote and your freedom. Isn’t it?

Remember — your right to vote precedes every other right under our Constitution.

Your tax dollars pay for your participation in all of our elections. Fight for your rights by voting “Yes” on Proposition 1 on Nov. 5. Thank you.

Patrice Yeatter

Kooskia

Dawes can bring Idahoans together

I read with interest the Aug. 1 Daily News article about Rep. Brandon Mitchell’s participation in a program for state legislators that promotes “ethical leadership [and] the art of compromise and coalition building.” Idaho’s Legislature could certainly use more of these qualities.

However, readers should know that Mitchell’s opponent in the November election, Kathy Dawes, is already well versed in these techniques. Since 2018, she has attended several leadership workshops sponsored by the bipartisan national organization, Braver Angels.

Its mission is “to bring Americans together to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen our democratic republic.” Kathy recently completed training in “managing difficult conversations with constituents and colleagues.” Earlier this year, I attended one of Kathy’s bipartisan workshops and learned skills to better communicate with people who hold different political views.

Kathy will use her experience in “bringing Idahoans together” to listen to legislators of both parties to find solutions to benefit all Idahoans. I’m confident that she will apply these skills to the Idaho House of Representatives after she’s elected.

Kenton Bird

Moscow