LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Editor:
I was just wondering as a permanent resident of Sunny Point why people feel they can just discard their junk on private property. I understand putting things out for free but if no one takes it, should you not be responsible to discard of it another way? Is there not a fine for littering in Point Roberts?
This junk sitting in front of the park makes it look like some kind of slum, and as a permanent resident of Sunny Point I really don’t appreciate that. Is there no way that this can be stopped? Thank you for your time.
Dani Magnusson
Point Roberts

The Editor:
I see that the mail-in cacophony against the proposed cell tower continues so I guess I’ll get my two cents in as well. I’d like to have a cell tower here, but I’m prepared to live without it if that’s the majority opinion on the Point. What I don’t wish to live with are illogical arguments.
To the lady from Surrey who spends some time here, I can only say, “Madam, I don’t try to interfere in lifestyles in your community, please don’t do so in mine.” Given your concern for the birds and fishes who might suffer from such a facility, I hope that you’re not a proponent of wind as an alternate energy source. Windmills are known to kill thousands of birds a year and yet many in the environmental community still feel it is a viable additional source of electrical energy. Go figure.
And to those who raise Big Brother concerns about being accidentally included in some terrorist calling circle, I have to say that I’m surprised to find out that landlines have been excluded from such monitoring. I knew that there was NSA surveillance on calls coming into the United States but I assumed that meant to any and all numbers here, not just cellular ones.
If we are to fear such monitoring, should we all get rid of our landlines, too? After all, if I use my landline to call someone, and that person calls someone, who in turn calls someone else, who in turn then calls some one living in an apartment in Europe inhabited by four people, one of whom gets called from the Middle East by a terrorist cell, am I not in just as much danger of getting rolled up in that terror network as if I were just using my cell phone? It would seem so to me.
And to the gentleman who keeps bringing up the specter of lawsuits that might stem any exposure to cellular tower electrical radiation, I say, please desist. In our society, unfortunately, we are too often held hostage in our actions by such threats. Many people have learned that they can mange things to their liking simply by waving ephemeral threats of litigation this way.
So let me pose an alternative scenario. Suppose a child is riding a bike along Boundary Bay Road, when he is struck by a motor vehicle. He is badly injured and the driver, who is alone, finds his cell phone has no signal strength because we don’t have a tower. Faced with the terrible choice of moving a badly traumatized child and risking further injury, or going for help he chooses the latter. By the time he has found a landline and alerted the ambulance crew, the child has expired alone by the road. His parents are told by their physician that those few minutes lost spelled the difference between life and death.
A grim story indeed, isn’t it? Do you suppose that in that instance those parents couldn’t find an attorney only too willing to bring suit against the individuals in authority who decided not to authorize such a facility as well as those who vociferously used the threat of lawsuits on the distant horizon as a tool to mold things to their liking? I’m betting they could.
I don’t wish to sound sarcastic, and no, I’m not going to sue anyone. But I haven’t heard anything yet in these arguments against the tower that makes much logical sense.
Leonard Hamm
Point Roberts

The Editor:
Following is how the water district described a 90-minute meeting in a single sentence on its website:
1. Allocation Plan: A. A discussion was held on the allocation process and a proposed schedule of the items to be completed before an allocation could take place www.pointrobertswater.com/docs/minutes_2006/08042006_special.doc is inadequate.
Posting audio recordings of all meetings (within 72 hours) would resolve the “re-run” issue and provide the opportunity for everyone to be brought up to speed. County meetings are videotaped and re-played on the local TV so there shouldn’t be any legal hurdles. People being impacted by the water issues aren’t all local but as rate payers have a right to be kept up to speed, commissioner Coe (even without attending the meetings). The All Point Bulletin does a great job of providing the information that isn’t making it into the meeting minutes.
Eric Fitzgerald
N. Quincy, MA

The Editor:
The prospect of a Verizon cell tower on the Point has certainly stirred up a lot of dust?
Health issues: If you feel that the new tower might cause issues with your health, stay on the Point. Point Roberts has to be the only community in the entire U.S. that doesn’t have a U.S. cell tower. Once you cross the Canadian border they are everywhere. Cell towers are along all interstate highways, major roads and in most communities. Be careful out there.
Lawsuits: Isn’t it the American way? If you don’t have the ability to sue a corporation, such as Verizon, then we don’t want them. Try suing the U.S. government or any of its 3,000 plus agencies. If people would take more responsibility for their actions or, for that matter, their inactions there would be far fewer lawsuits and as a consequence far fewer lawyers. What a concept.
Bring on the tower!
Jim Marshall
Point Roberts

The Editor:
I recently migrated to Point Roberts to enjoy the tranquility, comfort and more moderate climate than where I used to live in the B.C. Kootenays.
I have had a lot of fun making beer commercials in B.C., and now all I want to do is to have some peace and quiet.
Now thanks to some anonymous lady from Vancouver, I will have people beating the bushes trying to catch a glimpse of me. If this were to happen, I would probably move on.
Thanks, lady, couldn’t you have just kept your sighting of me your secret?
P.S. If you have pets, could you possibly on occasion put out an extra portion of food for me? Thanks.
Bigfoot
Point Roberts
(Ed. Note: Bigfoot’s letter was forwarded to us by Reg Alspach of Cloverdale, B.C.)

The Editor:
I found David Mallet’s letter to the editor very interesting but a bit misleading. I was born and raised on a farm and we had the usual run of farm animals, including horses.
The only horses that I have ever known that smelled worse than people were dead ones.
However, if Mr. Mallet likes breathing face to face with horses or close to their tails, oh well, to each their own.
P.S. A quirk of nature - there are more horse’s asses than there are horses.
Sam Miller
Point Roberts

The Editor:
A big thank you to the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce from the Point Roberts Library and Whatcom County Library System, for the purchase and installation of the new directional library sign at the corner of Tyee Drive and Gulf Road. It looks great and will definitely improve our “visibility” in the community.
Kristin Lomedico, branch manager,
Point Roberts Library
Point Roberts

The Editor:
It saddens me to see the U.S. House of Representatives pass the “Secure Fence Act” directing the Department of Homeland Security to study the feasibility of “the construction of a state-of-the-art barrier system along the northern international land and maritime border of the United States.”
This longest undefended border in the world should not be messed with in the name of national security. The country our government is attempting to isolate is currently one of the major contributors to our battle against terrorism. Canada is providing 2,500 troops who are fighting and dying in Afghanistan even though it was not their country that was attacked on 9/11.
The Canadian government understands that this particular battle against terrorism is a global fight so they are providing Canadians sacred blood to help us. This help is provided in friendship with no consideration of boundaries or barriers. In my lifetime, the only borders that I have seen completely fenced off between countries were Eastern and Western Europe during the Cold War and the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.
Are we so afraid for our security that we cannot live with our neighbors to the north? This border has always been controlled through mutual co-operation by those who live along it and who respect the international boundaries.
Point Roberts is so unique in the relationship between citizens of both countries who live within this geographic anomaly. My wife and I purchased property in Point Roberts on Roosevelt Way over one year ago because we saw this blending of Americans and Canadians in a small town environment that made for a vibrant community that we wished to retire to.
I do not fear for our security along the northern border, but I do fear that this study being done under the guise of the Secure Fence Act will adversely affect our future neighbors and our future home. It would seem like lunacy to have a barrier across Boundary Bay or build a barrier wall along Roosevelt Way. Please keep informed on what our government is trying to do and write to your government representatives to let them know how you feel about the construction of a barrier along our common border.
Bennett Blaustein
San Jose, California

The Editor:
A huge thank you to many, many of the local businesses who contributed extremely generously to the 2006 Classic Car Show September 17 at Point Roberts Shell. It allowed a number of visitors to experience our beautiful location for the first time. We were both astonished at the enthusiastic response we received from all the businesses listed in our ad. Because of your generosity and the help of Dru Steffen of Ladner, we had a really huge turnout, especially considering the inclement weather on that day, plus truly amazing door prizes both in quality and quantity.
We’d also like to thank the Blaine high school wind instrument ensemble students who turned up to help run the raffle and hand out complimentary popcorn. Funds were raised to help send them to Japan in February of next year. Of almost 40 cars that registered, more than 25 percent came from the Point; much appreciation to exhibitors as well as to spectators who dared stroll out in the light rain and listen to our live band playing oldies. Thanks to the Griffin family and Andrew Grubb for their outstanding performances.
Snider and Lynne Vick
Point Roberts Shell
Point Roberts

The Editor:
It is almost all I can do to suppress my rage at the anti-democratic, hypocrite who is now operating within the confines of Point Roberts. I am speaking about the right-wing extremist who has purposefully removed and/or vandalized campaign signs placed along the public right-of-way in a number of different locations within the Point. There is a law in the state of Washington making it a misdemeanor to remove or vandalize such signs, but that doesn’t deter these folks from their nefarious activity.
I have a pretty good idea who at least one of these un-American traitorous trouble-makers is and I am sure it is a fanatic supporter of the opposing candidate who is currently the incumbent and is deathly afraid of having to seek gainful employment after January 2007 when the next legislative session starts. This is made obvious by the fact that the missing signs so far are all in support of Jasper MacSlarrow and his mentor, Rick Larsen, both of whom have worked hard to support the flow of traffic into Point Roberts, such flow being the lifeblood of the Point’s economy.
We owe both these men a big debt of gratitude for their support of our community and to defile signs placed in support of them has no place in a civilized society. Anyone seeing these signs being attacked should call the sheriff’s office at 945-2733 and report description and license number, if any.
Ted Mohr
Point Roberts

The Editor:
My husband and I would like to thank the Point Roberts Fire District #5 and ambulance crews who responded to the bicycling accident at Maple Drive and Waters Road on August 23 when our son Monty collided with a vehicle.
It was a frightening experience for everyone and very reassuring to see the level of care and precautions that were taken to ensure that Monty was safety and quickly transported to St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham.
Fortunately, he suffered only superficial injuries. As a side note to all cyclists, Monty was fortunate he was wearing his helmet – his head shattered the windshield of the vehicle.
Thanks also to everyone who was present at the accident and assisted in any way.
Karin Pruss
Point Roberts

The Editor:
Thank you for publishing my August letter. I’d like to note that in the published version of that letter included the word ‘whole’ when in fact, the letter I sent did not contain the word whole. Expressed, implied and imagined delimiters are a fascinating subject especially when those delimiters have homonyms. Thus, I found the alteration interesting.
I’m also obligated to report pilots hedgehopping over the area around Marine Drive and Gulf Road. Those flights are dangerous, unnecessary, illegal and noisy. They disturb the peace.
In general, low altitude airplanes and international borders don’t mix. More specifically, some of the birdmen fly between trees where it is difficult to maintain visual contact and sometimes they appear to drop things. Those packages could be southbound drugs, or northbound weapons; there is no way to tell, which is exactly the problem.
In any case, it is outrageous for pilots to skim the rooftops of Point Roberts neighborhoods. I’ve been against that behavior since it started. Flying lower than 1,000 feet over these areas is unacceptable especially after 9/11.
Steven K. Sweetwood
Point Roberts

The Editor:
Once again the Point Roberts seniors held their annual pie sales at the International Marketplace on Saturday, September 2. This year the seniors decided to hold the sale on the Labor Day weekend instead of the August 1 weekend. The berries and the apples were ripe and delicious. People were buying pies from the back of my truck before the tables were set up. Our reputation for delicious pies preceded the sales! One couple came by the community center just as the pies were coming out of the oven and with oven mitts, carried the pies to their camper, couldn’t wait to eat them.
Thank you to our many volunteer pie makers, bakers and sales people. We made 90 pies and were sold out by 10 a.m. on Saturday. Great job.
Thank you to Jay at the Marketplace for the space, thanks to Thrifty Foods in Tsawwassen for the pie shells, thank you to our many contributors of berries, apples, rhubarb, sugar, flour and hours of time. Thank you to all of you who bought pies. We appreciate you continued support.
Ruth Liukkonen, Senior coordinator
Point Roberts

Letters Policy
The All Point Bulletin welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 450 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality and good taste.
A fresh viewpoint on matters of general interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis.
Thank You letters should be limited to ten names.
Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published.

Please send your letter to: P.O. Box 1451, Point Roberts, WA 98281
or fax (360) 945-1613.
E-mail:editor@allpointbulletin.com

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