Letters to the editor for week of July 6

Thanks to community foundation for grant

To the editor:

On behalf of the Board of Trustees and members of the Jackson Township Fire Department, we want to thank the Brown County Community Foundation for their generosity in the support of our project “A View for All.”

With this grant award, we will be able to purchase a handicap railing, which is the final component in making our platform viewing area compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. With the support of our selection of Extreme Metal Fab we are able to keep business local and that is something our organization endeavors to do whenever possible.

We also invite you to visit us as the project moves forward. From the platform one can see the train as it rolls into Helmsburg, or listen to the variety of 20 different song birds that have been identified.

The view is peaceful and gives a sweeping overview of the beauty of Brown County. A gravel trail now runs through the area that include tree identification markers. One can see wildlife that has returned and made the area their new home including a resident beaver who makes an occasional appearance.

There are still projects ahead in the area we call the Friendly Forest, but with this grant we now can offer everyone the opportunity to enjoy our “View for All.”

Again, a huge thanks to the Brown County Community Foundation for their continuing support of projects and people of Brown County.

Sincerely,

Thomi Elmore, communication officer, Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Department

America fails again to be ‘the land of the free’

To the editor:

What is autonomy? Ask Webster. The meaning of autonomy is the quality or state of being self-governing; especially the right of self-government. Body autonomy is the right to self-govern your body.

Seems we have a problem with people doing what they want with their own bodies in this country. We keep asking big daddy to control peoples’ choices regarding body autonomy. We do it to the LGBTQ community, drug users, the terminally ill and now women.

I thought this was the land of the free. This is fascism. What is fascism? Back to Webster. Fascism is a political philosophy, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition. Fascism is not freedom. It’s literally the opposite.

The argument for regulating body autonomy is based on morality. Every single time. This is America, the land of the free. Not the land of morals. We fight wars for freedom, not for morality.

Giving body autonomy to government is a slippery slope. If government can control women’s reproductive rights, not only can they force birth, but force abortion and force sterilization.

What have you done, America? This is not the land of the free. I’ve been lied to.

Sherrie Mitchell, Brown County