Lower Columbia Area speaks up: Letters to the editor for the week of May. 30, 2025
- Updated
Our weekly round-up of letters published in the Daily News.
I continue to be amazed at the shameful way our democracy is being destroyed.
I read and reread Martin Niemöller's postwar statement, which starts with "First they came for." Boy, is it ever fitting for our country right now.
Today it could read:
"First, they came for Latinos, then they came for foreign students, I did not speak out — because I was not a Latino or a student.
Then they went after our government — that has been 250 years in the making — then our education departments, our universities, our scientists, our healthcare systems, our national parks, distorting our democracy — all the beauty of our wonderful country."
I refuse to be quiet, because I wonder, who they will come for next?
LQBTQ+, indigenous peoples? The list could go on forever.
After they are done with that, what do they want?
All I can see is to cleanse this beautiful melting pot of a society called America.
Who will be left?
Something to think about.
Sylvia Watson
Silver Lake
Letters to the editor policy:
Letters should be original and no longer than 250 words. Letters must include the author’s name, street address or telephone number for verification. The newspaper does not share that information with third parties. Only the name and city of residence are published. One submission can print per month. All submissions are subject to editing for length, spelling, grammar and clarity. Send submissions to letters@tdn.com or The Daily News, PO Box 1666, Longview, WA 98632.
Within the past couple of weeks, we have been gifted by two community performance events: Cabaret and Wizard of Oz.
These were all volunteer casts ranging in age from young to older and in between.
Between the performers on stage and large support groups off, there were easily well over 100 participants.
Our area is so fortunate to have all these people willing to share their talents for our entertainment. Thanks to one and all.
Greg Lapic
Longview
Letters to the editor policy:
Letters should be original and no longer than 250 words. Letters must include the author’s name, street address or telephone number for verification. The newspaper does not share that information with third parties. Only the name and city of residence are published. One submission can print per month. All submissions are subject to editing for length, spelling, grammar and clarity. Send submissions to letters@tdn.com or The Daily News, PO Box 1666, Longview, WA 98632.
In a recent Daily News article, business owners along Spirit Lake Memorial Highway complained about loss of business due to WSDOT signage informing visitors about road closures, which is necessary information for travelers.
These businesses are likely to see an even greater decline in visitors, not because of signage or landslides, but because of Trump’s foreign policies.
Already this year, tourism from Canada has dropped significantly, and people from many other countries are reluctant to come here as well. The loss of business is part of the pain that those who support the current administration were willing to accept for the “greater good." Their business is the sacrifice they make for their ideals.
Furthermore, the road to Mount St. Helens is now one of the ugliest drives in the state, with huge clear cuts on both sides of the road for miles up the highway. There are no fall colors to attract visitors, since the private timber companies, with approval from the Department of Natural Resources, liberally apply herbicides to the timberlands to keep out all competition for the monoculture conifer plantations.
So brace yourselves, it will be a bad year for tourism along Spirit Lake Memorial Highway and throughout the state. The signs are all there, and they weren’t put up by WSDOT.
Nancy Zahn
Toutle
Letters to the editor policy:
Letters should be original and no longer than 250 words. Letters must include the author’s name, street address or telephone number for verification. The newspaper does not share that information with third parties. Only the name and city of residence are published. One submission can print per month. All submissions are subject to editing for length, spelling, grammar and clarity. Send submissions to letters@tdn.com or The Daily News, PO Box 1666, Longview, WA 98632.
Folks, one of the issues in life for me is suicide prevention.
A young man in my life recently committed suicide.
My family babysat him as a baby for many years.
I would ask for your prayers as we as family members work though this process. It is very hard when it hits home.
Ray Van Tongeren
Longview
Letters to the editor policy:
Letters should be original and no longer than 250 words. Letters must include the author’s name, street address or telephone number for verification. The newspaper does not share that information with third parties. Only the name and city of residence are published. One submission can print per month. All submissions are subject to editing for length, spelling, grammar and clarity. Send submissions to letters@tdn.com or The Daily News, PO Box 1666, Longview, WA 98632.
When President Donald Trump moves to lower prescription drug prices, the die-hard anti-Trumpers feel compelled to find something negative to say about it.
“It will reduce the money drug companies have for research and development," they cry. “The drug companies will have less money to develop better cures for diseases, making the whole world less healthy.”
What they conveniently overlook is the millions of dollars big pharma donates to political campaigns of candidates who treat them favorably. That’s not R&D!
The complainers also ignore the millions of dollars big pharma spends to advertise their prescription-only drugs on television. These ads are banned in most other countries and usually contain the advice, “Ask your doctor." That’s not R&D either!
Dan Myers
Kelso
Letters to the editor policy:
Letters should be original and no longer than 250 words. Letters must include the author’s name, street address or telephone number for verification. The newspaper does not share that information with third parties. Only the name and city of residence are published. One submission can print per month. All submissions are subject to editing for length, spelling, grammar and clarity. Send submissions to letters@tdn.com or The Daily News, PO Box 1666, Longview, WA 98632.
More like this...
I continue to be amazed at the shameful way our democracy is being destroyed.
I read and reread Martin Niemöller's postwar statement, which starts with "First they came for." Boy, is it ever fitting for our country right now.
Today it could read:
"First, they came for Latinos, then they came for foreign students, I did not speak out — because I was not a Latino or a student.
Then they went after our government — that has been 250 years in the making — then our education departments, our universities, our scientists, our healthcare systems, our national parks, distorting our democracy — all the beauty of our wonderful country."
I refuse to be quiet, because I wonder, who they will come for next?
LQBTQ+, indigenous peoples? The list could go on forever.
After they are done with that, what do they want?
All I can see is to cleanse this beautiful melting pot of a society called America.
Who will be left?
Something to think about.
Sylvia Watson
Silver Lake
Letters to the editor policy:
Letters should be original and no longer than 250 words. Letters must include the author’s name, street address or telephone number for verification. The newspaper does not share that information with third parties. Only the name and city of residence are published. One submission can print per month. All submissions are subject to editing for length, spelling, grammar and clarity. Send submissions to letters@tdn.com or The Daily News, PO Box 1666, Longview, WA 98632.
Within the past couple of weeks, we have been gifted by two community performance events: Cabaret and Wizard of Oz.
These were all volunteer casts ranging in age from young to older and in between.
Between the performers on stage and large support groups off, there were easily well over 100 participants.
Our area is so fortunate to have all these people willing to share their talents for our entertainment. Thanks to one and all.
Greg Lapic
Longview
Letters to the editor policy:
Letters should be original and no longer than 250 words. Letters must include the author’s name, street address or telephone number for verification. The newspaper does not share that information with third parties. Only the name and city of residence are published. One submission can print per month. All submissions are subject to editing for length, spelling, grammar and clarity. Send submissions to letters@tdn.com or The Daily News, PO Box 1666, Longview, WA 98632.
In a recent Daily News article, business owners along Spirit Lake Memorial Highway complained about loss of business due to WSDOT signage informing visitors about road closures, which is necessary information for travelers.
These businesses are likely to see an even greater decline in visitors, not because of signage or landslides, but because of Trump’s foreign policies.
Already this year, tourism from Canada has dropped significantly, and people from many other countries are reluctant to come here as well. The loss of business is part of the pain that those who support the current administration were willing to accept for the “greater good." Their business is the sacrifice they make for their ideals.
Furthermore, the road to Mount St. Helens is now one of the ugliest drives in the state, with huge clear cuts on both sides of the road for miles up the highway. There are no fall colors to attract visitors, since the private timber companies, with approval from the Department of Natural Resources, liberally apply herbicides to the timberlands to keep out all competition for the monoculture conifer plantations.
So brace yourselves, it will be a bad year for tourism along Spirit Lake Memorial Highway and throughout the state. The signs are all there, and they weren’t put up by WSDOT.
Nancy Zahn
Toutle
Letters to the editor policy:
Letters should be original and no longer than 250 words. Letters must include the author’s name, street address or telephone number for verification. The newspaper does not share that information with third parties. Only the name and city of residence are published. One submission can print per month. All submissions are subject to editing for length, spelling, grammar and clarity. Send submissions to letters@tdn.com or The Daily News, PO Box 1666, Longview, WA 98632.
Folks, one of the issues in life for me is suicide prevention.
A young man in my life recently committed suicide.
My family babysat him as a baby for many years.
I would ask for your prayers as we as family members work though this process. It is very hard when it hits home.
Ray Van Tongeren
Longview
Letters to the editor policy:
Letters should be original and no longer than 250 words. Letters must include the author’s name, street address or telephone number for verification. The newspaper does not share that information with third parties. Only the name and city of residence are published. One submission can print per month. All submissions are subject to editing for length, spelling, grammar and clarity. Send submissions to letters@tdn.com or The Daily News, PO Box 1666, Longview, WA 98632.
When President Donald Trump moves to lower prescription drug prices, the die-hard anti-Trumpers feel compelled to find something negative to say about it.
“It will reduce the money drug companies have for research and development," they cry. “The drug companies will have less money to develop better cures for diseases, making the whole world less healthy.”
What they conveniently overlook is the millions of dollars big pharma donates to political campaigns of candidates who treat them favorably. That’s not R&D!
The complainers also ignore the millions of dollars big pharma spends to advertise their prescription-only drugs on television. These ads are banned in most other countries and usually contain the advice, “Ask your doctor." That’s not R&D either!
Dan Myers
Kelso
Letters to the editor policy:
Letters should be original and no longer than 250 words. Letters must include the author’s name, street address or telephone number for verification. The newspaper does not share that information with third parties. Only the name and city of residence are published. One submission can print per month. All submissions are subject to editing for length, spelling, grammar and clarity. Send submissions to letters@tdn.com or The Daily News, PO Box 1666, Longview, WA 98632.
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