<html><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><div></div><div>Courtesy of today's (September 2, 2011) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with special thanks to Jodie Ficca.</div><div><br></div><div>------------------------------</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; "><strong>Megaload protest was righteous</strong></p><p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; ">I am writing in reply to the editorial in the weekend <em>Daily News</em> (Aug. 27 & 28), "Protestors fighting the wrong fight in Moscow."</p><p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; ">It is a brave endeavor, apparently, to actually speak out in support of keeping Moscow and many other towns and cities along the megaload route undamaged. There is a reason those megaloads are being driven through town after midnight. Exxon/Mobile is very aware that what they are doing has a negative impact on the people and the land they travel through as well as their destination. They are ignoring citizens' rights to deny access to their property by an entity that is damaging to that property as well as other roads and highways. The citizens have a right to refuse to enable that negative impact.</p><p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; ">If it is silent and at night, that doesn't make it less deadly, and to support citizens' "out of sight out of mind" attitudes is shameful.</p><p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; ">We have a right to decide how our tax dollars are spent, and we have a right to take care of those things that we have "bought" with them, including our streets. The megaloads are much heavier than our streets can handle for an extended period of time, and they are traveling through our town despite our protests.</p><p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; ">Most importantly, be informed before writing such an article. Because these protestors have spent time in Washington, D.C. They have examined and questioned every bit of paperwork written as permits and laws and rules and regulations and have written reports of their own. They have participated in every City Council meeting at the City Hall, expressing their dissent. But, still the megaloads are allowed to rumble through our streets while we peacefully sleep.</p><p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; ">What do you suggest that people who have a right to disagree do to be heard?</p><p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; "><strong>Jodie A. Ficca,</strong> Moscow</p></span><div>------------------------------<br><br><div>Seeya round town, Moscow.</div><div><br></div><div>Tom Hansen</div><div>Moscow, Idaho</div><div> </div><div>"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">and the Realist adjusts his sails."</span></div><div><br></div><div>- Unknown</div><div><br></div></div></body></html>