Letters make case to save oak tree, restore values to partisanship, and think before you vote

Historic Meeker Oak in Tumwater should be preserved

Over 400 years ago, an acorn grew into a tree now slated for destruction by the Tumwater mayor and a Thurston County judge. This venerable oak tree stands on Old Highway 99 alongside the Olympia Regional Airport a mile north of the historic George Bush homestead. When Ezra Meeker, the founder of Puyallup, traveled the Oregon Trail, he passed by this oak tree later named after him.

The tree has a branch spread of 90 feet and produces up to 1,000 pounds of acorns. I harvested acorns this past fall to plant in our nursery, appreciating the tree for its heritage and tremendous abundance of large acorns. I can attest to its overall health — oak wood is known for its strength. While nothing lasts forever, and trees lose branches in storms, motorists are in much greater danger from other cars coming in the opposite direction at 60 miles per hour.

Previous highway engineers have routed Old Highway 99 slightly around the giant tree and erected a concrete barrier between the tree and the highway. If it doesn’t get cut down, it could be around for another couple hundred years. If they leave the stump intact, oaks can sometimes resprout.

Michael Dolan, Burnt Ridge Nursery, Onalaska

Today’s ‘partisanship’ is a misnomer

I get frustrated hearing complaints today about the excessive “partisanship” of our times. A healthy democracy includes groups loyal to a particular vision of laws, policies and programs, and we all must be willing to take action to effect change. We have always had this in our republic. It works because all sides accept the rule of law, co-equal branches of government, and most importantly, fair and free elections.

Today, however, many of our lawmakers and citizens are allied with a “MAGA” movement that denies election results, assaults our system of justice with false accusations that it is “political,” and backs a leader who thinks he should be above the law. This movement threatens the foundations of our democracy and should be opposed by everyone who cares about what our founding fathers set forth, and what so many have fought and died to preserve.

If our generation wins this battle, perhaps we may save our republic for future generations, for future political parties both liberal and conservative, and citizens of every political persuasion. By demanding democracy now, we preserve our freedom to choose, to be “partisan,” and live out our destiny as a free people.

Richard L Brandt-Kreutz, Olympia

Before you vote

Voters, before choosing a President, please — with liberty, justice, equality and democracy as core principles — ask yourself:

Which claims that “each state should decide” on women’s health but not on men’s condoms and vasectomies?

Which one rammed through Judges who claim their wives have the right to do things that compromise their judicial objectivity, then rule those same wives have no right to control their own medical decisions, the very same judges who take lavish gifts from rich donors affected by court decisions?

Which one calls Neo-Nazis “fine people,” dictators “smart and strong,” then, while claiming “law and order,” did nothing while “his people” violently attacked Congress, our democracy and law enforcement agents?

Which one has already promised to destroy Social Security, Medicare, checks and balances in the cabinet and federal agencies, then end child labor regulations, worker safety and wage laws, protection from unsafe food and drugs, plus environmental protections? (See “Project 2025” online.)

Who’d take us back to the age of the robber barons? Which candidate has cheated on at least two wives, claims the right to grab any woman by her privates, and bragged that he could kill someone in Times Square without being held accountable?

Your open mind makes it clear which one will threaten your future, health, women’s rights, democracy, the planet. The Declaration says ALL are equal with god-given rights: life, liberty, pursuit of happiness. Think WE, not me. Then vote as if our collective future depends on it, more than ever.

Gery Gerst, Olympia