Forest Service wastes money

Sat., Oct. 5, 2013

In response to “Rainbow gathering in Montana cost $575,000, says Forest Service,” (Sept. 24):

What the U.S. Forest Service spent $575,000 of taxpayers’ money on was their officers, sitting on horseback, looking at semi-nude women with their binoculars. Other officers on foot had visible machetes strapped to their backpacks.

When I left July 5, I passed the convoy of federal officers going into the gathering. I saw about 20 trucks, most with only one officer, but none with more than two; doubling their transportation expenses (at your expense) to show force.

When the Dillon, Mont., newspaper attended, they said in print that the only people they were intimidated by were the federal officers. Google “Today in Dillon.” Yes, the U.S. Forest Service spent $575,000 of taxpayer money to intimidate people attending a permitted gathering on public land.

Dan Sharp

Deer Park

Letters policy

The Spokesman-Review invites original letters on local topics of public interest. Your letter must adhere to the following rules:

No more than 250 words
We reserve the right to reject letters that are not factually correct, racist or are written with malice.
We cannot accept more than one letter a month from the same writer.
With each letter, include your daytime phone number and street address.
The Spokesman-Review retains the nonexclusive right to archive and re-publish any material submitted for publication.

Unfortunately, we don’t have space to publish all letters received, nor are we able to acknowledge their receipt. (Learn more.)

Submit letters using any of the following:

Our online form: Submit your letter here
Mail: Letters to the Editor
The Spokesman-Review
999 W. Riverside Ave.
Spokane, WA 99201
Email: editor@spokesman.com
Fax: (509) 459-3815
Phone: (509) 459-5430