Editor:

Thanks for mentioning my town, Fernbridge, in your story (“Red Hots,” Dec 11). But “The Most Conservative Place in the County”? I find that it’s probable the most liberal place out there. 

Everyday at my store-cafe-bakery we get every type of person that lives around here. Who hasn’t been at the cafe counter to discuss local issues, news -- some conservative, sure, but most of us just want the best for our country. And that’s why we all voted -- because we all know how important it is. 

I think my little store is bridging the gap between Garberville and Arcata. Conservative or liberal, I think finally we’re all in this together. 

— Kelly West,
owner, Fernbridge Market

Sweet Spot: Kelly West wins a Bon Boniere sundae for sending our favorite letter of the week. 

Editor:

I was taken aback by Heidi Walters’ portrayal of the “leftiest place in the county” (“True Blue,” Dec. 11). Walters’ sarcastic tone was offensive enough; her quote about people who voted Peace and Freedom or Green was over the top. According to Bob Tucker, “They’re people who are bad at math -- who made a choice to be disaffected rather than change the country themselves.”

Greens “made a choice to be disaffected rather than change the country themselves…”?! The Green Party is the only international political party in the world, active in over 80 countries. Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathei founded the Green Party in Kenya. She is now Minister of the Environment. Ingrid Betancourt, the presidential candidate recently rescued from the FARC, founded the Colombian Green Party in 1994 and was elected senator in 1998.

Humboldt Greens are active in every arena for political, social and environmental justice. Barbara Goldberg, co-founder of the Humboldt Green Party, founded the GI Hotline. Dave Meserve spearheaded the Youth Protection Act. Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap, executive director of Democracy Unlimited, was reelected to the Municipal Water Board with over 61 percent of the vote.

Humboldt Greens held the first candidate debates of the season for Eureka and Arcata City Councils and phone banked for nonpartisan progressive as well as Green Party candidates. Greens are anything but disaffected and unwilling to effect change. Unfortunately, our achievements are consistently blacked out or discredited by the mainstream media. I had thought the Journal was different. I guess I was wrong.

— Dana Silvernale,
County Council Chair, Humboldt Green Party