Page 30 - Flathead Beacon // 12.24.14

30 | DECEMBER 24, 2014 OPINION LIKE I WAS SAYIN’ Kellyn Brown
FLATHEADBEACON.COM
TWO FOR THOUGHT
Local Topics, Opposing Views
North Korea and Free Speech
By Tim Baldwin
The totalitarian government of North Korea claimed the United States government was be- hind a movie (“The Interview”), a production of Sony, to which North Korea took serious offense. Coincidentally, someone hacked into Sony’s com- puter systems, which led to the cancellation of the film’s release. United States officials state they can prove North Korea did the hacking. North Korea denies this, yet North Korea is threatening the United States, claiming its actions will “be boldly taken against the [U.S.]” for this film.
Sony seems to have stepped away from releas- ing the movie. Their reasons may be understand- able, but I agree with President Barack Obama’s response. He said, “We cannot have a society in which some dictators someplace can start im- posing censorship here in the United States...” Indeed, for as John Stuart Mill wrote, without a free flow of information among the public, liberty cannot exist.
Naturally, stupid ideas will die and good ideas will thrive, right? As thinking people, we should not take personal offense when someone dis- agrees with us. We should challenge ourselves to understand the world in which we live better so we can improve our existence here. We should never accept suppression of speech and ideas as a method of governance or making us feel better about ourselves.
By Joe Carbonari
The hacking attack on Sony Pictures better be a wakeup call. We are cyber-vulnerable to an unacceptable degree. Our economy is vulnerable; the world’s economy is vulnerable. What to do?
Take cyber security seriously. It is going to cost us some big money. Our private sector will have to upgrade and tighten, continually. That will mean a degree of technological cooperation and sharing that does not currently exist.
The North Korean cyber-attack, done direct- ly or by proxy, requires a strong, direct, response. It is a form of international blackmail and extor- tion. Cyber-violence, by way of illegally accessed, released, and destroyed files, has been combined with the threat of violence at theaters premiering the Sony-made film, “The Interview.”
The film itself is a spoof involving a plot to as- sassinate King Jong Un, North Korea’s current dictator. Tasteless, perhaps, but not deserving of the cyber-attack and subsequent threats. We can’t leave ourselves so vulnerable to this sort of aberrant behavior. There is too much irrational- ity and instability in the world.
Call it terrorism or cyber-vandalism, but call it to a stop. The U.N. Security Council is now also considering North Korea’s overall record with regard to human rights. Approbation with heavy sanctions would seem appropriate.
In the meantime, we need to tighten our se- curity now. This is not cyber war, but it could be. We need to protect ourselves. We are not ready.
Complimenting Christmas
IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO CHRISTMAS, I often catch myself complaining. When someone in- quires about my seasonal preparation, I eagerly tell them how busy I am, how I’m behind in my shopping, how I need to workout more to burn off all the sugar I’m consum- ing. It’s a pathetic response, because this holiday is worth all the alleged trouble.
In reality, this is the best time of the year. I need to readily acknowledge that fact instead of explaining how stressful December is. That story’s boring, anyway. Every- one tells it. I need to try out some new material, especially since many of my best memories revolve around Christ- mas.
There’s Dad falling off the roof hanging lights (he was OK). There’s Mom burning at least one pastry every year (it’s because she cooks 10 different items at once). There’s the matching Underoos my brother and I received when we were kids, a picture of which is inexplicably still hanging on my parents’ wall. There’s a lot of laughter this time of year, which is the best part.
Of my family, I’m the only who left the Spokane area straight out of high school and never moved back. Yet more than 15 years since my departure, I’ve failed to make it home for Christmas just once. I had to work that year. It was such a big deal that my mom, dad, brother and sister piled into a car and drove six hours to Bozeman, complete with decorations, wrapped gifts and pre-made food ready to be heated. When my shift ended, the holiday spirit had already arrived at my rented home.
That’s what Christmas is all about, or should be any- way. And the so-called stress leading up to Dec. 25 isn’t all that bad either.
I now have two nieces and two nephews, which has added to my already lengthy list of people for whom to buy gifts. I like to point out this dilemma, but is it really that big of a deal? I love giving presents, large and small, as much as I love receiving them.
What about how busy this month is? True, like many of yours, I have a jam-packed December. But my obliga- tions mostly include commitments to Christmas parties, to which I wear ugly sweaters and have a blast. It’s not re- ally something I should fuss about.
Oh, then there’s the food, which, of course, is deli- cious. How I find fault in all the free cookies, meat platters and popcorn balls that show up this time of year is per- haps the most-boring complaint of all. I love food and re- ally shouldn’t blame someone else’s kindness for gaining a pound or two – that’s what New Year’s resolutions are for anyway.
To be sure, I’m not always whining about the season, but I still do it far too much and far more than I tell ev- eryone how great I think it is. After all, most of those who know me ignore the dramatic interpretation of my plight. They don’t buy it. They probably take a hint when they hear the Christmas music I begin blasting at work the day af- ter Thanksgiving. This, of course, only prepares me to sing loudly at the Christmas Eve service.
This week, I can’t wait to hit the road with a trunk filled with wrapped gifts and a dozen cookies in my center con- sole and travel to the best party of the year with the people closest to me.
Merry Christmas. I hope you also get to spend it with those who make this the best time of year.
“MANY OF MY BEST MEMORIES REVOLVE AROUND CHRISTMAS.”
GUESTCOLUMN | JohnMuhlfeld
Whitefish a Model for Land Management
Ten years ago, the Whitefish community was faced with the challenge to meet the requirements of a 10-year obligation to the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation to develop alternative revenue streams for the 13,000 acres of school trust land surrounding Whitefish. These lands are vital to our way of life and economy – open spaces, view- sheds, clean water, working forests, and connected landscapes. This past week, Whitefish Legacy Part- ners officially met its fundraising goal of $2 million to secure a permanent conservation and recreation easement on 1,520 acres in the Beaver Lakes area. A significant portion was funded by numerous pri- vate and nonprofit entities, notably Mike Goguen, Joe and Cindy Gregory, Jim and Lisa Stack, the Whitefish Community Foundation and equally im- portant, the hundreds of donors who contributed $5, $50, $500, $5,000, and $50,000 dollars to make this project happen. We appreciate you, and we ap- preciate the efforts of Whitefish Legacy Partners!
As we celebrate this accomplishment, I tran- scend to a meeting that occurred over 11 years ago when the Whitefish community was presented with a plan that slated these lands for development. This meeting culminated in the development of the Whitefish Area Trust Lands Neighborhood Plan, a plan that was created collaboratively with multiple governmental and non-profit entities and mandat-
ed that the 13,000 acres of state lands surrounding Whitefish that have important natural resource and recreation values would be protected for the benefit of clean water, wildlife habitat, viewshed protection, and recreation. A critical element of this plan was to ensure these lands would forever be managed responsibly for a variety of forest product sales that help support our local economy while re- taining the natural value of the lands for the benefit of the community.
Together with you, we met our obligation and we delivered our 10-year assessment and progress report to the Montana Board of State Land Com- missioners on Dec. 15! With your leadership and support, we have exceeded the expectations of the neighborhood plan by permanently protecting over 3,000 acres of land while generating $12.5 million dollars in gross revenue for the trust land benefi- ciaries. Simply stated, this is unprecedented in the history of state land management.
Celebrate this accomplishment! Our hope is that your efforts and the conservation and econom- ic model we have created in Whitefish will serve other Montana communities well into the future.
John Muhlfeld is the mayor of Whitefish