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Letters To The Editor

When did Russian Democracy die?

Boris Yeltsin abolished Russia’s brief democracy experiment three decades ago, paving the way for Putin’s dictatorship. First, Russia’s engagement with democracy started with Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader. When Gorbachev took power, he started serious efforts to reform the economy (perestroika), free up political debate (glasnost), and democratization (demokratizatsiya) to end crippling economic conditions from the Cold War. Ironically his democratic reforms not only accelerated the collapse of the Soviet Union and him being voted out, but his reforms introduced a ...

Middle East is at it again

On the evening of June 12, Israel launched a series of major strikes against Iran. Not surprisingly, Netanyahu declared success, the Iranian officials swore revenge and leaders across the region braced for unrest. Of course, Iran will be highly motivated to respond, but its ability to do so meaningfully and soon is highly unlikely. So far, the Trump administration has distanced itself from these strikes since his dream of a diplomatic resolution which ends Iranian nuclear enrichment appeared dead. Even if more Iranian missiles and drones manage to penetrate Israeli defences this time, ...

Region needs Line 5

For decades, Line 5 has been the critical connection for Michigan, Ohio and parts of the Midwest to receive gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and propane. Restricting Line 5 would have devastating impacts not only for the communities that host refineries but for the millions of people who rely on the energy it safely delivers every day. Michigan could face a massive propane shortage – about 756,000 gallons a day. Line 5 supplies over half of the state’s propane needs. Line 5 also supplies about 45% of the regional supply of gas, diesel and jet fuel. To keep the energy flowing, a ...

Reading is important all year long

A recent editorial by The Mining Journal Editorial Board emphasized the importance of reading and encouraged community involvement in summer reading programs at local libraries. We strongly agree and applaud The Mining Journal for supporting libraries and their programs. The Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan, a statewide nonprofit headquartered in Marquette, participated for a third year in a GivingTuesday project with 25 small rural libraries, many of them in Marquette County. Recently, LLF Michigan was featured in a GivingTuesday Spark case study, which is being used as a resource for ...

Tunnel best way to go

I’m glad to see the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finally focusing on the Great Lakes Tunnel project. I don’t want to see our beautiful Great Lakes damaged in any way and the logic behind this tunnel is undeniable; it simply makes sense. Enbridge has been proactive in securing the necessary permits from state and federal agencies, demonstrating their commitment to this project. Given its size, the project requires careful planning. Enbridge's efforts to work with various stakeholders to protect our environment and respect community values are noteworthy. Tunnels are an integral ...

History 101

Present Mideast issues can’t be adequately dealt with unless the true historical basis for Israeli national sovereignty is understood. There is strong evidence from both biblical and secular sources. Palestinians aren’t the descendants of the original owners of the land. A nation of seven allied groups lived there between 4,000 and 5,000 years ago. They were called Caanites and the land was Canaan. This is known because there was trade with peoples around, including Egypt. Some of their correspondence has been found. They were incredibly degraded, sacrificing infants, bestiality. ...