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Area features beauty, wonderful mix of people

| June 3, 2021 1:00 AM

A recent Daily Bee article featured a new group in Coeur d’Alene named the North Idaho Freedom Fighters whose members apparently share a deep distrust for any type of government leadership in fighting the deadliest epidemic to infect this country in decades.

GOP state Rep. Patricia Giddings of White Bird, a former fighter pilot, encouraged the group — which opposes fighting the coronavirus with measures such as wearing a mask in public places.

Also, as a former Air Force jet fighter pilot, I wore a mask (an oxygen mask) for more than two years to save my life and others. It seems now that wearing a mask is a simple thing to do to save other’s lives as well as my own.

Also mentioned in the article was a comment from a woman who has moved to Kootenai County from Orange County, Calif. for reasons she cited as including the state’s leadership in fighting the virus. I disagree with her as I think Gov. Newsom has done a fine job in leading this most populous of all states through this crisis.

As a veteran, I am among those very fortunate to be able to share living in both the wonderful community of Sandpoint, and also in Orange County, where I retired.

One of the great things both areas share — in addition to the beautiful lake, ocean and mountains, is wonderful people — many in North Idaho from other states and cities, and in Orange County with the mixture of races and nationalities that live together in harmony.

JAMES W. RAMSEY

Sandpoint