A local group wrote a masterpiece letter to the county commissioners regarding their thus-far appropriate response to the Montana governor’s DICTATE. They pull it all together in an incisive, clear, clean letter that I publish intact below.
– Ted
Despite the pressure put on our Sheriff and County Commissioners by State Government, the Health Community and a certain segment of the citizens of Ravalli County, We would like to commend them for their common sense approach to resist the recent mask mandates made by the Governor. Thank You!
We do not in any way want to give the impression that the value of public health and sanitation is not recognized or taken for granted. Tremendous strides have been taken in reducing deadly and debilitating disease in our society. We also understand that county health departments have a heavy responsibility to formulate plans to mitigate to the best of their ability, any health concerns that might affect our county over and above what is dealt with day to day.
As citizens, we have reasonable expectations that efforts to combat health issues will be based on solid scientific facts; executed by known proven protocols by a competent staff and are tailored to the threat and specific to the county. The health board and health officer should never be swayed by politics or unduly influence by media hype or motivated by fear. Decisions should not be independent of considering the overall health and all the factors that contribute to a vibrant thriving community. Without a broad picture approach, the cure will be, (as recently demonstrated by the Covid-19 response), worse than the disease.
What constitutes an Emergency?
MCA 10-3-103 defines an emergency as the imminent threat of a disaster causing immediate peril to life or property that timely action can overt or minimize.
Did Covid-19 constitute an imminent threat? Dr Fauci said that 2 million Americans MIGHT die. We looked to our health board to ascertain the threat and act accordingly. But immediate actions taken did not make sense. Quarantining healthy individuals, taking away livelihoods of families, choosing who could be in business and who couldn’t? It was not long before it was known in Montana that Covid-19 was not the virulent threat it was thought to be. Never the less, the response to it did not reflect reality. Our health care system overnight became “Covid-Care”, ignoring other health issues.
Let’s review some facts about Covid-19:
USA – 3,819,139 cases .037% chance of dying 140,630 deaths?
Montana – 2741 cases .0146% chance of dying 40 deaths??
Ravalli County – 51 cases .019% chance of dying 1 death?
51 cases divided by 43172 population = .0012%
DEATHS BY FLU: 1522018
Where is the imminent threat to life?
Where is the Emergency?
Where is the profundity we should expect from our health officials in analyzing data and making appropriate decisions? Instead, you turned a “Possible threat” into a Disaster!
Dr Calderwood, who recently resigned (but still wants benefits), as the county health officer, said she is extremely proud of the impact she had on the community, along with the team she was a part of and her peers across the state.
Let’s look at the impact “Team Covid” had across the state. Looking at data provided by U of M’s “Bureau of Business and Economic Research” it states in May 2020:
Economic downturn caused by the response to Covid-19 was devastating to Montana. Policies put in place by the Governor and attending health officials produced a recession that is more severe than anything Montana has experienced in the past WWII period.
The Covid-19 mandates caused the loss of 75,000 jobs on average so far in 2020 for the Montana economy.
The prospects are worsening for health care, transportation and agriculture industries.
Lost jobs include payroll jobs, as well as self employed; in aggregate, there was a shortfall in the state of personal income of $6.4 BILLION in 2020 compared to pre- Covid projections.
The Montana economic recovery may take 2 years but is unpredictable because of the uncertainty of future mandates surrounding the Covid-19 response.
Along with utterly devastating the economy (11,000 businesses closed in Montana) some, Never to Reopen! “Team Covid” completely disrupted education, destroyed community by dividing it along masking guidelines, social distancing, social isolation and creating a snitch and bully culture.
“Team Covid” also joined the ranks in cancelling culture advocates by stopping social gatherings like the fair, sporting events and celebrations that honored our heritage. I’m glad Dr Calderwood is extremely proud of her impact because she and the board will be remembered for it.
We see a severe disconnect by the health board from real life. Your business didn’t get shut down, your income did not suffer, and you still had your jobs, insurance and status! You didn’t have to sweat to make a mortgage payment or worry about putting food on the table.
You did not consider the overall health of our community and the long term affects of your decisions. We believe you were merely following orders from the Governor and are being advocates for him and not for the people f Ravalli County. Blind obedience is not a virtue.
We The People of Ravalli County must never let this happen again.
We submitted a FOIA request so we can see what information you used ti make your decisions. Your response does not reflect the threat and we will work to end decisions made in an arbitrary and capricious manner; to the end goal of decisions made on solid truth, facts and compassion.
Many of you in the medical community have been critical of Sheriff Holton and our Commissioners because of their stand on masks. They, along with many citizens, are castigated for not trusting your source for science. Is that the same science that teaches our children there are more than 2 genders and that Bruce Jenner is a woman? Is that the same science that Dr Fauci follows, that one day masks don’t work and then they do?
A demeaning comment was made from within the medical community that we take the internet over science. Let’s look what the internet says about science.
From the oracles of the CDC:
“Non- pharmaceutical Measures for Pandemic Influenza” in Non-Healthcare settings. Personal Protective and Environmental Measures Published in “Emergency Infectious Diseases” Vol. 26 No 5 May 2020”
Fourteen randomized controlled trials did not support a substantial affect on transmission of laboratory confirmed influenza.
Quotes from pages 970-972:
“In pooled analysis, we found no significant reduction in influenza transmission with the use of face masks.”
“Disposable Medical Masks: There is limited evidence for their effectiveness in preventing virus transmission when worn by infected persons or worn by uninfected persons to reduce exposure”.
It goes on and on stating Masks don’t work.
Part of science is observation and common sense. Thanks again to Sheriff Holton and the Commissioners for seeing through this one.
We do trust science and the medical community even though there are significant risks involved. We have enough confidence to risk our lives in your hands even though medical errors are the 3rd leading cause of death in this country according to John Hopkins (2016). More than 250,000 people per year are killed by the medical system. The odds are still in our favor that we will receive competent care.
The odds are also in our favor when it comes to the Covid-19 virus because it is less deadly so far than you are! The odds are even slimmer dying from it!
We are not willing to give up our Liberty, our Economy, our Community or our Culture to an unsubstantiated threat that is being used to undermine the spirit of the Constitution and wrecks our Country! We are working to change laws and personnel that reflect our values.
We have legal standing under Title 18 U.S.C. Section 242 (Deprivation of Rights under the Color of Law) to push back against these illegal mandates. If the citizen’s rights are knowingly violated by officials, the official can be held personally responsible.
We demand sound planning based on truth, scientific facts and an understanding of the overall health and wellbeing of the community.
The citizens demand that no decision to hire a permanent replacement for the HO be made until the FOIA request has been honored. The people have a right to know how you came to your decisions to wreak havoc on our lives and erode our liberties.
Also, the field of prospective candidates needs to be broadened in order to find the most qualified person.
The Health Department needs to manage in a spirit of cooperation not CONTROL! This body needs to operate by FACTS and TRUTH and not build a future of fear.
Stand Together For Freedom
July 24, 2020