Dear America
President Trump has unexpectedly stirred in me a long-dormant love of country and flag. For the first time, I feel truly patriotic — but perhaps not in the way you might think.

As our democracy seems to be slipping away, faster than any of us imagined, my love for our nation’s ideals has been rekindled. Who knew our democracy was so fragile? And who imagined that a second Trump term would awaken complacent Americans, motivating “We The People” to defend the freedoms that we hold dear?

Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of our democracy. Any leader who threatens this freedom is profoundly un-American. We have always known who the “bad guys” are: nations where dissent is silenced, where only one party is allowed and where dictators rig elections. I ask you, America: Is our president leading us down that same path?

Our freedoms are under threat. For 250 years, Americans have stood up to defend democracy at home and abroad. Today, we face another such moment. Now is the time for Republicans, Democrats and independents to come together. Now is the time for Americans of every race and background to unite against this threat, just as we always have, in the name of freedom.

This is our time.

Michael Podmore
New Castle

VOICES grant
On behalf of the VOICES board and staff, I am writing to express our sincere gratitude to the Aspen Thrift Shop for recently awarding our organization generous grant funding that will help us continue propelling our mission into the community. We believe that now, more than ever, amplifying the voices of our neighbors is critical to moving our region forward with compassion, connection and understanding the deep power of our shared humanity. We are proud and honored to know that the Aspen Thrift Shop supports this vision.

If you are not already familiar with VOICES, we are a Carbondale-based nonprofit serving the Aspen-to-Parachute region through storytelling, arts and music programming in schools, in community and on stage. Maybe you have listened to a story told from our mobile ARTery Tiny Stage, attended one of our biannual devised theater productions, tuned into an episode of our VOICES Radio Hour podcast or enjoyed a song performed by your child in one of our school-based music residencies. These programs and more are ongoing, year-round. This work would not be possible without funding from grantors like the Aspen Thrift Shop, which champions our mission to amplify voices through the arts. To learn more about our work or how you can support or get involved, please visit www.VOICESrfv.org 

MinTze Wu
VOICES

Seniors’ Resource Fair
When the community comes together, good things truly happen — especially when it comes to supporting our older adults. In that spirit, I would like to share with Roaring Fork Valley seniors and their families that we are hosting our third annual Seniors’ Resource Fair on Thursday, Nov. 13 from 11am to 1pm at the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District station.

To attend is free, and many local organizations have generously agreed to come and share what they offer for seniors living in the area. This includes Roaring Fork Valley professionals offering essential resources for older adults, including hospice, home care, health services, fitness and more. For seniors and families, it is a great way to meet with so many organizations, build connections and support one another. We hope to see you there. Many thanks to the Carbondale Fire for allowing us to gather at their space for the day.

Marie Herr
Sopris Lodge at Carbondale

Bike Project thanks
The volunteers and staff of the Carbondale Bike Project (CPB) sincerely thank the Aspen Thrift Shop for awarding us the 2025 grant funds for general operating support. Your generosity directly strengthens our mission to keep bicycles out of landfills, provide educational opportunities for youth and the broader community and ensure access to bikes for those in need.

The CPB is run by dedicated volunteers and sustained through bike sales, donations and grants. Support from the Aspen Thrift Shop plays an essential role in maintaining our operations and expanding our community impact.

With appreciation,

Valerie Gilliam
Carbondale Bike Project

Libraries IGA
The ongoing challenges surrounding the Garfield County libraries stem from the action of the county commissioners (BOCC). The issue has consumed significant time for both the BOCC and the library board, when the BOCC lacks broad public support and has politicized the matter.

At the Oct. 6 BOCC meeting, it became evident that the commissioners have absolutely no intent of negotiating with the library trustees. The intergovernmental agreement (IGA), intended as a framework for cooperation between the BOCC and the library board, remains at a stalemate. The IGA was an action item on the Oct. 6 agenda to be voted on, but, instead, after a 30-minute discussion, the item was tabled for further consideration. Who is dragging their feet?

Instead of seeking compromise, the BOCC is now proposing changes to the library board bylaws specifically suggesting that trustee terms be reduced from five years to three. The library board controls the bylaws, not the BOCC. Should a trustee serve two terms, that would be 10 years on the library board. That is too much time for one board member to be in that position — a suggestion, coming from Mike Sampson, who has served for 16 years as a commissioner and is now beginning his fifth four-year term. My math tells me he will have served as a county commissioner for 20 years!

I suggest you take a look at the recorded segment of the Oct. 6 BOCC meeting by visiting www.tinyurl.com/BOCCLibraryIGA The county commissioners show their true colors. 

Jocelyn Durrance
Carbondale

Buy Nothing Day
With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, thoughts turn to Black Friday: The day after that retailers hope to see maximum sales, using it as a benchmark for estimates of profit for the oncoming Christmas season.

This year, there is a push to use Black Friday as a tool to voice consumer and voter dissatisfaction with the current federal government’s failure to back many of the U.S. Constitution’s mandates, which every federal government member has a sworn duty to uphold. Black Friday is now becoming Buy Nothing Day, which would put a chill in boardrooms across the country and underscore Americans’ purchasing power where it hits home, in Corporate pocketbooks.

Since big corporations obviously don’t understand anything except money, this is the only way to get many of them to sit up and listen to Americans’ needs and hopes for the future of our great country. Withholding our spending is a powerful way to make corporate bigwigs pay attention, as was exemplified by Disney’s attempt to stifle Jimmy Kimmel in September, which failed miserably, causing their market shares to drop $4 billion in only two days. (They are still losing money over that one).

Personally, I think the idea of withholding money from big corporations, like (fill in the blank), is a good one, but only if we consider that we could better spend our money elsewhere, specifically at mom-and-pop operations, which are not the enemy here. Black Friday can become a way to gig greedy corporations, while at the same time benefitting local retailers who don’t necessarily line up with the big corporations’ ideals, or lack thereof.

The upshot: Spend wisely, support local business and sock it to the Man — all at the same time.

Roger D. Miller
Glenwood Springs

Attention, Hurd
“I think law and order is something that’s important to all of us as Americans,” said our representative, Jeff Hurd, speaking about ICE rounding up undocumented people. However, he seems willing to let unidentified people in masks do the work, arresting people without judicial warrants and who sometimes are citizens, which is in itself illegal. He also seems to allow the Trump administration to break the law in other ways.

Why is he not speaking out about:

  • The 35% of court orders Trump ignores? (including $6 billion the courts ordered Trump to release for SNAP assistance in November).
  • The detention of people without bond or charges?
  • Deploying National Guard troops to Democratic cities for virtually no reason? (They have lower crime rates than previously and seem targeted only to cause unrest).
  • Using the Department of Justice as his personal revenge machine?

Yes, Representative Hurd, law and order are important and we hope you start holding this administration responsible!

Peter Westcott
Missouri Heights

Re: ‘1946’
I read the story “At Carbondale Library, ‘1946’ film prompts reflection on scripture and inclusion,” and I couldn’t help but shake my head. Some Bible scholars will perform all sorts of logical and hermeneutical gymnastics to make it seem as if the Bible affirms homosexual conduct. It does not. According to Scripture, homosexual acts are sinful. Period (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:9-10).

The Bible offers good news, however. All who repent of their sins and put their faith in Jesus Christ will be saved (Acts 2:38; Romans 10:13). Everyone has sinned — both homosexuals and heterosexuals. But the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ on the cross brings forgiveness to all who call on Him. If you are a practicing homosexual, it’s not too late.

So the film was disappointing but not altogether surprising. What really bothered me was that people right here in our valley, people who claim to be Christians, could call something good that the Bible clearly calls evil. To take up the name of Christ and then affirm people in their sins is a grievous mistake. Those “Christians” need to repent. They need to find churches that teach the Bible, and they need to become a light in this dark world — rather than remain part of the darkness itself.

Chris Moon
Redstone

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