Regarding Mark Winstein’s letter to the editor titled “Let’s not be a big box town” (Opinion, Jan. 27 & 28): I will point out to your good and thoughtful readers that in Winstein’s opinion, the last people who should be making decisions about land use are the actual land owners, the last people who should decide what is and what is not a “sustainable approach to the economy” are those who have their own capital at risk in a given venture, and by rights, the very last people on Earth who should decide where to shop are the shoppers themselves.It might be interesting if people could make their own decisions in what I will call a “free society” (I might enjoy entertaining the dean of a Free Market Solutions to World Problems College). I understand that this is a new and terrifying proposal (for some) but it may be worth considering, given that if our neighbors have the right to choose, perchance it would follow that we too would be afforded the same right at some stage.
Apparently, there is a new field of study at the University of Idaho known as Helping Make the Economy More Reflective of Ecological Values. I might like to meet one of the doctorate professors in this new department. However, between taking care of my family and minding my own business instead of advocating the use of force in minding other people’s business, it would be hard for me to justify the time.
Now I want to propose an entirely new concept — one that Winstein may not have ever considered: Maybe we could advocate the protection of other people’s rights (even if we dislike them).
Lyle Keeney, Palouse
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