Letter: Will China be your new neighbor?

Published 6:15 am Thursday, July 13, 2023

To the Editor:

I’m surprised the Blue Mountain Eagle hasn’t written an article yet about the foreign threat to our security and food supply from China. Recently, the state of Florida passed a new law (Senate Hill 264) restricting Chinese land ownership near U.S. military installations and major infrastructure.

Presently, 384,000 acres are owned by Chinese companies or U.S. corporations with major Chinese stockholders. President Biden’s Justice Department argued in a new court filing that Florida’s SB 264 is unconstitutional. The Justice Department argues that the law violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution as well as the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

The U.S. Constitution is intended to protect the rights of U.S. Citizens, not foreign governments. At a time when we often hear concerns raised about the food supply for U.S. citizens, it is hard to believe that our own government is objecting to restrictions on purchases of agricultural land by a foreign country that has openly stated that it seeks global dominance.

With agriculture being the backbone of our local economy and our proximity to the Hanford nuclear facility, it is reasonable to consider that our rural areas could be a target.

This threat from China is not a liberal or conservative issue, it is an American issue. If you find this encroachment by China is a threat to the security of the United States and its citizens, please let our state and federal representatives know how you feel.

Ralph Goodwin

John Day