Publisher's Letter

IdaHome Meets the Moment

Dear Readers,

As a lifestyle magazine, our goal is not to profess personal opinions. We’re here to provide a public platform for relevant and compelling stories about Idaho and the people who contribute their love, life and talent to make this state an outstanding place to live. Our job is to spotlight what matters and what matters is shifting. Do you feel it? Here and around the world, for the first time in our lifetimes, the current moment feels beyond our control. The reality we took for granted has come undone by COVID 19, undeniable police brutality and unheralded calls for a reckoning of systemic racism.

This is a past due moment in America, a precipice where all of humanity stands, trapped by the pandemic and facing the end of the world as we knew it before the death of George Floyd. On March 7th, 1965, state troopers teargassed and beat men and women peacefully marching for voting rights in Selma, Alabama while radio stations blared Sam Cooke’s iconic civil rights anthem, “A Change Is Gonna Come.” That change is upon us. Finally.

Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to extend federal employment protections to gay, lesbian, and transgender people to prevent workplace discrimination. Within days, SCOTUS also ruled more than 700,000 “Dreamers” are here to stay. These decisions represent lasting progress towards equality. And yet, there is so much more to be done to create advancement for our nation’s marginalized communities.

Where do we go from here? As a publisher and human being, I’m listening and learning how the wrongs can be stopped and righted. I’m examining the cracks in my beliefs and holding myself more accountable for the ignored sufferings of many. I’m also working to ensure that IdaHome continues to amplify the diverse voices, beliefs and lifestyles that make Idaho a complicated microcosm of America. I’m doing this because I believe the path to equality for all requires participation from all.

Likewise, this issue offers a wide-angle view on Idaho. The honorable Senator Cherie Buckner-Webb shares her informed viewpoint on this historical moment. Governor Brad Little’s family shares the ranching tradition that runs through their DNA. Humor is a necessary salve in troubled times, and syndicated cartoonist Dave Coverly, creator of Speed Bump, explains how animals say the funniest things. Boise is back- and forth- and the Convention and Visitors Bureau explains how. And there’s more- from chasing Idaho’s wild horses and cowboy mythos to following the tech highways with Truckstop.com. As always, IdaHome represents the best of who we are and can be. Too great for hate. Thanks for reading! Karen Day, Publisher