Letters To The Editor
SPOKANE MATTERS
One aristocrat-friendly city
If there were any doubts as to Spokane’s status as one of the few remaining oligarchies, the front page on July 4 surely eliminates it.
The fireworks, a traditional ending to our celebration of a people’s uprising against an aristocratic system, were delayed. Why? So that the relative few who can afford the exorbitant prices at the Opera House wouldn’t be disturbed. Could the performance of “Hello Dolly” have been started a half-hour earlier?
So, the masses waited while the privileged few enjoyed their entertainment. I wonder how many of our elected city and county officials were at the Opera House? How many property developers? More to the point, what group of Spokane’s self-identified elite influenced the Opera House management’s decision?
It isn’t as if the people had an alternative other than driving to another city. The same people who can afford Opera House prices have decreed that the common folk can’t be trusted with fireworks. Property might be harmed. So, we waited, tired children in tow, for our local aristocracy to finish its entertainment so we could watch the taxpayer-funded fireworks. R.A. Carter Spokane
Grateful Hoopfest welcomes input
Hoopfest has quickly established itself as a tremendous community event that countless thousands of Spokane and Inland Northwest residents thoroughly enjoy. The vast majority of participants, volunteers, sponsors and spectators observed a weekend of unparalleled fun in Hoopfest ‘95.
Hoopfest is more than a basketball tournament. It’s a gift to Spokane to which many wonderful, talented individuals commit an astronomical number of volunteer hours, always focusing on how to improve an already wonderful event. It’s a terrific example of how city government, downtown businesses and a non-profit entity can work together in a spirit of cooperation to turn downtown Spokane into a giant playground.
Hoopfest is grateful for the unique support and participation it has. We will continue to work to make our event even more special, and welcome input from those who have ideas. Rick Steltenpohl, Hoopfest executive director Spokane
Hoopfest complainer, stay home
I was rather amused at the letter by Matthew Fechter (“Hoopfest experience awful,” July 2) regarding the problems he encountered at Hoopfest.
I wonder if he has ever played in a gym and taken bumps from players. Has he ever played out in public before? To prevent this from happening to him again, I suggest he stay home next year and play with his Barbies. E. Joe Carlson Spokane
CHILD CARE
Day care field no bed of roses
No one ever prints horror stories about what day care providers experience with many parents out there looking for, or getting, “good day care.”
For every 10 calls from people looking for care, at least eight are only concerned about the cost. When they hear how much it will be for a 10-hour day of care and meals, they say they’ll call back. Yeah, right, I say to myself. I won’t hear from them again, because they will look for someone cheaper.
To be honest, I’m glad. These are usually the same people who forget their checkbook on payday, call me at 10 a.m. to tell me their child won’t be here at 7 a.m., or give me their sick child with a Tylenol-masked fever, etc.
I enjoy children. I wanted to be home for my own children and I wanted to earn money, so I decided to do day care. If I had a childhood education degree and was accredited, I’d be a teacher. I’d get more money and have benefits, at least.
I provide a safe, clean, loving, disciplined home. I teach manners, good behavior and fair play. My home is not a school. These children have enough scheduling in their lives and they come here to be kids.
Staff writer Jim Lynch forgot one important thing. If you really are concerned about what your child is doing or whom they are with during the day, stay at home and raise them yourselves. Janice Duvanich Spokane
Blast on day care was undeserved
I can’t believe the one-sided story regarding in-home day care. I am a licensed day-care mom and was one of those inspected last spring. The only problem found was something I didn’t have to comply with.
I would like to invite anyone to come and spend a day with me. My day starts at 6:30 a.m. with breakfast for the early birds, and ends at 6 p.m. when the last child leaves (if they are all picked up on time). During that time, I’m happy if I get the dishes in the dishwater.
After your child leaves my care, I have my home to clean, dinner to prepare and clean up after, and I need to run any errands (usually at about 7:30 p.m.) The bulk of my day is taking the children to the park, ballet lessons, swimming lessons and school. The children are fed, napped, read to, hugged, pottied, etc. There are days when I question why I like my job, when someone says there’s nothing to do, but those days are few and far between.
Our day-care children are loved and cared for like our own children. Birthdays are celebrated with parties and presents. All successes are cheered by everyone, and faults and differences are accepted.
For every one problem provider, there are 10 of us who are doing things right. Please, spend some time with us when you feel the need to blast us all. Wendy Cox Spokane
EDUCATION
‘Virginity’ ad devoid of virtue
As a young woman, I am concerned about the irresponsible and misleading advertisement, “In defense of a little virginity,” (June 17) sponsored by Focus on Family, an extremely conservative, anti-intellectual group.
The ad advocates the use of an educational (and I use that term loosely) program called Teen-Aid. This program withholds vital information for teenagers. It gives inaccurate information about birth control, sexually transmitted diseases and abortion. It’s clearly anti-choice, and imposes a patriarchal set of values on teenagers, even if they ascribe to a different value system.
Furthermore, I am concerned about the ad’s attack on programs designed to empower young adults. The ad denounces the Teenager Bill of Rights, a document which tells teenagers they have the right to think and express themselves.
Apparently, Focus on Family doesn’t view teenagers as deserving the basic human right of expression.
Not giving teenagers honest, accurate and truthful information encourages them to go elsewhere for information. If schools aren’t allowed to provide information, teenagers will simply go to less reliable, possibly dangerous, sources.
I’m not opposed to teaching the option of abstinence to teenagers. However, I am opposed to teaching inaccurate information. Giving people less information does not make them better prepared for life. A balanced program that includes abstinence options and sex education is the best option for teenagers. Rae Flora Spokane
THE FLAG
Show some respect
Milt Priggee’s attempt to be cute and clever with his First Amendment rights upside-down flag correlates perfectly with his obvious upside-down personality.
The First Amendment rights, which Priggee feebly pretends to portray, have been kept sacred and permanently bonded to “Ol’ Glory” by scores of men and women who have fought and died to raise our flag over conquered battlefields all over the world.
His portraying Ol’ Glory upside down, despite his attempt to do so, does not diminish one bit the inseparable meaning of freedom and liberty that will forever be emotionally symbolized by it.
This was simply Priggee’s infantile, surreptitious attempt to disrespect the flag and do so under the guise of a First Amendment history lesson. Many may not see through it and want to look him up to see how he flies “ol’ glory” at his house, if indeed he lives in one and flies a flag on such occasions as Independence Day.
As for me, I am exercising my First Amendment rights by enclosing with this letter, carefully preserved in a plastic baggy, the charred remains of his cartoon gleefully and appropriately torched right along with the smoke worms during our family’s Fourth of July celebration. Ken Van Buskirk Spokane
Amendment sullies Constitution
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a flag burning amendment by a vote of 312 to 120.
The founding fathers devised a system of government which has lasted more than 200 years, despite numerous attempts to undermine it. They didn’t mention the flag in either the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. If that had been an oversight, it could have been corrected when the first 10 amendments (the Bill of Rights) were ratified.
Some members of today’s Congress who in their own minds, may be smarter than the founders would like to tamper with the First Amendment, which provides our most basic liberties. If one exception to free political expression can be made, more can be made.
It’s not the flag but the principles outlined in the Declaration and Constitution that make this country different. People around the world are struggling, not to copy the U.S. flag, but to establish principles similar to those symbolized by the U.S. flag.
Members of Congress are under oath to protect, preserve, and defend not the flag but the Constitution.
One-hundred-twenty members voted to protect the principles, while 312 voted to protect the symbol. When the principles are lost, the flag will be reduced to the same level as many other national flags.
Thirty-four members of the U.S. Senate can, if they’ll risk punishment at the polls for their courage, prevent this unnecessary tampering with what is clearly the world’s best governing document. John Smerer Spokane
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Diabetics can care for themselves
I saw the article in The Spokesman-Review on July 2, about the two Redmond, Ore., teens who lost their parents to diabetes. I must complain about facts printed in the article.
I’m truly heartbroken for these two kids. To lose both parents is a sorrow that no child should ever have to experience. What angered me is, in your article was the statement, “both suffer from diabetes, and the fatigue and illness that accompany it.” A person who has diabetes isn’t suffering; they just have to take better care of themselves.
When diabetics take care of themselves, there isn’t fatigue, and there is a reduced risk of illness. Fatigue is the result of having high unchecked blood sugars. When this happens, the diabetic become sleepy. Over a long period of time, being out of control results in, among other problems, damaged vision and kidney failure.
If anyone says I don’t understand Lacey and Josh’s dilemma, I probably do better than most folks. I have been a diabetic for 27 years and live a normal, healthy life. I live on less than $1,000 per month and do the best I can. Julie Sage New Mexico
Child’s safety no napping matter
Dixie Lee Laehn’s spewing of ignorance in her letter, “Ham-fisted CPS makes enemies” (July 1), was just that: ignorant.
She began by complaining that Child Protective Services disrupted her kindergarten students “without moral and ethical regard for the eyes, ears and feelings of any other small children or staff” in the process of doing their job.
The lack of credentials beside her name clued me she is not an expert on moral or ethical issues. Second, where does she get off regarding herself and the other children’s nap time above the welfare of a child?
Ms. Laehn described the situation as “messy.” There, she hit the nail on the head. Nothing about child abuse is pretty. If anything, CPS is lenient about removing children from parents, even when removal is called for. Removal of a child from a parent or parents must be immediate. When a decision to act is made, it means things have already gotten too far out of hand and the child’s safety has been jeopardized.
If the process of protecting a child made Ms. Laehn uncomfortable or inconvenienced her children’s nap time, tough. A child’s safety is worth a little uneasiness and inconvenience.
CPS people have a very tough job. It’s messy but very much needed to protect the children of this community. If Ms. Laehn were to spend an hour observing the cases CPS deals with, she would praise rather than condemn their actions. Tony Cruse Spokane
OTHER TOPICS
Freon situation not as described
Re: “Freon costs have drivers, shops in lather,” (June 28): I would like to correct a few misleading points.
The cost of retrofitting a vehicle’s air conditioning system from R12 to R134a is not a static $800. From model to model and car to car, the cost will vary based on the components in need of change. Research shows that many cars will require almost no component retrofit.
In the “Freon facts” section, the reporter writes that mechanics recommend recharging air conditioning systems every two years. In fact, most legitimate mechanics recommend having the air conditioning system checked (not recharged) every other year. The difference in cost here could be substantial!
We recommend having your system checked for leaks every two years to reduce the amount of ozone-depleting chemicals released to the atmosphere.
The reporter writes Congress voted to phase out chlorofluorocarbons by 1996. Actually, the phase-out of CFCs by 1996 only affects the production of Freon - not the existing refrigerants produced prior to that date. Freon purchased before 1996 is legal for use. Further, reclaimed, used refrigerant will be available well into the future. Ted Hamlin, CFC specialist Department of Ecology, Spokane
Working class tax break a lie
Imagine working dusk until dawn with no overtime, no Davis Bacon Act, cutbacks in work site safety and not even a minimum wage law.
That’s what the new Republican Congress is proposing. The income of most working people affected by these new proposals range from less than $10,000 a year to less than $30,000 a year. Attack this class of working people to give large tax breaks to those making over $100,000 per year?
One of the biggest lies heard lately, “I’m your Republican Congressman, and I’m here to help you working folks.” Craig Gruenig Spokane
Barriers to freedom must fall
Freedom is a state of being which exists only in an atmosphere of tolerance, equality and non-violence. To be free takes courage and honesty. One must be honest enough to seek the truth and courageous enough to live that truth.
Freedom must be all inclusive and limitless. There is no space for power or intimidation. It doesn’t allow for any violent reaction and comes at a high price. True freedom comes from within. It is not bestowed on a person by any institution, governmental or otherwise.
Our county courthouse is, or at least should be, a focal point of this freedom and justice. There was a giant step backward in our institutional consciousness. Guards and metal detectors were installed to protect our courthouse. We are succumbing to the value of safety and security by constructing walls around ourselves.
Instead of using our resources to deal with the atmosphere of violence in our society, we are locking our institutions away. We are not dealing with the poverty, inequality and classism that exists in our society.
The walls of these security devices can never be high enough if we have fear in our hearts. Security, like freedom, comes from within. These intrusions by metal detectors are violent acts. When we use violence to gain security, we create power. More power in governmental agencies is the antithesis of freedom. Power must always be restrained.
Let’s be open and courageous and create an atmosphere of non-violence. Look within, and you will find security. We must tear down barriers, not erect new ones. Jim Sheehan Spokane