Blaming Others The Real Issue In Aids Case, Readers Charge
Lawyers were arguing in a court of law this week about whether Jeffrey Walker would go to trial for attempted murder. But whether the complaining witness in his case - the ex-lover to whom he passed his HIV infection has a legitimate beef is being questioned in the court of public opinion.
As Andrea Keith of Spokane put it: “Of course the girlfriend can blame her ex-lover for passing on HIV. Blaming is what our society does best - on a grand style.
“Then the government can step in with warning labels for ignorant people like they did on alcohol, cigarettes and raw meat.
“How about a tattoo, just below the belly button: ‘Warning: The surgeon general has determined that unprotected sex can cause pregnancy, STDs and AIDS. Proceed at your own risk.”’
“My opinion,” added Mary Cosentini, also of Spokane, “it’s such a fatal thing and everybody knows about protection. If she had sex unprotected, it was her own risk.
“To prosecute this man criminally when he’s dying of AIDS doesn’t make sense. She is just as guilty, and it’s pathetic she placed herself in an unprotected position.”
Seizing the initiative
The first power reserved by the people is the initiative.
That declaration of populist values can be found in Article II, Section 1(a) of the Washington Constitution. After 106 years, though, there are signs the grass roots are yielding to Astroturf. More and more initiative backers are counting on paid signature-gatherers to get their measures on the ballot.
“I feel very strongly they should not ever be paid for it,” says Dolores Hein, Fairfield, “because if someone really believes in a cause, they should be willing to gather signatures on their own.
“It seems so wrong that some vested interest can pay and get these things on the ballot.”
Hein was commenting specifically on Initiative 651, which appears to be coasting to a vote this November. It would allow unlimited gambling on the state’s Indian reservations. Backers paid petition-circulators $1 a signature.
As for more expanded gambling in the state, Carol Conzelman of Spokane said, “I feel that people would not have bought Lotto tickets if they knew how little of their money really went to schools and how much goes into (other areas of) the general fund and is misused.”
, DataTimes MEMO: “Bagpipes” appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. To respond to issues raised on Tuesdays: Call 458-8800, category 9881, from a Touch-Tone phone; or send a fax to 459-5098 or e-mail to celh27b@prodigy.com. Representative replies appear Thursdays. You also can leave Doug Floyd a message at 459-5577, extension 5466.