Letters To The Editor

WASHINGTON STATE

It’s time for a housecleaning

I really sympathize with Mark Heitman’s feelings about the Office of Support Enforcement (“Driving his point across,” News, Jan. 31). Although I can’t condone his actions, I can understand what drove him to it.

Of all the state agencies, the state Division of Support Enforcement has to be the worst run. Its records are rarely accurate, the staff is rude and hard to deal with, and the whole department seems to be run in a slipshod, seat-of-the-pants manner.

My husband’s account has been messed up several times. He would like to check on it periodically but it is almost impossible to get a real person on the phone there. And they don’t have the time to search for the information you want, anyway.

Although the payment is taken directly out of his paycheck, the support is always received late. My sisterin-law once received a $1 support check from Support Enforcement. Obviously, they’re screwing up on the recipients’ end, too.

My husband earns less than Heitman and has fewer children, yet he pays even more in support. We both work, but we must drive 15-year-old cars, shop at secondhand stores and eat Hamburger Helper most nights just to get by. On the other hand, the ex-wife and kids always have new, name-brand clothes, Nintendo, sports equipment and more.

I believe a father should support his children, but not to the point that it becomes punitive. The whole system needs a major housecleaning. Maybe Heitman’s actions will bring attention to this. A.M. Reynolds Spokane

Reform or build strong barricades

Re: The article about the man who drove his truck through the front window of the office of the state Office of Support Enforcement.

I’ve had to deal with that office for the past 20 years and I have yet to leave its parking lot without the overwhelming desire to do the same thing.

As for the use of the term “deadbeat parent,” Support Enforcement might well use that term to define me or any other parent they’ve yet to intimidate into abject submission. It would appear that abject submission wasn’t the immediate choice of the gentleman who drove his truck through the front of the building.

Before this particular form of “dispute resolution” turns into a popular idea among disgruntled parents, the state might do well to take a good, hard look at what would provoke an otherwise ordinary individual into such a futile act of violence. Jeffrey W. Clark Newman Lake

Overbearing agency ruins lives

I don’t condone the actions of the man who drove his truck into the Support Enforcement office, although I understand his frustration.

I, too, pay child support and care that my children are taken care of. But this organization has come into our lives to the point where we have no rights to a life of our own. The agency garnishees our wages, raises our support amounts, destroys our credit, puts liens against our property and treats us like we’re no-good bums. When we sometimes overpay what we owe, we get no refund or credit. Support Enforcement just raises our support amount to justify any mistakes on its part.

After the agency has taken all it can, its asks for more.

Support Enforcement calls us deadbeats. In reality, most deadbeats aren’t around to have wages garnisheed.

Some of us must fight for visitation rights to see our children. That usually requires a lawyer for which no money is left after Support Enforcement gets its share of our wages.

As I understand the Constitution, we’re all supposed to have equal rights. It doesn’t work that way when a branch of the government has so much power that it’s impossible to get a fair chance to have a decent life.

No office of this magnitude needs $100 million of taxpayers’ money per year to make life miserable for those of us who are trying to make a decent living and trying to do the right thing. All we’re asking for is some fairness instead of punishment. Kyle Hendren Spokane

Heitman begat 5; Agency begat 0

Poor Mark Heitman. To “make a point” he smashes into the Office of Support Enforcement building and then demolishes computer equipment with a hammer.

He’s upset, you see, that nearly $1 out of every $3 he makes goes to help support his three children, and he may not have enough left for his other two children.

Hmmm, that makes a total of five children. I wonder if he actually is so ignorant that he believes fault lies with the agency?

Wake up, Heitman, and stop producing kids you can’t afford. Sandy Inman Spokane

Keep gate low for abuse reporting

Congratulations to staff writer Anne Windishar for her editorial regarding Rep. Bill Backlund’s bill raising the threshold of tolerance for abuse of children to “an infliction of physical injury that causes a substantial risk of death or serious impairment.”

According to another article in the Spokesman, 15 years ago, Backlund was investigated by Child Protective Services for spanking a foster child in his care with several different implements. Now he’s saying let’s protect parents from such an intrusion.

In regard to protecting parents’ rights, please consider - children don’t exclusively “belong” to parents. They belong to the schools, the neighborhood, the community, the world. When they come from a home where they are sexually, emotionally or physically abused - when they come from neglect, situations of drug abuse and domestic violence - they bring all that with them when they leave that home, at whatever age.

Lacking intervention, they will most likely be emotionally damaged, unable to be productive citizens and unable to be good parents on one end of the scale (and the cycle continues) - or aggressive and violent on the other end. They will be aggressive and violent to the people who live in the communities.

They belong to all of us for their lifetime. The cost in dollars and pain is phenomenal (juvenile system, criminal system, justice system, welfare system).

As Windishar said, “If a few people are inconvenienced by a case worker knocking on their door, too bad.” For the welfare of us all, the children need to be protected. Gail Boyd Spokane

Homophobia shouldn’t be state policy

Re: “Proposal would invalidate marriage rights for gays,” (Region, Jan. 30):

It disturbs me that lawmakers across Washington are bothering to spend time and tax money to stop homosexual marriages from being legal in the state. HB2262 is a bill to stop homosexuals from coming back to Washington after getting married in another state. They do not want these people to demand the rights of heterosexual couples.

What’s the big deal? What are they afraid of?

Conservatives are “standing up for traditional families.” I’m not even sure what a traditional family is anymore. We certainly have enough problems with “normal” families getting into domestic disputes and killing each other. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a news-breaking domestic dispute in Washington concerning homosexual couples.

If Rep. Steve Furhman, R-Kettle Falls, is concerned with honoring God’s will, then he should learn to accept and love all beings, homosexual or not. If his god’s will is to reject people for their sexual orientation, then he can keep him. Mine loves everyone equally, regardless of who they are and what they stand for.

I applaud Gov. Mike Lowry for promising to veto the bill if it ever gets to his desk. That alone will win my vote. Debra Leigh Moses Lake

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

Not homophobia, just sin phobia

I am so disgusted with the term “homophobia” and even more disgusted with “Gayfriendly,” the title of the article you ran profiling the club, Dempsey’s.

According to Webster’s dictionary, a phobia is “an exaggerated, inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object or class of objects.” The problem most people have with homosexuality is not illogical or inexplicable. It is in fact the same problem we have with all kinds of immorality.

I believe that a homosexual lifestyle is a decision. However, my only fear of homosexuality is that it, like other immoralities, has become mainstream and accepted. In our society we encourage people to do what feels right. But the truth is that what feels good or right is not always good or right to do.

People seem to give more forethought to the fat content of the food they eat than sexual encounters. The consequences are rampant HIV infections, sexually transmitted diseases, teenage pregnancies and, worst of all, government-sanctioned murder in the form of abortion.

Remember when self-control, self-denial, abstinence and commitment were taught and expected? Now we teach kids how to fail correctly. Girl Scouts are learning to put condoms on instead of taking nature hikes.

Gays shouldn’t flatter themselves that my objection to homosexuality is homophobia. Homosexuality is really only a small part of a much larger social decay in which - just to name a few - promiscuity, cheating, theft, system-swindling and gang loyalty abound.

Gayfriendly? I’m not feeling friendly about any of it. Cindy Driehorst Spokane

Helps to know potential of our anger

How shall I respond to such violent acts as the recent tragic shootings that took place in a school in Moses Lake?

It is true that I would never choose to attack my fellow human beings with a gun. However, is it possible that I could be willing to harbor anger, even in just a small degree, toward another? Could I judge or condemn others based upon my observations of their outward behavior? Are not such feelings indicative of a willingness in me to participate in the hurt rather than the healing of my world?

When feelings of ill will toward others arise I choose to go to a place of quietness and spend time searching my heart, asking for help, and not leaving until that beautiful sense of healing is received. As I experience this healing of spirit I am now set free to look at others at a deeper level than what they look like outwardly. I can see the spark of good within, no matter how deeply it may be buried.

I can accept all as my brothers as we go forward together in the grand work of world healing. If I fail to deal honestly and thoroughly with my own issues, I simply cannot contribute significantly to the healing of others.

As the well-known song says, “Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me.” Tom Durst Spokane

Nominate outstanding teen for award

With the outburst of violence this past summer, some members of the Spokane community may doubt the spirit of its youths. Here’s a chance, Spokane, to ease any doubts and prove that those criminals do not represent our future.

Please, use this opportunity to recognize the outstanding young residents of Spokane by nominating a youth, age 5-18, for a Chase Youth Award.

Founded in the spirit of Jim Chase, former mayor of Spokane, these awards are presented to eight recipients for their contribution to their family, school or community at a ceremony on March 19 at the Opera House.

Nominations - due by Feb. 13 - honor students for more than sports or academics. Such things as supporting a family, founding influential groups or businesses, pushing past an illness or showing extraordinary courage and determination qualify a candidate for an award.

Spotlight the youth of this community and encourage people at the same time. Pick up a Chase Youth Award nomination at your local school, community center, library, or church, or at City Hall.

By taking time to give appreciation, Spokane can support future acts of generosity. I know personally that teenagers are grateful for any positive commentary we receive, so please encourage those who are making a difference and nominate a youth you know. Shayna Silverstein Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

GOP deficit bugaboo nothing new

The budget/deficit battle is a swindle foisted on the people to panic the innocent. It’s an old lie.

Prior to World War II, Republicans were screaming that we had to cut $7 million from the Works Progress Administration appropriation. Painful cuts had to be made (on the poor) they said, or the country would go broke with disastrous results.

Then Pearl Harbor was bombed. Within days the Federal Reserve announced that it would pay for the entire cost of the war no matter how much it would be or how long it might take.

The Treasury Department was ordered to print vast new sums of money. These were deposited in the 12 regional Federal Reserve banks. U.S. government bonds were issued and were purchased with the new money. The government was charged for borrowing its own money, but the interest was kept low. Price control laws were passed and strictly enforced to prevent inflation.

This new money, converted into labor power, built the greatest army, navy and air force the world had ever seen, while at the same time providing food, clothing and shelter for everyone.

Productive labor is the only thing that produces real wealth.

Our Constitution states that the role of government is to provide for the general welfare - something House Speaker Newt Gingrich and his cohorts don’t believe in. With 1 percent of the people owning 40 percent of the wealth, the nation is in deep trouble. But this is not for budget and deficit reasons. Clyde F. Jarvis Spokane

Democrats lie and oppress

I am amazed at the pervasive lies that have been told by President Clinton, White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta, House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, House Minority Whip David Bonior and Sen. Patty Murray to squander our future and justify continued oppressive regulation of we the people of the United States of America. They claim that the power of the federal government can’t be returned to the people of the state of Washington because our local representatives are too irresponsible.

This gang of five ignores the Declaration of Independence: “Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the people.” I find it unfathomable that in November we may sink further into the policies of yesterday that spend our children’s futures today and bankrupt our country in the next century.

I guess we will find out if President Lincoln was right when he said, “You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.” Michael Buchanan Ephrata, Wash.

There’s such a thing as too clean

On Jan. 28, a letter writer complained that House Speaker Newt Gingrich wants to eliminate spending for environmental bills, including clean water provisions.

Please. Even Republicans don’t like to drink dirty water. Their intent is to stop stupid regulations such as the one with which we had to deal near Olympia several years ago.

We lived in a semi-rural area where each house had its own well. When we bought the house, the health department declared our well water safe to drink. Two years later, the federal authorities came along with their regulations and tested two wells on our street. The water contained .0007 parts per billion of a substance they said “may” cause cancer (.0007 ppb was the acceptable “safe” limit.)

Fertilizers from a nearby strawberry farm were thought to have leached into the aquifer, and all the homeowners were mandated to obtain an approved supply. We had to dig the trench, buy and lay 75 feet of pipe out to the street, and then pay $1,500 for hookup to the new supply.

At a concentration of .0004 parts per billion you would have to drink 70 gallons of water every day for 20 years to ingest one tablespoonful of the substance.

Dixie Lee Ray once made an analogy of a similar situation, saying it would be like pouring an ounce of liquor into a railroad car of water and calling it a cocktail. Jean Reiter Loon Lake, Wash.