Letters To The Editor

Commission insults Indians

I recently attended and viewed tape of hearings held by the Washington Horse Racing Commission regarding the license application of New Playfair Park Inc. I heard: The chairperson of the commission intimidate, argue with and scold persons commenting in favor of the application; warn Sen. Jim West (for the audience to hear and fear) to speak at your own peril; Carl Baze of the HBPA and resident for the West Side, imply that we shouldn’t trust Indian Tribes; an ex-officio member of the commission suggest that the Tribes are evil tempters of addicted gamblers; another ex-officio member tell us “you remind me of a bunch of farmers … always stabbing each other in the back.” But she continued telling us she didn’t want to hear anymore insinuations that anyone there (at the Seattle hearing) is trying to close down Playfair, so I guess she was addressing us “back-stabbing farmers” living on the East Side.

I am of Indian descent and have been involved in livestock farming to some degree most of my life. I find my “farmer” friends and neighbors to be kind and helping … as demonstrated when many of us have been threatened by fires in recent years; horse and stock trailers appear from every direction offering help … we have both given help to and received help from our horseman friends and neighbors.

Thanks to the commission and Carl Baze, I feel intimidated, scolded, threatened, frightened, slandered, and insulted, and now with the denial of the application by the commission, as though we have been visited by Col. George Wright, who ordered the mass slaughter of more than 800 Spokane horses. Charline A. Thrast Nine Mile Falls

Delays hurt in Eastern Washington

The Washington Horse Racing Commission needs to see the big picture for horse racing to succeed in Washington state.

Too much concern and too many concessions have been given to assuring success at Emerald Downs, but at the expense of Yakima Meadows and Playfair Race Course in Spokane.

Reasons for denying the Muckleshoot Tribe’s application for a license to operate the Spokane facility seem unduly biased. The tribe is a proven business organization with financial expertise, management skills and the will to step forward and help the Inland Empire by returning horse racing and restoring Playfair Race Course to a high quality facility.

The fact they also own and operate a gambling casino should have no bearing on this decision. Their money should be as good as anyone’s. Many corporations diversify for balance and safety in investments.

Likewise, safety measures at Playfair should not be judged on present conditions of the track, but rather on its makeup after Fontana Rails have been installed, drainage restored, banking re-engineered plus many other facility improvements the Muckleshoots want to do.

The passage of time is hurting horse owners, trainers, jockeys, supporting businesses and fans in Eastern Washington. Commissioners Barbara Shinpoch of Renton and Rubert Plut of Seattle need to look beyond the mountains, as has commissioner Jim Seabeck of Spokane, to work toward the ultimate good of all, and not only Marie Connelly, general manager of Emerald Downs, and the Puget Sound area.

Without healthy competition, any enterprise is doomed, even horse racing. Equality in racing dates, satellite wagering, and other issues will provide a statewide racing agenda, a network for opportunity. If they cannot see that, Gov. Mike Lowery needs to step in and right a wrong in Washington state horse racing. Dan Iyall Spokane

More on Vandals for Idaho, please

Now that school is back in session let’s have a quick lesson in geography - Moscow, IDAHO; Pullman, WASHINGTON.

It stands to reason that the IDAHO Spokesman-Review should focus on the IDAHO VANDALS, does it not?

Please, do not insult us by calling our edition an Idaho one and highlighting the Cougars. Tracy Iverson Bonners Ferry