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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Letters

Forgiveness of fines doesn’t help library

In Thursday’s Voice (“Patron fines hinder library,” Feb. 3), there was an article decrying the lack of patronage at the East Side Library.

The reason is the 2,296 blocked library cards issued by that branch and the children who are affected by them. The reasons for the blockage are overdue fines and missing materials. Since the Spokane Libraries cannot get away with complete amnesty (because it would be giving away public funds), they are proposing partial amnesty, which would forgive half of the fines.

So, how much are we talking about? $27,568! And, that does not account for “lost materials.” These parents and children have taken $27,568 plus countless DVDs, CDs and books, and we are not only going to pay for it, but we’re going to allow them to start their theft again? When do the cardholders become responsible for stealing materials bought with taxpayer money?

If this lack of responsibility is the reason the East Side Library is in arrears, then perhaps we should cut our losses and close this branch. When the children of the area ask for an explanation, they need simply to look to the adults of their district. In the meantime, the books will surely be valued at properly used branches.

Michael Wiman

Deer Park

Palestinian stance strikes chord

Thank you, Marianne Torres and Michael Poulin, for alerting Spokane to the need to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine (“Property owners advertise pro-Palestine stance,” Feb. 3).

I participated in two human rights investigatory missions to the West Bank. Human rights violations by the Israelis are rampant and tolerated by our United States government. The Israelis completely ignore the Geneva Conventions, which include the international community’s requirements for how they should treat Palestinians, and to which Israel is a signatory.

From what I have read, conditions are even worse in Gaza. For more information, I recommend “Palestine” by Joe Sacco.

It is time for Israel to end the occupation of Palestine.

Kim Marie Thorburn

Spokane

Sign doesn’t contain ingredients of peace

Your recent (Feb. 3) article on the small, yet disturbing, anti-Israel sign by Interstate 90 correctly questions if it’s a “bad welcome to visitors to Spokane” because it reveals a bigotry toward Jews and Israel, and a blindness to political reality and history.

Neither of these traits would appeal to any reasonable person interested in visiting, working, living or investing here. Furthermore, the sign owners admitted 25-year obsession against Israel is at odds with our well-respected regional programs (Gonzaga’s Institute for Hate Studies, Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations) which promote peace instead of prejudice.

Peace in the Middle East depends less on the policies of a democracy here (America) or there (Israel), but rather the improvement of social, political, and educational standings of men, women, and children of all faiths who have been oppressed by religious, military, or royal dictators in Arab countries.

A minuscule sign by a few people on the fringe in Spokane can’t hide the truth – just look at the news coming out of Cairo or Beirut.

Joseph Harari

Spokane