Letters for Nov. 30, 2023
Right and wrong ways to use scooters
If scooters are not supposed to be on the sidewalk, I suggest that the city do the following:
Require the vendor park their scooters in designated parking spaces on the street and not the sidewalk.
Prominently mark those spaces and post signs clearly stating that scooters are to be used only on the streets, not on sidewalks.
Fine the vendor for any scooters not returned to a designated parking spaces. Alternatively, if it is possible, fine the last user if the scooter was not returned to a designated parking space.
Scooters are a great alternative to automobiles, but folks must be taught what are the right and wrong ways to use these devices.
Donald Barden
Spokane
Thousands of innocents have died
Cathy McMorris Rodgers’ statement of unqualified support for Israel, “Confronting Hamas and antisemitism with moral clarity,” on Nov. 26, is either naïve or calculated. Given her own lack of “moral clarity” – she has effectively allied herself with Trump’s efforts to destroy our constitutional democracy – my guess is the latter.
Hamas is a repugnant organization. Its Oct. 7 raid, replete with wanton murder, rape, hostage-taking and celebratory videos, was heinous. No one with an intact moral compass can deny either that or Israel’s right to defend itself. To those who said Israel should refrain from pursuing Hamas in Gaza because innocent civilians would suffer: If a thuggish anti-American Mexican organization perpetrates a Hamas-style raid on San Diego and then shields itself behind civilians in Tijuana, should we sit on our hands?
But McMorris Rodgers’ failure to even mention the thousands of innocents, including children, who have died in Israel’s counterattack implies that they don’t matter, and she would support Israel up to and including the Palestinians’ annihilation. It suggests that one wrong plus a bigger wrong make a right and is at least as morally blind as the position taken by those who side 100% with Palestinians.
She also elides the painful history of Israel since its inception. Research it even a little, and you learn that there’s plenty of blame to go around.
McMorris Rodgers surely knows all that. I think her cynical intention is to provoke an exaggerated reaction from those liberals who have foolishly taken an inflexible stand against Israel.
Brian Keeling
Spokane
Cease-fire now and end the occupation
First off, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers is no one to talk about moral clarity, because what she is supporting is genocide.
She claims to be pro-life but has no problem with the Israeli government with the steadfast support of the United States killing women and children. Since the attacks on Oct. 7, the Israeli government has used these attacks to initiate an onslaught, killing 14,000 Palestinians, many of whom are women and children.
She can preach moral clarity all she wants but has no problem supporting the war machine and U.S. imperialism, as seen with her unwavering support of Fairchild Air Force Base and the military industrial complex. She claims to support veterans but supports forever wars.
Palestinians deserve to live in their homeland as free and equal citizens, neither dominated by others nor dominating them. The idea of a bi-national state, with an end of occupation and a Palestinian right of return and self-determination, is worthy of support.
Rep. McMorris Rodgers’ politics are full of contradictions and are antithetical to building a better world. Her policies are harmful to working-class people within the United States and abroad. Cease-fire now and end the occupation.
Will Neville
Spokane