Letters

As we approach another election for a new mayor and council president it appears there a few people running for office who want Spokane to become more like Seattle – and that should make residents of this great city very concerned.

When are the true culprits of these border tragedies going to take responsibility for their actions? I'm so tired of hearing about how horribly treated the illegal immigrants are at the hands of border agents. This child died as a result of the parents' decision to attempt an arduous and dangerous trip without enough food and water.

Written in response to: "Judge orders Idaho to give transgender inmate gender surgery," Dec. 15:

I'm still trying to adjust to our new, upside down world. I've been told for years by Republicans that running a deficit is bad. Now, after the recent tax cuts, it's good ... because red ink as far as the eye can see is OK if you do it, not the other guy.

This letter is written in response to "Man charged in motorcycle death appears in court," (S-R, Nov. 18).

I think what is going on in Wisconsin with the GOP curbing a governor's power is because the other party won. These types of actions are becoming more and more common. Take Mitch McConnell's refusal to give a hearing to Obama's Supreme Court nominee -- a direct violation of his oath to uphold and serve the Constitution. The Democrats have done it.

Discussions about global warming reminded me of coronary artery disease! I had chest discomfort. This was due to a 90 percent occlusion of the "widow maker" artery, that produces fatal heart attacks in men. A stent rectified this 15 years ago.

In a letter to the editors dated Dec. 10, 2018 ("Climate change "'sources'"), Todd Horner implied the government and the media tell lies about climate change but that the climate deniers are more convincing.

A councilwoman chains herself to people protesting the laws and civility supported by the people of Spokane. She postures as a friend of the disenfranchised, while using them as a prop to support her run for a more influential seat on the Spokane City Council. Despicable. Then her "supporters" occupy the City Council Chambers on Monday night to demonstrate and bully anyone testifying against the lawlessness that permeates the downtown area.

With the passing of former President Bush, we bid adieu to one of the last leaders of what many call, "The Greatest Generation." Yet a great one led by our Founding Fathers preceded Bush's generation. Of course those old timers dressed funny and also had outdated notions. They either owned slaves or condoned the practice, and they had unseemly reverence for guns and Bibles. Clearly country folks needed protection against hostile Indians, not to mention lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

Les Spillman's letter of Dec. 8, "The rut," bemoans a "studded tire rut" which caused an accident. The incident he describes includes "ice." That is what caused the accident, or rather the driver's inability to drive safely for the conditions. If the police had attended, I submit that there would have been a ticket that stated something to the effect of "driving without due care and attention."

Our county commissioners recently change the zoning development from low residential to apartment complex building. This decision favors the raising of more tax dollars and lowers the quality of life (more noise and vehicle congestion). The two roads already have traffic problems.

Todd Horner (Climate "sources," Letters, Dec. 10) states that "government sources" on climate change are unreliable (although he doesn't state why or who is saying so). Nor does he say to which government sources he is referring.

Elliott Briggs' recent guest opinion on Spokane's ongoing efforts for the permanent locating and funding of the Honor Point Military and Aerospace Museum ("A valuable Spokane heritage and place of tribute is at risk," Dec. 9, 2018) is an important commentary.

Many seem to think, including Shawn Vestal, that the regulatory denial of the Avista-Hydro One approval is a good thing. I do not! Because Hydro One, as a Canadian company and foreign owner, would have been required to operate Avista as a separate U.S. subsidiary, which is good, meaning local management and board of directors, plus the headquarters would remain in Spokane. This also would have meant very few, if any, local job cuts.

Kudos, kudos, kudos to Kate Burke, Alfredo LLamado and the others who stood up for the homeless and took a stand against the mayor's office's cruel removal of the homeless from Camp Hope at City Hall. Even though there were warming shelter beds available, the people at Camp Hope remained there as a form of protest and a symbol of very public awareness of the plight of the homeless. Once they are "out of sight" they are often quickly also "out of mind" of the city government and the citizens. Camp Hope was a symbol of that!

The city of Spokane Valley and the 4th Legislative District have a public relations problem caused by Matt Shea which includes: his "Biblical Basis of War" manifesto with its alt-right white supremacist leanings; his attempts to create a 51st state out of Eastern Washington; his removal from a state leadership position; referral to the FBI for investigation and a inquiry into contributions from his campaign funds.

Thank you for the article relating Rev. Mike Savelesky's volunteer work for the Christmas Bureau ("Answering the gospel's call," Dec. 7, 2018). In lieu of the many years we've read and heard about the tragedy of individuals suffering abuse by the clergy of the Catholic Church, it was good to see attention being given to the other side of the equation.

Dr. Jeff O'Connor got just one thing right in his anti-gun, NRA-basing diatribe ("This is our lane!," Nov. 28). He wrote, "Our Constitution provides for an armed citizenry to defend themselves against those who would use the tyranny of the state to suppress our rights as citizens." That salient fact seems to be lost on the subversive anti-gun lobby's cadre of "useful idiots," Shawn Vestal to Sen. Dianne Feinstein.