Letters

I am a small-town newspaper reporter in Northern California, but I was raised in Spokane Valley. I was stunned by the news of the shooting at Freeman High School. I often competed against the high school as a U-High student and athlete.

As Mark Twain quipped, it's not what you don't know that gets you into trouble, it's what you know that just ain't so. A claim made at the recent sea lion exhibition in Spokane is a case in point. Organizer Jenifer Zeligs claimed that garbage in the Pacific Ocean "is twice the size of Texas and the floating trash is 9 feet deep." This claim has been repeatedly discredited.

As a mother whose son was shot and killed by his neighbor three years ago, I'm compelled to speak of the tragedy at Freeman High School, and offer the hope that I found in the midst of my horrific experience by quoting Billy Graham as he spoke to a traumatized community and grieving families after the Oklahoma City bombing.

In her defense of laissez-faire governing, Sue Lani Madsen suggests Houston's lack of zoning laws had nothing to do with the recent massive flooding. Technically correct. But she fails to acknowledge that appropriate zoning laws would have reduced the amount of damage caused by that flooding.

I eagerly read the Nicholas Deshais article (Aug 29) and Jessie Norris' the letter to the editor (Sept. 8). Both argue that inadequate zoning has made the flooding damage worse in East Texas. We all want safer housing and development, but I have questions about housing 4 million people on or near a flood plain.

Sharon Condrey's Sept. 9 letter regarding pay for school secretaries was on point describing duties of the first person you see when you enter a school building. I worked closely with many Spokane District 81 secretaries for 17 years, always in awe of the order they brought to the students, staff and public. The modernization of the job to include excellent computer skills, working closely with administrator, welcoming frustrated or upset parents ... the list goes on.

Steve Massey's latest column (Sept. 9) is a piece of masterful writing. He has again conveyed absolute truth unflinchingly and uncompromisingly, yet consistent with his style, in a spirit and tone of gentleness and compassion.

Shots ring out in a school, children are injured, one deceased. Witnesses and journalists exclaim, "Why did this happen?" Why did this happen in Columbine, Moses Lake, etc.?

Rachel Alexander, in her Sept. 6 ("DACA enrollees feel exposed, betrayed"), reports how "Mary, now 31, works as a para-educator in a small school district in Spokane County where most of her co-workers have no idea she was brought to the U. S. "illegally as a child".

I am writing in regards to Richard Trerise's Aug. 31 letter. Mr. Trerise stated "shame on the mayor for the dirty streets."

I went to the S-R booth at the fair on Sept. 11 to check out the daily headlines. I'm a transplant from Brooklyn, I was avoiding the TV because I had lost five friends 16 years ago. They had been murdered in World Trade Center One. I was shocked that there wasn't a single mention of 9/11 on your front page - or any or your section front pages.

Five families and an entire community are hurting due to this tragic event, and you feel it is important in your article to point out that Caleb Sharpe's parents, Benjamin and Ericka Sharpe, live in a half-million-dollar home overlooking Hangman Valley. What difference does this make and who cares about the value of their home? Shame on you!

Kudos to Marian Beaumier for her articulate argument in support of "comprehensive health for all." Her vision of a compassionate and equitable health care system is a call to action. Health care for every person is a right that can be realized if we assume the same non-judgmental and kind approach to humanity that Marian described. Thank you, Marian!

What have we here, a president or a classroom bully, and members of Congress are cowards not to stand up to him because they are apt to get fired. He is blackmailing them to get his border wall (at the expense of the American taxpayers).

First of all, I love bread. That said, I greatly enjoyed and was inspired by Shawn Vestal's article in Food section (Sept. 6). He wrote of his passion for baking bread, specifically sourdough. He has inspired me to put a few bread baking supplies on my gift wish list.

I enjoyed Rob Curley's piece on Mike Leach, the WSU head football coach. The article describes Leach's intellectual abilities and his thirst for learning. His interest in history has been widely reported. He's even written a biography of the 19th century Apache chief, Geronimo.

Hate speech is vile. It is despicable. It uses odious words to harm innocent people. It is revolting and immoral. Hate speech is an assault. It is a crime. Those criminals should be restrained. Where they are not restrained they should be held in scorn and ridicule.

Some people say to ignore them, or try to reach out to them and reason with them.

After the twin towers fell, Bin Laden said that his goal was to bankrupt America. I would assume that he would be proud as would his followers. Our debt that we recognize is $20 trillion and climbing because we keep making mistakes that would please his followers.