Letters To The Editor

ETHICS IN PUBLIC SERVICE

No good reason to suspect planner

Regarding “Planner moonlights as developer” (July 23), I am shocked that of all the critical issues facing our community, our nation and the world, you chose to focus on this trivial matter, and in the process bring one-sided accusations against an innocent county employee. No wonder people refer to The Spokesman-Review as a small-town newspaper. Not only is Mr. Horobiowski being treated unfairly, you believe this is front page news? Mr. Horobiowski has done nothing wrong. He and his family have worked conscientiously to avoid any real or perceived conflicts. Your third article on this subject, “County has no panel to examine conflicts” (July 26,) states that when Mr. Horobiowski and family members decided to develop their land on the prairie, he checked with his boss, county attorneys and managers. He got the green light, yet now his good name is being dragged through the paper and his reputation questioned over this ridiculous, overblown issue.

As future homeowners on Five Mile Prairie, Mr. Horobiowski and his family share the same interests in high-quality development, adequate roads, water pressure and fire protection as other residents. The same cannot be said for larger developments which have been approved but have not addressed these concerns or made any commitment to impact fees.

Spokane has a great city that deserves a first class newspaper. Your staff has the talent to do it, but with articles like this you won’t outgrow the small-town reputation that still persists. Jennifer Maser Spokane

Planner has done nothing wrong

Regarding “Planner moonlights as developer” (July 23) and “County has no panel to examine conflicts” (July 26), the planner involved has done nothing wrong and should have the right to subdivide his own property with his family without the paper sensationalizing unfair accusations. If anything is questionable, it is the fact that other large developers have gotten approval for development without any commitment to impact fees on the prairie.

If (staff writer) Kristina Johnson is going to do an article which could potentially damage reputations and investments, she should at least take the time to make both sides of the story accurate. M.A. Inman Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Some lawyers have served us well

Teresa Shelley (Letters, July 26) described George Nethercutt as “just another attorney” and implied that “double-talking attorneys” had perverted our judicial system. A little fairness is in order.

I’m a lawyer and my job is to train other lawyers. I wouldn’t claim that all lawyers live up to the high standards of our profession, but I don’t think it’s fair to disqualify one from public office just because he or she is a lawyer.

One of our greatest presidents, who helped found the Republican Party, was a lawyer, and a very good one at that. But Abraham Lincoln was bitterly attacked for “fence-straddling” on the issue of slavery. Lincoln was personally opposed to slavery but felt he was constitutionally constrained from translating that belief into military strategy. Was he just another “glib, fencestraddling, double-talking attorney”? Many thought so, but it’s hard to imagine where our country would be without his combination of spiritual depth and worldly wisdom.

Oh, what a difference it would make to have someone like that occupying the White House today!

Yes, Bill, Hillary and Tom should be voted out of office, but not because they are lawyers. They should be held accountable in foreign, fiscal and social policy, where traditional American ideals have been replaced by Yuppie-speak.

A Herblock cartoon from the civil rights era pictured an American Eagle climbing up the flagpole, announcing to Jim Crow, “I’ve come to take my place back.” We’ve got a similar task today and George Nethercutt deserves a chance to help us do it. David K. DeWolf Spokane

Alton accepts responsibility Attorney George Nethercutt really showed his lack of leadership last week as he passed the buck - and the blame - for failure to report Republican Party fundraising activity to the state Public Disclosure Commission. As chairman, it was his responsibility to keep the party honest.

I fear we could expect more of the same wishy-washy stands if we get another Foley-type like him in Congress.

I attended the United We Stand candidate forum held in May at the Valley Library. When candidate Duane Alton was asked the reasons for his 1978 loss by just over 8,000 votes, he responded, “I don’t blame anyone but myself.”

Heavy stuff! A real candidate who accepts the blame, `fesses up, and tries again! Remnants of Abraham Lincoln, I’d say.

Let’s get some honesty back in this race. My vote goes to Duane Alton for 5th District, Congress. Willa Harper Spokane

It’s about politicos’ popularity

Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty or give me death.” Have we forgotten those words? He did not say, “Give me health care or give me death.”

We are in a fight for our freedom once again. This time it is disguised as health care.

We have an election coming up, and Congress has gone from being a government by the people to being a government to buy the people.

The health care plan, as proposed, is nothing more than another expensive government program to buy votes at election time. If you don’t believe me, go the Spokane Public Library, get the 1,300-plus-page document, open it anywhere and read a few pages, keeping two questions in mind:

What benefits will you receive or lose from this proposal?

How much will this proposal cost you?

Then write your congressperson or senator and provide an intelligent opinion on the government-mandated health care program.

This health care proposal isn’t liberty. It is more expensive government control over each and every one of us.

A government that would mandate health care is the type of government Patrick Henry was leaving behind. Have we come full circle? No one ever said freedom is easy.

It was a principle many of our forefathers gave up their money and lives for. Was their pain and suffering in vain? Dan Meckel Veradale

Lift debate to higher level

Popular democracy, like all things, has its light and its shadow sides.

The light side is that all can participate, no matter what the viewpoint or how well expressed. The dark side is that those who are most zealous and loud tend to get more attention than those who are thoughtful and wellinformed.

In my 30 years as a registered voter, I have never seen that to be more the case than it is right now.

We get political cartoons reflecting outright ignorance and prejudice. We get “talk shows” that are featurelength paid political ads.

We get a steady diet of cynicism that fails to honor the fact that Congress is populated mostly with hard-working, capable and caring people. Our president is one of the best educated in our history who dares to challenge some deeply entrenched societal problems.

I challenge The Spokesman-Review to elevate us above cynicism and prejudice by a more balanced and thoughtful selection of political cartoons, for example. Also, Mallard Fillmore belongs in the Opinion section along with Doonesbury.

I don’t find trashing the president and his wife funny. I find it sad. Larry Winters Cheney

LAW AND JUSTICE

Message is consequences of killing

I feel compelled to respond to Pam Thornton’s letter of July 28.

I understand the agony she must be experiencing and believe that Barry Thornton is an honest family man caught up in bad circumstances. However, I disagree with her assertion that his prison sentence sends “a disgraceful message to nonwhites in Spokane.”

The fact is, Mr. Thornton returned to the scene to murder another human being in cold blood. My opinion of the character of these men probably matches hers, but that is irrelevant now. Mr. Thornton made a decision to return in anger with a gun and is now facing the consequences. As for comparing this with the incident in front of the federal courthouse, Mrs. Thornton completely misses one very important point. This white man had every chance to shoot but didn’t; he only threatened. If Mr. Thornton had only made threats, this case would not have ended as tragically as it has.

There is a lot of pain and anger loose in today’s violent society. If Mr. Thornton had been allowed to go scot-free, it would truly send a disgraceful message to today’s youth, both white and nonwhite. Brian Lehman Spokane

Gestapo tactics live on in Spokane

Congratulations, Spokane Police Department. Getting warrants signed and confiscating evidence early in the morning is a good idea. People are sleepy and confused in the middle of the night.

The Gestapo and the KGB would be proud of you. Thomas Hauck Medical Lake

OTHER TOPICS

Local water wasters are legion

John Bjork, Spokane’s water director, has joined the legions blaming new residents for the area’s troubles by accusing people from areas with limited water for wasting water when they move here.

For the past week, I’ve been complaining to anyone who will listen about the people here who waste water on their lawns, watering for hours during the heat of the day, every day.

I observe this as I drive home from work during 95-degree weather past long-established, large-lot residences on Coeur d’Alene’s Fourth Street.

I’m also appalled by the number of people who are watering their driveways and sidewalks due to careless sprinkler settings.

Those of us from typically drier areas - yes, California learned long ago to water lawns no more than three times a week, to water to the depth of no more than one inch and to water in the early morning, when the sun will neither evaporate a high percentage of the sprinkling water nor scorch the grass and the lawn will get an all-day drink.

We also learned not to plant a lawn in the middle of summer but to wait for fall or spring.

It appears that longtime residents are careless about excessive water use because they’ve never had to conserve. Judith A. Farrey Athol, Idaho

Raising dam level senseless

Regarding your July 24 article on water: Upriver Dam has two powerhouses, one with four gates and one with six gates, allowing water to escape after going through the generators. This past week only one generator was being used, as evidenced by water coming through just one gate.

If all 10 generators were in use all the time, the increase in revenues from excess electricity would be 10 times the current amount.

I use the Centennial Trail every day and I have never seen more than two gates with water activity at either powerhouse, even during the spring runoff, when the main gates to the dam are all open.

It doesn’t make much sense to raise the level of the dam when we aren’t using the dam to the maximum now. Paul W. “Bill” Town Spokane