Letters To The Editor

Fri., Aug. 5, 1994

SPOKANE AND CBS

Accountability lost in shuffle

Monday night’s City Council meeting provided yet another spectacle of rationalization and arrogance by city managers. City Manager Roger Crum’s report on the CBS raid fiasco left many unanswered questions. The most important question should have been: If nothing was done improperly, why apologize to CBS and return the videotape?

Councilman Chris Anderson was the only person who seemed interested in getting meaningful answers, but his was a lost voice in the bureaucratic wilderness.

Everyone, including Councilman Anderson, had nothing but praise for the police as they carried out their duties that night. Unfortunately, the meeting deteriorated into a show of support for Chief Terry Mangan and his department. The critical questions of accountability and liability fell by the wayside.

It is common knowledge the city was forced to apologize and return the tape to CBS or face a lawsuit it couldn’t win.

The fact that Mr. Crum’s failure to instill accountability in his department heads has again put the taxpayers in a liable position for a major lawsuit was glossed over. Nobody is perfect, but considering the liability the taxpayers must assume for the actions of our city employees, Crum and City Attorney Jim Sloane must be held strictly accountable by the citizens.

Apologies under threat and more lame excuses why no city managers are ever held accountable for their actions goes to the heart of Councilman Anderson’s concerns.

We as a community must look beyond the emotional issues and support Anderson’s lone pursuit of seeking accountability from our city government. Pete Powell Spokane

Officials, police acted properly

I watched the City Council meeting on Aug. 1 and I am confused.

According to what I heard, the Spokane Police Department was given information by witnesses of the assaults. The police were told a threat, the assaults and a getaway vehicle were taped by CBS, and the police and city attorney’s office had strong suspicions the videotape would be leaving Spokane on the next morning flight. Just because the tape does not have as much information as the authorities were told is not their fault.

I am not embarrassed by the actions of the city attorney’s office or the police. I am embarrassed by Councilman Chris Anderson for being such a buffoon.

I am sick and tired of the almighty media. They seem to be able to do anything they want and with no control.

I’m sure if every citizen of Spokane were told all of the facts as we heard Monday night, instead of what we get to hear and read in the media, the overwhelming majority would vote for no apology. Pam Holcomb Spokane

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

Treppiedi is focused, not obsessed

I’ve been following the saga of the City vs. the Gypsies. Assistant City Attorney Rocco Treppiedi has represented the city in a difficult and confusing situation.

City Councilman Chris Anderson has accused Rocky of being obsessed with, and of having lost all objectiveness concerning, the Gypsy trial.

I am personally acquainted with Rocky and I have a much different view. Rocky has a clear and unclouded view of the law as it applies to the Gypsy trial. Rocky will take time and explain the facts to anyone who will take time to listen.

There is no better person qualified to represent Spokane than Rocky Treppiedi. Rocky has displayed a remarkable ability to stay calm and focus on the facts.

Councilmen Anderson and Joel Crosby, close your mouths for once. Open your eyes and ears and listen to Rocky Treppiedi. He is trying very hard to save you and I, the taxpayers, a lot of money. Scott Griffith Spokane

Conflict of interest matter clear

Unfortunately, both Jennifer Maser and M.A. Inman (Letters, Aug. 1, concerning Spokane County Planner Steve Horobiowski) missed the mark. They maneuver around the reality of conflict in the issue.

The planner, Mr. Horobiowski, cannot develop in the district by which he is employed without compromising and thereby creating a conflict of interest. Anything other than this conclusion is wrong decision making and should not be condoned.

Ethical decisions can be difficult. However, this one appears to be a simple one to call: If it even hints of conflict, don’t do it. Robert Spaulding Post Falls

Firefighters are genuine heroes

Much has been said and written by the American media about modern American heroes. The word “hero” came to mind as I viewed on television the terrible devastation of the multiple wildfires, especially in Washington state. Many homeowners were interviewed as they were forced to evacuate their home sites. The calmness with which these brave people expressed an almost common belief that life was much more precious than things was thrilling. I believe these people to be heroes. As I viewed the many camera shots of the fire control base camps, a very poignant fact became apparent: a very good share of the firefighters were American Indians. These brave young men are heroes, as are all the other firefighters.

Let’s all remember this the next time we see or interact with an American Indian. Here is one 76-year-old white man who thinks these firefighters are true heroes. Webb Long Spokane

SPOKANE MATTERS

Better detention facility vital

As citizens of this community, our support of the bond issue to expand the Juvenile Detention Center is crucial. Providing for public safety, knowing our neighborhoods are free from predatory, assaultive and drug-dealing youths, can no longer wait.

Secure detention for these youths is the only answer. Incarceration often provides a singular, and perhaps final, opportunity to impact the lives of young offenders certain to return to our community. The alternative is continued criminal assault against us, our children and our property.

Youth in detention do not have cable television or radio, do not have a canteen to buy anything, do not have unearned “free” time and are not allowed personal property, beyond books and paper. Instead, they are expected to do chores (beginning at 5:45 a.m.) attend school full time, participate in dozens of programs designed to help them make non-delinquent choices when released (anger management, substance abuse education, victim awareness, skill building, individual/ group counseling) and succeed in a level system which rewards good behavior and immediately punishes bad behavior.

The difficulty of these efforts to hold juveniles accountable - so vital to the health and safety of our community - is compounded by an overcrowded facility.

How do we hold and impact youthful drug dealers, thieves, molesters and sexual predators if there is “no room at the inn?” We simply must build this facility.

Please vote your support on Sept. 20 for the juvenile detention bond issue. Rand Trevey Spokane

Zoo is not worth $10 million

If future operation of Walk in the Wild zoo will require a $10 million bond issue, and therefore additional taxpayer money, this zoo should be closed immediately! Dick Stowell Colbert

IN THE PAPER

Priggee revealed real Christian right

Milt Priggee’s Aug. 2 cartoon about the abortion doctor murders finally clarified for me a problem I’ve had with the idea of the so-called Christian right.

The term is used to describe two vastly different groups of people.

The first group is made up of people who believe that God has called them to sacrifice themselves to serve others to bring about healing.

The other group of people appears to have gotten the message from some entity that would like to be God. The message they receive appears to be a little mixed up, at least with respect to the first group. This demon-god apparently orders the sacrifice of others to bring about healing.

This doesn’t seem to be even remotely related to the Lord I serve. I serve the Lord who allowed himself to be beaten, lashed, spit on, mocked and finally crucified by the very people to whom he came to bring light and life. It was his personal agony and death that accomplished that very purpose for the ones who killed him and for any others who are hurting from the sins he so willingly carried to the cross.

The god of the second group is also found in the Bible, and he has a name. I would like to begin referring to the second group by their god’s name, not by my God’s name. There’s nothing Christian about murdering an enemy. There is nothing right about it, either. Tedd Cadd Richland

Mean-spirited humor fowls out

Walt Kelly could have said, “We have met the enemy of intelligent political discourse and he is the comic page editor.”

My goodness, that Mallard Fillmore is a mean-spirited little duck.

Tinsley’s comic seems to attempt entry-level political humor. Similar to pre-pubescent sexual humor that provokes giggles by naming body parts, the duck expects guffaws by invoking Limbaugh-ish buzz words like “Hillary” and “Kennedy.”

If I accurately remember my SATs, the correct comparative equation would be: Little LuLu is to Dilbert as Mallard Fillmore is to Doonesbury.

You can and have done better. Dump the duck. Bill Sawatzki Liberty Lake

Cheap shots at president not funny

I am a flag-waving, right-wing, conservative Republican who voted for Nixon, Reagan and Bush, but I am forced to take issue with you in the matter of the comic strip Mallard Fillmore. I think liberals will agree with conservatives that we don’t need this sort of thing.

In the July 31 strip, President Clinton is seen cutting out paper dolls. In the previous strips the president is seen comparing notes with Sen. Ted Kennedy regarding a technique to avoid the consequences of sexual peccadilloes (real or imagined).

Apparently, the cartoonist has not learned that humor can cause pain but insults, of themselves, are never humorous. Some people spend a lifetime learning the difference.

The obvious purpose of the strip is to insult the president, as if that would somehow contribute to our national well-being. If there is humor in all this I really don’t see it.

I didn’t vote for Bill Clinton, but enough Americans did think enough of the guy to elect him president of the United States. For that reason alone he deserves the respect normally accorded that office. When we insult the man who holds the presidency we are, in effect, insulting ourselves, our country and the democratic process. Our grip on democracy is tenuous enough without hurling gratuitous insults at those we have elected as our leaders.

You cannot, of course, censor the strip. But if you can determine that there is an actual readership for Mallard Fillmore, you can at least move it to the editorial pages with Doonesbury. Robert G. Russell Coeur d’Alene

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Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
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