Letters To The Editor

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

Children cared, shared

We live in an apartment complex that is home to lots of children who went to sleep Saturday night with hopes of a visit from the Easter Bunny. My own children, ages 5 and 7, received lots of toys and goodies.

When they went outside to see what all the other children got in their baskets, they learned that one of the families in our complex did not get a basket from the Easter Bunny.

My children came home, dumped their baskets and gathered some candy and a few of the toys they had received and took it over to those children. My 7-year-old told them that the Easter Bunny had mistakenly left their goodies at our house.

I have never been more touched or proud as I was Easter morning. With all that’s going wrong with the world, it’s very reassuring to know that your own children have morals and compassion. Laurie Moss Spokane

Society of ‘victims’ can’t go on

Everybody wants to know what’s wrong with our society. I don’t claim to have all the answers but I see what a big portion of the problem is: Ours is a nation of victims.

It seems that society’s vain efforts to define everything have given the public a general feeling of uncertainty. Combine that with the sheer multitudes of lawyers willing to take on the most trivial cases for personal profit and we end up with an extreme case of it’s-not-my-fault-itis.

Chronic Victim Syndrome, I prefer to call it. It’s akin to the hypochondriac but less medically oriented. It’s now, “I think I may have been molested as an infant,” or “It’s because of the violence on TV that I killed those 18 nuns,” or “My family was dysfunctional so I can’t be a productive member of society.”

The results? Literally thousands of support groups, most of which are scams to leech off the unsuspecting victim. Sell them drugs, self-help courses, anything.

Another result is the number of frivolous lawsuits bogging down our legal system. The courts don’t have the time and facilities to pursue all the cases presented to them in a timely manner. So the real criminals - rapists, murderers and thieves - end up walking or serving almost no time because their cases were “settled” out of court.

It needs to stop, and soon. It isn’t the sum of all our problems, but it’s one of many symptoms of a sick culture - one that won’t survive if it doesn’t change its ways. Damon Bass Spokane

What about abortion death toll?

Kelly McBride’s “The death of a child gives us pause to understand life” (April 8) was very poignant. Children are very valuable and we do not realize it.

As Stephanie Kline of the Children’s Home Society of Washington was quoted in that article, “I wonder why that is? I wonder why we never think about how important children are, not just to their parents but to all of us.”

Well, I believe there is a very good reason why. More than five Spokane children died violently last week and more will die this week. Theirs were deaths that we will never hear about. We won’t hear them scream in pain or watch them try to fend off their attackers. They are children killed in abortions. They weren’t important enough.

I am not trying to minimize the deaths of the five children. I am saying that all life is valuable. Just because we cannot see the children killed in abortions doesn’t make them any less valuable.

Since Roe vs. Wade we have killed off a whole generation of children. Does anyone think about that? Thirty million children have been killed. Does anyone care about them? Diana C. Blume Colville, Wash.

THE MEDIA

Ratings reveal strange priorities

“Gingrich’s TV audience scarce” (April 14) says that his broadcast on April 7 attracted only 955,000 households. Larry King’s audience for his interview with Kato Kaelin later that evening was 1,851,000.

Some recent polls testing Americans’ assessment of Gingrich’s first 100 days and the Contract with America also said that approximately 60 percent of those interviewed didn’t even know what the contract was about. I’m willing to bet that 80 percent of that 60 percent can name every witness and every attorney in O.J. Simpson’s trial.

Everyone has their priorities, but I’m more concerned about the future of this country and our children and grandchildren than that of O.J. Simpson.

One plus about the trial and all its commentators is that we’ve had something else to watch besides the endless parade of plotless, inane and usually crude sitcoms. Jean Reiter Loon Lake

Better if more read Valley Herald

I suspect nearly everyone complaining about the placement of legal notices in the Valley Herald has not read the Valley Herald over the past five years. If they had, they would be furious about many events that go unreported in the “good paper.”

This decision by the county commissioners is insignificant compared to the millions of dollars wasted or misappropriated and the abuses of power happening constantly.

Increased readership of the Herald can only benefit the residents of Spokane and Spokane County. Check it out! Daniel Goldgrabe Spokane

Arrest picture ‘in bad taste’

In reference to the picture in the April 8 Spokesman-Review, I am in total agreement with Rory McAuley (Letters, April 13). The picture is in bad taste and serves no useful purpose.

I feel that printing a picture such as this gives a onesided view of crime in the community. The Spokesman-Review can do a better job of reporting than this. Billy Morris, president National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Spokane

Kindness article itself a kindness

Thank you for the article about random acts of kindness that was in the Sunday Spokesman-Review. It was uplifting. We need more of that type. Sylvia Smith Spokane

ECHOES OF WAR

McNamara owns up; Well, so?

It’s real big of McNamara to admit his mistake so long after he and most everyone else knows of it and after it destroyed so many lives.

I can’t honestly say that I see him in the same heroic light as did Rebecca Nappi,and I doubt most of my fellow Vietnam veterans will either.

What is so courageous about such candor when the only significant judgment he’ll have to face, at this late day, is with his maker? Most judgments of his temporal reputation and legacy were decided by the facts long ago anyway.

Still, I can concede it’s an improvement over the “never wrong” stance of former President Nixon and his secretary of state, Henry Kissinger, who were never willing to admit that any prisoners of war were left behind in 1973. But, then, that lie has to be sustained by a succession of national leaders indefinitely. Philip J. Mulligan Spokane

Behind erring leaders there is us

Many of those who were of draft age in the ‘60s, those who fought in the war as well as those who resisted or avoided the draft, are left with terribly confusing emotions about their actions. They are also left with a solid dose of guilt.

Some feel guilt for participating in the amoral killing of several million people. Others, myself included, for not fully supporting the country and those who died or were injured exposing themselves to that danger.

Whatever side you were on, this was a gut-wrenching, no-win experience for all. The actions of those who faced those decisions, whether enlistees, draftees, card burners, Canadian expatriates - even the actions of Robert McNamara and Clinton - were mostly taken by people who anguished over their decisions but believed they were doing the right thing at the time.

Second guessing those decisions now is pointless, especially when the real lesson of Vietnam has yet to be learned - that we are all responsible for the actions of those we elect to lead us.

Until we accept that responsibility and demand real campaign finance reform, our leaders will continue to hold office as the direct result of hundreds of millions of dollars being spent by wealthy individuals and the corporations they own.

Our decisions as a nation obviously continue to serve those wealthy interests - perhaps even more so now than 30 years ago. Ray Pelland Sandpoint

Clinton should be ashamed

The man has no conscience! The timing is especially suspicious. President Clinton is trying to vindicate himself and other war protesters because of Robert McNamara’s memoirs. It is just another attempt by the president to seize an opportunity to make himself look good and, hopefully, to gain politically.

The Vietnam War would not have been any more costly in terms of loss of life and injury to thousands of our loyal American soldiers than the war in the Persian Gulf if it weren’t for the inept leadership shown by the executive and legislative branches of our government at the time.

It is totally demeaning to those who bled and died in Vietnam for President Clinton to essentially say it was a big mistake to follow the leadership of your country when being asked to serve it. Then, to say it was OK to avoid the draft and that all anti-war protestors were doing the right thing with their divisive tactics is absolutely shameless.

He needs to get on his knees and beg forgiveness for what he has done and is doing to this country, and to those who have proudly served it. Gerry D. Bassen Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND THE ECONOMY

Why knock the successful rich?

Frank Bartel’s main point in his April 10 column is that trickle-down economics does not work. In attempting to make this point, he discussed issues like tax breaks for the rich and high-income Americans as if the greatest sin an American could commit is to be successful.

Let’s face the facts. Many of us harbor some resentment or jealousy for those who are much more successful or fortunate than ourselves. This is a sad, nonproductive attitude. This attitude should be discouraged, not encouraged, as it was in Bartel’s column.

There was a reference to Washington Water Power Company’s chairman, Paul Redmond, and his reported $1.4 million 1994 income. My response is: so what! I don’t know if Redmond is worth $1.4 million, but evidently the WWP shareholders do.

Bartel also referred to Sam Donaldson’s $2 million income in such a way that you would have thought Sam stole the money. I don’t care what Sam makes. Evidently, the network thinks he is worth it.

Aren’t these examples of free enterprise? Isn’t free enterprise a good thing, Mr. Bartel? Are you suggesting that only the government is smart enough to know how much income is acceptable? Our government can’t mail a letter efficiently, let alone make economic sense.

If you cannot get behind free enterprise, at least get out of the way of it. If government intervention and control of our lives was truly the answer, we wouldn’t have the problems that we have today. Douglas F. Walton Veradale

Without corporations, we’re nothing

Americans need to be educated and re-educated in basic economics 101. Where does anyone get the idea that business and big corporations should pay all or most of the taxes?

Think about it. Business and industry is the heart and soul of our financial world. Its health is vital.

If the entire annual incomes of all the corporations in America were confiscated, it would only run our government about four and one-half months. The result would be total collapse of our economic system. Stocks and bonds would be worthless. Every retirement plan would become worthless. Every insurance policy would become worthless. There would be no Social Security or social welfare of any kind.

In fact, corporations do not pay taxes, per se, unless they can pass them on to their consumers. They must compete and make a profit to stay in business. We need them.

Please support a prosperous business and industry. Your retirement plan, insurance plan, social security, social welfare and economic security depend on it. Floyd F. Damman Colbert

Numbers don’t add up to decent diet

Regarding Grayden Jones’ (April 9) article on the cost of food in America, the seven cents per dollar sure looks bogus to me.

Let’s say a man takes home $400 a week. (Ha, ha. That’s a joke here in Spokane, with its average $6 perhour wage the business community is so proud of touting. I’d be laughing, too, except I’m crying for those who try to make ends meet on such exploitative wages.) If he buys groceries for his family with seven cents on the dollar, that’ll be $28 total, right? Is there a home economics teacher or a dietician who would care to throw together a balanced menu for a week for a family of, say, two, three or four spending no more than $28?

OK, I apologize to Jones because the source for this information is the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It’s clear that phony numbers like this are the cause of so many erroneous government policy decisions.

Is this the same honest, accurate, truthful government that is keeping track of our cost of living? No wonder the country is in deep manure; the fox is minding the chicken coop!

And if, perchance, the rest of country is eating so cheaply and it’s only in Spokane that food costs are higher, it’s no wonder the nation’s farmers still complain that they aren’t getting a fair share of the food dollar. Ernest Buckler Veradale

OTHER TOPICS

Here’s where money went

This is in response to “Hospital charge nonsense” (Letters, 13), in which Mina Knox was upset about the high expenses of toiletries. She wants to know why the costs are so high. I will tell her.

Of the $2 for baby bath, $1.90 went to pay for the 14-year-old who had the premature baby while she was taking crack. She had no money to pay her bills, so you had to.

Of the $1.50 for lotion, 95 percent of that went for the alcoholic down the street who continues to drink despite any help from the community. He’s using his medical coupons to take care of services and is running up a large tab.

Ninety-five percent of the $2 talcum powder charge is paying for the illegal immigrant who comes in to have her baby so it can be a U.S. citizen.

When will it stop? Never. Harvey Fritz Moses Lake

We must eradicate knapweed

Our great land has a major problem: knapweed.

I have seen very little official action, or for that matter any farmers or agricultural communities doing anything to combat this insidious invader.

The spotted knapweed is mother nature’s success story. It kills surrounding vegetation, is poisonous and animals won’t eat it.

I was raised on a farm. I still own a farm and, at 71 years of age, I am still interested in agriculture. I have traveled extensively in the Pacific Northwest and I see knapweed everywhere - forests, roadsides, riverbanks, uncultivated and abandoned fields, etc. I just returned from a trip to Canada and the first sign I saw entering Canada was “Please help us eradicate knapweed.”

What is wrong with our officials that we ignore such a catastrophe as this? I do not see any efforts being made to eradicate this monster.

My information states that each plant can produce up to 2,500 seeds per season. The county extension people told me they could assist people with a few dollars per acre for eradication if they had the money. I have used herbicide at my home, office and farm but my neighbors are doing nothing.

The Indians and the state of Idaho want to spend billions of dollars to clean up our water systems. Maybe we should spend the money to clean up knapweed, or we won’t have any land to save. It will be conquered by knapweed.

What can be done? Time is of the essence. D.G. Quinton Post Falls

Look into aluminum health threat

Alzheimer’s disease may have a link to aluminum consumption, based on a recently completed Canadian study. I’ve heard this before and wonder why our government does not address the concern.

Humans ingest aluminum from many sources, including tap water treated with alum in municipal water supplies, aluminum cooking pots and antacids that contain aluminum salts.

The government owes the populace an answer. Especially considering the tragedy, suffering and cost inflicted on humans by the disease.

Currently, it’s not politically correct to raise environmental concerns which might cost private enterprise money. The Republican leadership in the House wants to restrict the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration. The Republicans have even talked of legalizing DDT again because it’s such an effective pesticide.

I believe there are many harmful chemicals which do not agree with human biochemistry. We need to remain vigilant. We should err on the side of caution, even if it requires a business to learn new procedures. S.S. Howze Sagle, Idaho