Letters To The Editor

CORONER

Outburst erroneous, unethical

As a group of professionals with many years of experience in the child sexual abuse field, we’re compelled to refute the statements on child sexual abuse and homosexuality attributed to Dr. Dexter Amend in The Spokesman-Review (Aug. 9).

As coroner he has a responsibility to provide accurate information to the community. By grossly misstating conclusions that are at odds with all the professional literature on both subjects, he has committed a public disservice while exploiting an innocent child. He used the abuse and murder of Rachel Carver to further his personal agenda of homophobia.

Research and clinical literature find homosexuals are no more likely - actually, less likely - to sexually abuse children than are heterosexuals. In fact, a July 1994 article published in Pediatrics, “Are Children at Risk for Sexual Abuse by Homosexuals?” by Carole Jenny, M.D., et al, found a child’s risk of being molested by his or her relative’s heterosexual partner is over 100 times greater than by someone who might be identifiable as being homosexual, lesbian or bisexual.

Our Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Council is comprised of professionals from many disciplines who have expert training and experience with both child sexual abuse victims and offenders.

That Dr. Amend used his position to disclose detailed information about a personal tragedy to the media, adding to it the insult of improper, inaccurate characterization of the issues of sexual abuse and homosexuality is reprehensible. We hope he will feel compelled to publicly retract his inflammatory and inaccurate statements. Karen Winston, MSW, chairperson Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Council

One toke over an important line

I deeply regret Dr. Dexter Amend’s statements to the press about the Rachel Carver case. This is a serious abuse of his leadership role.

Dr. Amend is entitled, of course, to his private views regarding homosexuality. But when they cloud his professional objectivity, especially on such a sensitive case as this, it is a serious overstep of professionalism. He has confused personal belief with medical fact.

Studying the Bible with integrity is not as simple as we might wish. As an ordained minister with 35 years as a professional student of the scriptures and three degrees in biblical studies, I do not condemn homosexuals en masse, nor am I able to declare it unnatural, given the diversity of creation. I say this simply to affirm that sincere Christians are not of one mind and it behooves us all to walk a little more respectfully and open-mindedly.

It would be appropriate for the coroner to extend an apology to the public for overstepping his professional boundaries. Rev. Larry Winters Cheney

Shock, grief got words twisted

The venom expressed in letters concerning remarks made by Dr. Dexter Amend prompts me to express another opinion - an opinion based on bare facts, as I see them.

Dr. Amend’s medical knowledge allowed his diagnosis of repeated acts of sodomy committed on this child and the anger and grief prompted his outburst that apparently angered those who felt violated.

Sodomy is a sexual act practiced between male persons and is closely associated with the homosexual segment of our society. Therefore, the good doctor did connect the terrible violation of this child with the homosexual members of our society. Dr. Amend could have worded it differently, but in his anger and grief at this violation, his words were twisted into a direct accusation of the homosexual segment with this particular incident. Don Kerley Grand Coulee, Wash.

Issue overblown, exploited

I think this whole controversy has been blown out of proportion. We have too many extremists at both ends of the question.

I believe many officials cannot say how they feel for fear of losing a vote or two. We de-Mummified the county. Most of the people who want to recall Dr. Dexter Amend were never his supporters in the first place. I think the gay and lesbian groups are attempting to get media exposure to strengthen their agenda.

Many of us will never support a recall. If you want a recall, wait until the next election. Nathan Narrance Spokane

Controversy obscures real menace

The tragic murder of little Rachel Carver deserves to be remembered and we should all reflect on its origins. County Coroner Dexter Amend’s comments on the case confused me, however.

According to media reports at the time of the murder, Rachel had been sent to Spokane to get her away from a suspected abuser who was living with her mother. She was sent to live with her aunt, and the aunt’s husband has now been accused of killing her.

How does it help us to understand this tragedy and to prevent such things in the future when the focus is shifted away from the relationships that surrounded this little girl and is placed instead on people who have not been accused of any involvement? Jeanne Dammarell Spokane

FORESTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Don’t ignore people’s interest

D.F. Oliveria should practice what he preaches. His editorial, “Environmentalists engage in overkill” (Aug. 8) is nothing more than unproductive whining.

Oliveria fails to mention any reasons why environmentalists are concerned about the salvage timber bill to let the readers decide whether environmentalists’ concern is unfounded.

Environmentalists are concerned because logging in our national forests may dramatically increase without any environmental protection under the salvage timber bill. The bill releases all salvage timber sales from all federal environmental and natural resource laws. A salvage timber sale, as defined by the bill, is any sale of trees affected by fire or imminently susceptible to fire or insect attack. Thus, any tree or forest can be brought within the scope of a salvage timber sale.

The bill puts the ultimate fate of our national forests in the hands of the Forest Service, which determines what to sell, and of the industry, which harvests what is sold.

This may not be so bad because the industry’s health depends on the health of the forests, and the industry has the scientific and technical resources to implement environmentally sound timber practices.

However, there is reason for concern. The great East Coast forests were wiped out by insensitive logging practices long before any environmental laws existed. Industry has long since left the East for the virgin forests of the West. Sustainable forest practices are possible, but environmental controls are needed to protect the interests of those who are not part of the Forest Service or industry. J.M. Dawley Spokane

Reduce need for destructive logging

D.F. Oliveria’s Aug. 8 editorial is, as usual, timber industry-oriented.

Next to mining, there is no industry more destructive than the timber industry. There are no laws that have stymied logging.

These are public lands and, as such, certain laws and regulations must be obeyed. In particular, the National Forest Management Act.

The timber industry, needing something for the chainsaw jockeys to blame for job losses, picked the spotted owl as the culprit. The wood butchers swallowed it hook, line and sinker.

In fact, the spotted owl has not caused any job losses. The true culprits are the big timber barons who logged off their holdings and skipped out, leaving the timber communities holding the sack. Modernizing mills is another factor.

The appeals system is the public’s only weapon to contest environmentally damaging logging practices.

Only a handful of the 155 national forests have returned a profit to the taxpayers. Logging is a highly subsidized business. Some $300 million for road building is paid by the taxpayers. With only 14 percent of domestic needs coming from national forests today, we need to drastically reduce logging. Our forests are far more valuable as watershed protection, wildlife habitat and for recreation.

For over a century the timber industry has been destroying our forests, east and west.

It’s time to call a halt. Much of our lumber needs will come from private forests in the southern states and we will surely see Soviet logs and lumber in the future. A.K. Stirling Spokane

Environment’s sunshine soldiers

In the Aug. 14 Spokesman-Review, staff writer Karen Dorn Steele discussed opposing aspects of the Crown Jewel mining project. She also mentioned that hearings on the draft environmental impact statement would be held in Ellensburg and Oroville. I attended the Ellensburg hearing.

Normally, only one hearing is required and it is to be held near the project area. However, 57 people from the Seattle area petitioned Gov. Lowry to also hold hearings in a place closer to Seattle. The governor relented and Ellensburg was chosen.

Approximately 150 people attended the Ellensburg hearing and I have never seen such public support for a mining project. In fact, it was so one-sided that I asked the hearing monitor when the 57 people from Seattle would speak. Somewhat embarrassed, she said they did not show up.

Obviously, I was shocked and found it both rude and childish. Everyone at that meeting had traveled at least 150 miles to attend, and yet these 57 environmentalists from the Seattle area felt it was still too far.

During the 1960s I attended college and most of us appreciated the chance to further our education. A small minority, however, garnered all the headlines by burning draft cards, taking over campus buildings, starting riots and just causing trouble in general. I often wonder, what happened to them? Did they ever grow up? Now I think I know where 57 of them are, and they haven’t changed a bit. E.A. Johnson Mead

LAW AND JUSTICE

Rich man’s justice on display

The O.J. Simpson so-called trial is not about justice or guilt or innocence. It’s a demonstration of what great wealth can do.

It should serve to show, indeed there are two types of justice: rich man’s justice and poor man’s justice. They aren’t equal.

If money talks, then big money must shout. Mr. Simpson is being defended by a team of very prominent, very expensive lawyers. His trial may well be the most expensive trial in history and maybe the longest. Ron Norvell Spokane

NRA, guns not the culprits

It was a great disappointment to me to read in the “Roundtable” that a writer was resigning from the National Rifle Association because of the shooting of two girls. Why not blame the escape car?

You cannot blame the tools used; you must blame the user!

Violent punks must be controlled. Tools they use are optional. Knives, clubs, arson fires, fists, boots or whatever.

Violent punks should be sentenced to a prison camp with a strong discipline. Such a sentence should constitute “strike one” of the three-strikes-out law. Robert M. Ball Coeur d’Alene

Weaver bill goes to taxpayers

This is regarding the Aug. 16 headline, “Feds to pay Weaver family $3.1 million.”

Who’s paying this amount? The taxpayers are paying it, because the feds screwed up.

Why don’t you get your headlines right? The feds aren’t paying a dime out of their pockets. Bill Leslie Spokane

IN THE PAPER

Fillmore migration a good move

I applaud your new comics lineup. Mallard Fillmore is needed in the editorial section to balance the overly liberal thrust of Doonesbury, which (unbeknownst to most readers) is there only because of Gary Trudeau’s clout. I refer to his requirement the strip be of a certain size. I’m pleased your paper is showing a sense of fairness by keeping Mallard’s conservative views.

Baby Blues has been a favorite of mine for some time. I missed it when I moved to this area. I wish you had replaced Cathy rather than Marvin. Both Cathy and Marvin are essentially musings on life by the main character. The difference is: Marvin is fresh and interesting; Cathy is stale and boring. To Cathy I say, Get a life! Robert E. Johnson Spokane

Danse macabre falls flat

I’m writing in regards to your political cartoonist, Milt Priggee, and his latest cartoon (Aug. 20).

I follow his cartoons and usually understand political satire. I take it for what it’s worth. However, Priggee has reached the outer limits of pure stupidity and gross taste in his cartoon depiction of Randy Weaver dancing on his wife’s grave.

Regardless of Randy Weaver’s beliefs, he’s an American citizen and is entitled to all his rights under the Constitution. His rights were brutally violated by a federal agency. He lost his son, his wife and was wounded himself. To depict this as a monetary gain goes way beyond human decency.

I assume editors review what goes in the paper before it’s printed. Let’s assume they overlooked this sick, stupid cartoon. W.J. Bennett Spokane

Weaver cartoon a ‘vile travesty’

Randy Weaver must be held partially responsible for the tragic events at Ruby Ridge. But to imply he’s delighted with monetary compensation for the loss of his wife and son at the hands of government sharpshooters is a vile travesty which could have only come from the depraved mind of your editorial cartoonist, Milt Priggee (Aug. 20).

It’s one thing to use editorial cartoons to provoke thought and argument, quite another to use a totally insensitive cartoon in such an odious and abhorrent manner.

Are any regular readers surprised? Robert B. Wilson Pullman

Suicide race story flawed

Re: the Staff writer Adam Lynn’s Aug. 13 article on the Omak Suicide Race. I am a former volunteer with the Progressive Animal Welfare Society that he attacks. I have a few problems with the story.

First, when researching a story, accuracy should be a goal of all newswriters. Obviously, Mr. Lynn didn’t do his homework. The Progressive Animal Welfare Society is located in Lynnwood, Wash., not Bellevue. This inaccuracy caught my eye, so I read further.

In addition, Mr. Lynn must not have contacted anyone with the facts on how many horses have died, nor did he mention the countless injuries to the horses. Besides, one horse shouldn’t have to die to fulfill the supposed “tradition.”

To falsely believe the man who makes his money from this yearly tradition misrepresents the story. I’m referring to “Cactus” Jack Miller, organizer of the abusive race.

To refer back to “tradition” is the easy way out for the race’s organizers. The event has only been a part of Omak’s history for the past five decades, and wasn’t a Native American or Old West tradition - contrary to what Mr. Lynn would have one believe.

Mr. Lynn, please research your articles more thoroughly next time.

And, for the horses’ sake, please boycott the Omak Suicide Race. Deanna E. Knudsen Spokane