Letters To The Editor

IDAHO VIEWPOINTS

Christmas tree efforts appreciated

A big thank you is in order to those who tried to create a Christmas memory for our Sandpoint community. The 35-foot grand fir still lies in the parking lot at the Chamber of Commerce, but we should feel proud of those individuals who donated their time and energy.

Special thanks to Dennis Clark and Vern Bromgard from the agriculture and forestry committee who led the team in search of the perfect tree.

A big thanks goes the McNall family. Your donation of this tree from your property shows the true spirit of Christmas. We thank the Lippert family for your support with equipment, time and hard work.

Our backhoe specialist Jim Harting from Wes Olson Trucking was an expert in erecting this beauty with “kid gloves.” Thanks to the Cams for purchasing additional lights, to Jennifer Leedy for your fund-raising efforts and to Shawn Keough for all your organizational help.

Our GTE employees and equipment are priceless! What wonderful people you are. Your patient and giving ways can’t be compared.

Thank you, Sandpoint, for your giving ways. All we can say is that we tried our hardest. Donna Deshon Sandpoint

Stewart street name works for me

Re: Doug Clark’s Nov. 23 column (“Road name could send a message”), it would be better still to rename Rimrock Road after Tony Stewart.

Being a man of depth and vision, he deserves to have his name on our street corners, title deeds, tax bills and especially in this silly, inane paper.

Let’s hear it for Tony Stewart Street and he can be in the “news” again. K.A. O’Hara Hayden Lake

SPOKANE MATTERS

All can use TINCAN e-mail

I’m writing in response to the “Liberty, justice, and e-mail for all” article in the Nov. 22 edition of The Spokesman-Review. The article reported that it’s most crucial that access to e-mail be a universal opportunity in Spokane for anyone and everyone to open an e-mail account.

As a VISTA volunteer at the Northeast Community Center, my project has been to coordinate an Information Dynamics Project. A main focus of this project involves development of an information access center in the hub of the community center, which houses a terminal for The Inland Northwest Community Access Network, or TINCAN. The terminal was obtained from an Eastern Washington University program.

Through TINCAN, everyone who becomes a registered user will automatically receive a free e-mail address. Thus, electronic mail is not limited to “wealthy, well-educated whites” in the city of Spokane, and I strongly encourage everyone to open an account.

For all who are interested in TINCAN and in opening an e-mail address, please come into the Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook St., to fill out a quick, simple registration form.

In addition, we will have our first orientation with a 5 p.m. reception on Dec. 14, for community groups and individuals to get acquainted with the free net. If there are any questions or concerns, please call Erin Hays at 487-1603 for more information. Erin Hays Americorps*VISTA, Spokane

LAW AND JUSTICE

‘Rehabilitation’ tragically overrated

A few weeks ago, Byron Scherf was arrested and charged with raping a real estate saleswoman. At the time of his arrest, Scherf was on parole after serving only 12 years of a life sentence imposed for kidnapping, raping, and setting another woman on fire in 1983. His victim managed to save her life by jumping out a second story window.

Apparently, Scherf was released into our community because he’d been a model prisoner who gave an impression he’d changed his life. In spite of good behavior, someone should have recognized 12 years in prison wasn’t enough.

Have we become too numbed by violence and abuse to recognize the seriousness of the rape of an innocent woman and an attempt to inflict a tortured death by fire?

Scherf’s case is the perfect example of placing rehabilitation ahead of offender punishment and the protection crime victims and society expect and need. While offenders should be encouraged to make fundamental changes in behavior, good behavior shouldn’t automatically be rewarded by release from incarceration.

Punishment and protection must be the primary principles used to control predatory criminals like violent sex offenders. Even our new sentencing laws, which eliminated parole for crimes committed after 1984, won’t guarantee the protection we need unless these principles are applied consistently.

Our justice system failed Scherf’s victims. If the focus had been on his victims rather than on his apparent rehabilitation, Scherf wouldn’t have been released from prison. Steve Matthews Spokane Sexual Assault Advisory Board

No reparations for faulty parent

I’m disgusted with Scott Carver’s statement that Jason Wickenhagen will never have a chance to hurt anyone again. I’m surprised that Carver didn’t choke on his own words.

Rachel Carver learned early that the men in her life could only hurt her. Maybe if she hadn’t been let down by her parents, she could have told someone about the abuse.

Rachel’s mother is suing the city because the coroner disclosed that Rachel had been sodomized. Too bad Rachel’s mother constantly put her in abusive situations with her ex-husband, boyfriend and, lastly, her uncle.

This woman doesn’t deserve to be monetarily compensated by the city, but instead should have her other daughter taken out of her care, or lack of care. Stacie Fry Mead

Let’s keep dumb-joke artists busy

They did not understand what they were doing at the time! They realize how bad this is now! Give me a break. After all the world and domestic bombings, they didn’t understand.

Lord have mercy on us all if we as a society believe this drivel.

What kind of person perpetrates a “bomb joke” on federal property and persons after the tragic events in Oklahoma City? What did it mean to the two juveniles who inflicted a “bomb joke” on the U.S. courthouse? To us employees of the U.S. courthouse it meant standing in 40-degree weather for four and a half hours. It meant a disruption of our work. And, most of all, it meant a feeling of fear, frustration and anxiety.

What kind of punishment does the system have for these juveniles? Will it be the same as usual - a slap on the wrist as a warning? If it were up to us, public flogging or tar and feathering would be recommended punishments for both juveniles and parents.

However, since Spanish Inquisition punishments are no longer practiced, I agree that the cost of the federal law enforcement, city police, police auxiliary, bomb squad, the lost hours of the federal workers, the man-hours to process the paper work, city workers and Fairchild security personnel should be passed on to the parents of these boys.

The consensus among us is that these two fine specimens of humanity should do community service in the U.S. courthouse for the rest of their natural lives. Mary Hayes Spokane

DRUG ABUSE EDUCATION

DARE’s worth shows up at home

J.J. Jarvis (Letters, Nov. 27) was right on the money when he wrote “we do not need these substances.” However, the rest was far from reality.

My 14-year-old son had the opportunity to receive information through the DARE program. He wrote an essay on what he learned from it, and the following reflects his view:

“I think DARE is important to learn in early stages of life. People who have taken DARE have a better chance at being off drugs, because they will learn how to say no and learn different alternatives. I know that some people who do get DARE education still end up on drugs, but I still think it is a good idea. People who have taken DARE do have an edge on the war against drugs. The more DARE graduates we have, the fewer drug users we will have in the future.”

The bottom line is that end users of the DARE program, like my son, have a positive view on resisting drugs. So let’s promote this successful program to rid our society of drug abuse. Mark Kaufenberg Spokane

Get a clue; DARE works

Regarding the ignorance shown in J.J. Jarvis’ letter, “Get DARE out of schools” (Nov. 27), obviously, Jarvis is living in prehistoric times. Back then, little caveman children weren’t being accosted by caveman drug dealers. Their biggest enemies were big animals. Wake up and join us in the ‘90s.

Here’s a taste of reality. Grade school children are being accosted by peers, by older kids and by adults to use drugs. Drug dealers are always actively looking for new buyers, dealers and users. Television and movies glorify the lives of drug lords and dealers. Beautiful women, fancy cars and lots of cash are always available. To a grade school child and to older children, that picture is enticing.

I thank God for the DARE program and it’s officers, for the tools it provides our children to say no. DARE enables our children to see the reality of drugs and alcohol, and what they do to your body. I would much rather have my child know the dangers and be prepared than to have to pick up the pieces after experimentation and the destruction of their lives.

Funny thing, when we read your letter out loud, my 8-year-old started rattling off facts about drugs and how to say no. Then she started to use some role playing. Hmm, sounds like Officer Huddle and the other DARE officers must be doing something right.

Jarvis, please put down your drink and that “funny cigarette” and surface to the real world. Amy and Jessica Warren Spokane

IN THE PAPER

Equal space for initiative foes

I was extremely disappointed with the Review’s decision to list phone numbers for groups circulating initiatives.

The information in the article in no way reflected the danger that some of these extremist initiatives pose. initiatives 166 and 167 would effectively put the human rights for a segment of society up for a vote.

It seems the least you could do is offer a follow-up article detailing the groups that seek to stop these initiatives, with their phone numbers included. Craig Peterson Spokane