Letters To The Editor

LAW AND JUSTICE

Child rapist should be in jail

Regarding convicted child rapist, Bruce J. Johnson, it’s unfathomable that Judge Kathleen O’Connor would let him go free before his sentencing.

A monster who would repeatedly rape a 5-year-old child doesn’t deserve to live at all, let alone live with two young girls. What can his wife be thinking? Have the girls been questioned by Child Protective Services as to whether they have been attacked?

The parents of Johnson’s stepdaughter’s friends must be reeling in fear and disgust that they’ve unknowingly allowed their daughters to enter the den of the perpetrator of a parent’s worst nightmare.

To not alert the school district, day care centers and neighbors about this horrible menace to their safety is a crime in itself. If the law doesn’t call a convicted rapist a sex offender until after he has served his sentence, then the law should be changed. Constance A. Brooks Spokane

IDAHO VIEWPOINTS

School conversion worth doing

Having lived in the Wallace area on and off for the past 17 years and having driven past Elk Creek School innumerable times, it has been hard to miss the transformation of the building from a well-kept usable facility into a decaying shadow.

The stairs have fallen from disuse. The cement work is turning to rubble and bricks are becoming loose and falling to the ground.

Fixing and maintaining the structure would cost the school district money the district does not possess. The school will continue to decay until someone is injured - causing a liability consequence to the school district.

I understand that a group is attempting to purchase the building so it may be used as a community resource center. Money is being raised through community efforts, donations, and grants. A community resource center would benefit the entire valley community and at the same time put the school into usable condition without costing taxpayers a cent.

I hope both the citizens and school district will work together to bring the resource center from the planning stages into much-needed reality. William Schillereff Osburn

Clegg should seek re-election

I recently read in the paper that two men are planning to run for Kootenai County sheriff.

Before the hubbub of campaign promises begins, I want to publicly state that we should not forget those elected officials who have served us well. I especially want to point out the excellent job done by Sheriff Pierce Clegg.

Clegg has served this county well for two terms now. As the population keeps growing and crime seems to be on the rise, Clegg remains on top of it all. I hope Clegg decides to run again and publicly encourage him to do so. Joy Rutter Hayden Lake

High school swimming a great idea

Amen to young Kathryn Kafentzis,”Your turn,” Dec. 9. There hasn’t been competitive swimming in the Spokane high schools since the 1930s, when Spokane turned out an Olympic swimmer, Mary Lou Petty.

North Idaho schools have swimming as a major sport. Why not the Spokane schools? As a national and Olympic sport, swimming surely rates higher than football. Albert H. Dodds Hope

Find a more fitting tribute

When Barry Schuler was president at North Idaho College it was widely thought he had the board of trustees in the palm of his hand because no matter what the students, faculty or staff thought, the board always voted the way Schuler wanted them to.

So it is only fitting that the board should again ignore the students, faculty and staff and vote to name the auditorium after Schuler.

Now, I’m not saying that the man doesn’t deserve to have a room or building at NIC named after him. But, since he was practically run out of town when he resigned nine years ago, perhaps there is a bus barn on campus that is more deserving of his name. Dan Breeden Coeur d’Alene

IN THE PAPER

Dec. 7 it’s well worth a story

Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Day - the day that started World War II for the United States.

After spending three-plus years in the South Pacific, the war was over. We came home and started life over.

Now, 50-some years later, The Spokesman-Review couldn’t find space to write an article on this historic day.

It meant a lot to us old timers. If it were not for us, they wouldn’t have a paper to publish; they would be speaking Japanese.

So next year, let’s have a little write-up. It’s even front page news. Henry Seguine Coeur d’Alene

So, you’re Christian or your scum?

Dave Oliveria, in his Dec. 4 Huckleberries column, lamented that help wanted ads cannot require “Christian-type ethics,” which would discriminate against thieves, bums and addicts.

I am offended by Oliveria’s spirit of self-righteous bigotry. Christians have no monopoly on virtue. Nor do non-Christians have a monopoly on evil. Some of the most dishonest and immoral people I have known operated behind the cloak of Christianity, and some of the most upstanding declined to attend any church.

Moral character and ethics, or lack of same, are independent of church affiliation.

Oliveria seems reluctant to allow others their right to worship as they please, without snide remarks from him.

It may seem a small thing that deserves to be overlooked, but the war in Bosnia, like the one in Ireland, was caused by religious hatred and intolerance. Thousands have lost their lives in a war perpetuated by attitudes and remarks like Oliveria’s. His statement is an insult to all of the honest, hard-working people who do not designate themselves Christians and are by no means thieves, bums and addicts. Sandra J. Collins Coeur d’Alene

Stories of loss are important, too

My heart goes out to the Claypool family, particularly Joyce, for her honesty and integrity concerning the tragedy in her life. Certainly, none of us goes through this life without failure.

I believe The Spokesman-Review should be commended for presenting this article to its readers, providing insight into the life of the Claypool family. There is much to learn from this is, and all notoriety need not always go to the successful. There is much to learn from life’s tragedies and much to be gained from honesty. The beauty in people, places and creatures is often more than superficial. Cindy Greever Colbert, Wash.

We can learn from the Claypools

W. Richards (Letters, Dec. 7th), I think the Lord, father of our savior Jesus Christ, by His spirit, caused Joyce Claypool to tell all who would listen of the mistakes she’s made in her life. I also believe that the articles printed in the The Spokesman-Review will enlighten a lot of people about the serious consequences of the choices we make in our lives.

I can’t understand how anybody could think the Claypools have been honored or made famous by simply allowing such a public service to be printed about the mistakes and subsequent results thereof.

Yes, we could just focus on beautiful people, places and creatures, but when we pull our heads out of the sand for lack of air, the problems that plague society will have only gotten worse.

Why tell about the Claypools? Because it’s only by the grace of God that their story isn’t yours. Joyce just needs to know that God is using her testimony for his own glory. By his word, he tells us that our lives on this planet are but a vapor.

You, Kara and your boys are in my prayers. Lord speed that day! Roger Crigger Cataldo

Story reflected courage, caring

How dare W. Richards (“Why tell about Claypools?” Letters, Dec. 7) try to take anything away from the Claypools or The Spokesman-Review’s story. Again, closed-mindedness and uneducation rear their ugly heads in Spokane.

The Review had the courage to report the story. It was extremely well-written and very in-depth. You should be proud of the education and information put forward. Sometimes, Richards, what a person sees as sordid others see as a very tragic blessing. God bless you, Kara and Joyce Claypool Gregory D. Spraul Spokane