Letters To The Editor

LAW AND JUSTICE

Technicalities help only the bad

When is our judicial system going to wake up and realize that technicalities benefit no one in society except the criminal?

How sad that a young girl died possibly because one of her killers should have been in jail, as stated by Juvenile Prosecutor Mary Ann Brady.

It seems as if the judicial system is thriving not on what is morally right but because of what is technically correct. This certainly doesn’t solve our crime problem - and it is time for the system to be corrected. Unfortunately, it won’t be if the correcting is left up to the system that created it.

Innocent people must stand up and let judges and attorneys know how they feel. Let the guilty be punished for their crimes, regardless of microscopic technicalities. Moral ethics should be stressed more in the law schools, instead of how to search out loopholes in the law. The only question should be, “Is it morally wrong?” Not “Is it technically correct?” James A. Nelson Spokane

Judges weak links in justice chain

Superior Court Judge James Murphy once again strikes a blow to justice in the case of 16-year-old Eddie Daniels Jr.

Why do we spend so much time and money on repeat offenders in the criminal justice system? The real problem is the repeat offenders on the judicial bench.

When a punk criminal finally kills or rapes, the news media go into the “investigative reporting” mode: “What made them do such a terrible thing?”

How about doing some investigative reporting of the judges who turn them loose? What makes men like Judge Murphy or Judge Marcus Kelly tick? Their names appears again and again as the judges who spank hands so tenderly as to not hurt these hardened criminals’ little psyches.

What in their backgrounds persuades them to think that punishment is not a deterrent? Is it their training at one of our many attorney factories?

What is this unwritten law in journalism that says you must not say anything bad about our precious judges?

Maybe, just maybe, when the media start putting the spotlight on judges in the same way in which they delve into the lives of politicians, we’ll begin seeing some changes. Perhaps the newspaper should have scorecards on judges, as they do on legislators.

When we begin seeing the bad apples in our judicial system spotlighted, perhaps we’ll see a turnaround in our society.

Legislatures make laws. Judges then pervert those laws, allowing criminals to remain on the streets to kill and rape again. Jack Meredith Spokane

Dog should provide testimony

In the O.J. Simpson trial opening statements, both the prosecution and defense mentioned that Nicole Simpson’s dog was at the murder scene. It was also stated that there was no eyewitness to the crime.

It appears to me that the dog was an eyewitness and as such should be brought into the courtroom to see if he/ she shows any animosity towards O.J. Simpson. It is well established that demeanor of a witness is of importance in establishing the credibility of a witness.

It is also well established that animals, especially dogs, will remember anyone who has attacked its owner. So what would be wrong with bringing the dog into the courtroom to see how it would react at the sight of O.J.?

A dog couldn’t be trained or coerced into reacting in any other manner than truthful, while human witnesses can be swayed into fabrication of the truth.

If I were a gambler and had to face human witnesses and a dog, I would put my money on the dog.

The dog should be on the prosecution witness list. If Simpson is not guilty, the defense should have no objection. If he is guilty, they will certainly object to having the only eyewitness testify through his or her demeanor.

As the door to Nicole Simpson’s house was open, it is reasonable to assume that the dog followed her out of the house. That being the case, it is reasonable to assume the dog saw who committed the crimes. Vincent L. Hoffart Sr. Spokane

We should shift priorities

Does it make any sense to release a convicted sex offender into our community? On Jan. 27, Spokane police announced they are going to release Todd Coates, a level-3 sex offender who is considered most dangerous.

We lock up people for years for growing some marijuana plants or for possessing a controlled substance. Let’s legalize the use of drugs and keep dangerous sex offenders locked up instead.

Those who insist on doing drugs are going to do it anyway. Let’s legalize the use of drugs and at the same time conduct an intensive awareness blitz on the consequences of this self-destructive behavior.

It’s crazy to release sex offenders into the community and at the same time keep others locked up for growing some pot plants. Dick McInerney Spokane

EDUCATING THE YOUNG

Pre-empting misbehavior essential

Some people would rather have more police officers on the streets than sacrifice police time to their city or county DARE programs. Who are those criminals they want the police to catch? They’re mostly kids or young adults who didn’t get the DARE message to take care of yourself, love yourself, love your family and respect society.

We recently had a DARE graduation at Bemis Elementary. Although a local news channel was notified, it declined to come. I guess this wasn’t as newsworthy as murder and rape, or sports and weather. Sometimes, I wonder who really cares.

I know who should care: parents, teachers, grandparents - anyone who’s interested in bettering our society and our children’s futures.

Most of the children in the Bemis DARE program participated with positive attitudes. The few children who didn’t seem to catch on were the exception.

At Bemis, we had close to 80 kids who made a commitment to be drug free. With all of the information they received and the lessons they learned about peer pressure, I believe many will make it. Those who fall may get back up again.

I wish you could have seen them pushing their fists skyward while singing, “I’m going to stand tall, not fall, no more, fight for, be strong, lead on, forever free I’ll be drug free.”

We want to spend how many millions to build a juvenile detention center? I believe our money is far better spent giving our kids a reason to stay out of trouble in the first place. Elizabeth Staeheli Spokane

Ignorance hung on a six-pointed star

I was appalled at the Jan. 22 article regarding a high school freshman in Mendon, Mich., being suspended for wearing a six-pointed star when not Jewish. The arrogant stupidity displayed by those school officials is an example of the decline in our educational standards.

The six-pointed star, composed of two equilateral triangles, is not only associated with the spiritual philosophy of the Hebrews but with the Scottish Rite Bodies of the Masonic Order. It’s also used in science and our own governmental philosophy created by our founding forefathers. Those wise men saw fit to incorporate the six-pointed star into the structural character of our country’s most significant symbol, “The Great Seal of the United States,” which appears on our dollar bill.

I suggest those school officials take a course in simple symbology.

The star cluster over the eagle’s head is composed of two equilateral triangles. That portion, with the apex pointing up, represents the great trinity of our democratic republic and the symbol of balance; the legislative branch and the administrative branch at the base corners of the triangle held in balance by the judicial at the top of the apex. Mentally move the triangle with the apex pointing down until its base parallels the one above. The lower one then represents a reflection of the higher triad and is symbolic of “as above so below,” thus represents each of our United States.

That young American surely has a God-given right to identify with any portion of our great symbol. William E. Sweikert, Ph.D. Liberty Lake

Give education chief a chance

The teachers union (Idaho Education Association) was sent a message, loud and clear, last November. It came from 57 percent of the voters, who rejected its candidate and voted for Dr. Anne Fox for state superintendent of public instruction.

The message was: We are not satisfied with the alarming decline in quality of education in our public schools. We want no part of outcome-based education. We want to see real change.

Dr. Fox is working to make those mandated changes. She obviously cannot make changes without replacing some entrenched personnel with individuals who share her philosophy and vision.

Naturally, the teachers’ union will continue to scream and holler at their loss of power. But Dr. Fox’s proposed changes can only benefit children, parents and taxpayers.

If we want to see improvement, the news media and teachers must cease attacking every move she makes. Legislators who criticize her are probably supported by the IEA.

The only problem with the message sent by voters in November is that the teachers union apparently did not receive it.

We, the majority who voted for Dr. Fox, are totally behind her. She has a very tough job and she is new at it. Let’s all give her a chance. Dee Lawless Post Falls

IN THE PAPER

Giving address was out of line

I felt it was in very poor taste to publish the intended address of the policeman Mark Fuhrman coming here from Los Angeles. I think that is a terrible invasion of privacy.

I noticed also when you were reporting on the Boot case that you had published the grandparents’ names and also the street they live on.

I really think this is journalism at its very worst and I am not pleased at all. Marlene Walters Spokane

More and worse to come?

Plaudits are indeed deserved by The SpokesmanReview for its recent article about the progressive changes that have taken place at the Spokane Club. I was particularly impressed by the titillating information tidbit that former Spokane Club president David Levitch entertained a recent gathering of members with off-color sex jokes.

I tingle with anticipation that perhaps at some future date a prominent Spokanite may have the unfortunate circumstance of breaking wind in public with an everwatchful reporter present. Steve Baldwin Spokane

SPOKANE MATTERS

How many times must we do this?

Read my lips. What part of “no” don’t they understand?

I’m really tired of voting for things numerous times because someone can’t take no for an answer.

We said no to a coliseum several times, but what’s that big building going up across from the Flour Mill?

We voted no for Valley incorporation, but that is still in the news and we will be voting again on that.

We voted yes on a Central Valley school bond, but didn’t have the right percentage of voters, so we didn’t get that.

What is wrong with this picture? Someone is not listening out there.

Stand your ground. Vote incorporation down. Betty Foley Spokane

Send some empowerment to Colbert

As a member of the Concerned Citizens of Colbert, I was pleased to read in your Jan. 22 paper that the Spokane City Council has adopted the concepts of empowering neighborhoods and public safety as two of their five top priorities.

As you have reported in previous stories, the Colbert compost facility was sited in our neighborhood against our strong opposition, and this opposition was mounted in spite of city and county efforts to keep the hearings a secret so as to minimize any neighborhood involvement.

Can the citizens now feel confident that the city will ask us if we want the facility to continue to stink up our neighborhood and threaten our health? When can we expect their call?

I was also pleased to read City Manager Roger Crum’s statements that he is a “property rights advocate,” but that he also believes “in good city planning.” And that it “goes back to protecting the single-family homeowners’ property rights.” And that it “guarantees that when you buy a house, a glue factory won’t go in next door, or at least you’ll know it’s coming before you buy.”

Roger, we want to believe you.

The Colbert compost facility is a key property rights issue, in that the city and county have condemned our clean air and taken away our ability to enjoy the air on our property with no payment or restitution. I’m sure that it is governmental abuse like this that has led the citizens of our state and county to support Initiative 164. Pamela Barcelo Colbert

Explain fouled up library service

I believe that in a Shakespearean play, as a remedy to the problem of political malfeasance, it was suggested, “First, kill all the lawyers.” Many centuries later, similar political or administrative incompetence is alive, well and residing within our “city/county” library system, I have found.

Although I don’t advocate such a drastic reaction, I strongly urge all affected citizens - which is every library user in Spokane County - to demand an explanation for the current changes in library user policies.

My understanding is that new state-of-the-art computer software was installed in city libraries with the following results:

The city-county computer systems no longer communicate, which effectively eliminates access to county references from city libraries and vice versa.

County residents can no longer use city library services such as book checkouts without paying as much as $100 per year in additional fees and vice versa.

Many county residents, particularly those who live in densely populated, near-city neighborhoods such as the upper South Hill, do not have a nearby county library. These residents, and especially their school-age children, have effectively lost much of their library services.

County library administrators argue that the county does not have the money to integrate with the new city system as it had in the past. Into what black hole did that extra $20 million in property tax revenue go and where will the more than $20 million in additional revenue due to new commercial reassessments go this year? Jerry Olson Spokane

Fuhrman’s got a lot to learn

Detective Mark Furhman’s frustration and anger are certainly understandable. Still, if he’s planning to move to this part of the country then he’d better learn our ways.

That’s right, detective. We don’t push or punch photographers here, no matter how frustrated or angry we are. What we do here is politely ask them to take a seat. Then we jump out the back window and run like hell.

Actually, it works pretty well. Don Kardong Spokane