Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

STA plaza: What’s to like?

Having just returned from touring the new Spokane Transit Authority Plaza, I must say I’m both underwhelmed and unimpressed.

A big, cavernous, barn of a building doesn’t seem like much for $21 million. The Italian tile doesn’t look anything different or special from what I’ve seen elsewhere. It looks like a prime place for kids to hang out. The biggest problem is with the loading areas. Those riders unfortunate enough to be at the ends of the building, on the street corners, are going to get soaked when they get caught in bad weather.

The July 6 article in The Spokesman-Review quoted STA’s executive director as saying the inconveniences of changing the route times would be offset by keeping riders out of the weather. This new building does no such thing. Now we’re being doubly inconvenienced.

Jeff Danner Spokane

‘Something isn’t right’

Now that Spokane County Commissioners Phil Harris and Steve Hasson have terminated three seasoned planners and a chief engineer, who’s left to watch the back door of the courthouse to keep developers from cashing in campaign favors owed to them from Harris or Hasson?

They say they’re trimming the fat off the pig. Are they just surrounding themselves with their own cronies, who will look the other way if asked?

Something isn’t right at the courthouse. Who can we trust to keep a watchful eye on developers? Certainly not somebody who jumps out of windows to avoid a confrontation. Chris Renner Spokane

LAW AND JUSTICE

Chain gangs not the way to go

I read with a great deal of interest Spokane County Commissioner Phil Harris’ position on chain gangs. Harris even went so far as to say, “Maybe we should return to the Dark Ages, to combat crime.”

Such a statement is further proof the voters shouldn’t have elected Harris in the first place.

Sheriff John Goldman was correct in pointing out prisoners could be worked without the demeaning punishment of chains. Nonviolent prisoners can and would be glad to work, rather than be locked all day and night in solid steel tanks. It could be handled like probation. Put them on their honor and let them work and collect a small portion of their wages for themselves. If they escape, the next prison term doubles. If they escape twice, lock-up only.

Contrary to popular belief, prisoners aren’t being coddled. Prisons are a hell on earth. They destroy the mind and the spirit. “Stir crazy” isn’t just an expression; it’s reality of too much prison. Everyone has heard the expression “cabin fever.” It gets to you in just a few days.

Imagine spending six months in a solid steel tank. Prisoners learn to hate the system and the society that condones it. Violent prisoners in chain, yes. Nonviolent prisoners should never be chained or even handcuffed on arrest.

Those who demean their fellow man are themselves demeaned. I think it was Walt Whitman who wrote that the prisons that men build are built with bricks of shame and bound with bars, so Christ can’t see how man his fellow man doth mame. Jack Mclean Omak, Wash.

Why not thumbscrews?

We have a county commissioner here who thinks using leg chains on county prisoners is a “great idea.”

If the idea is to reduce “coddling” these people, I have some further suggestions. Should we consider public flogging? What about the use of thumbscrews to assist in securing confessions?

Why not brand convicted prisoners, preferably on the forehead, with a large letter “C” as a great deterrent? This letter could also be used on females, just change is to “P” for those convicted of either prostitution of pandering.

I am old enough to no longer feel surprised at the occasional stupidity and/or cold-blooded attitudes of some of my fellow humans. In this case, I will save my outrage for the voting booth at the next election. Tom R. Lantry Spokane

‘Speeding is speeding’

If the town of Colfax has a long-established speed limit of 25 mph, it shouldn’t matter if 66 percent of the tickets or 100 percent of the tickets are issued at the south side of town. Speeding is speeding and it would seem even a lead-footed city council member would not so callously believe himself to be above the law (“Colfax well-known as one big speed trap,”July 3).

If he simply doesn’t agree with the speed limit, Ron Wachter of all people should know the steps to be taken to effect some change in Colfax’s speed limit, or he should know the people who could.

I believe there are local mechanisms to accomplish this, rather than litigious attacks blaming his getting caught significantly speeding on the speed trap myth.

I, too, believe Colfax could raise the limit without adverse effects, especially to the south where the speed could be picked up as one is leaving Colfax for Pullman. More than a few times I’ve traveled through town with a passenger telling me he could get out and walk faster than I crawl through Colfax, and how about picking him up at the other end?

However, I tell myself if I had small children living in proximity to the highway cutting through the center of town, I’d want the 25 mph signs staying right where they’re at.

And, Ron, not everyone drives 74 mph “in the country.” Thank God. Diane Michel Pullman

Scales of justice out of balance

What’s wrong with this picture?

A dog fight organizer is sentenced to 10 years in prison, “Man given jail time for dog fights, cruelty” (November 5, 1994), and a woman is sentenced to a one-year jail term for the vehicular homicide of a 5-year-old girl, “One-year term in girl’s death” (July 7).

Now, correct me if I’m wrong. It’s better to be driving around at night, without lights or a current driver’s license and a blood-alcohol level above the legal amount, hit and kill a 5-year-old child and get one year in jail, plus probation, than to be cruel to animals. In his own words on cruelty to animals, Judge Richard Pattisall said, “Civilized people are appalled at such a thing.”

Are we not civilized enough where a little child’s life is not even worth the same sentence of a man who allowed his pit bull to fight with stray dogs and cats until the pit bull successfully killed them?

Where is the justice for this dead child, whose life was taken by someone who knew the difference between right and wrong?

Do we put 12 months behind us, say that’s too bad and get on with our lives as if nothing happened? Are we civilized to where we allow people to break the law, kill a child and destroy a family?

Was this drunk’s life more valuable than the child’s, or the life of Gregory Hunt, who allowed his pit bull to kill and is spending the next 10 years in prison because of it?

Do we have to wait until she kills again to be called civilized? D.S. Kelly Spokane

At least vigilantism works

I was amazed at D.F. Oliveria’s July 15 naive Our View comments on vigilantism (“Justice from law, not from passion”). This was in regard to Ken Arrasmith’s alleged brand of citizen justice dealt to Ron and Luella Bingham of Clarkston, Wash.

Oliveria fails to understand the effectiveness of vigilantism and its deterrent message to others. Based on news coverage, the Binghams got what they deserved. Had they been convicted in Oliveria’s preferred courtroom, they most likely would have repeated their crimes because any sentence would have been plagued by insensitive plea bargaining.

Debate over the value of “rehabilitation” for rapists and/or molesters continues, but most research shows they can’t be cured. These two parasites won’t ever rape or molest anyone again!

Oliveria said, “American history proves that vigilantism hurts and kills innocent people along with the guilty,” but he conveniently forgot that our justice system has been proven to hurt and kill innocent people, too.

The debate is not about which is right or wrong. It’s about which is more effective as a cost-efficient punishment and deterrent.

Oliveria also commented that, “Arrasmith should have had an appreciation for our laws. He’s an ex-cop. He has seen the system generally work.”

Wrong! All cops who dare to speak publicly, for the record, have been frustrated by the ineptness of the current justice system and have caught repeat offenders too many times. Arrasmith (like any cop or citizen) has seen the system “generally” fail the victims every day. Larry W. Earl Sandpoint

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Tell Congress what you think

Now that the budget resolution has been approved by both houses of Congress, some social issues need to be addressed:

Drastic cuts to the Medicare and Medicaid program; I oppose.

An appropriate ratio of nursing staff to residents at nursing homes, namely, eight to one; I support.

Lessening the tax burden on traditional families by means of the $500 per child tax credit; I support.

In addition, the religious equality amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which is being drafted by constitutionalists and which would clarify the meaning of the First Amendment needs support.

I urge you to write or phone our U.S. senators and representatives to express your opinions on these issues. The toll-free phone number of the Capitol switchboard is: (800) 972-3524. Ask for Sen. Larry Craig, Sen. Dirk Kempthorne and Rep. Helen Chenoweth by name and you will be connected with their offices. Mary Wieman Kellogg

Clinton blessing beside the point

I read in the July 13 Spokesman-Review that President Clinton will allow students to pray in school. Well, isn’t that big of him? Many of us talked to God all the way through school. I, for one, needed him and still do.

Who does Clinton think he is, anyway? Waldo Larson Laclede, Idaho