Letters To The Editor

OUR CHILDREN, THEIR SAFETY

Crack down on predators Well, has everyone had enough yet? I mean enough of the animals who are sexually abusing and killing our children.

How can the courts plea bargain the virtue or the life of a little girl just to save money? They should televise the little bodies so the taxpayers can see the dollars they are saving.

Counseling, rehabilitation - I gag at the thought. Most of these animals have been convicted or charged of similar crimes before.

Write your state government and demand proper laws to smash these criminals. Make it so tough that others might stop and think. Wake up and act. Curtis Rodgers Hayden

System inexcusably irrational

On Lake Roosevelt, a fisherman was fined $95 for keeping a 19-inch walleye (walleye between 16 and 20 inches must be released to spawn). One inch longer and he would have been fine. In Washington, a hunter was charged $21,000 in fines and “restitution” for killing a female grizzly and allegedly leaving two cubs to starve. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife spokesman said, “Wow, this really sends a message to hunters.” In New Orleans, a dentist was ordered by the U.S. District Court to pay $120,000 in “damages” for refusing to treat two HIV-positive men.

Yet, time and again, convicted murderers and known sex offenders are turned loose to roam freely in society after a light or suspended sentence.

The Bonner County Daily Bee told of a “predator” with a history of sexual abuse of children just found guilty of yet another offense. The Spokesman-Review had articles on similar situations, one resulting in the death of Rachel Carver. Apparently, catching a fish one inch too short is a worse offense than attempted rape, and killing a grizzly is a worse crime than putting a child through fear, pain and death.

Remember “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone?” Is refusing dental treatment to someone with a deadly disease worse than preying on young children? Remember “liberty and justice for all?” Killers and sex offenders get liberty, but no one - not the criminals, victims or public - gets justice. Our court system is as perverted about right and wrong as the predators of the innocent. What kind of message are you getting? Does anyone think this is as crazy as I think it is? Evalyn Finney Sandpoint

Caring came too late

I grieve and weep for poor, defenseless Rachel Carver.

I’m very angry she had no place to turn to. Her daddy allegedly hurt her physically and emotionally when she was tiny. Her mother was apparently concerned about her own life, so she neglected Rachel and turned her over to Rachel’s aunt and uncle, even though the uncle had a history of rape and brutality.

The court postponed locking that uncle up, and Child Protective Services was busy. Even though there were other relatives, Girl Scout leaders, teachers, church, etc., nobody had time for her until now!

Staff writer Rachel Konrad’s article (“Everyone should grieve for girl, group says,” June 19) quoted a member of a Unitarian group concerned with preventing family violence. Konrad reported the contention, “Children need not remain defenseless victims, if they learn strategies for escaping violent situations …” How ignorant!

Little children love and trust their families and think they’re loved in return - especially by their moms. I’m haunted by Rachel’s question, “Why do you want to hurt me?” and by the torturing her uncle reportedly did.

Why the last day of school? I think money (or not having to pay for her care), revenge, and senseless and evil people all worked against that sweet child. So many people would have loved her, and would have loved to have her. Where was she supposed to go for help if not to her family?

Now look at all the attention she is getting, when someone should have come to her rescue sooner. Vivian Fish Spokane

Track, try and execute killers

Poor little Rachel Carver never had a chance. Her father is a miserable excuse for a man, and her uncle is now being investigated for her murder.

It was known that she was living in a precarious situation almost since the day she was born. Where was the so-called Child Protective Service all this time? In this age of instant communication, why can’t better track be kept of child molesters as to their whereabouts and their previous crimes? Why are they allowed to roam the streets like stray dogs until they become mad and kill someone? We shoot a mad dog, don’t we?

We must make some drastic changes in our laws and the way we punish people for these crimes. When found guilty after a swift trial - forget appeal after appeal, which only makes lawyers rich - these killers should be quickly executed. Alberta Murray Elk, Wash.

LAW AND JUSTICE

Suggest anti-terrorist fund

It would cost less than a latte, less than a pack of cigarettes, less than a cup of coffee at a restaurant, much less than a barrel of popcorn at a theater or a theater ticket.

It might be achievable.

Most Americans are devastated by the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City, let us not forget.

If every American would donate $1 to a permanent fund to be used for bringing terrorists to justice, there would be about $230 million available for rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the guilty. The fund would be privately owned by all Americans. It could be administered by a chosen group in Oklahoma City and be a memorial to those who perished.

Thousands of Americans would not be informed of the project and thousands would not want to contribute - but thousands would contribute more than $1.

There are enough well-known, well-connected people in Coeur d’Alene to implement and accomplish this. The interest on the invested money would provide enough for continual maintenance of the project.

There are many pros and cons to this; I can think of several. But ,I think it can be done. Herb Cheeley Coeur d’Alene

ENTERTAINMENT

Good theater needs audience

The Syringa Valley Chorus production of “The King and I” playing at the Panida Theater is a wonderful gift to the people of Sandpoint.

The cast is talented, enthusiastic and well rehearsed. The sets and costumes are gorgeous, and the message of this classic Broadway musical is timeless. The only unfortunate note is that The Panida was not sold out the night we went (June 17).

A production of this caliber is a real tribute to the talent and ingenuity of our community and is worthy of its full support. Ann Roen Sandpoint

Talented folk doing fine job

We enjoyed a lovely, short vacation recently and encourage everyone to do the same.

Last Friday evening, we traveled to the Siam of the 1800s. We were entertained by some enormously gifted and talented ladies, gentlemen and children.

The Syringa Valley Chorus production of “The King and I,” brilliantly directed by Merlyn Brown, will delight and surprise you with music, laughter and emotion brought to The Panida stage by the most brilliant cast to grace that stage in some time. Roger Williams and Gloria Linvall Sagle

SPOKANE MATTERS

Merchant, accentuate the positive

Chris O’Harra, co-owner of Auntie’s Bookstore, who was whining on the news, should be thinking of ways she could turn her “loss of business” into a profit during Hoopfest Weekend. Hoopfest is a wonderful and exciting event for this community. Maybe if she had children or relatives who participated, she would look at it differently.

What she should do is have a sidewalk sale, take books outside on the sidewalk, sell snacks and drinks, and maybe even have great prices on sports books, then report on her “losses.”

Instead of worrying that a few cars won’t find a place to park close to her store, she should look at the 30,000-plus people who are walking by her store and think about what they might want to buy! As a former downtown restaurant owner, I’m not giving her this advice off the top of my head.

Remember the old saying, “When life gives you lemons - make lemonade.”

I’ll be on the curbs downtown this weekend with thousands of others, watching my children and friends play basketball. I might get thirsty, need a snack or need to know the rules of the game.

Wake up and smell the money! Lindy Inderrieden Spokane

THE MEDIA

You did hatchet job on gun group

The articles by Rich Roesler in The SpokesmanReview (June 11), “NRA sticks to its guns,” and “NRA official says though talk gets attention,” are amazing. You have to get to page 12 to find out that 75 percent of those who called in were in favor of the National Rifle Assocation policies and 25 percent were opposed.

In reading the first article, I find you quoted nine people who spoke out against the NRA and only three who were for the NRA. That translates into 75 percent against and 25 percent for the NRA. Isn’t that just the opposite of the phone survey?

Maybe there is a reason why former President Bush and former speaker of the House, Tom Foley are former. They also misinterpreted the polls.

I am not a member of the NRA, but many more articles like this and I may join. It is apparent that The Spokesman-Review and the media in general don’t support the Second Amendment and want complete gun control. Wayne Lythgoe Colbert

Hero’s goodness perverted

“It turns out the short, wiry fellow is a sex symbol as well.” “‘Oh, he’s cute,’ cooed a young White House aide Monday. …” “Several of her friends lustily agreed.”

These statements were found in The SpokesmanReview on June 13 (“From famine to feast”). They originated from The Washington Post and were irresponsibly reprinted. Who were these words describing? Spokane’s own hero, Capt. Scott O’Grady.

Leave it to The Washington Post and The SpokesmanReview to pervert a true hero who, at every chance to speak about his ordeal to the media, has given the glory and credit to God. Stephen P. Apperson Spokane

Paper gave school people raw deal

As a former Chase Charger, I know far better than The Spokesman-Review what actually went on at Chase.

For example, I knew about the fund raiser that raised over $3,000 to go to our teacher with cancer. Our Principal, Mr. Lake, and Vice-Principal, Ms. Fields, even got dunked in the dunk tank. The Spokesman-Review knew nothing about this.

You forgot that Chase was selected to march in the Lilac Parade. It also slipped your mind that we had the biggest band out of all the schools there.

The only thing that didn’t slip your mind was the Harding-Thomas issue. That stuck for a long time. You kept writing about the “hostile environment” when you had no idea about Chase’s environment.

I went to Libby in seventh grade and moved to Chase. What I saw there wasn’t hostile or unjust. I saw an effort to make right what went wrong and learn from it. I also saw Mr. Lake and Ms. Fields walk out Chase’s doors because the stress finally affected them. Stress put on, in part, by you. You printed articles and accusations that later proved false and left an impression on them forever.

The final thing you forget is there is two sides to every story. You proved again and again that you are very onesided. Congratulation, you helped make my last year at Chase Middle School one I will never forget! Jacy Jensen Spokane

Photo not in keeping with story

I would like to comment on the article titled “Horse Sense” (IN life, June 15). In this article, it said that when horseback riding, you should wear an ASTM/SEI-approved helmet. In the photo on the front page, Randy is wearing a bicycle helmet, not a riding helmet. Also, you mentioned that adults can get hurt just as easily as kids, but in the photo, the trainer isn’t wearing a helmet.

Although the article displayed good information, a picture is worth a thousand words. Molly Pinch Spokane

THE ENVIRONMENT

Laws ruining timber industry

Not everyone is subject to the same high property assessment and taxes.

Idaho law provides for low assessments of timber and agricultural parcels five acres and larger. However, fiveacre parcels with a house do not qualify because the residence is assumed to occupy one acre. The law is supposed to provide an incentive to keep private land productive by growing timber or crops.

Unfortunately, the law is no longer adequate. The current land use trend is to log the timber and subdivide parcels into pastured, one-horse California ranchettes. Thus, much of the best timber growing land is going out of production. In fact, most of the best timber growing land in Bonner County is in the private sector, and was sold cheap by the federal government years ago. The future of our timber industry is already in the hands of the state, county, and people of Idaho.

What is needed is a property tax policy to reverse the current land use trends. It should encourage an individual to keep most of their small parcel in timber production. It should encourage replanting of unproductive pasture land in valuable timber. It should address the cost of replanting, which is approximately 435 trees per acre at 30 cents to $1.30 per tree. It should require inspections by the assessor.

People who manage their property for the future prosperity of the community deserve a tax break. If you’re interested in seeing the law changed, contact your state representative. S.S. Howze Sagle

Cartoonist distorted truth

This letter is in response to Staff cartoonist Milt Priggee’s work published on June 8, concerning proposed revision of the federal Clean Water Act.

Priggee’s implication is that the proposed revisions will allow industry to go back to the time before there was a Clean Water Act. This implication removes all doubt that Mr. Priggee bases his work on “informed” opinions.

If Mr. Priggee had bothered to research the subject from multiple sources, he would have discovered that there are no proposed revisions that change any current industrial requirements.

A proposed provision that impacts future industrial discharges is a requirement that major new rules deal with real (not perceived) problems by the most costeffective means, based on risk assessments and cost/ benefit analyses.

In plain English, this means Congress is directing the Environmental Protection Agency to be sure it works on problems that are truly going to make an environmental difference, and that the proposal is the most cost-efficient solution to the problem.

It is shameful that Priggee portrays any deviation from regulatory tunnel vision toward a balancing of future needs and limited resources as some great assault on past achievements.

By the way, in case Priggee was wondering if his depiction of industry urinating in the water alienated environmental professionals who work every day on minimizing the environmental impacts of their facilities - it did. Bernard P. Leber, Jr., NW environmental manager Kaiser Aluminum, Spokane

We can’t afford to be shortsighted

It ‘s very difficult to read letters such as E.A. Johnson’s “Enough of Environmentalism” (June 17) without becoming frustrated.

It’s important to first mention that “environmentalism” is not a term for radical “tree-hugging.” One must be cautious when suggesting that all persons concerned about the environment are eager politicians or aspiring businessmen. In fact, some of us are merely interested in reducing the damage we inflict on our environment. Whether you are willing to admit it or not, our behavior is destructive to the environment.

As a biochemistry and biology student, I can speak for several of my colleagues who wish to pursue careers in environmental fields so they might educate people and help protect nature from this generation, for the generations to come. It’s much like a gift to our children and their children.

We, as a society, need environmental regulations. Why? Because the majority of people, such as E.A. Johnson, are more concerned with prosperity today than an existence tomorrow. If anything will ever lead to the an increase in global problems, maybe the end of the world, it will be the concept of here-and-now lifestyles. A good lesson for us all is to not think only about today but consider the future implications of our actions.

Environmental policies merely hold our society as a whole accountable for its actions.

Also, is the person who suggests that the Hanford cleanup should only cost $5 billion really qualified to estimate that value? David L. Luttinen Spokane