Letters To The Editor

HERE COMES THE JUDGE

Padden a good choice

Thank you, county commissioners, for giving us a new judge, Mike Padden, who does not believe in coddling criminals.

Equally important, Mr. Padden does not believe that judges should be in the business of making laws. Rather, they should leave that job to our elected legislators. Our society would be much better off if more judges would remember that. Barbara Green Spokane

Padden terrible choice

The appointment of Mike Padden to the District Court was purely political. It stinks to high heaven. It certainly clarifies how I will vote for my next county commissioner.

Robert Myler Spokane

WALK IN THE WILD

Zoo is special; Let’s keep it

My family and I visited Walk in the Wild Zoo. Our visit was one of many, but this one was special. My daughter, husband and I wanted to take one last look at the animals you are letting slip through your fingers, because the zoo can’t afford to stay open.

It is a joyful, beautiful, rare place for everyone, young and old. This zoo is the only place of its kind from Montana to Seattle. The zoo is something you should take pride in. The animals can’t be seen just anywhere. Once they are gone, they are gone.

Somebody needs to fight for the zoo. Will it be the people of Spokane? If everyone would make a donation, it would make a big difference. Go visit the animals. They are all beautiful. F.L. White Osburn, Id.

Did officials hold out for too much?

The ineptitude of various officials in Spokane city and county government simply amazes me.

They knew in advance that by March 10 they had to make a decision regarding free land and they chose not to. Why did they do this? Were they expecting perhaps a better offer? Land plus cash so that they could keep the place open instead of just the value of the land? David Campbell Spokane

SPOKANE MATTERS

Coliseum: Old order changeth

The Grand Old Lady, affectionately renamed the Boone Street Barn, renewed all of her splendor on March 19 as 5,249 hockey fans joined in the ceremonies to pay tribute to eight teams that helped write hockey history during the past 40 years.

It was difficult for most longtime hockey fans to hold back the tears while the teams were being honored and re-presented with the Allan Cup trophies and cups, followed by the unveiling of the four Allan Cup and Memorial Cup banners.

Those of us who were here when the Spokane Jets won their first Allan Cup in 1970 and became the first U.S. senior amateur hockey team to ever win the coveted Allan Cup fully appreciated this special night and the chance to salute all of these great players and coaches who provided us fans with so many years of unparalleled hockey action.

On behalf of thousands of local hockey fans, young and old, we say, thanks for the memories.

As Tom Mableson so eloquently stated that Sunday night, the Grand Old Lady, known 40 years ago as one of the finest sports arenas to be built, must now step aside with all of her glory and history and allow the new arena to take her place. Stan Heimbigner Spokane

Drivers, adjust to sharing streets

In response to Steve Sackett’s letter of March 19, it appears that now is the time to begin thinking about how we perceive the overall transportation system in our region.

As we face continuing funding restraints, environmental pollution and excessively congested roads, it is up to us all to rethink the way we move ourselves from home to work and even to play.

For many years the bicycle has been considered part of the vehicular code of Washington state, along with every other state in the Union. Although nonmotorized, it has a place in the transportation scheme, along with pedestrians.

Spokane is not yet a bicycle-friendly or walking-friendly place. Many residential streets and parks could host joggers, walkers, cyclists and children playing a variety of games. Motorists need to exercise greater care and reduce speed while others are present.

Also, there are many folks who don’t own or use cars and who must rely on transit, their feet or bicycles to get around. It is up to us all to watch out for each other.

Believe it or not, streets were made for more than motor vehicles. Let’s be careful out there. Margaret Watson Spokane

CUSTODY CASE

Disabled mother got raw deal

I wish I could express my grief to the Angel Harper, who is fighting for her child. Her situation, along with that of the other mentally and/or physically disabled persons who are begging for their children, is heartbreaking.

Yes, there are those who are not capable of certain things. Sadly, this is the label society has ignorantly slapped on all of the disabled population.

Many women have inconsistencies in their lives. Many have bouts of depression. Many have not a clue about parenting. This does not make them incapable. Yet, if a woman is even so much as mildly disabled, it does?

In the six years that I worked with disabled individuals, what I admired most was the way they cherished the smallest things, their eagerness to learn and their drive to give and receive love.

Perhaps Child Protective Services should go interfere where its interference is needed. At least, have enough compassion to give chances where chances are deserved.

So what if a woman needs guidance. Doesn’t every mother? Michelle Axling Spokane

Common sense got left out

I am sick, disgusted and ashamed that Angel Harper has had her child taken away from her without even getting a chance to prove herself fit or unfit as a mother. If this is not a case of Child Protective Services ripping a child out of its mom’s arms, I would like to know what it is.

As for a woman having a history of sexual abuse of a child, get real. Look at the statistics.

As for a woman verbalizing a possibility of doing something rash if her child is taken away, are we supposed to blankly smile and say “Have a nice day”?

And so Angel Harper is declared not intelligent enough to get a chance. Lots of people are not highly intellectual. If you want to look for crimes of personality, what about all of us who are petty, cruel, selfish, self-centered, have bad teeth, are lousy bowlers or are otherwise unfit for sainthood and will never self-perfect to the top rung?

This is a democracy. Unjust treatment of one person threatens the foundation of our society. Besides, whatever happened to common sense and compassion? Janice Abel Spokane

IN WASHINGTON STATE

Hack away, conservatives

Liberals should stop complaining about conservatives’ cost-cutting measures.

The Spokesman-Review has done a brilliant job of pointing out that public employees have too-good of health coverage and earn more than enough. Public employees have it so good, conservatives say, they should have their wages frozen and their health care benefits downgraded. After all, regular people don’t earn as much as they do or have as good health care coverage.

Never mind that people in the public sector are subject to extraneous pressures from a newspaper that revels in targeting public servants, from garbage men to the governor. Never mind that teachers haven’t had a pay raise in three years and really do help pay for their insurance. Never mind that our Police Department is the envy of the west side of the state.

The reason why liberals shouldn’t worry about conservatives and their cost-cutting is that they’re starting to scare their constituency. The South Hill upper crust is feeling threatened. Their kids may not have new books, computers, football helmets, instruments, art supplies or teachers. Because if they keep going the way they are, they’re going to chase the best teachers and administrators out of the state.

So, liberals, stop complaining. It’s easy to say “cut” until the programs that you like are cut. Conservatives are just cutting their throats. Todd Berwyn Spokane

Misinformation disservice to all

State employees and their families receive free benefits? This is news to me. As a school teacher, I am a state employee, and over the last six years I have paid approximately $12,480 in health care premiums.

I am the first to admit that many teachers and their families have very good health care plans, but for many, it is not free.

It should also be noted that teachers across the state have negotiated in good faith for those benefits, in lieu of pay raises, and increasing our share of health care costs without increasing our wages would deny teachers the good faith of past negotiations.

It is important, in these times of state and federal spending scrutiny, that the facts be reported accurately, lest we deceive the public. John Goyette Tonasket, Wash.

More needed than helmet law

I cheered last year when Washington’s bicycle helmet law failed to pass. It’s not that I thumb my nose at danger, but I believe in individual choice or laws designed to attack problems, not symptoms.

A helmet might cushion your skull if a mishap occurs but will do nothing to prevent accidents or debilitating spinal injuries.

A case in point is the proliferation of riders out after dark without lights. Reflectors might be better than nothing but are totally inadequate in terms of motorist visibility. Adults who ride after dark without lights are begging for an accident. In my opinion, parents of juveniles who do the same thing are a thousands times more negligent than some prudent motorist who doesn’t see the rider until a half-second before impact.

I see bicyclists without lights after dark all over the Inland Empire, but Coeur d’Alene beats all other localities by a huge margin. I am amazed that motor vehicle/bike collisions aren’t already at crisis proportions there.

Will law enforcement and good common sense team up to prevent tragedies that otherwise, according to Murphy’s law, likely will happen? I hope so. John Amonson Wallace

THE MEDIA

Why promote trash?

I was shocked to see “Melrose Place” advertised on the front page of the March 20 Spokesman-Review. Is this the kind of news the people of the Inland Empire are asking for?

Why is the Spokesman encouraging the viewing of this program? It encouraged me to turn it on to see what it was all about. After five minutes of dishonesty, sexism and smut, I decided it was garbage. Are these the feelings and values we desire to encourage in our youths and society?

Thank goodness for the editorial by Leonard Pitts on March 21, “Optimism, a wondrous sound indeed.” In the decaying society we are witnessing in the ‘90s, it is articles such as these that warrant front page attraction, not garbage such as the story about “Melrose Place.”

Should we cancel our subscription again? Let’s hope not. Thanks, Mr. Pitts. J.M. Sours Spokane

Nation of wild and crazy guys

Regarding your front page of March 20:

It is fitting that you printed on the same page the stories about commuters being gassed in Japan and our American attachment to “Melrose Place.” Since so many Americans are obsessed with sex and sports events, a terrorist strike could easily hit our nation and we probably wouldn’t care - as long as no one breaks our TV when the evening soaps are playing. The TV is like a nerve gas that keeps us morally insensitive. Are we crazy, or what? Larry Clark Spokane

We miss Gorseth column

We are enjoying the revised Outdoors & Travel section of the Sunday edition. However, week after week, we have searched for the international question and answer column so capably written by the well-informed and seasoned traveler-travel agent Royce Gorseth. Our entire family, including our French-teaching daughter in Phoenix, has benefited from his information.

If this loss is due to your discretion and not Mr. Gorseth’s decision, please reconsider and reinstate the most helpful worldwide travel byline. Lois K. Lawson Colville, Wash.

GOVERNMENT AND HEALTH

Tobacco firms lie, lie, lie

Who should our political leaders believe in the debate about repealing tobacco taxes? Let’s examine the track record of the tobacco industry.

Tobacco executives swore before Congress that tobacco is not addictive, yet the Food and Drug Administration has long classified nicotine as a drug more addictive than cocaine or heroin.

Tobacco companies produce the only consumer product that, when used as directed, kills. Yet they are using Joe Camel to market these products to kids. Tobacco companies complain that higher tobacco taxes cost this state thousands of jobs and millions in revenue. Yet studies show jobs are not lost and millions can be saved in reduced health care costs.

Should our lawmakers believe the claims of the tobacco industry? Not this voter. Tim Herrington Spokane