Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Hired hands overstep their authority

Tonight’s City Council meeting agenda includes a request for authorization to enter into a contract change order. The change, amounting to $13,000, represents a 31 percent contract increase that rightfully, and in accordance with the City Charter, comes before the council for discussion and approval.

But there’s a catch. As this change order comes before the council for “approval,” the change order has already been authorized and the work completed. By your City Council in some back-room agreement? Nope, by your city manager and city attorney, who, according to the city attorney, didn’t want to wait for the City Council.

This action speaks of an attitude clearly growing more bold that suggests that elected officials are simply a nuisance to be dealt with in the short term and that staff and management think they know best and can proceed as they see fit.

This is also just part of a recent series of similar decisions made unilaterally by the city manager and city attorney without the courtesy, sensibility or discretion to bring before the council such sensitive matters as the purchase of the Grover Marks interest in the Gypsy lawsuit or the application and filing of a recent $3.6 million grant application in connection with the proposed Riverpark Square project in downtown Spokane.

So, who directs local government in Spokane? We know who think they do.

The sad thing is that until the people demand that the council members put a stop to this and do the job we’re paid to do, this council-and-citizens-be-damned attitude will continue. Chris Anderson Spokane City Council member

Dollar gifts could make a difference

Thanks to Paul Turner and Sandra Bancroft-Billings for their story regarding me and Oasis Christian Communities’ plan for homes for needy and homeless.

Lest some may think our plans are way off in the future, my son Jonathan and I have been operating a transition house for nearly four years in Spokane, and have helped some 250 persons, families, single parents and other singles for varying lengths of time.

My son is on disability and I am on Social Security, so poor people can do something to help eliminate homelessness. Our work is active and ongoing.

To give readers an idea of how practical the dollar offering or other small offerings can be, let me give you some examples:

If, for example, the students of the Community Colleges of Spokane and Extended Learning each were to give $1, we would have $20,200. If each of these students were to recruit 10 more givers for the drive, we’d have $222,200, which would launch our self-supporting, selfperpetuating project without further fund drives.

Or, if each of the 10,000 businesses in the Spokane area were to make a one-time, tax-exempt contribution of $25, we’d have all we need to start. Sister Zoe Nasset, RSEA Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Planned cuts hurt the hurting

We are involved in a planning process for the Northeast Washington Early Children Program. As early childhood professionals and advocates for low-income families in rural areas, we oppose:

The end of free and reduced meals which nourish over 302,100 low-income children in Washington schools, day cares and preschools. Without federal subsidies, school lunch prices will increase along with the hunger of those who cannot pay. Price increases will significantly affect the ability of paying students to afford school lunches. Nearly 90,000 Washington students presently pay full price for lunches. Inability to pay will jeopardize the continued operation of school lunch programs.

The proposed $1.25 million cut in the Washington Women, Infants and Children (WIC) budget will hit hard nearly 350 preschool children in the tri-county area who presently receive vouchers for essential food supplements such as milk and eggs. The working poor in Northeast Washington will be forced to pick up the additional economic burden of having to provide these nutritional supplements, which will probably never make it onto the plates of these or 1,900 other children not being served who are eligible to receive WIC food supplements.

The expected 20 percent cut in federal food stamp benefits over the next five years. Over half of food stamp recipients nationwide are children. This cut will be felt by the 7,316 persons in the tri-county area who depend on food stamps

We are unwilling to accept this victimization of children. We recommend restructuring existing programs rather than making drastic cuts affecting those who are already economically disadvantaged. Peggy Townley, for members of Early Childhood Strategic Planning Group, Colville

Officials endanger cheap french fries

I sometimes wonder if the left arm of the federal government knows what the right arm is doing.

Last year, Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt and Dan Beard, Bureau of Reclamation commissioner, tried (under the guise of “water spreading”) to rewrite major water allocation processes, thus adversely impacting irrigated agriculture. Agricultural groups spoke up loud and clear, stating that the federal government could not back out of its original promises from when Grand Coulee Dam and the Columbia Basin Reclamation Project were developed. One of the most active segments of agriculture was the potato industry. Fortunately for the American consumer, agricultural producers fared well in last year’s discussions.

Now, guess what? In late April, Beard published further regulatory changes in the Federal Register, including a new and unique definition of “lease.” This new perspective views major food processors as cogrowers of potatoes. Since these processors purchase more than 960 acres of production each year and 960 acres is the maximum any one grower can irrigate in the project at the present repayment rate, the bureau would have to raise the rate by multiples of 10 or more for water delivered.

Please help get the word to President Clinton that those 99 cent french fries he enjoys alongside his hamburger may cost $9.90 or more if he doesn’t intervene in Beard and Babbit’s war on the West. You can help by contacting your congressman or senators, or go ahead and write a note to President Clinton about his french fries. LeRoy C. Allison Grant County Commissioner

Trade conflict would be costly

The fact that the Japanese car market is restricted in Japan is unfortunate both for American auto workers and Japanese consumers who are forced by their government to pay higher prices for cars. However, what would be much worse would be a trade war between the two countries.

Washington state citizens especially would suffer greatly from such an escalation. Our state’s largest foreign customer of products made in Washington is Japan. We even run a trade surplus every year with the Japanese. An escalating trade war very well could mean a loss of jobs for the citizens of this state, not to mention the higher prices that would result from less competition in the market for certain products. Who will buy our agricultural products, airplanes, software, lumber?

American car companies would be the first to jack up the prices of all their cars if the Japanese were not allowed by our federal government to compete with the big three.

A problem certainly exists now, but the solution is not for our federal government to create a greater problem for the citizens of this state and country by creating a situation in which American jobs would be lost and prices for all of us would rise. Ron Belisle Spokane

Christians should tread boldly

John Webster (Opinion, May 19) argues that “Religion and politics don’t mix,” and that “Christians should tread carefully into the world of politics.”

Why is it that we Christians are presumed to be less entitled to participate in the electoral process than nonChristians?

For decades, Christians have witnessed in America the slaughter of the innocents and the perversion of our criminal justice system. Our inner cities have become ungovernable, primarily because of a failed welfare system which rewards indolence and infidelity.

God has been expelled from public schools, while condom distribution has been introduced. We’ve seen our government decree that spotted owls, rats or fairy shrimp are more important than human beings. Private property rights have been stolen from us by regulatory schemes and practices.

The pagan left has controlled Congress for the past 40 years and is primarily responsible for our present sorry state. They’re scared to death that the religious right will undo much of that social engineering. Well, they have a right to be scared because that’s exactly what the religious right wants to do.

The pagan left tried to frighten voters last November with dire warnings regarding the religious right, but it didn’t work. The liberals were turned out of office in droves, and many of the new legislators are Christians. These Christians have proven to be courageous champions of that which is good for America and for Americans.

The best thing that could happen to America is for more Christians to become active in the political process. Paul J. Henry Colville, Wash.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Fluoride proven safe and effective

In response to Betty Fowler’s May 17 letter, “Studies show fluoridation danger,” I offer the following rebuttal:

In addition to the American Dental Association, fluoridation is supported by the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization, the American Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Public Health Service.

I find it hard to believe these organizations would support fluoridation if in fact there were the medical risks Ms. Fowler described.

Research shows that fluoride reduces cavities between 20-40 percent in children and 15-35 percent in adults. It can even help repair the early stages of tooth decay and avoid the necessity of a filling (“Review of Fluoride: Benefits and Risks,” the Public Health Service, 1991).

In fact, recent figures released by the National Institute of Dental Research showed that fewer people are toothless than ever before, due greatly to dental advancements including various methods of using fluoride for prevention of dental disease. We have seen a decline in the number of toothless adults from 7.3 million in the early 1972 to 3.7 million in the mid-1980s.

In February 1994, the University of Washington did a statewide survey of the dental health of third-grade children. The study indicated a trend of fewer decayed teeth in those children living in fluoridated areas of the state (Spokane is not fluoridated).

What better way to reduce overall dental costs and lessen human suffering than to decrease the incidence of decay and to keep your natural teeth health. Mary Krempasky Smith, DDS Past president, Spokane District Dental Society

Dental care reform called for

I confess to a certain ignorance of the limits of the proposed redesigning of the health care system in this country. But I can almost bet that it contains no mention of any reforms in the dental profession.

We need a program that will allow low-income people access to decent dental care. I say decent, and that’s the least of where it should start.

I was a nursing assistant here in Spokane for five years, prior to becoming a cancer patient myself. I am extremely impressed with the level of care that I, a welfare patient, received. I can honestly say I’ve had the best physicians in town, both in reputation and in performance.

Dentists are another story. Never have I had such horrible care. Never have I been so insulted. I actually broke down and cried in one office and walked out on the man.

You wouldn’t believe what I went through to get another appointment with anyone. “Oh, you have Medicaid? Sorry.” Or, “Oh, we don’t take Medicaid, and if you have it you still can’t pay cash.”

Why are all these sweet receptionists suddenly so hostile when they hear the words “medical coupons”? And try missing an appointment! All of a sudden, you find that some dentist clear across town, whom you’ve never called before, refuses to see you because you are a no show.

I realize these folks have no Hippocratic Oath, but what happened to “First, do no harm”? Even my veterinarian subscribes to that one. Abigayle Murray Spokane

Confidentiality serves a purpose

In regard to W.E. Van Cleve’s letter of May 17, “Notell HIV policy mindless”:

First, I would like to make a correction. Not only is the Ebola virus the No. 1 deadly killer at this time, as it takes lives within a 48-hour time span, I would put it right up with the HIV virus as they are both of great importance to all humanity.

Second, our medical authorities are prohibited from identifying any person who tests positive for HIV. This is because of ignorant, discriminatory people who, if they do find out that a person is HIV infected, usually what happens is they are discriminated against. Even in our hospitals people are discriminated against for having the HIV virus. Sometimes they don’t receive the same care as another human being who is not HIV positive does. So I can understand why we have to keep such a closed mouth with the HIV virus.

We all have secrets. We all have disabilities. So let’s try to get along in society and try to get a hold on both the Ebola virus and the AIDS virus. John Cavey, R.N. AIDS educator, Assisted Living Associates

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

Society needs remedial education

We have been educated for this period of crime, violence and terrorism, which must be corrected.

Our education system, permissive parents and Dr. Spock philosophy have degraded us to where too many people do not have a clear sense of right vs. wrong, love vs. hate, good vs. evil or even male vs. female.

When I was a kid in the ‘20s and ‘30s, there was no confusion about basics. The school, the government, the parents and the church all taught the same values, principles and ethics.

That has fallen apart in the name of social justice, selfesteem and the like. In my opinion, the only esteem worth having is that which is generated by self. Then it is truly self-esteem.

It’s time we take back our schools by eliminating the federal Department of Education and let parents rewrite the books, lesson plans and goals for our education system.

Until we are mostly re-educated, we must rely on our courts, judges and juries to make it clear where we stand.

If no course material is available, I suggest the following lessons for starters:

Thou shalt not kill.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Love thy neighbor as thyself.

Love God, obey your mother and father and respect your elders.

Thou shalt not steal.

The only sinner worse than a liar is a thief.

There are many more. Let the people decide. Floyd Damman Colbert

Indians hurt by white man’s ignorance

The reality behind the “harmony” Chuck Cleis rails against (Letters, May 11) is that Native Americans used all parts of the animals they hunted because it was not only a matter of survival but also part of their religious beliefs. They didn’t become as wasteful as white men when they acquired the rifle, just more efficient.

The goal of the European invasion was for land and resources, namely precious metals, furs and later, oil and uranium.

The white man did try to crush the tribes militarily. In the campaigns against the tribes of the Sioux nations, the cost to the United States of killing each Indian was approximately $1 million. The government established reservations and pursued the removal policy aggressively. Once the Indians were safely on the reservations, corrupt agency officers could cheat them out of rations and issue blankets that were carrying smallpox.

Adolf Hitler expressed admiration for the way the United States dealt with the troublesome savages. Hitler created his concentration camps in the shadow of the great American Indian reservation, but he used the technology of the white man to make his “reservations” better.

Many Native Americans live in the old way. The languages and cultures are alive and well. Native Americans have had little choice but to accept some of the so-called goodies and technology. These are byproducts of attempted assimilation by the government.

Independent people were made dependent. This is a case of sadness and pity. Sadness for what was lost and pity for those who destroyed what they couldn’t understand. Tim Collins Spokane

IN THE PAPER

About that ‘credible’ business

John Webster’s May 17 editorial, “Cooney’s actions rate low appraisal,” was of particular interest to me. I was Charlene Cooney’s opponent in the November general election.

During the campaign, I attempted to point out why Spokane County needed a change in the assessor’s office. Many people got my point but many obviously did not. I am glad to see Mr. Webster finally got the point, albeit six months too late.

Webster attempted to justify The Spokesman-Review’s endorsement of Mrs. Cooney by denigrating her opposition. I don’t know if he has ever personally talked with Cooney’s opponent in the primary election, but I do know that he has never talked with me. I have never met him. So how can he say, with any credibility, that Mrs. Cooney lacked credible opposition in the general election? Bob Blum Spokane

Editor’s note: During his campaign for assessor, Mr. Blum had an interview with editorial board member Rebecca Nappi. Based on that and our analysis of his background, the board concluded he lacks qualifications to serve as assessor.