Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

This time, first things first

A science center isn’t a bad idea. But it’s ludicrous to talk about spending for entertainment, albeit educational, when the community’s older children - who should have been taught better and disciplined more often - are beating people up on streets, stealing cars and randomly shooting up the city in the middle of the night.

A few years ago, when Police Chief Terry Mangan warned of coming gang-related problems, parents and teens who denied such involvement got all the publicity. Well, what do you have to say now that we have juvenile after juvenile being arrested for assault, for random shootings, burglaries and even murder? Denying there’s a problem doesn’t make a problem go away.

After a conference a few years back, I had the opportunity to talk with Mangan about one of the teens who spoke before a large audience. Mangan said he had documentation that the kid, who was so convincing in his denial, was involved in gang activity.

In Tacoma, there was much skepticism about enforcing a nighttime curfew for juveniles, even from the police chief. But one TV this week, I heard the curfew led to a major reduction in juvenile crime.

Getting tough has worked in countless other communities. It’s time for Spokane to look at a curfew.

We must first deal with our pressing problems, then build a science center. Those who would put the cart before the horse need a clear message delivered to them, apparently for a second time. Steve Nelson Spokane

Vote for safety appreciated

Recently, Victor Felice criticized Councilman Orville Barnes for his vote on the median at 29th and Pittsburg (Letters, Oct. 31). I didn’t hear any reference to the fact that Barnes was only one of many who voted to keep this median in place.

Barnes has always been clear about his thoughts of safety on residential streets. After hearing all the evidence for the past two years, it’s quite evident the council cares about the safety of everyone who tries to cross this deathtrap, not the inconvenience of a few.

I advise Felice to do some checking on his statistics, which are quite extreme. Would it have anything to do with the fact he lives on nearby Crestline?

Thank you, Orville Barnes and the City Council, for your continued efforts in keeping our neighborhoods safe. Michele Dahlstrom Spokane

Council impervious to facts

This letter is to express complete agreement with Victor Felice’s Oct. 31 letter, “Barrier is symbol of privilege.” The cement barrier in the 29th Avenue and Pittsburg Street intersection is indeed a symbol of privilege.

I took the trouble to go down and attend the City Council meeting recently when this issue was again discussed. It didn’t take long to find out that a decision had already been made behind closed doors. The way the council handled the issue in public was almost awesome.

Never mind the idea of installing traffic lights instead or the facts presented by opponents regarding traffic patterns and accident records. The City Council didn’t want to become confused by facts. The members’ minds were all ready made up.

Councilman Chris Anderson tried to get more information on the table but was quickly shut down. I guess it all comes down to what my father (may he rest in peace) once told me: “You can’t fight city hall.” Hayes M. “Sandy” Sanderson Spokane

Barnes right about safety issue

In response to the Oct. 31 letter, “Barrier is symbol of privilege,” Victor J. Felice, just how outraged would you be if the council voted to keep a “unique cement barrier” if the street of reference were South Crestline? Maybe you wouldn’t be so eager to throw stones at our Councilman Orville Barnes. Just how traffic-free is it where you live?

Maybe the city might have to take a closer look at how Crestline is a nice, straight street that extends from 63rd clear down to 33rd. It’s already an arterial from 37th to 57th and is smack-dab in the middle of the two existing arterials. Sounds like a perfect new arterial to me.

If you would really like to outrage our taxpayers, let’s clue them in on the $600,000-plus it would cost to put a traffic light on this residential street you’re referring to.

The median strip was the city’s least expensive resolution to a life-threatening problem and by no means is it to blame for every accident on the South Hill.

According to city records, the increased traffic is on the existing arterials. My oh my, maybe that’s what was supposed to happen! The accident increase? A good example of don’t believe all the testimony you hear at the council meetings.

I support Barnes. If you’ve followed the council meetings since he took office, you’d know he’s always in favor of keeping our neighborhoods safe. A.M. Hayes Spokane

‘Sour grapes’ contain irony

I was amused by Victor Felice’s sour grapes concerning Councilman Orville Barnes’ vote to keep the barrier at 29th and Pittsburg.

Isn’t this the same Victor Felice who has real estate interests in the 29th and Pittsburg neighborhood, and who would stand to benefit greatly from the opening up of Pittsburg to more traffic?

The irony of a real estate developer criticizing Barnes’ efforts to keep his neighborhood livable would be laughable were it not so sadly consistent with the efforts of developers to downgrade the quality of community in their unending efforts to make a buck.

By the way, Felice, how may traffic lights are there in your neighborhood? Raymond Fadeley Spokane

Sweetser put-down uncalled for

I’m appalled at the personal attack by Ed Ellenz on Spokane County Prosecutor Jim Sweetser (“Shame on you, Sweetser,” Letters, Nov. 1). This insult deserves a response.

I have an inside view of the prosecutor’s office; I’m one of Sweetser’s team leaders. Coming from the private sector, I’ve had an opportunity to see how for-profit organizations function. They cater to their clients - the customer is always right.

Sweetser cares about Spokane County and is dedicated to creating an office that’s professional and accountable to his clients. We have a mission statement, guiding principles, and we’re in the process of developing a strategic plan. Sweetser’s goal is to implement progressive management that encourages innovation and superior work.

Sweetser appreciates the help given by organized workers during his campaign. But if he had known he’d be personally attacked by these people for not returning favors or catering to their requests that would negatively impact the entire organization, he wouldn’t have accepted their assistance.

I applaud Sweetser for sticking to his commitment to Spokane County.

Ellenz, you should be ashamed of yourself. Sweetser is working hard to maintain Spokane County’s quality of life. He’s professional and committed to all of Spokane. What have you done for Spokane lately? Timothy O’Brien Spokane

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

Living will a helpful tool

I disagree with medical ethicist Art Caplan and his opinion that we must throw out living wills because they aren’t perfect or because most people don’t use them (“Living wills should be put to rest,” Nov. 3).

Last year, my 80-year-old mother suffered a massive stroke that caused severe damage to her brain. Up until the time of her stroke, she had been totally independent, very fit and active. She went into a coma from which she never emerged. She didn’t need life support to remain alive, so she could have been “maintained” for a long time in her “persistently vegetative state.”

Fortunately for my mother and her family, she had the foresight to prepare a living will years ago. A copy was on file with her attorney and her doctor.

Her living will made it very clear that in the event she was diagnosed as terminally ill by two physicians, she didn’t want anything done which might prolong the moment of her death. Cutting a loved one off life support, food or hydration isn’t easy for anyone, but knowing that it’s the wish of that loved one takes some of the anguish out of it.

I encourage everyone to have a living will. It is very easy. Give copies to the appropriate people and discuss it with your family. You not only are doing yourself a favor, but you might be helping your family as well. Susan Thorpe MacLeod Sagle, Idaho

Active older years quite common

How old is “elderly” to Adell Cook (“Death’s not worst that can happen,” Letters, Oct. 28)? Has she ever been on an Elderhostel (which is worldwide) or read an American Association of Retired Persons article about people in their 80s and 90s still going strong? What are they supposed to do, curl up and die when they reach 80 or more? Many are lucky if they can afford Medicare. People are living longer because they’re more health-oriented. Preventive medicine should be a part of this. Alene Pokstefl Greenacres

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

Oversized student body bad idea

There are roughly 900 students at Chase Middle School. The problem with that is that there’s no sense of “community.”

In elementary school, we had 80 in each grade. Now we have approximately 450. This causes discipline problems.

At elementary school, you stay with the same 30 kids all day and get to know each one of them. At middle school, the kids are different for every period.

It’s especially bad in PE. You don’t know most of the kids. If you’re not very popular you get left out, teased and embarrassed. This lowers your self-esteem and then when you get to do something, you don’t do your best because you don’t think as much of yourself. It then spreads into your other classes.

You’re only in your classes for an hour and don’t really get to know the other students. If you don’t know them you prejudge them. For example, if they’re shy you think they’re stupid., If they’re African-American many people think they’re dangerous. All because you don’t know them. This all comes down to “community” and getting to know students in that community.

We need to change the way we run our middle schools. The teens who attend will lead the world someday, and we need to give them the best education possible. That best education doesn’t include cramming 900 students into a middle school. Donald Plummer, age 12 Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Urge support for economic reforms

I’m writing concerning the serious, urgently needed reform of the policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Because these two institutions lend billions of dollars every year to poor countries, their policies have profound effects on the lives of countless people. Unfortunately, these policies have only increased suffering and poverty, brought about by deep cuts to basic health and education, reduced wages, and thousands of deaths due to easily prevented malnutrition. This is costly to us as well.

The Institute for Policy Studies has concluded that the United States has lost over $10 billion in exports and over 100,000 jobs over the past decade due to World Bank and IMF policies. What’s needed is economic reform of these institutions, beginning with three essential components:

Expansion of basic community health and education.

Access to credit, making possible more selfemployment for the poor.

Enforcement of labor laws to prevent exploitation of workers.

What can concerned citizens do? At this time, over 1,200 leaders in the U.S. Congress and parliaments worldwide are preparing to present a letter to the heads of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank that supports the economic reforms mentioned.

I’m pleased to note that Sens. Slade Gorton (R-Wash.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) have signed this letter. Please ask your congressman or congresswoman to do likewise, thereby giving his or her support to this timely and necessary appeal. Andrew W. Lee Walla Walla

‘Demand higher tariffs’

On oct. 31, General Motors Corp. of Pontiac, Mich., signed a deal to build 100,000 Buicks a year in China.

GM will be investing $1 billion or more in new assembly, engine and transmission plants designed for 1997 models, with the sacrifice of hundreds of GM jobs in the United States. I foresee a collapse in our economy caused by the leaders of industry.

No. 1: I recommend we build American.

No. 2: Buy American.

Since the current administration is sacrificing the future of the economy with bad trade laws unequaled in our history, we must demand higher tariffs on all foreign goods. Angela Eudaley Spokane

Democrats wrong about Medicare

I’m one senior who is more than a little sick and tired of listening to the Democrats hawk the big lie that the Republican Medicare plan will take care away from the elderly and that part B payments will double by 2002.

When I was forced into Medicare at age 65, the part B payment withheld from my Social Security check was $29 a month. Four years later the part B deduction from my check is $46.10 a month. That amounts to a $17-a-month increase every four years.

It appears to me that by continuing on the present Democratic plan, increasing $17 every four years, my beginning payment of $29 will still double by the year 2002. What’s the difference?

The difference is: If we continue the present course, there will be no Medicare in the year 2002. With the Republican plan, not only will Medicare be alive and well then, but we seniors also will have the additional advantage of choosing the type of medical coverage we desire, to fit our needs instead of having the federal government forcing us into a one-size-fits-all plan. Jean Bell Springdale, Wash.