Letters To The Editor

Thu., Oct. 12, 1995

SPOKANE MATTERS

Help combat domestic violence

Now that the Simpson trial is over, the same millions of dollars spent on the trial and its media coverage should be used to stop domestic violence and eliminate racism.

Law enforcement officers must be educated to respond more effectively to the crime of domestic violence and be better trained to be more respectful and sensitive to all people.

Violence against women occurs in the most luxurious homes, in seemingly safe neighborhoods and in communities of every race and belief. Women and men are murdered on our streets every day. We must pull together, women and men of all races, and say, “No more.”

If we’re going to eliminate all forms of bias and the hate and violence they perpetuate, we must believe in ourselves and one another. We must believe in our ability to overcome the burden of our history and believe in our individual and collective ability to forge a new way of life for ourselves and our children.

October is National Domestic Violence Month. Let’s come together and work toward a nation without violence. The YWCA Week Without Violence, Oct. 15-21, is a time to start creating alternatives to violence in our community. The public is invited to a YWCA domestic violence vigil at noon next Wednesday in the main foyer of NorthTown Mall. Join us in remembrance of women and children who have died at the hands of a loved one. Elizabeth K. Berry, executive director Spokane YWCA

EWU home of much that’s good, too

I read with dismay Doug Clark’s Oct. 1 column, “EWU fat cats sit in luxury at our expense.” The column is the latest in a series of admittedly self-inflicted episodes of bad publicity for Eastern Washington University.

No one would blame the public for questioning EWU’s institutional judgment. However, there’s another side to Eastern that has been buried in the recent blizzard of negative headlines.

As a relatively new faculty member here, I can say without reservation this is a good place to work and a great place to get an education. The vast majority of faculty members are dedicated people whose first priority is the students. The staff cares about the institution and works hard to see it succeed.

Are there problems here? Am I upset by the “Tablegate”? Of course. Will there be campuswide soul-searching? I certainly hope so. Still, EWU remains a wonderful resource for the Spokane area.

EWU has certified programs in many fields and a dedicated faculty, staff and, yes, even administration. It has a diverse and talented student body whose members constantly push us to do our best to serve them. True, EWU doesn’t have top-ranked NCAA football, but it has much else to offer - things many of us feel are more important.

EWU is Spokane’s own, and its people care about the community. We care about ourselves, too, and will work to fix what is broken. But please don’t think it’s all bad. Quite the contrary.

Maybe we could read more about that in the future? Suzanne Ehart Bell Cheney

IN THE PAPER

Accept loss and quit complaining

That’s it. As a Spokesman-Review seven-day subscriber, registered voter and taxpaying citizen, I must respond to several things in the paper over the last couple of weeks.

Regarding the science center losing its bid to get into the Pavilion in Riverfront Park, get over it! I’ve seen better losers in my daughter’s grade school.

The location and the amount of federal, state and local money needed for this project, not to mention the transferring of other city funds and the loss of Pavilion-generated revenue, are way too much for my pocketbook.

Regarding the so-called Gang of Nine and its members’ involvement in and commitment to important city issues, I say thank you.

Lastly, there’s the Oct. 5 article regarding Chris Anderson’s unemployment benefits. What’s all the whining for? So, the city doesn’t think it should have to pay any money rightfully due him for unemployment because of a mistake - or for any other reason. But it can and does spend thousands and thousands of dollars on consultants who aren’t needed.

Maybe Anderson should reimburse the city. Then it would have a little extra to spend somewhere else. Maybe it could hire another consultant to help it figure out ways to get out of paying future benefits to anyone who may deserve them.

It’s just like I tell my husband almost daily: “Only in America.” Rebecca A. Wagner Spokane

Brickbats demean thoughtful foes

I’m tired of being insulted by your newspaper because I voted against the science center.

First, Milt Priggee’s cartoon depicted us all as inbred idiots. Chris Peck’s column told everyone how angry he was at us. Then, Doug Clark’s column depicted us as “toothless hill folk.” Enough is enough!

I had a good reason for voting against the science center. Now it’s your turn to listen.

I voted against the science center because it wouldn’t be accessible to people with disabilities for much of the year in the Pavilion. How is a wheelchair user supposed to make his or her way through the park or across the Howard Street Bridge during winter snows? Will a person in a walker be denied access to the facility because he or she is too tired to enjoy the center after the long walk just to get to the entrance?

I know there were proposals to bus kids into the site during the winter, but how do individuals with disabilities get to the front door?

I would vote for the science center if it were to be located in an area where all our citizens would have access to it. It should have a parking area close by to accommodate many of our citizens.

Come back to me with a proposal that will work for all our people, and I’ll support the measure. But stop insulting my intelligence by assuming only supporters of the proposal have all the answers. Cris Salsbury Spokane

Elite’s lackey maligns civic heroes

I’m responding to Doug Clark’s bitter, misinformed and half-baked column attacking Mamie Picard on Oct. 5.

First, for the record, Mamie Picard is the consummate concerned, involved, informed citizen, neighbor and voter. She is loved and well-respected by many Spokanites.

Second, Clark attacks the “Gang of Nine” without even the slightest idea of who or what those people are. Mr. Clark, led by the ring in his nose by Spokane’s elite, apparently has no idea of the real meaning of “accurate journalism.”

Mr. Clark, for your edification, I’m the founder of the Gang of Nine (thousand). Picard is a proud member. Also, I’m the author, sponsor and organizer of the successful Pacific Science Center referendum that denied your employers and their “cronies” the rape of Riverfront Park and the lining of their pockets with taxpayer dollars.

At least get your information half correct. That would require actual interviewing - what a concept. You and other Spokesman-Review staff and “reporters” like to take cheap shots without allowing rebuttal or opposing views or facts. Your attempts to hide behind name-calling and diversionary tactics to shroud the truth or evade answering questions are blatantly obvious. Is this the best we can expect from The Spokesman-Review? What a shame. Ken Withey Spokane

Baseball analogy ‘offensive’

As a member of a family who recently had a child murdered in the Spokane community, I am dismayed and deeply disappointed by the guest column of Oct. 8 by Mary Ann Murphy of the Regional Center for Child Abuse and Neglect.

In dealing with the problems of child abuse, to have used a baseball game analogy at all was offensive enough. But to have trivialized the loss of so many babies in recent months by inserting a parenthetical request for lower ticket prices at Mariners games was beyond all reason.

I can only hope that the squandering of a six-column banner headline in The Spokesman-Review and a chance to have a meaningful impact on the issue was only poor journalism on her part and not a symptom of a lack of focus on this tragic nightmare in the community. Dr. Curtis Leggett South Bend, Ind.

Reference to God inappropriate

We were quite offended by the “Baby Blues” comic strip of Oct. 9. The commandment says, “Thou shalt not use the name of the Lord thy God in vain,” and I don’t feel it was appropriate. They could have said, “Oh no!” or “Oh, my gosh!” or “It can’t be true” or anything else. They did not need to use “Oh my God!” so much in the paper. It was in there at least 12 times. Vince and Mary Bradley Spokane

PLAYING BALL

Stadium good for many purposes

A new stadium makes sense - statewide. And since there is a distinct and immediate need for Eastern Washington support, your positive response is vital. Call your legislators today.

For many, the bottom line presents itself as the Seattle Mariners holding all baseball fans hostage by threatening to leave the city if the stadium is not built. But the bottom line for the M’s is that it’s simply good sportsmanship to go where the grass is greener, really green and growing.

This is really a quality-of-life issue. Such a park would be a wonderful tourist destination, holding a variety of events other than baseball while locking in this major sport franchise for at least 20 years. It also would be a profound, demonstrative gesture to an Olympic committee considering sites for the 2008 Olympiad.

How the M’s perform is really secondary. Sometimes they win; sometimes they lose. I think recent ownership has demonstrated its commitment to compete.

In a visit to Denver early this year, I had the pleasure of seeing the completion of Coors Field prior to its opening. As a casual observer and listener, it was easy to see the immense improvement this ballpark has had on a previously undesirable part of town and on people’s attitudes. A new park has been the catalyst for success for a host of other ball clubs and ball towns.

If you love the game, you need to respond now. If you don’t, you’ll still love going there for a concert, the Olympics or something else, so you should call, too. Bill Blanck Spokane

Statewide vote, access called for

This is in response to recent legislative action to promote the state taxpayers paying for a new domed playing field for the Seattle Mariners. If the Legislature should decide to do this, it should be by a statewide vote. In any event, the dome should be placed somewhere specifically for the whole state, not just Seattle.

If it were to be put in Moses Lake, the whole state would have access to it and it wouldn’t be just a Seattle place. It should be a place for the whole state, if state taxpayers are paying for it. Peggy Boothe Spokane