Letters To The Editor

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

We could learn from these children

My neighbor’s son had his bike stolen a couple weeks ago and I saw sharing in the best way possible. A neighbor boy he associates with loaned him his bike and then this thoughtful boy used his sister’s bike. I commented on it, and the neighbor boy said, “Well, he’s my friend.” The boys are of different races.

If children can share that way, why can’t adults? Hank Johnson Spokane

Get serious about protecting kids

I was outraged to pick up the paper on Oct. 4 and see that yet another baby had apparently been murdered by yet another boyfriend.

Wake up, people. Babies are dying. It’s time for some serious changes. It’s time for divorced parents to put their differences aside and realize that their most important purpose in life should be to work together to raise a happy, healthy, well-adjusted child.

It’s time to take “baby bumps” more seriously, especially when the baby has been in someone else’s care. It’s time for Child Protective Services to take calls from concerned fathers and friends more seriously.

It’s time for The Spokesman-Review to focus on the precious little baby, rather than the creep who murders that baby. Put their pictures in the paper. Lots of pictures. Show people the grief-stricken family and friends. Maybe those pictures will hit home with some other creep who might be sick enough to hurt another child. Kathy A. Wilson Spokane

Can’t cope with crying? Get help

I’m very angry and upset to learn that another innocent child has met death, it appears, at the hands of a boyfriend baby sitter. I can think of five children in the last six months (in our area) who have either been maimed or killed because these so-called men couldn’t handle a crying baby or child.

When will these girls stop letting their boyfriends watch their children?

I keep hoping these “boys” will use the brains God gave them, use a little common sense, before they throw or slam innocent children on the floor or against the wall. Their excuses that the baby fell are such a farce, it shouldn’t even be tolerated. Their lies only get them into deeper trouble.

How would they like to have someone 10 times their size and weight slam them into a wall? They would surely fight back. These children can’t.

Anyone who can’t cope with a crying baby, please call for help. Call 911 or “0” on the telephone. Please, don’t take your frustration out on an innocent victim. Barbara Beck Colbert

We all need to straighten up

When are we going to wise up? When are we going to get smart? When are we going to realize that all of our problems (select as many as you wish) have their origin in “man’s inhumanity to man?”

When you get to the nitty-gritty, we create our problems by our conduct with each other on an individual basis.

What right have we to expect politicians and other elected officials to refrain from lying, cheating, stealing and other nefarious acts, when we lie, cheat and steal from our fellow man? How can we expect better if we don’t deserve better? Lies beget only more lies, and where will it end?

It’s almost impossible to select a perfect apple from a barrel of rotten apples. Thus, we are receiving what we deserve. It’s time to quit bitching and begin an individual reformation of basic human conduct. Earl G. Fox Spokane

SPOKANE MATTERS

Barnes has done a 180 on taxes

Sorry, it’s not eggs Benedict, but Councilman Orville Barnes should have this chicken product on his face for his record on our city council and be renamed after our infamous traitor, Benedict Arnold.

Four years ago, Barnes waved his arms and proclaimed his anti-tax-and-spend philosophy as a private citizen before this city’s governing body. Guess what? Barnes suffered a money interest meltdown and spun 180 degrees on those of us who supported him. Even his then-campaign manager left his camp.

What have we received from Barnes’ voting record? The highest property taxes in history, higher utility rates, more consultants, red ink, more city employees (excluding police and fire), guaranteed loans for millionaires and efforts to give away our prime part of Riverfront Park with out involving the people of this fine city.

He now says that being on the inside is different from looking in from the outside. It sure is, Barnes. Now you represent a special interest few, not the 190,000 citizens of Spokane.

I’m punching the ballot for John Talbott. He will do what he says and will listen to the people. Jack Broyles Spokane

Tell council to remove obstacle

The barrier placed on 29th Avenue at Pittsburg Street should be removed. For two years, citizens of Southeast Spokane have been denied use of Pittsburg and full use of 29th Avenue, being forced instead onto residential streets not intended for arterial traffic.

In the spring of 1993 there were only three accidents at 29th and Pittsburg. Where else in Spokane has such a drastic measure been used?. In fact, this barrier protects the few people living along Pittsburg at the expense of the majority of people in the Southeast Spokane neighborhood.

The City Council has kept that barrier in place for two years in spite of the fact that accidents, particularly on Perry Street, have increased, occurring at what should be an unacceptable rate.

The council meets at 7 p.m. tomorrow night to consider whether to keep the barrier or remove it. All interested people should attend. Dal Vander Meer Spokane

Why is parking lot neglected?

Whenever we have a big rainstorm, and we have had several lately, I always wonder with amazement why, with all the money spent on the Centennial Trail, they don’t order a couple of loads of gravel or do some dozer work so that the parking lot at Barker Road and the river, can be used.

Each rainfall creates a veritable swimming pool that covers at least 90 percent of the lot. This leaves very little space around the perimeter for trail users to park. It takes weeks after a downpour for the lot to dry out. Frances A. Waddell Otis Orchards

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

Valiant official picked on

I was really disgusted when I read Doug Clark’s Oct. 10 column, in which he disparaged Chris Anderson. I don’t know either gentleman, but Clark’s attack on Anderson was uncalled for and shows a lack of maturity and professionalism.

If it was meant to be humorous, Clark has a sick mind. I call it harassment.

Every thinking person knows The Spokesman-Review does not like Chris Anderson. I think it is because Anderson is for the people and not in the pocket of those who run this town - namely the Cowles and the Barbieri families and Momentum.

I don’t know about other taxpayers, but I’m tired of The Spokesman-Review brainwashing their readers. Some of us do have a brain of our own. Perhaps Spokane is getting big enough to have another news source so we can get more than one opinion on issues.

The ordinary taxpayer needs someone like Chris Anderson to look out for them. I’m sorry Anderson dropped out of the county commissioner race. He’s certainly more qualified to run the county government than someone whose career has been mountain climbing. A.C. Johnson Spokane

Farrakhan should’ve stayed home

Re: The caption under a front page picture of Louis Farrakhan, “If my heart was so dark, how could the message be so strong and so clear and the response so magnificent?”

Another hatemongering racist also had a strong, clear message and got a magnificent response from his listeners. I refer, of course, to Adolf Hitler.

If Farrakhan really wants the best for black people he will stop bashing whites and Jews. In doing so, he merely casts a shadow of doubt over the efforts of the truly great black people who earnestly want peace among the races. He could have done the black people in this country a great service had he not attended the Million Man March. He’s a fool and doesn’t even know it. Edward B. Hanson Spokane

THE MEDIA

Media distort pope’s message

The Spokesman-Review seems to derive its coverage on the Catholic Church and her teachings largely from wire services and other newspapers.

Throughout Pope John Paul’s recent American trip, news coverage has stressed birth control and opposition to abortion as the his central message. The latter is an American political issue; hence, it’s highlighted. American Catholics are portrayed as opposed to the Holy Father’s teaching on the basis of these two issues. The Oct. 14 cartoon from the Arizona Republic, coupled with the wire service article, are a case in point.

However, sexual morality is a small part of the larger fabric of Catholic Christian teaching. Pope John Paul stresses the importance of the dignity of the individual in a world of selfish opportunism, cut off from God. His appeal for social justice is based on an integrated and consistent philosophy. Human sexuality is necessarily a part of such an philosophy, but is not the whole.

You may choose to portray him as a teacher of sexuality ignored by the flock. Do you seriously think American Catholics or Americans of any persuasion are to be commended for saying “Hell, no!” to an appeal for social justice and respect for all humanity? You do the community and yourselves an injustice by your simplistic reportage and failure to try to understand the Pope and his philosophy. Rev. Albert Paretsky, O.P. Davenport, Wash.

See the lighter side of comic

Because I’m a Christian, I felt the need to reply to “Reference to God inappropriate” (Letter, Oct. 12).

Yes, the commandment says “Thou shalt not use the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” But the commandment isn’t meant to scare us away from praying; pleading to the God almighty.

I believe that in the Baby Blues comic strip of Oct. 9, the characters weren’t cussing. I believe they were truly afraid and were pleading to the Lord.

If Vince and Mary Bradley choose to be offended by the comic, they can be. I prefer to look at the lighter side, to assume the best of all people, even comic strip characters. Darsha Olsen, 14 Spokane

Cartoon was ‘sick’

I really don’t know what point Mike Carroll, who drew the Oct. 17 Your View reader cartoon, was trying to get across, except that jerks in this town who allegedly have murdered innocent little babies are getting away with it.

Death of an infant is not a cartoon and should never be made into one. Obviously, this man has never lost a child.

That cartoon was sick. I think you would have to be pretty sick to even think of drawing anything like that. Trina L. Snyder Spokane

‘Revenge’ story a big mistake

“Good paper,” good grief! Good sense, out the window. I could not believe you would actually publish the Associated Press article, complete with photos and recipes, in your Oct. 10 issue. The front page article, “Burning for revenge,” appeared to make heroes out of sick men who have come up with an excuse for starting forest fires.

Whoever made the decision to publish it must have gone through temporary insanity. Do we really need to tell the people of greater Spokane about how losers in Texas get their kicks by destroying property? Bob Rowan Newport, Wash.

WASHINGTON STATE

Vote yes on R-45

I’m not a hunter, but do enjoy seeing wildlife and am deeply concerned over the manner in which the Washington Department of Wildlife is now being run.

This is one agency that needs more than a political appointee at its head. Much depends on sound decisions being made. To insure our actions prove best for the wildlife, we must have knowledge of what we’re doing. The present system of rewarding a a political supporter by giving him charge of this department is deplorable. Exgovernor Booth Gardner made a sorry mistake when he instituted this policy.

I urge all who are interested in preserving our outdoor way of life for our grandchildren to speak up. Support and vote yes on Referendum 45 on election day. We must restore this agency to its proper function - doing what’s best for our wildlife. June G. Potter Spokane

State imposes on this working teen

I’m a 16-year old taxpayer, and now pay federal withholding as well as Social Security. The chances of my ever seeing a penny of the Social Security are slim to none. My taxes pay for welfare (which I don’t fully agree with) and the money taken out of my paycheck makes quite a dent when I’m working for minimum wage.

Now I am being asked to support a baseball stadium which, while it may benefit the western side of the state, won’t benefit Eastern Washington in the least.

If I was 18, I could vote on some of these issues. Whatever is decided on any issue, I have to live with for another two years without a word - or vote. Don’t forget, I still have to pay taxes.

If the people who enjoy, watch or participate in baseball want a new stadium, let them build it. They can have fund raisers, ask for donations, do whatever it takes, but no one has any business telling me I have to pay for a creature comfort I’ll never set foot in.

Better yet, let the baseball players support their stadium with their pay increases. They can afford it far more than I can.

Oh, something to think about: Shouldn’t the overcrowded, understaffed schools in our state come before a new baseball stadium? Unlike the owners of the Mariners, I don’t have the option of packing up and moving out. Lora Shinskie Spokane

Sports over kids, right? Wrong

Again, sports is shown to have more value in Washington than education. Only this time, it’s our leaders in Olympia who have indicated this.

I can speak only as a resident of the 4th Legislative District, but I think Reps. Larry Crouse and Mark Sterk gave in to pressure from the west side of the state when they voted against education.

If new sports lotteries could be created for the benefit of Seattle, why couldn’t they have been created for education? I think it’s shameful.

Crouse has shown no leadership qualities since he was elected and Mark Sterk has proven that, as a politician, he knows how to follow orders but is not qualified to lead.

Mary “Chey” Austin has long supported our schools and recently voiced her opposition to the Seattle stadium.

As a mother, what should I support this November, Seattle’s temporary obsession with sports or our children’s future? I’m voting for Austin and for our children. Cathy Hirschberger Newman Lake