Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Oh swell; Williams is on the case

Staff writer Kristina Johnson’s Aug. 4 article, “Pothole report jolts drivers,” brought to mind similarities with the city-managed compost facility.

First is the quote by the city’s engineering manager, Phil Williams, “It depends on how you define a pothole.” He stated, “it depends on how you define an odor” when the facility began to stink. When an orchard fan failed to blow-dry the compost, he asked for a misting system to mask the odor. The facility still stinks while costing the city $1,800 a week for the masking agent after $80,000 for its installment.

County Commissioner John Roskelley stated in a meeting held last week with suffering residents that he has visited the North Glen area four or five times and it smells bad. He said he wouldn’t want to live there.

While Williams “relies on residents to report potholes,” he would not rely on residents to say his facility smelled. He instead relied on city-financed noses.

Williams’ smooth answer to a question of deviousness in the pothole story, “Oh, of course not!” smacks of the smooth talk he used to hold off the odor complaints of North Glen residents.

The facts speak (smell) for themselves. Management abilities of the council are suspect with their placement of Williams in his present position, as he was unable to fix the compost facility problems that he personally placed in their lap. Their “jolt” will come when Williams continues to drain the pot with the holes in his thinking process. John Dale Colbert

It’s not the more the merrier

So, our City Council has put another absolutely essential bond issue on the ballot. Our county commissioners will probably be next with something for the fairgrounds and the school district will need another one for our children.

The fire chief, not to be outdone, will come up with a life-threatening issue that only money will solve. And the chief of police is cranking up the gang wars to get his share of the bond pie.

Don’t forget another shot at the science center and, oh yes, the expansion of the Convention Center. I’m sure our Park Department and library board will be wanting more money soon. If they do this right we can have a new bond issue every election. Heck, it’s only money.

It’s time to wake up, folks! How about a people’s initiative directing governments serving the city and county to place all bond issues on a particular ballot each year, to include a “none of the above” option? This would allow the taxpayer a true choice.

In that citizens pay their income tax the beginning of each year, I suggest bond issues be placed on the ballot of the first scheduled election of each year. John J. Talbott Spokane

LAW AND JUSTICE

Nail case raises unsettling concern

I find disturbing the case of Greg Nail, the Spokane physician who pleaded guilty to sexual abuse and sexual battery of a 16-year-old boy.

As an outside observer, it seems that at the very least Nail was guilty of abusing a position of power and stature in relation to someone much younger than he. But the fact that he at one point faced life in prison and will now end up spending three months in jail as well as lose his license to practice, pay various damages, have mandatory counseling and remain on probation for 10 years, makes me wonder if the punishment would have been as harsh if Nail had been an older woman having sex with a younger boy.

If the homosexual nature of this incident has unduly added to the perceived criminality of Nail’s case, then something is terribly wrong.

I can’t condone what Nail is reported to have done, but I will say that he was my family doctor for over 15 years while I was growing up in Spokane. Not once did he ever stray from courtesy or professionalism in his dealings with me. Jon B. Snyder Aurora, Col.

IN THE PAPER

Cartoon a pointless cheap shot

I object to your Your View reader cartoon commentary of Aug. 10 (“Sap in the Hat”). It has no point or relevance to any contemporary subject except to make a mean-spirited statement about a political figure. Why did you publish it?

Perhaps I should ask my 10-year-old to draw a crude outline of presidential candidate Bob Dole and title it “Dole the Dope,”’ by Pineapple Pete, to provide a balanced political commentary. David G. Grubb Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Parties present infomercials, period

I did not watch much of the Republican convention and will probably watch even less of the Democratic convention. I am not turned off by the “blatant partisan bias” that syndicated columnist Cal Thomas claims the big media exhibit.

In the absence of anything actually newsworthy (i.e. conflict), of course the media will invent conflict. Journalists are not in the public relations business. Thus, we get to hear about the fashion dos and don’ts for platform speakers, and see interviews with legal immigrant waiters serving the delegates who want to cut immigration.

In describing how the current list of speakers doesn’t reflect the full range of Republican viewpoints, journalists are making accurate statements - speakers have been carefully chosen because the Republicans don’t want to air their family conflicts in public. Neither will the Democrats, so I don’t expect their speakers list will be any more open or their debate any more real.

Political convention organizers are interested in making a good impression, not in providing information.

The 1968 conventions were newsworthy I remember actually watching with interest, even as a bored high school student. The conventions are not places of political debate anymore, they are scripted testimonials with a pre-determined outcome. There’s more suspense in watching a rerun of Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” (I can never remember who did it).

The 1996 political conventions have turned into infomercials and deserve to be labeled and treated as such. Sue Lani W. Madsen Edwall, Wash.

Sorry spectacle for kids to see

I would like to apologize to America’s kids for behavior of America’s adults at the Republican Convention. Republican, Democrat, it doesn’t matter; they are adult humans (I think).

The women at the podium showed off name calling, ridiculing, clearly taking pleasure in hurting others. Just plain neenering like spoiled brats - all to help their guy become president. If we saw our kids acting like that on the playground, we would justifiably reprimand them. But for adults, it’s OK. What a reeky double standard.

It’s simple. If you don’t want your kids to take pleasure in hurting each other and throwing crap (or bullets) at each other, then stop it yourself. You don’t need to go to college to figure this stuff out.

I have spent a fair amount of time on TV myself, telling kids to be responsible, be honest, be the best they can be, strong on the inside and mild on the outside. Never be cruel or hurtful. Get ahead by getting ahead, not by putting others behind.

If I were a kid who saw that segment, I’d say, “I’m not going to school because I might learn to be one of you.” Gee, kids, maybe if you follow the rules long enough you can grow up to run for president, in which case you can toss the rules in the crapper, which is where we are headed. That would be cool. Charlie Schmidt Spokane

We’re not seeing cream of the crop

It’s funny how, when I see people in catastrophes, disasters and fighting insurmountable odds, others come together to aid those in need. It gives me a proud, great-to-be-an-American feeling.

Then, election time rolls around and deflates that pride to despondency.

Why have politics become based on distortions, rhetoric, labeling, name calling, and out and out lying? Poor, rich, liberal, conservative, Republican, Democrat, whatever. The only way to tell the difference between a Republican and a Democrat is if you are one. Outside of the parties, they both appear the same way: bought.

It seems politicians are simply trying to vie for a position where they can be swayed financially for whatever that position can do. Is it a wonder that no one cares about playing fair?

America is made of a lot of great, caring and wonderful people and the idea of our government is sound and workable. However, I’m having a difficult time believing in the sort of financially motivated people we are being offered. Selfless compassion and killer business instinct are just too rare to go together.

Please search for the truth. Go to the library or write to the Library of Congress. Don’t let big money buy your opinion. Jordan Cole Spokane

Convention analysis: So what?

After watching Colin Powell’s speech on TV Monday night, I had to see how the columnists handled it in the Tuesday Spokesman-Review. The two gentlemen from the San Jose Mercury News, Philip Trounstine and Thomas Farragher, tried to say something positive about the Republican Convention, but alas, their bias was all too apparent. Other than a few kind words for the general, it was a rather snide commentary.

I particularly got a kick out of the comment, “In a convention hall where millionaires far outnumbered minorities …” Did they interview each delegate and have them submit financial statements? I got the impression that somehow it is better to be a minority than a millionaire.

How many millionaires were there? How many minorities were there? How many millionaire minorities were there? What’s wrong with being a millionaire? Is it not possible for minorities to be millionaires? Just in case Trounstine and Farragher missed it, the guy they went to San Diego to report on, Colin Powell, is a millionaire minority.

I’m probably naive, but I hope that The SpokesmanReview and the two gents from San Jose will not resort to class envy and will not overlook the many warts on the Democrats’ noses when it is their turn to flim-flam the public. Pete Brittain Sandpoint

Compassion the province of individuals

I enjoyed John Griffith’s latest diatribe on conservatives (“Wages of conservatism is Uh-oh,” Letters, Aug. 11). He obviously believes government is the sole provider of compassion in our society.

As a conservative, I believe compassion is measured by how we give our personal time and money. Government never has been, and never will be, compassionate.

Government programs serve only to institutionalize the widow, the orphan, the alien and the poor. They have only exacerbated our problems, robbing the poor of hope or a future. Would Griffith consider that oppression?

Having grown up poor, I speak from experience when I say what the poor need is opportunity. The opportunity needed is quality education - the great equalizer - and a vibrant economy to provide jobs.

The left’s idea of education is to continually lower expectations so that students feel better about learning less. The rich put their kids in private schools so they’re qualified for good careers. The poor, however, are trapped at the bottom and become captive clients of government handouts.

The poor needs jobs both for income and to develop skills. The left, however, builds regulatory walls and confiscatory taxes that discourage new businesses and send existing jobs to other countries.

Griffith should look at another verse: Ecclesiastes 10-2, “The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.” Brad Benson Spokane

Official authorizes a travesty

“Little Bighorn skirmishes continue 120 years later” (Aug. 8) described how, with the blessings of a federal official, Lakota Indians performed a victory dance and counted coup over the graves of American soldiers killed at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

It’s incredible that former enemies are permitted to dance on the graves of American soldiers killed in action while carrying out government policies, regardless of how those policies are viewed today. I’m amazed at the tolerance of most of my countrymen to certain minority groups’ barbaric behavior in the name of “maintaining their cultural heritage.”

Granted, we’re subjected to the censorship of the local “anti-hate” groups, who themselves arguably spread their own form of hate. Maybe that’s why the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and other veterans groups do nothing while our flag is desecrated, our history books revised so as not to offend anyone, our ethics and morals destroyed and the graves of our soldiers are trampled upon.

I’ve seen my share of war, but the last thing I would do is to dance on the grave of a soldier who died serving his country.

Gerard Baker, superintendent of the Little Big Horn battlefield, sees no harm in allowing the Lakotas their little “victory dance.” Why not move that little cultural enhancement to Arlington National Cemetery? They could count coup on the graves of thousands of American soldiers. They could even bring along the Germans, the Japanese, the North Koreans and North Vietnamese while they’re at it. George A. Paccerelli Colville, Wash.

OTHER TOPICS

Hemp proponents said it well

I commend letter writers Ralph Schneider of Mead (“Hemp industry could end struggle,” Aug. 13) and Mary Toulouse of Spokane (“Raid points up foolishness of law,” Aug. 13).

Schneider said it well. The timber industry is doing all it can to cut every tree possible, disregarding the consequences to the stripped lands and the floods that cutting timber in the wrong areas causes. The timber industry could be compared to the tobacco and sugar industries in being nice to the right people.

Hemp strains with under 1 percent THC can be grown and harvested each year. Hemp provided most, if not all, of the ropes and twine for World War I.

Mary Toulouse states it well. Let the people who need marijuana for health reasons have a means of getting it legally. We the people must protest the treatment of the sick people who need it.

Hemp would meet many industrial needs much better than does the disappearing tree. Phillip Johnson Spokane

Fortunate should be compassionate

Shame on you, Virginia Johnson (“Threat to U.S. is real,” Letters, Aug. 13). Your lack of compassion for the less fortunate reveals an arrogance and conceit you have no right to claim. Your good fortune you owe in large part to your family and forebears.

You were able to take advantage of that - good for you. Others have not been as lucky.

Success is not a reward for being superior. Being successful is primarily a matter of chance. You have to be in the right place at the right time. Just because you are better off does not make you a better person. If you accept your good fortune humbly and thankfully, you might come to understand that anyone, including you, could have been one of the less favored. Perhaps then you might be inclined to be kinder and more empathetic. Jennie Anderson Spokane