Letters To The Editor

KEEPING FAITH

Make Christmas for real

Now that Thanksgiving has passed we can all look forward to the Christmas season, with all the glitter of tinsel and ornaments. Hopefully, the original intent of the holiday, honoring the birth of a Holy Savior for a fallen and lost human race, will prevail on our minds and in our hearts.

It Jesus Christ’s birth that we commemorate. He is the reason for the season.

However, many of the traditions of men are non-scriptural and tend to take people minds away from the important message of the season. For example, the tradition of Santa Claus, who brings gifts for all good children (a standard that is indeed extremely loose, since it’s been a long time since I heard of anyone getting a lump of coal in their Christmas stocking).

The real problem with such traditions is that they actually undermine the truth. We teach our children to believe falsehoods in order to enjoy the fun of the “holiday season.” Every child soon figures out that there is no Santa Claus (likewise the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy.)

If all of these “bearers of gifts” turn out to be merely traditions, how can we expect our children to believe that the birth (as well as the death and resurrection) of the very historically real Jesus Christ is anything but another tradition? We’ve already proven ourselves to bear false witness. Children aren’t stupid, and God will not be mocked.

Please put Jesus Christ in his proper place in your minds and hearts. Let us spend the holiday season in prayerful thanks for what God has done for us. William C. Schumacher Deer Park

Dec. 7 not just a Saturday

Dec. 7 was Pearl Harbor Day. For many active duty and retired military personnel it was a day for remembering.

Unfortunately, in an age of commercialism we think of a Saturday or weekend as another day to get Christmas shopping done. Wrong! This should be a day of thanking all those who served our country in the war that was declared because of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

I am a Naval reservist and am proud to do my part in upholding the freedom that all Americans share. Thank you to all those who gave so much. Marcel E. Fitch Spokane

HUNTING

More decent than you know

This letter is to those who voted for Initiative 655.

I am not a hunter, but I do believe in the rights of those who hunt.

After a week of maneuvering roads made impassable by heavy snowfall and fallen trees, dealing with equipment breakdowns and searching for lost dogs, the hound hunters had a decision to make.

It was the last day of the last ever cougar hound hunts in the state of Washington. Cookshack had treed a large cat. Cookshack is one of the older trained hounds and had been lost for three days earlier in the week. Totally drained of energy, but true to his trainer, he sat gallantly at the base of the tree awaiting his master’s arrival.

This is where the decision was to be made - a life and death decision.

A large cougar in the tree. The last day ever.

But wait - three kittens. A mother cat with three kittens.

There was only one decision and without hesitation the mother cat was given her freedom to care for her young.

These are the kinds of men who were voted out of their sport in November.

And as for Cookshack and the rest of these trained animals, they are the ones that I-655 have made to become extinct. Robert D. “Bubba” Konkright Cusick, Wash.

You lost; accept it

Re: “Vote result mischaracterized,” Letters, Dec. 6.

Evidently, the writer missed the point. Here are the facts, not anti-hunting rhetoric.

You lost, 60 percent to 40 percent.

You are not representing the majority, you are in the minority.

Our Fish and Game commission does what is best for wildlife. This includes setting seasons and methods of take - scientifically, not emotionally.

The anti-hunting I-CUB group (Proposition 2) suffered a humiliating defeat.

Your East Coast campaign money from the anti-hunting Humane Society of the United States ($107,000) and the New York-based American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ($50,000) did not help your unfactual and emotional campaign in Idaho.

The majority of Idaho citizens support professional management of wildlife.

Accept your defeat. Move on to something positive to benefit wildlife, instead of trying to eliminate hunting as a management tool. Ed Lehman, Region One coordinator Sportsmen’s Heritage Defense Fund

WASHINGTON STATE

Real pity is feckless agency

I am responding to Doug Clark’s Dec. 1 column, “Best pals try saw, shotgun to shake a leg.”

After trying to get doctors to do something to relieve his pain and suffering over a period of 18 years, Benjamin Hull decided to take matters into his own hands. With the help of a friend, extreme measures were taken to find an end to his suffering.

Most of us know that chainsaws and shotguns are not approved medical devices for amputation, but extreme pain clouds the mind and all that one can think of is an end - any end - to the pain.

The fact that Clark proceeded with this ghastly column that shows him to be insensitive is not the crux of the matter, though. The real problem is that the state Department of Labor and Industries does not, in many cases, do what is necessary to help those it is required to serve.

Many people in Washington do hard, dirty and dangerous work. Most hope that if they are injured they will be taken care of appropriately and expeditiously, that they will not be allowed to suffer because of the bloat and insensitivity of a government department more concerned about cost control than about its mandate to serve.

Hull and his friend were obviously way off base in their methods. That does not excuse L&I from responsibility for its misdirected efforts, or Clark for his callousness. James I. Moss Spokane

THE ENVIRONMENT

Not right but it’s EPA policy

The Environmental Protection Agency recently decided to indefinitely postpone designating the eastern Columbia Plateau a sole source aquifer. So designating 8.2 million acres - most of seven Washington counties and parts of four in Idaho - was widely opposed.

Given the lack of scientific support for, and considerable opposition to, the proposal, the agency should have denied the designation.

EPA’s own scientific peer review panel found the proposal indefensible. The state Department of Ecology opposed it and loudly disputed EPA’s technical analysis. Geologists and groundwater scientists from Washington State University, the University of Idaho, Yakima College and Hanford all sharply criticized EPA’s technical position.

Regardless, EPA continues to boldly claim it has “the scientific basis for making the designation.” No evidence was presented to support that claim.

EPA claims the plateau’s multiple aquifers are interconnected to the degree that they operate as one. This theory is directly contrary to the current historical scientific understanding of the area, which has demonstrated the existence of at least two separate aquifer systems.

EPA’s proposal lacks political backing for lack of scientific evidence to support it. Instead of admitting the shortcomings of its technical evaluation and moving to deny this ill-conceived proposal, EPA is unnecessarily prolonging the decision at a cost to taxpayers, local governments and local economic interests.

EPA’s unsubstantiated claims and heavyhanded approach are counterproductive. They serve only to further erode EPA’s credibility. Bill Riley, director Northwest Council of Governments and Associations, Ephrata, Wash.

Special interests want canyon as plum

I don’t understand why the Forest Service has caved in to the demands of a few special interest groups that want to exclude motors from portions of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. This whole movement to limit Hells Canyon access was started by a few greedy float outfitters who are interested in lining their pockets with yuppie cash by selling a “pristine” wilderness experience.

The canyon is not pristine. I know. I’ve experienced the canyon in more ways than anyone. Let’s establish my qualifications for saying this.

I’ve been visiting Hells Canyon for 22 years. I’ve hiked from Battle Creek to Dug Bar. I’ve floated from Hells Canyon Dam to Heller Bar. I’ve landed a single-engine plane at Rush Creek. I’ve boated upriver to Pittsburgh Landing and driven there numerous times by car. And I’ve been through on horseback more times than I can remember.

There are mining remains at Battle Creek and at the mouths of the Imnaha and the Salmon. There’s a bed and breakfast at Kirby Bar, another at Copper Creek and a museum at Kirkwood Bar. There are Forest Service stations, old ranches and throughout the canyon, remnants of occupation and commerce.

So what’s all this idiocy about experiencing a pristine wilderness adventure?

Hells Canyon is a national recreation area. Recreation is not spelled r-a-f-t. Why can’t the Forest Service just say, “We’re going to preserve the historical uses of Hells Canyon, which includes all forms of recreation.” Dr. Paul W. Oman Moscow, Idaho

LAW AND JUSTICE

Learn English or leave

Should English be the official language of this country?

It is amazing that people are even debating this issue. Of course English ought to be the official language.

I am an immigrant and I am sick and tired of hearing people whine about their special rights to use their own language and to be serviced in their native language. Sure, it would be fun for me as well if Gonzaga’s professors would teach MBA classes in Finnish!

If your own language is so important to you, or if you are not capable of learning a new language, may I ask you what you are doing here in the first place? Drawing Social Security? Go to school, learn English and get a job.

I am not aware of any other country where minorities are not required to learn the language of the country. Sure enough, there are countries with several official languages, but I don’t see any reason why that should be the case in the United States.

My frustrations are further magnified that these people who do not want to learn the language are granted permanent visas to stay here. Wouldn’t it make sense to have some sort of language comprehension test before granting permanent visas?

Call it discrimination or whatever you want, but at least such screening would alleviate some of the many problems this country is facing. Ulla Korkeamaki Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

Winter’s light is special

Surprisingly, the sight that reminds me most of winter is not leaves turning golden and falling to the ground.

It’s not the chill in the air as night approaches and the days grow short. It’s not even the light wisps of snow mixed with rain. It’s the color of the sky and surrounding area, as evening approaches or at sunrise. It’s the bluepink color that soon turns to a purple glow all around us. When this starts, you know winter is here.

No other season produces this aura. My memories are always stirred by it. A picture of an outdoor skating rink comes to mind, bon fires crackling, warm sweaters and sweatshirts. That cozy feeling of cotton fleece next to your skin.

Most of all, it reminds me of families around a fireplace and the feeling of oneness as you tuck the young ones in at the end of a day in the crisp outdoors. These memories and visions are not seen by the inhabitants of the warmer climates. I feel sorry for them and don’t envy their yearly warm temperatures.

I just looked out the window and saw a mule deer doe and yearling belly deep in snow. All the kids were excited, even me. Yes, the sky color does effect your mood. I always await the purple glow of winter evenings with great anticipation. Perhaps it will add another memory to my life, like the doe and fawn belly deep in snow out the front room window with that purple aura all around them. James A. Nelson Spokane

Myths perpetuated for a purpose

I am so sick of slogans and lies. When one’s agenda has no basis in truth, the lies and slogans must always have lots of sting.

A new lie on the marijuana front: “Today’s marijuana is deadly!” A new slogan: “Save our kids!” These have come out in response to voters in California and Arizona restoring marijuana as medicine. Of course, the drug czar and his legions call those voters suckers and vow to block the will of the people.

I have known many criminals over the years - moral, intelligent, successful people who happen to use marijuana sometimes. Many of them are professionals. I have seen marijuana prolong the lives of AIDS sufferers.

In 1938, a government expert on marijuana testified at a trial in which two women got away with murder by using a marijuana insanity defense. The expert admitted trying marijuana once, saying, “After two puffs on a marijuana cigarette, I was turned into a bat.” Then he testified that he flew around the room for 15 minutes, landing at last at the bottom of a 20-foot-high inkwell. The next day, Oct. 12, 1938, the headlines of the Newark Star Ledger read, “Killer drug turns doctor to bat!”

Outrageous lies and slogans make any rational discourse on the marijuana issue impossible. This is exactly what the monied special interests steering our government want.

A distinction must be made between truly dangerous drugs and marijuana. Otherwise, more and more of our rights will be stripped from us. Mary Toulouse Spokane

Pro-abortion arguments old, wrong

Re: “Clumsy argument about figures,” Letters, Dec. 7).

The writer uses typical anti-life arguments favoring abortion, such as overpopulation and that babies aren’t worthy of protection because they aren’t born yet.

To suggest you can somehow differentiate between infants simply because they reside inside or outside the womb is ridiculous. Babies have survived premature birth as early as 20 weeks after conception. Babies are also legally aborted in the womb at 25 weeks after conception on a consistent basis. But if you take that 20-week-old baby after its birth and “abort” it, this is murder under the law simply because its place of residence has been changed. This anti-life reasoning is pure schizophrenia.

Overpopulation is another anti-life justification for abortion. What overpopulation? U.S. population has been constant since abortion was legalized. Were it not for immigration and the fact that people are living longer, our population would be in decline. Even if our population was growing, we should never resort to violence against the most innocent to solve our problems. Pete Caruso Spokane

GIVING THANKS

I was warmed in good company

I cannot let this storm pass into history without sharing some thoughts about the tragic happenings in our lives, bringing out the best in humanity.

I lost power the first day of the storm. The next morning, I was bundled in three layers of clothes but I was bone cold. I might add I am a widow and not so young anymore.

I held the shelter’s phone number in my hand and was ready to call and ask them to please come and take me there. Just then the phone rang and it was a friend, Jo Jung. She told me her husband Dan would pick me up. I gladly accepted. They already had seven people there and three dogs, but they had power.

Dan and Jo Jung were so wonderfully hospitable and we were made to feel at home every minute. I cannot thank them enough.

What’s more, before the power was restored they took in two more people and another dog.

Everyone brought food from their freezers and we cooked great meals, played cards, and it took me back to the days of the Depression. At every meal we prayed for the safety of the crewmen who worked so hard in the freezing weather, and we were saddened by the death of one.

Thanks to this paper for the great coverage of the storm. Now we realize how cold homeless people are. It has softened many people’s hearts.

The humorous side can be seen, too. For instance, on Tuesday night I went around with flashlight in hand and switched on lights. Whoops, no power. Myrene Mindermann Spokane

Kindness saw us through

Our thanks go out to our neighbors and daughter, Anita. Bob Hooper brough us Presto logs and a Thermos of hot coffee and one of hot water every morning. Ted Carl cleaned our driveway and sidewalk of snow.

After three days of no power, our hot water tank sprung a leak. That was all we could take.

Our daughter got off early from work, thanks to Dave Michaud, and took us to her warm, cozy apartment until the weekend. Thanks to all. Val and Hazel Strange Spokane