Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Committee position misstated

The June 27 article about county commissioners and the Spokane County Health District contains false and misleading statements. The commissioners have formally adopted and begun to implement Health Advisory Committee recommendations that the district continue as an independent municipal corporation only if medical professionals are included as voting board members.

Under state law, county commissioners are the only elected officials authorized to reorganize the district’s governing board and allow medical professionals to serve as voting members. Contrary to insinuations in the article, what the commissioners actually did was commence that complex process.

It was false to state that “A majority of the Health Advisory Committee members said earlier this month the commissioners are viewed as biased in favor of developers.”

What the majority said was: “If the existing health district was abolished and made into a Spokane County department, concern was expressed that a county health department might be or appear to be less sensitive to environmental concerns because of real or imagined pressure from commissioners and their constituents in the community of persons who are developers or employed in the construction development industries.”

The advisory committee didn’t address the numerical configuration of a Health District board with voting members who are medical professionals. That topic will be addressed by the advisory committee in its open public meetings. Anyone may express an opinion. In time, a supplemental recommendation will be made to the commissioners.

Finally, the city has three representatives on the health board, not two. Frank Conklin, chairman, Health Advisory Committee Spokane

Park bike paths need attention

Because I knew what parking would be like for Hoopfest, I rode my bike downtown. Once I got there I began wishing that I’d just driven. There are two reasons and they both have to do with the “wheels only” path through Riverfront Park.

Even though the path is a great idea, it hasn’t been maintained. For Hoopfest and the Fourth of July there were a lot of people in Riverfront Park. A lot of people were riding bikes, pushing strollers or roller blading, and the “wheels only” path looks like it hasn’t been painted for a couple of years. In some areas you can’t even find it. We repaint our streets every year, why aren’t we repainting our bike paths, too?

The other problem is more dangerous for everyone - another reason the path needs to be repainted. Paths through park are pretty wide, but people aren’t paying attention and walk in the bike path. I can’t begin to count how many times someone stepped right in front of me.

Many, many people enjoy our park year-round. Everyone should be safe. I feel one way for that to happen is to not only repaint the wheels only path but to also post upright signs that will let people know they are walking on a wheels-only path. I really enjoyed riding my bike down to the park, but I won’t do it again until the path gets painted. I don’t want to get hurt. Even more, I don’t want to hurt anyone else. Tina Berner Spokane

FIREARMS

Laws cover problems cited

People like Walter A. Becker (“Automatic weapons? No problem,” July 9) think it’s OK if people want to have guns for target shooting, but want to deny access to juveniles, felons and those with mental illness. I would like to mention a few things he may have forgotten.

Minors - anyone under the age of 18 - are already prohibited by law from having a firearm in their possession except when a parent or other adult is present. As for felons, there are already thousands of laws on the books across this country that make it illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm of any kind.

Finally, the main reason people buy guns is not for target shooting but for self-defense, to protect themselves and their families. Ernest J. Chamberlain Spokane

Prove buying machine gun is easy

In response to Walter Becker (“Automatic weapons? No problem,” Letters, July 9) who says that it’s easy to buy fully automatic weapons: prove it! Go buy one.

Buy one with the help of a local reporter from the newspaper or television. Go to a flea market and buy a real machine gun, not a look-alike civilian version.

Many local teens steal their guns from their parents. Encourage people to secure their firearms in a locking, safe and secure container. Converting firearms to fully automatic fire, cutting down barrels to shorten them or adding a silencer are all crimes that will get you up to 10 years in prison. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms will be happy to arrest you for these crimes.

As for the Arizona militia, ask them if it’s smart to disobey current laws. They are all in jail, so they are easy to talk to.

Everything anti-gun groups print is less than propaganda. It’s lies and garbage meant to distort any truth in their message. It’s similar to your letter. Thomas L. Thompson Spokane

Clinton plotting seizure of all guns

Slick Willie’s de facto gun registration (“Clinton sets program to track guns sold illegally to teenagers,” News, July 8) is just another Arkansas scam. Clinton’s plan to register guns and persecute their owner is the first step of his broader plan to register all guns. This will allow easier seizure of private firearms in the not so distant future.

I would like to think that there were good intentions on the part of our anti-gun president to prevent crime and support the Second Amendment, but his words do not ring true. Anti-gun groups previously said all they wanted “was a semiautomatic rifle ban to protect children.” When that passed, they began screaming for more.

All I want is for the focus of gun crime shifted back on criminals and away from honest citizens. I want my constitutional rights protected. When you elect a man with no integrity, you get policies with no integrity from a president who should be selling used cars. Eric Schaffer Spokane

GAMBLING

Don’t make sucker bet on casino

If a gambling casino is allowed in Airway Heights what price will families pay? Can we learn from people in other parts of the country who have tried this?

Gambling is addicting people from all walks of life. Calls to the 1-800-GAMBLER national hotline increased 86 percent last year, to a total of 76,000.

Addicts are the lifeblood of the gambling industry. University of Illinois economist Earl Grinois testified before Congress recently that casinos earn more than half their revenues from problem and pathological gamblers.

“The casino industry is heavily dependent on the revenues of psychologically sick people,” says Grinois.

Many families pay a high price - and not just financially - as the result of gambling. Reports of child abuse and spousal abuse have increased substantially in jurisdictions where gambling is legalized. Divorce, too, has soared.

Last year Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.) testified before Congress about children abandoned in cars or left home alone while their parents gambled. He told of households without utilities or groceries because parents gambled away their paycheck. Drug and alcohol addiction, he said, often accompany gambling.

Crime also follows gambling. A U.S. News & World Report analysis earlier this year showed the crime rate in casino communities to be nearly double the national average. Three years after Atlantic City opened its doors to casinos, the city went from 50th to first in the nation in per capita crime.

Is this really what Airway Heights residents want for their community? Marilyn Lawson Spokane

IN THE PAPER

Story brought back fond memories

Thank you for publishing “Soul of a lion” by Kathleen Corkery Spencer (July 8). It was a pleasure to read an article that touches your senses. Only those of us who have truly loved a pet can understand.

My dog, Amigo, was my best friend and running buddy for many years. Yesterday, while on a trail run, a rush of nostalgia came over me. There, and almost two decades ago, were Amigo and I running together again.

Thanks for the memories and making me feel again. Kim Price Spokane

Great story on best-ever bomber

James P. Johnson’s piece, “Bomber blues,” (IN Life, July 7) touched my heart.

I worked as a crew chief on the first operational B-52 at Loring Air Force Base, Maine. That was April 1953.

Over the years the B-52 changed a lot, but not in appearance. We mechanics gave it a nickname, “Ugly Buff.”

It proved to be the best bomber (still in service) that taxpayers ever bought and paid for.

I thank Johnson for his heartwarming article, and we appreciated being remembered. Phil S. Duval, Master Sgt., USAF retired Espanola, Wash.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Rand reveals evils of altruism

In support of the minimum wage increase which just passed, Sen. Ted Kennedy said, “No one who works for a living should have to live in poverty.”

Labor Secretary Robert Reich said, “It’s a matter of fairness; it’s a matter of morality.”

Just what is the moral principle shared by Kennedy and Reich? It is altruism (and its political corollary, collectivism), which rests on the rationally indefensible premise that human beings are properly the objects of sacrifice who have no right to live for their own sake.

Most Republicans, because of their adherence to a Christian morality, have little to offer in opposition to altruism (and therefore to the welfare state), as evidenced by their cave-in to the minimum wage hike.

The opposite of altruism - individualism (and its political corollary, laissez-faire capitalism) - recognizes the achievement of his or her own happiness as a human being’s highest moral purpose, and each person as the owner of his or her own life. It is incompatible with the principle of sacrifice (to others, to the common good).

While it is impossible to elaborate on this theory in a short letter, I direct interested readers to Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged,” “The Virtue of Selfishness” and “Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal.”

Her theory offers the only hope of saving capitalism from the altruist-collectivist doctrine (shared by liberals and socialists alike) of “from each according to ability, to each according to need.” Chris Cathcart Spokane

Defense spending justified

In her letter of July 4, Beverly McConnell made several suggestions concerning where federal money should be spent instead of in the military.

It seems to me that the first duty of a nation’s government is military defense. Without that, the nation is vulnerable to all kinds of global predators. We’ve been fooled into thinking there is some kind of world peace now and our military is no longer needed to guard us. Nothing could be further from the truth. Undercurrents all over the world threaten to explode at any time and if we have dismantled most of our military, we could be at someone’s mercy.

McConnell’s list is worthy. However, those things should be funded and run in the private sector. It has been shown throughout history that when a people give up their freedoms and responsibilities to their government, then that people ceases to exist as a free people.

Our government was meant to be only the skeleton that holds us together. We, as a people, were to put the flesh on the skeleton by caring for ourselves and each other. Our government wasn’t designed to pick our pockets.

Our freedom is at risk. If our government finances and controls all the programs intended to make our society work, then we will actually lose our society in the end.

We must support military defense and we must become an enterprising people once again as shown by those who have gone before us. They made this nation great. Are we going to give it up? Linda J. Reed Spokane

Dole clueless about tobacco

Bob Dole made a comment that cigarettes are not addictive. I believe cigarettes are just as bad as cocaine or crack that are sold on the streets, but cigarettes can legally be purchased at grocery stores.

My son started smoking at age 15. He has smoked for 20 years. I told my son I would give him $5,000 - and I meant it - if he would quit smoking. His comment was that he has tried several methods to quit, but none helped. He said, “Dad, I’m hooked on cigarettes and can’t quit.” He could use the money.

Still, we the taxpayers are forced to subsidize the tobacco farmers to grow this substance to destroy our citizens in this country. Mike Bascetta Spokane

LAW AND JUSTICE

District 81 exempt from labor law?

The news that School District 81 is employing 11-year-old children at $2.50 per hour to teach computer skills caused quite a stir in our office. We were more interested in what was left out of the article than what we learned from it. Could I do the same?

The reporter didn’t specify what hoops the district had to jump through to get permission to employ children. Would it have made a difference if the children had learned garment manufacturing or assembly line skills?

Is the district paying Social Security, unemployment, withholding or insurance? Did the district check for illegal immigrants?

Don’t get me wrong. I am all for kids working. I think it is great that grade school kids can peddle their skills and fulfill the American dream.

The question remains, would I be thrown in jail for minimum wage and child labor law violations if I did the same? Is the school district able to do something the state prohibits private citizens from doing? Kim Mangis Medical Lake

Roller-blade rights? Nonsense

I read in the July 6 paper that a new “right” has been invented. Bonnie Reeves, in her Your Turn column, expressed her angst at the fact that we don’t have extra laws or policies to accommodate her lifestyle. It seems Reeves wants to roller-blade to work. She tried three whole times a year ago.

I suspect Reeves was embarrassed after being told by a police officer to get out of traffic and onto the sidewalk where she belonged.

So what is her answer? More regulations, more laws, more suppression of our rights - real ones - to accommodate her pretend ones.

At 29, I would think Reeves had reached adulthood by now. She then would realize that government is not here to provide and enforce safe roller-blading space. It is here, however, to enforce existing laws, such as staying out of traffic while roller-blading.

Seems simple to me. Michael Wiman Spokane