Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Zoo is alive, well and downtown

I was downtown the other day for the first time in the past few months. I went to the new Spokane Transit Authority Plaza, a nice building. The new courtyard looks really neat. The new trollies are a nice touch.

All these things should bring a lot of people downtown - but maybe only once, as in my case.

Street kids and wannabe street kids are everywhere. They are rude, they smell, look terrible, use filthy language and there are gangs of them.

The streets are dirty, the sidewalks are broken up and lots of buildings are vacant. There are panhandlers everywhere; less-than-desirable people sitting on the sidewalks, on curbs, in the planters. One guy’s dog was doing its duty on a shrub in a planter. It was an eyeopening experience.

I finally got inside the famous skybridge mall. More street kids, language, smell, rudeness and all the rest.

What have our city officials let this town become? I would be ashamed to take any guests downtown.

Mayor Jack Geraghty and the City Council, why don’t you all get together, open your eyes and take a walk through downtown. Look around. You, too, will see what the rest of us see. I just heard Roger Crum is leaving. Pretty smart fellow. Dan Allison Veradale

Lights and crosswalks needed

Bikers and pedestrians encounter a major problem crossing Regal at 44th. I’m 11 years old and I think cars are going way too fast for people to cross safely.

Unless they want to have people being hit by cars, I suggest they install traffic lights and crosswalks at 44th and Regal and at the Albertson’s parking lot exit and Regal. Despite the cost, I think it is a small price to pay for a safer city. Mike Giardino Spokane

RELIGION

Bishop refuses his vicar, people

The fact of this matter (“Tridentine one of many mass forms,” Letters, May 28) is that the traditional Latin Mass has been changed precious little for more than 300 years until the Vatican II council. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

It was not prescribed by Vatican II that the traditional Latin Mass be eliminated. Those looking to “modernize” the church (merely to suit some personal taste) targeted the traditional Latin Mass for disposal using the misguided dialogue of Vatican II as their basis for doing so.

Not long ago a woman representing the Spokane Diocese was privileged to deliver a public speech to Pope John Paul II during a visit to our country. She stated the Catholic church had enough room for everyone from traditionalist to modernist; the church welcomes and embraces everyone in our diversity. Really?

There are many Mass forms today, including the traditional Latin Mass. However, it takes a miracle to get some bishops to obey their vicar and provide the traditional Latin Mass for those Catholics who desire to remain faithful to this practice.

The Roman Catholic Church is a hierarchy, not a democracy. It matters precious little what the overwhelming majority of the faithful want in this matter. If there is a significant number of faithful who desire the traditional Latin Mass (and in this diocese there is), it is our bishop’s duty in obedience to his vicar to provide us such mass. Our bishop absolutely refuses to do so. And this disobedience is applauded? Marilyn A. Pitner Rosalia, Wash.

Canon on side of Latin Mass

Re: “Tridentine one of many Mass forms” by Edward B. Keeley (Letters, May 28):

To avoid heresy and false information, all Catholics should own a copy of the canons of the Catholic church. It is interesting to search and find out the many canons now being broken by the clergy and laity.

Pope Pius V wrote a law so that any priest who celebrated a Mass that was not one of the authorized Tridentine Latin Rite Masses was automatically excommunicated. This law, according to the Traditionalist, has never been removed from church canons. There is no law mandating the use of the vernacular Mass with the power of excommunication for those who do not obey.

Bishop Skylstad, by refusing to honor the petitions of those who want the Tridentine Latin Rite Mass, is disobeying church law and the pope. Joesph Kranz Newport, Wash.

Dominion implies responsibility

I am tired of hearing Bible quoters refer to our “dominion over the animals” as having been granted by God. The word “dominion” comes from the Latin dominus, meaning load. This also implies the responsibility that comes with that position.

If we were meant to merely make use of animals without any responsibility, then why were we also given the story of Noah? This clearly tells us that we are to be caretakers of the animal kingdom. God didn’t tell Noah to just save those animals he could eat. He said to take two of every kind. Dorothy E. Carter Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITCS

End trade with Mainland China

(Staff Cartoonist) Milt Priggee was right on showing that Red China can do anything it wants and still be extended most favored nation trading status (Opinion, May 23).

MFN trading status allows U.S. companies and the Chinese government to receive millions in taxpayer subsidies.

Not only should this subsidized trade be stopped because it’s clearly unconstitutional, but all trade with China should be terminated because it’s immoral and destructive to our own economy.

In 15 years we’ve lost hundreds of thousands of jobs to Red China. You can’t go into a store and not find many, if not most, items made in China. Why? Because factory wages in China average 30 cents per hour. Is it any wonder corporate profits are up, the Dow’s up and investment money is pouring into China? U.S. companies can’t set up plants in China fast enough.

However, much of the $45 billion in Chinese goods bought by Americans last year was produced in over 1,100 slave labor camps. These camps run by the Chinese government have been photographed by American citizen Henry Wu, who spent 19 years in the Chinese gulag system. China’s incredible human right abuses, including slave labor camps and mass murder lead Amnesty International to report that “no one in China is safe from government torture, imprisonment and political repression.”

Sen. Bob Dole, most of Congress, businessmen and consumers who support Chinese slave labor goods belong at the end of the plank with Bill Clinton in Priggee’s excellent cartoon. John Beal Spokane

Kaun better choice for Congress

America has discovered that the qualities that make women good mothers and wives also make them compassionate and thoughtful leaders. It’s no great reach from being a care giver to one’s family to being a care giver to one’s constituency.

Eastern Washington’s 5th Congressional District has two exceptional women running for George Nethercutt’s seat in Congress. I believe Spokane’s own Susan Kaun will win the primary.

Kaun was elected as a county freeholder with great hopes of helping to solve the problems confronting our city and county governments. Unfortunately, the majority of freeholders assumed personas of dictators and presented a very unpopular consolidated charter to the voters. Kaun joined several in the minority among freeholders and was instrumental in bringing about the charter’s defeat. She acts in the best interest of her constituents.

Kaun was general manager of the Liberty Lake Sewer District. Under her direction, the district restored the quality of that lake and won an EPA award for outstanding leadership in ecology preservation.

As interim manager of the historical Modern Electric Water Co. she successfully negotiated an unprecedented five-year labor contract. Those workers hold her in high esteem. She’s a friend of labor.

Kaun is dismayed at the cuts Republicans are making in our children’s education. She isn’t alone in realizing that children are our future and that no country is powerful enough to survive the dumbing down of our leaders of tomorrow. Kaun is a proponent of quality education.

We should examine Nethercutt’s questionable leadership and the promise Kaun has demonstrated. Our choice is clear. Ed Meadows Spokane

Charges clearly groundless

Lupito Flores (Letters, May 28) is appalled that Editor Chris Peck could find anything kind to say about Congressman George Nethercutt.

I’m appalled that Flores would write that Nethercutt is “rude and inconsiderate.” Flores obviously has never talked with Nethercutt or even seen or heard Nethercutt dealing with other people.

Not only is Nethercutt on the right side of most of the issues of the day, he’s always a perfect gentleman in dealing with others - two good reasons to re-elect him to Congress in November. Don R. Peters Spokane

THE MEDIA

So, censorship’s OK after all

I read with relief Doug Clark’s column condemning “The Turner Diaries” to the inferno of censorship (“Racist book makes good case for censorship,” May 28). I had thought myself a bit of a reactionary when I couldn’t understand why the library would be so insistent on keeping Madonna’s book available to all, including children.

Then I thought, oops, wrong again. When I agreed with the mother who didn’t want her children to have to sit through readings from the “Goosebumps” books. Of course, I had been certain that all the fuss over violent rap music was well founded. But, thanks to the media, I discovered that I was again dangerously close to destroying America’s First Amendment freedoms.

So, Clark, you have done me a great service. I agree with you. Such trash should be banished. I’m just surprised that you feel that way. I had come to think of myself as one of those narrow-minded bigots Staff Cartoonist Milt Priggee is always drawing pictures of. I was considering counseling so that I could discover the true way to enlightenment.

My solution will be much simpler. I should trust you. You’re of the media and apparently you really understand what should be and what should not.

There can be censorship in a free society. Once again, thanks for looking out for our best interests and freedoms. Pat H. Stahl Newport, Wash.

THE ENVIRONMENT

We had better deal with pollution

I am extremely concerned about the recent news of Spokane being one of the most polluted cities in the United States.

Pollution is destroying our natural environment and will eventually demolish parts of our ecosystem. Our animal habitat plays a key role in keeping our environment balanced. Obliterating just one species of plant or animal upsets the whole food chain. Each species plays an important role and we cannot afford to lose even one of them.

The pollution in Russia has gotten so bad that the average life expectancy for a male in that country by the end of this century will be 58 years old. The pollution has caused a low birth rate, a high death rate and a high rate of birth defects. They have destroyed their own surroundings, practically suffocating themselves in their own pollution.

I sincerely hope Spokane doesn’t reach this point. Most animals cannot survive in a polluted environment.

We need to take some sort of measure to clean up our mess before we get in too deep. Humans are animals, too. Julie Cummings Spokane

Column blatant industry propaganda

The Spokesman-Review’s May 22 syndicated column, “Fear leads us forward into the past,” stated fears about pesticides’ toxic effects “are based on political hysteria, not fact.”

It stated attention to pesticide residues is “misguided.” The column’s only source was the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH).

The columnist failed to tell readers ACSH is a front organization for pesticide and petrochemical industries, funded by pesticide makers Dow, Monsanto, CIBA-Geigy and Union Carbide; by chemical companies American Cyanamid, DuPont, Nestle, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Chevron, Proctor & Gamble; and by General Electric and the National Agricultural Chemicals Association.

The columnist also failed to tell readers that after ACSH lost its funding from Shell Oil in 1992, President Elizabeth Whelan wrote to Shell stating, “When one of the largest international petrochemical companies will not support ACSH, the great defender of petrochemical companies, one wonders who will.”

Recently The Spokesman stated: “Rule No. 1 in journalism: Check all facts.” It took me less than 30 minutes on the Internet to find ACHS’s funding sources.

Either the columnist and the Spokesman’s editors didn’t bother to check this fact, meaning they’re not even competent enough to fulfill Rule No. 1 in journalism or they did check and didn’t care. That would mean they don’t mind being a conduit for corporate propaganda that kills people.

The World Health Organization has stated pesticides kill 100,000 per year. Or, maybe the first rule of journalism is actually to serve corporations, even when they kill. Which is it? Vicki Lopez Spokane

Preservationists go too far

When Timothy J. Coleman talks about alleged misrepresentations by Edwin G. Davis, he engages in some misrepresentations of his own. I know that Coleman realizes why the appeals process was eliminated from salvage sales, and only salvage sales. Preservation groups like his own abused the appeals process to the extent that the public was denied the raw materials, and the communities were denied the dollars that are generated in salvage, if it is done in a timely manner.

Preservation groups were caught with their hands in the cookie jar and now they are unhappy because they have to go stand in the corner.

I have read enough of Coleman’s letters to know that he feels very strongly about the environment. But in my opinion he is killing the forests with kindness. Ignoring good forest management is not the solution to the ills of the forest. Instead it is contributing to poor forest health.

A lot has changed in the past 150 years. There were on average about 60 trees per acre where there are now 600 trees per acre. A forest that thick with trees requires careful management or we will see more catastrophic fires, as we have in the recent past.

By the way, Coleman, there is nothing wrong with harvesting green trees. Who told you there was? Or do you make this stuff up as you go along? Gary M. Garrison Kettle Falls, Wash.

FIREARMS

Fanciful take on Australian attitudes

Curtis Stone (“Way to go, Australia,” Letters, May 29) tries to use Australia and Japan as examples in his eagerness to sell more guns.

Both countries have strict gun control laws; Australia had only 13 handgun homicides in 1992,and Japan had 60 that year, whereas the United States, where guns are easily available, had 13,220 hand gun homicides.

After the recent massacre in Tasmania, citizens demanded stricter gun control. Just how Stone figures the people in Australia and Japan would want our type of weak gun controls that allow youngsters to take guns to school and fringe groups to amass arsenals of weapons to resist the lawful government is a mystery. Walter A. Becker Pullman