Letters To The Editor

IDAHO VIEWPOINTS

Raw deal for a good facility

Re: “Suit blames death on Nursing Home,” Nov. 13, which referred to lawsuits pending against Coeur d’Alene Convalescent Center, now the Coeur d’Alene Wellness and Rehabilitation Center.

I was employed by Coeur d’Alene Convalescent Center for three years as director of social services. During my service there I witnessed nothing but the utmost professionalism. The atmosphere was that of total caring for residents and their families.

It’s disheartening that certain individuals feel the need to file such lawsuits. These people should consider the good things nursing homes do for the community. How many people can afford to stay home with their elderly parents? How many people have the patience to deal with their sick and often demented loved ones?

Of course, elderly, demented persons fall and have other accidents. These accidents would occur no matter where they were.

Coeur d’Alene Convalescent Center and it’s employees work exceptionally hard to ensure the safety of all persons in their care. They do this with very little compensation in regards to pay and thank yous from others. Jodi Smith Post Falls

Jet boaters are way off course

The negative media blitz by the Hells Canyon Jet Boat Coalition should have people concerned. The radio ads are erroneous, misleading and in no way educate the public.

They inappropriately attack the Forest Service for doing its job of balancing the interests of various groups. Restrictions being placed on boaters are minimal, over a short stretch of the canyon.

Do jet boaters really want to share this magnificent natural treasure? Many people prefer non-motorized experiences. Jet boats are noisy and intrusive.

People should be concerned about a larger issue. In this case, it seems a small, vocal and self-centered group is attacking our public land managers and our principles of public land management. It also demonstrates why transferring control of public lands would be a disaster.

The Forest Service is the best and most cost-efficient way to manage our public lands for the long term. We should all give thanks to Teddy Roosevelt, a great American, for establishing the Forest Service. S.S. Howze Sagle

Moore exceptional to the end

The story of Tom Moore I read last week, about changing political affiliation (“Assessor Tom Moore Dies Nov. 13), is not the real story. No, this is a story of one man’s hope, courage and belief that there really is a tomorrow.

Moore was told of his illness about a year ago and immediately started treatment. His positive attitude was always portrayed to everyone around him. There were tough decisions to be made. As anyone who ever knew Moore knows, he was not afraid to make them.

The path Moore chose was long and trying for everyone involved. He always had a smile for you, even to the very end. Moore thought a lot about the office and always prided himself in the professional and service-oriented staff he had put together.

Moore’s last act of courage came last month when he finally had to act on changing his political affiliation. He had long thought of it but hoped he could finish his term. His act was courageous, for he knew that all hope for recovery was lost and had to face the unthinkable.

Some say this was a selfish act for political reasons. But, as anyone who has ever known Moore knows, he always put others and his service to the people first.

With this act of courage, Moore knew what was ahead. His life was full of hope, courage and character that today we seem to think very little of.

It’s been great knowing you, Tom Moore. You will be missed very much. Richard Piazza Hayden Lake

Rosen will lecture again next spring

Peoples Action Coalition would like to express its appreciation to all the physicians and medical professionals who attended the environmental lecture with John Rosen, M.D.

For those who were busy and could not make room in their schedule, Linda Price King and Dr. Rosen will return in the early spring providing a second chance to hear this address.

Rosen is a member of the faculty of the Albert Einstein School of Medicine, where he teaches pediatrics. He is one of the foremost experts in lead poisoning and its effects on children. He has published over 100 articles and participated in many research studies.

For more information, please contact the Peoples Action Coalition office, 784-8891. Betty J. Belisle, William Schillereff Kellogg

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

Some good people hereabouts

Now that the election is over and the mudslinging has ceased for awhile, I would like to express my appreciation for the many nice people in this great Northwest.

Last week, I stopped at an optical shop in Coeur d’Alene to have a lens put back in my glasses. The very pleasant lady worked for at least 20 minutes to get all secured, escorted me to the door with a wish for a good day, and no charge. I prepared to leave, but my car would not come out of park, so I had to call the garage, which sent a man over who soon got it loose and I was on my way with a pleasant “Have a good day,” and no charge. I left thinking how many nice people there are in this crazy world, many helpful and polite folk, and I thank God for them.

I should also mention those who hold doors for others, who throw a smile your way, and who generally make life pleasant.

Blessings also to the folks who leave their shopping carts just any place in the parking lot. Try putting them away; you would feel good about it. Laura Stellmon Athol

Fine dog survived someone’s betrayal

Re: “Dog’s best friend: Paramedics” (Nov. 8).

I instantly recognized the dog suffering from smoke inhalation and being carried on a stretcher by paramedics. We had named him Buford. He was dumped off in the foothills of Mount Spokane in August.

Buford spent that day chasing cars, probably thinking whoever abandoned him would come back. After trying to approach him throughout the day, we could only watch as this pathetic animal ran from car to car. The next morning, he finally let us get a leash around his neck. He was too exhausted and hungry to run.

We put a lost animal ad in the paper but got no response. We kept Buford for a month. We have three dogs and they wouldn’t accept a fourth, so we made the hard decision to take him to the Humane Society. We hoped he would be adopted fast but were afraid his age would keep him from being adopted at all. We donated some money to help defray the adoption cost.

I thank the kind people who adopted him. Because of his age, I’m sure a lot of prospective buyers didn’t notice how well-trained he was and all the tricks he knew.

I hope whoever dumped him without a thought for his safety or survival saw his picture. My one question for this person is, how can you look your friends and family in the eye, after what you did to a dog? B.L. Harris Spokane

LAW AND JUSTICE

Sypolt excellent choice for bench

I congratulate Gov. Mike Lowry on his selection of Greg Sypolt to the Superior Court bench.

I have known Sypolt for many years, both as a colleague and a friend, and I can thank of no better person to fill this position. Greg has earned the respect of lawyers and judges with his knowledge of the law and keen sense of fairness. These are qualities that will serve this community very well. Roger James Peven Spokane

Juvenile Court has capable system

Like many citizens, my wife and I have been concerned about the juvenile crime problem so prominent in the news. We attended the Juvenile Court open house, to see what people involved had to say. We were impressed.

They didn’t claim to have all the answers and didn’t try to minimize the problem. Instead, we were given the facts on how the process works, from arrest to final disposition. We were shown how appropriate, minor and first-time offenders are handled by neighborhood volunteer boards rather than the courts. If you think this is just another example of coddling criminals, the 96 percent success rate says otherwise.

We then learned about the different types of probation and how they are monitored. We finished up with a tour of the processing and detention facilities. At the end of the evening, we came away convinced that we had seen a well-planned and executed system of graduated responses, with the emphasis on doing what it takes to make the first offense the last. Bob Mielbrecht Spokane

LAW ENFORCEMENT

In a choice, I’ll take ambassadors

I was surprised at the Nov. 15 article regarding Spokane Police Guild’s attitude about downtown Security Ambassadors (“Security Ambassadors irk police”).

I couldn’t believe that the police want to eliminate a service that is working so well.

Before the Security Ambassadors came to the downtown area, the streets were crowded with every sort of panhandler, loiterer and transient. Within a very short time, the Security Ambassadors cleaned up the streets and acted the part of ambassador very well. Now, the police want to get rid of them.

Considering that you cannot cross the street in safety in the downtown area without the very real possibility of being run over by a red-light runner or a person who thinks pedestrians have no place in the world, I have an alternative plan. Let’s fire the police and hire more Security Ambassadors. I’ll bet they could correct our traffic problems, too. I am normally very pro-police, but this attitude of theirs just goes too far. Carey Pomerantz Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Pols have earned my disaffection

I respond with pleasure to M.A. Triggs’ letter (“Nonvoters non-smart and non-effective” 11-13-96).

I deliberately chose not to vote. I do not watch television ever and rarely listen to the radio. I do read whatever paper is available to me seven days per week, except for sports and funnies, front to back.

I did not vote as all candidates are cut from the same cloth. They were self-serving people who will say or do anything to win. Why? Because they have a need for power and recognition, and if a few bucks are thrown in, so much the better.

Democrats used to at least give the illusion of caring about people, but they have now joined Republicans in bowing and scraping to businesses, so there are no more choices.

The ballot should have a box to register a no-vote vote, to signify a pox on all their venal, meretricious, mendacious natures. Lee Corrigan Rathdrum

Time for a priorities check

The Nov. 17 paper contained two articles that dramatically showed our misplaced priorities.

An article on page A4 reveals the Pentagon’s plan to buy 2,978 new fighter aircraft between 2005 and 2030 for $63 million to $81 million each.

It also notes that critics question whether the U.S. faces a sufficient threat to justify such a costly new program since, by 2005 under present contracts, we will have more up-to-date fighters than Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and Iraq combined.

The other article, on page A14, describes an expedition in Africa searching for the source of the deadly Ebola virus. So far, known outbreaks of the virus among humans have been caused solely by direct contact with infected body fluids. However, virologists have warned that a simple mutation of the virus to airborne contagion, like influenza, could result in the death of 80 percent of the world’s population.

This “fledgling international effort” traps suspected host animals in plastic buckets shoved into the mud. Lab liquids are stored in wine bottles. There is a Jeep that works sometimes, a telephone two hours away and the steamy autopsy room is lit by one bare bulb. The project’s budget for two years is $250,000, or less than 1/400th of the cost of a single F-22. R. K. Barcus Spokane

Clinton win hardly a landslide

Dave Perkins has a strange idea of Democracy and logic (“Suddenly, a huge without-sin mob,” Letters, Nov. 15”). He wrote, of “over half” the people voting for President Clinton, that this was democracy, and accused people of making assumptions. Here’s some Perkins made.

First, in the recent “landslide” election, Clinton won the presidency by less than 25 percent of the population eligible to vote, not “over half.” According to various news sources, including this paper, less than 50 percent of Americans voted and 49 percent of those voters voted for Clinton. If I know how to subtract, that means less than 25 percent of eligible voters voted for Clinton.

What got him in was the Electoral College votes being 375 to 151, which is obviously not democracy or accurately reflective of the people.

Secondly, does it occur to Perkins that Clinton did not assassinate Bob Dole’s character because he had nothing substantial to say?

Finally, Perkins stated that many people are disappointed that Clinton got re-elected. That should have been his first clue. Chris Stebbins Sandpoint

We’re blessedly free, even to be nasty

It was politically correct of David Brinkley to offer apologies for his statements about President Bill Clinton.

There were those in this country who were angered by his words and those who stood and cheered. Whether we like Clinton or not, he is our president and will be for some time. He needs our support and as much respect as we can muster.

But for all the Americans out there who whine and complain about how they’re losing their freedoms by being forced to wear seat belts, helmets or losing their right to smoke cigarettes anywhere they want, Brinkley’s words can only stand as a bright, blinking neon sign reminding us that we are, in fact, free. We can find these shining examples in many things around us, if we just look for them.

With any luck, they won’t all have to be apologized for. Vikki Crawford Spokane