Letters To The Editor

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Brad Benson would serve us well

Brad Benson, Republican candidate for the 6th Legislative District, represents the kind of moral integrity we need representing us in government. He is firmly centered in his faith and practices the ways of a Christian life. As a Bible scholar, he enjoys using quotes from the Bible to support or explain his views. But these quotes may be misconstrued when shadowed by a reader’s own experiences and prejudices. Even though Benson has strong religious beliefs, he doesn’t try to preach and covert others, but rather he lives and teaches by example.

Benson’s experience in the secular world will serve us well. He has served in the Air Force and learned the benefits of discipline. His financial experience at SeaFirst Bank and in running a business with his wife, Jill, will help him to be fiscally responsible with our tax dollars.

I have found Benson to be very knowledgeable and understanding of many issues and problems confronting us here in Spokane and throughout Washington, especially juvenile crime and our current penal system.

These strengths, combined with the strong support of his family and faith, will serve him - and us - well. Mary Wolfley Spokane

Politicians need to grow up

I saw George Nethercutt on TV, saying, “Lying has no place in American politics.” That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard in a long while.

Nethercutt and his Republican pals have been engaged in a battle of semantics with the AFL-CIO, and each is calling the other a liar. In such a case, when a mutually-agreed definition (in this case, of “cut”) is unavailable, calling one’s opponent a liar is the grownup equivalent of saying, “Mom, he hit me first!” Grow up, George. Hank Wirtz Spokane

Perot should be included in debate

The Sept. 23 headline, “Scorned Perot insults Bob Dole,” infers that Ross Perot is the bad guy in this presidential debate brouhaha, when in fact it is Dole. Truth of the matter is that according to media accounts, Dole said in so many words that if Perot was included in the presidential debates, he (Dole) wouldn’t play.

Now Dole has a lot of power and for Perot to call Dole’s action, “rude and arrogant” is no more than an accurate comment on the senator’s behavior. Furthermore, it reflects poorly on Dole’s ability to act in a fair and honorable manner.

To repeat what Perot said on Fox News Sunday, “I guess he’s desperate.”

I know newspapers are written and put together quickly, but a headline with more political equality would have been, “Excluded Perot frank about Dole.”

Hey, give the guy (Perot) a chance to debate with the other hopefuls and ask the hard questions. Bob Wheeler Chattaroy

Candidates just corporate puppets

According to the author of “Dole tireless, courageous as deficit fighter” (Sept. 22) Dole is courageous because he’s willing to freeze Social Security benefits and to cut other “popular programs.” The article didn’t mention Dole’s unflagging support of corporate welfare and a high war budget.

I fail to see any courage in attempting to balance the budget on the backs of the working class. It would take real courage for politicians to fight their corporate masters and run this country for the benefit of the citizens.

Balancing the budget by freezing Social Security or Medicare, or cutting other benefits to the working class, is absurd. It could be done by simply making corporations pay their fair share of taxes.

Sixty-two percent of America’s multinational corporations pay no U.S. income tax. The combined sales of these corporations total $1.5 trillion. At a tax rate of 33 percent, the revenues would amount to $500 billion, significantly more than the current deficit.

Another option would be to cut the obscenely high military budget, which is nothing more than corporate welfare for so-called defense contractors. The United States spends more to promote war each year than the total amount that all Americans contribute to charity, plus total federal, state, local, public and private expenditures for education, plus federal and state aid to families with dependent children, plus the cost of the entire federal judiciary and the Justice Department combined, with billions in pocket change left over.

Neither Dole nor Clinton are courageous. They’re the same old corporate puppets. Derrick Jensen Spokane

SPOKANE

COPS volunteers will continue on

The suspension of Deborah Wittwer from NevaWood COPS is very unfortunate. I’m sure Deborah will file an appeal. At an emergency COPS Shop meeting, Deborah was highly extolled for her tireless efforts, however, it was clear that there is a lot of disorganization and miscommunication in many areas.

Having been involved in other volunteer work, I have come to realize that if the leader leaves, the project still continues. The entity is much bigger than just one person, no matter who that person is. This is a time for us to work even harder for the good of all and to avoid conflict of egos.

Neva-Wood COPS is composed of a wonderful group of hard working volunteers who really care about the neighborhood and its relationship with the City of Spokane. Heather Leveque, Neva-Wood Volunteer Spokane

Everyone should pay for streets

I am responding to an item in the Sept. 23 Public Periscope advising how street repairs should be financed after the recent failure of the tax bond. An astute reader had suggested a business and occupation tax with revenues going only to street repair.

Do only business owners use our streets? Why is it more fair to tax business owners than property owners? Why not put a tax on gasoline, which would tax the people who drive on the streets that need to be repaired?

I am a registered voter (who votes), a property owner and a small business owner. I drive on the streets of Spokane every day. I feel very strongly that the people who use the streets should pay for the privilege instead of just the property owners or business owners. Judith L. Ihli Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

Sale will benefit cystic fibrosis

Trina Heisel’s dilemma of having a child with cystic fibrosis (CF) and no safe place to run to protect her from the lung-deteriorating effects of grass burning (Sept. 19) brought to my mind dramatic flight scenes from natural disasters or war.

I wondered if the farm wife with asthma who spoke recently at one of the grass burning hearings read it; she said she just took her medication and got right out there on that tractor. Or the man at another hearing who wanted to know if the rest of us non-grass burners had ever heard of air purifiers.

Do they know that they themselves may have passed the gene for CF to their children? One in 20 of us carry the recessive gene, and there’s no conclusive way to discover if you will bear a child inheriting the disease until there is a fetus. There’s no medication for scarred lungs. There is no cure.

Scientists are researching the development of a parent gene that would, in effect, cure cystic fibrosis. Funds to further the research to develop gene, drug and protein therapies must be raised.

Those on either side of the grass-burning and clean-air debates can help their cause and provide extended life for CF children by supporting an upcoming garage sale, from which all proceeds will go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for research. Donation of items prior to the sale and may be brought to the sale location, 801 W. 17th Ave. The sale will take place Saturday, 9-3. Adele Lewis Spokane

Bible source of moral information

Joan Harman (Sept. 23) states incorrectly that the Bible is a source of pornographic material. This is not true. It is source of information on how to be moral, because of all the materials written for our benefit, such as the Song of Solomon, is between husband and wife, which is something completely new to our society.

Fornication is defined as sex between unmarried couples. That is adultery and that is immoral. The Bible is a moral pervading influence while Harman appears to be an immoral pervading influence in trying to bad mouth the scriptures as a guide to our normal and healthy moral life. Harvey Fritz Moses Lake

RU486 approval bad news

Everyday I hear more and more about abortion and the wonderful new drug RU486. Many pro-choice people think the pill being approved by the FDA is good news. Don’t these advocates for abortion realized that they are really advocates for murder? That is what people having abortions are really doing, killing, and in cold blood no less.

One does not just accidentally get pregnant. If you are too stupid or stubborn to use birth control, then do not have sex. How would all the pro-choice people like it if their moms decided “No, I don’t want this baby. I don’t have room for it in my life right now. Since I’m too selfish to consider adoption, I’ll instead murder this innocent baby before it has a chance at life.”

If you can live with your conscience, who am I to judge you. Wait until you die, your unborn babies will be held gently in God’s arms while you try to explain why you had them aborted.

This drug isn’t wonderful. Abortion isn’t wonderful. It’s a sad, sadistic, all too real part of our society. People advocating abortion should have to actually experience the feeling of getting sucked apart, having their brain sucked out and their head crushed, all in the name of selfishness. Jini Wolski Deer Park

Maybe moving is the answer

I’m sorry, but I do not understand why people who cannot tolerate smoke from grass burning do not simply move to Arizona or some other safe place.

If my child suffered from cystic fibrosis, there is no way I would endanger her life by living here. Many people move to other states because the damp, cold or fog increases their suffering from arthritis. Why not move because grass burning and forest fires are bad for you?

If you live in an area that is bad for your health, you should move. You should not expect the rest of the world to sacrifice farms, means of earning a living, benefits of grass, etc. for you.

What next? Cut down the forests so smoke from the forest fires won’t bother you? P.J. McBride Deer Park

GUN CONTROL

Gun owners should be licensed

The issue of guns and gun crimes rages on. Maybe we should consider a different approach.

Traditionally, proposals and legislative initiatives have focused on gun control and restricting gun availability. This has subsequently resulted in anti-gun and pro-gun forces locking in a protracted debate. In each case pro-gun people - not without merit - proclaim the proposed gun restriction will impact law-abiding citizens with little or no impact on those we all wish to address, i.e. violent felons, mentally incompetents, children, etc.

This would suggest a licensing system for the individual necessary for gun ownership or possession that would preclude those above. Licensing could also require some type of competency test, such as passing an approved gun safety program. The licensing fee should be limited to legitimate cost of administration and not become a tax.

Possession of a firearm without a license could then be backed with compounded penalties severe enough to provide a strong deterrent to those not licensed from possessing a gun, particularly when engaged in criminal conduct.

The foregoing is suggested recognizing that as far as guns in American, the genie is out of the bottle - with millions of untrackable guns in every corner of the country. Also, if the legal purchase/possession of firearms were greatly restricted it would only serve to create a new black market, not unlike drugs, serving again to restrict only the law abiding.

For pro-gun forces, a licensing approach should mitigate their concerns that “when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.” R.L. Jones Spokane

POST FALLS SCHOOLS

Help uncrowd Post Falls schools

Having been residents of Post Falls for the last 18 years, we have seen many changes. Most of these changes have occurred because of the continued growth of our community.

Whether we like it or not, this growth has had a serious effect on our schools. Parking at the high school is a major problem. The kids park all over the neighborhoods because of a lack of adequate parking.

Imagine what it’s like inside. If you attended the seventh grade open house, you experienced this overcrowding firsthand.

We, as parents, can continue to expect someone else to fix this problem for our children or we can help by voting yes on Oct. 8 for both the high school and athletic complex.

We chose this community to raise our children in because of its wonderful support of them. This bond will build a new high school and athletic facility that will be an investment in their future. Joni and Mike Hirst Post Falls

Opportunity for education deserved

It’s payback time.

If you are reading this now, it is because you received an education sometime in the past. Whether you have children in school now or not is not the issue. This is about doing your part to pay for the education you had that enabled you to hold the job you now have, to work for your retirement and pursue your American dream.

The children of Post Falls deserve that same opportunity and your vote is required to make that happen. Please vote yes for the Oct. 8 school bond for a new high school. Support the children of Post Falls. John and Vicki Johnson Post Falls

Vote yes for students’ future

I’m writing in regard to the bond levy Oct. 8 in Post Falls. As a high school student, I see firsthand the incredible need for expanded and updated facilities. In today’s high tech, competitive world, students need every advantage to be successful. The students of our community deserve the opportunity to succeed, but cannot gain the advantages necessary from the current, obsolete facilities.

When the levy failed last year, I missed my chance at the benefit of a new high school. Please, do not deny the class of 2000 the opportunities they need to succeed in the next millennium. Vote yes on Oct. 8 for the future of our students and the community. Jack Caughran, sophomore class president Post Falls High School