Letters To The Editor
INTOLERANCE
Ignorance spreading hate
A couple of weeks ago it was a shallow Ted Turner and his comments about the suicides in California, linking them to all these “religious nuts in our midst.”
Now it is Norman Mailer and his vile new book about Jesus, titled “The Gospel According to the Son.”
Satan finds willing servants in these high-profile ignorants to spread his hate for Christ and believers. Lloyd K. Brauner Clayton, Wash.
Harasment can’t be tolerated
Re: The recent racial vandalism directed at the Reggie Garigan family.
My heart goes out to this family. To be victims of such ugliness, apparently because of the color of your skin must be devastating. Good people of Spokane can’t let this kind of harassment happen here. Rise up, and like the good people of Billings, Montana, cry out “Not in our town.”
To the perpetrators of this evil act, perhaps you should join the Peace Corps. Serve in a country where you are in the minority and your skin is of a different color. Learn the meaning of diversity. Leonard L. and Beth L. Amundson Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, Spokane
Racial equality remains elusive
I have always believed that sport is merely a reflection of society and life itself. In the wake of Tiger Woods’ inspirational victory at the Masters and the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball, I am disappointed in the progress that we have made. I am appalled that we need a Tiger Woods to open people’s eyes and minds to racial equity.
After the Masters Tom Kite commented on Tiger Woods. He said, “He’s just incredible. I don’t care what his race is. He’s a golfer.” I hope it won’t take another 50 years for people to think like Kite. I hope in 50 years we don’t need another Jackie Robinson or another Tiger Woods. Actually, I hope it doesn’t take that long. Jay L. Minnerly Spokane
Priggee cartoon brings sorrow
It was with great sorrow that I read Milt Priggee’s cartoon in the April 13 Spokesman-Review in which he portrayed all children of Idaho to be white supremacists. This only spawns more unjust and negative feelings toward the great majority of us in Idaho who believe in and promote the dignity and equality of all humankind.
Priggee, with the enormous power you have through the press, why not join forces and make a positive impact in our fight against injustice? Susan G. Nipp Coeur d’Alene
ANIMALS
Horse adoption takes care, experience
Two years ago I read an ad like the one in the horse section last weekend. I had always been interested in mustangs and now that my family and I owned property and horses I decided it was time to check in the Bureau of Land Management’s programs.
I called the local BLM office and received an information pamphlet. I read through it, made sure I met all the requirements and went to the adoption.
Home came a sorry-looking 6-month-old colt. He soon realized that we wouldn’t hurt him and that grooming felt really good. Today he’s a beautiful, smart, gentle, 3-year-old gelding. We named him Lovelock’s Lucky Traveler, as he came from Lovelock, Nev. I’ve done all his training to date and never had much trouble. He’s gotten out of our pasture a few times but always stayed near the other horses. We took him to my son’s school for show-and-tell, and the kids and teachers really enjoyed learning about him and mustang history. One thing people must remember: these horses are wild. Most have been in captivity for only a few months. If you don’t have any horse experience it’s not recommended you adopt one simply because their price is low. For those who are interested, the Bureau of Land Management is having a mustang adoption on April 26. Contact your local BLM office for more information.
Zana L. Goulding Spokane
Judges aren’t protecting animals
It’s people in the judicial system like Judges Chuck Baechler and Mike Padden who perpetuate animal abuse. When an owner doesn’t pay enough attention to a dog to notice that its neck is bleeding, or mutilates animals in his/her care, that is clearly abuse. However, it seems that all they have to do is plead ignorance or deny any wrongdoing and animals that have known love for the first time in their lives will be returned to living hells.
Until we get people on the bench who aren’t afraid to protect the animals, things won’t change. M. Louise Long Spokane
RADIOACTIVE WASTE
Fighting only delays cleanup
The vilifying rhetoric on Dawn Mining Company’s proposal to accept uranium waste products has capsulized a complex environmental cleanup issue as environmental racism. The actions of Dawn Mining Co. could be labeled economic desperation, environmentally unsound and even stupid, but it is not a racist proposal equivalent to some corporate actions in Third World countries.
On its face, Dawn’s proposal seems environmentally benign, especially when weighing it against placing more acid-generating, uranium-laden waste rock within the tailings impoundment.
The real truth in this matter is that this particular site should never have been used for the purpose of waste disposal. In today’s rarefied regulatory arena, the Ford site would never have been approved due to its location over two aquifers and its proximity to Chimicum Creek, a tributary of the Spokane River.
Using pejorative rhetoric will not accomplish the real hard work that awaits all the players which include the company, Spokane Tribe, the state, various federal agencies and other interested parties. Dawn Mining Co. may proceed with bankruptcy thus forcing the state and the United States to sue Dawn’s parent, Newmont Mining Co. No “slam dunk”!
Millions of dollars have been spent and will continue to be spent moving toward reclaiming the mine and closing the disposal site. The taxpayer is already in the equation and the extent of involvement will depend on defining an economic, environmental long-term solution. This remains the difficult task of human enterprise. Vilifying each other serves only to obfuscate and ensure continued environmental harm. Lawrence R. Goodrow Spokane
Panel needs some expertise
It is very disheartening to know that the state granted final approval to the Local Citizens Monitoring Committee as to whether or not radioactive wastes can be transported through our state. It is especially unnerving when one considers that the only technical requirements for these members to belong to this committee are that they live within a five-mile radius of the site, and that they have passed through Dawn Mining lawyer’s talent screen. Perhaps a much larger net would have landed someone with technical expertise.
Again, Mr. Bureaucrat, you really know how to build confidence. Kim K. Davis Valleyford, Wash.
GOVERNMENT AND TAXES
The taxman cometh - repeatedly
I think I’m in trouble. I was going through my pockets today and I found something I can’t explain - a dollar.
Now, I’ve paid my income tax and Social Security tax. I’ve paid the amusement tax, sales tax, property tax, ambulance tax, port district tax and gasoline tax. I’ve paid taxes for Medicare. I’ve paid the automobile tax, the utility tax, the business and occupation tax, the school tax and the tax to build a bridge at the other end of the country.
I pay tax on all the money I give to the baby-sitter and the Realtor and the man who prepares my income tax form. So, how come I’ve still got a dollar?
Obviously, I’ve made a mistake somewhere, but I distinctly remember paying my road tax, the excise tax, the airline ticket tax, defense tax and the tax to build more prisons. I’ve paid taxes for sewers, weapons for Bosnia, the Senate, former Gov. Mike Lowry’s tax increases, welfare for illegal aliens and taxes for public transportation.
I do confess, I haven’t paid my death taxes yet - but I will.
I wouldn’t dream of going fishing, owning a dog or getting married without first paying the tax. So, how come I’ve got this dollar in my pocket? Did somebody put it there to get me in trouble? Is there a tax when you find a dollar like that? I’m not sure, but I know the government is going to be sore when somebody finds out I’ve got it. Robb Millspaw Richland
Spending a matter of priorities
Yeah, that damn Newt Gingrich and nine other congressmen spent 15 grand to fly over and look at a multi-million dollar aircraft (F-22 fighter) that won’t go into production for five years. Guess it’s better to vote on and buy a pig in a poke.
Don’t forget that China isn’t throwing in the towel yet and the only reason Russia cut defense spending was because it lost the Cold War, is broke and further in debt than we are.
Since Dennis Pasquale (Letters, April 14) was worried about spending, how about the first lady and her daughter flying to Africa, for a goodwill visit and to get out of the country (spotlight) for a vacation? As I understand it, those trips costs about $5,000 to $10,000 an hour to run her around the world, sightseeing.
I guess it just depends on how you look at spending priorities. Dale S. Weiler Otis Orchards
OTHER TOPICS
Sexual harassment everywhere
There are a couple of points I would like to make regarding sexual harassment. It is true that there is sexual harassment in the military, but it is everywhere and yes, it can be stopped - some times. However, people (and journalists not by themselves) are making it sound one-sided.
There are women out in the workplace who harass men as well. Yes, it is nice to think men are strong and can stand up for themselves, but so are women. However, when your job/lifeline is on the line you tend to just take it out of fear for your future.
Second: Being prior military myself, I would like to say that sexual harassment is not as prevalent as the papers make it sound. There are many gentlemen and ladies in the military who are helpful and polite who do care about one another without sex being involved. It’s called teamwork, and it’s what makes a unit run.
People in general are not bad, but there are those who do take advantage of a situation. It is too bad that a few rotten apples (sexual harassers as well as those who say harassment happened and it didn’t) could ruin the whole barrel. Tracy M. Seganos Elk, Wash.
Internet has positive side, too
Despite the negative concerns people today have about the Internet, I for one, see it as hope for a more productive tomorrow.
There are many positive aspects when referring to the Internet. Some include: commercial services, directory services, employment, entertainment, history, electronic mail, software, on-line teaching and learning, but my personal favorites are resources and searching found on the Internet.
When given a research project, trying to find books, magazines and articles in a library can be a tedious task. But with access to the Internet, not only can one find local news and information, but news and information is available worldwide. I can research information for a project within hours using the Internet, compared to a full day’s work in the library.
I appreciate what doors the Internet has opened up for me, and I am anxious to see what is offered next. Deborah E. Bay LaCrosse, Wash.
A new vision yeah, for sure
That eulogy for Allen Ginsberg (Spokesman-Review, April 13) by Professor Emeritus Polek of Gonzaga University’s Department of English, even on sentimental grounds, really put too much syrup in the stew.
Yes, Polek, there was a time when the proprieties of poetry reading were observed in an atmosphere that sometimes was too genteel. Being cerebral was as important as being visceral is now. Being a “time for reflection and philosophical musing” wasn’t an affront to educated people or those who aspired to be.
But how refreshing that all that dishonesty should be properly savaged by a good deal of howling and trouser removal. This catches the real spirit of poetry. Even more honest, but unmentioned by Polek, were the visions of innocence while masturbating in East Harlem. Just the thing, William Blake and Walt Whitman would have said. No one, apparently, had noticed how inauthentic poetry had become before Ginsberg.
Lesson: Let’s get more brash sentiment, more ideology, more honest gimmicks and more audience participation into 21st century poetry readings. Above all, let’s get a new vision of reality.
Lord preserve me from professors emeritus! Richard H. Kelner Spokane
Thanks for supporting camp
Spokane has a wonderful community treasure available to children with cancer. The American Cancer Society’s Camp Goodtimes is held each summer on Fan Lake, north of Spokane. Children with cancer are able to spend a week riding horses, canoeing, swimming, doing various arts and crafts projects, singing camp songs and acting like kids. Many of these activities are not done when you are faced with cancer treatments, hospital visits, medical bills and the emotional stress of cancer. Camp is a place where children can go have fun, laugh, get away from it all, and just have the best week of their lives like “normal” kids.
Through local sponsorships like Foundation Northwest, the American Cancer Society is able to provide Camp Goodtimes in Spokane free of charge to campers for the 14th consecutive year. The support of Foundation Northwest touches many lives in our community enriching family after family with their caring, generous donations. We and all of the anticipated campers send a rousing thank you to Foundation Northwest for their support of Camp Goodtimes. Judy F. Morris board of directors, American Cancer Society
Article abused public safety
Journalism often confuses me. It is hard for me to comprehend the reporting of Virginia de Leon on April 13, “Explosives were easy to make.”
This staff writer has abused the personal safety of citizens with the information of that news article. We do not have to look very far to see sick people who are looking for a way to hurt others. Today we have great concern for personal safety and protection of personal property. Recent local and national studies have shown personal safety in crime to be number one with many citizens.
The bazaar and sensational are too often what reporters report, and we are sick of it. Good human interest stories also sell newspapers, why not try? Rob E. Nebergall Deer Park
Suspects aren’t getting justice
The April 6 article concerning a “Citizens Rule Book” reveals how unjust our court system has become.
I am the proud owner of this booklet and wish every American owned and read a copy of it. What your article neglected to mention is that this Citizens Rule Book includes complete copies of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I believe our elected officials have taken oaths to uphold both of these living documents.
It seems that the Constitution and Bill of Rights are being totally ignored in the case of Merrell, Barbee and Berry. Article V of the Bill of Rights ensures us that no citizen will be tried twice for the same crime. Article VI of the Bill of Rights ensures us that the accused is to have the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed. And yes, it is true: citizens must decide what’s law, and not listen to judges or their jury instructions. As Abraham Lincoln said in 1865, “We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts - not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.” Ingri L. Cassel Bonners Ferry, Idaho