Letters To The Editor

PRIGGEE CARTOON

Cartoon was morally wrong

My husband and I are raising our two children in North Idaho. The diversity of the small communities keeps life interesting. Wherever we choose to live there is always rotten apples mixed in the the barrel of decency. Milt Priggee’s not so funny, tasteless cartoon insinuating Idaho kids are Klan affiliated was morally wrong.

I realize it’s the ‘90s and freedom of speech still is in the amendments of our great Constitution, but for future cartoons please use common decency. It would be appreciated by a majority of your customers.

Diana M. Gambell Kootenai

Priggee found his target

I feel that I should come to Priggee’s defense. Priggee wasn’t ‘slamming’ the children. He was trying to get through to adults. What better way to get an adult’s attention than using children as a catalyst?

Letters to the editor proved that. Note the letters from Hayden and Coeur d’Alene. Was Priggee drawing a cartoon to reach these children? Of course not. He didn’t expect to get through to them, but he got his point across to those who do make a difference, didn’t he?

Too bad that their simple reasoning wouldn’t allow them to see what Priggee was trying to do and his method of getting through to adults. Waldo H.G. Larson Laclede

Cartoonist gives hatred its due

Wake up folks, Milt is right on the money. To those up in arms about Milt’s cartoon depicting klanhood in Jr. Bloomsday, they are there. If not in fact, in spirit.

Racial bigotry is taught, usually by parents. No kid is born hating. I was taught all the derogatory terms to refer to humans by my father, specifically taught. There are kids in every state, city and village who are being taught those same slurs right now. Not just hearing them, being taught them. Some of them were running in Jr. Bloomsday, you can bet on it.

They may not stay bigots. I didn’t, once I learned that any person who has to be assured that someone is born inferior to them to have a comfort level is the one with the problem. Rest assured, they were in the lineup. I think that is what Milt’s drawing meant to tell us.

Way to go, Milt. Dicky P. Sullivan Spokane

Who’s the racist here?

As mothers of Idaho’s children, we are outraged by Mr. Priggee’s April 13 cartoon depicting our children as racist. How could such an offensive cartoon be published in “our” Idaho Spokesman-Review?

We find Mr. Priggee’s comment insensitive, irrational and extremely offensive to the families of Idaho. As parents, we have the moral responsibility to teach our children to accept all races. Recently the public schools celebrated human dignity month. Where was the Idaho Spokesman in coverage of this event?

In one fell swoop Mr. Priggee’s poison pen has negated all our communities effort to say “no” to racism. How can Mr. Priggee take a community-spirited event such as Junior Bloomsday and find humor in the Klu Klux Klan? Who’s racist here?

To quote our governor, “The Spokesman-Review should be ashamed of itself.” Deidre O. Chadderdon, Christine G. Anderl and Carol A. Kontos Coeur d’Alene

SEXUALITY

Love transcends sexual choice

In response to Michelle Malkin’s editorial, “Book promotional, not educational,” what does she find so threatening about same-sex relationships? Why should millions of Americans have to hide who they are, who they love, simply because people like Malkin are offended?

We find it interesting that Malkin picked the two pages from “Heather Has Two Mommies” describing artificial insemination to represent the entire book. Perhaps she figured those pages would get the most reaction from her readers. Why she chose to ignore the pages depicting a loving relationship between two women - a safe, nurturing environment for a child to grow up in - we don’t know. Doesn’t make good copy, maybe. “Heather Has Two Mommies” is a favorite of our 6-year-old. American society sends a very clear message to children with gay and lesbian parents that their family is somehow less or wrong. The books Malkin refers to help dispel that message and may be the only support children get outside of their home. It is hard enough to grow up in today’s society without being oppressed by insensitive, uncaring people simply because of whom your parents love.

American society more readily accepts a husband beating his wife than a child being raised in a loving environment by a gay individual or a couple. That makes no sense to us.

Malkin, these books aren’t promoting “gay envy.” What they are promoting is inclusion, acceptance and an end to ignorance. Robert J. and Deborah R. Ramsey San Poil Human Rights League, Republic, Wash.

Pride Foundation teaches respect

Columnist Michelle Malkin of the Seattle Times complains that a Pride Foundation grant will enable Seattle’s elementary school libraries to stock some gay and lesbian children’s books. Rather than recognizing this as promoting tolerance, Malkin chooses to see this as political and “worth the vehement objections of broad-minded people.”

The books in question, however, are aimed at helping children in homes with two mommies or two daddies understand that although they are different, their households are normal and good. This contributes to the children’s self-esteem. Another aim is to encourage children in more conventional households to value diversity. Since when is it “politics” to teach respect for others?

These books make gay and lesbian households look too good for Malkin’s tolerance level.

Some Americans still believe that anyone who is not very much like themselves ought to be hidden from view for their comfort. This applies to gays and lesbians, who shouldn’t exist in any visible way. One wonders how the Malkins of our world expect to be isolated from other people with whom they lack cultural identity.

Youngsters who feel marginalized because they are different or who experience harassment and threats start to live in fear, a mental state in which learning is impossible. Litigation in Wisconsin last year has made school administrators all over the country aware of this reality and the costly consequences of disregarding it.

Sorry, Malkin, I think you lose. People can thank the Pride Foundation and other private agencies for offering help in dealing with this thorny problem. William B. Nourse Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

Officers carry a daunting burden

An article in the April 20 Spokesman-Review gave more insight into the repercussions of an officer taking a life than I have seen to date.

Some of my friends are in law enforcement and I have told them there isn’t enough money in the world for me to be a uniformed duty officer, but I do admire their dedication to their profession.

My own nightmares from Vietnam chased me for years, but mine were different. I knew that when I engaged the enemy he was trying his best to kill me, so I killed him first. Officers are, for the most part, oriented to help the citizens. When that once-in-a-lifetime situation goes to violent confrontation and the split-second adrenaline rush results in a death, it’s quite understandable the roller-coaster ride of emotions that slam into them. Even if the shooting review justifies their actions, it is the officers themselves who must justify it in their own minds. That is a burden I would never want to carry, but I do admire and respect them for their willingness to accept that responsibility. James L. Youngman Spokane

Teach nasty litterers a lesson

Driving home on Monday, I was made sick after seeing hamburger containers and napkins sprawled out in the middle of the street. What are people thinking? Perhaps they believe that someone will pick up after them.

Careless people need to be taught a lesson by all of us. If you see anyone littering, don’t ignore it. Chastise them and make then aware of what they are doing to our environment after all it has done for us. Don’t be timid, speak loudly. They deserve to be embarrassed.

When I was about 14, I dropped some gum wrappers in a park. A group of kids my age were appalled and loudly ordered me to pick them up. I was so embarrassed. Needless to say, I haven’t littered since that incident. Josie R. McCandless Spokane

SPOKANE MATTERS

Give support to Children’s Museum

When the Children’s Museum of Spokane made their debut this past fall my children were elated. They didn’t have to drive five hours to the museums in Seattle, pinned in place by their seat belts, to get their hands on fun stuff. It was right in their back yard.

They visited the Spokane Children’s Museum four times in the four short months it was open. They didn’t tire of the exhibits. They couldn’t get enough of it.

Just yesterday my son said, “Let’s go to the Children’s Museum.” (The name itself is inviting to a 7-year-old. A museum for children.) I had to tell him it was no longer there.

This week the Spokane City Council will vote whether or not to accept the Children’s Museum’s application to lease approximately 10,000 square feet of space in the train station. This beautifully renovated building offers ample parking for school buses and a 24-hour hour security system.

Many children’s museums around the country are charged nominal fees of $1 a year for their leases. In other words, children’s museums are viewed as assets to their downtown core. While they share with the schools the demands for a highly educated, workforce-ready population, children’s museums enhance other businesses and contribute to the revitalization of inner cities.

Please join me and the 600 founding member families in supporting the Children’s Museum of Spokane. Please contact City Council today and ask them to consider the Museum’s proposal for an affordable home at the train station. Meghan Nuttall Sayres Valleyford, Wash.

In the defense of advocacy

A comment on Kate McCaslin’s remarks in the April 18, Spokesman-Review:

Another word to think about along with adequate and zealous, is unethical. Would it be unethical for a public defender to not provide his client with the best defense he is capable of? After all, a defense attorney’s job is to defend a client. Steve L. Olson Spokane

Story was moving, touching

Thank you very much for publishing the story “Ruben’s gift” in your Sunday edition. It was without a doubt one of the most touching and moving pieces I have ever read. In a decade and a generation of “me, me, me!” it is truly awesome to see such an act of selflessness on the part of his mother. God bless you, Ms. Pena. Ryan C. Grant Cheney