Letters To The Editor

IDAHO VIEWPOINTS

Need help on the water? Good luck

The other morning, looking out the window at a man in a sailboat on Kootenai Bay, I watched the boat capsize. He was about halfway out in the lake between Kootenai Bay and Gold Mountain.

I called the sheriff’s office. The dispatch officer said there was no one on duty with a boat. She said she would call the marina to try and get some help. I called the marina as well. No one was available.

Then, the sheriff’s office called on the radio and said that a deputy sheriff was one the way. I assumed it was from Sandpoint, a five minute boat ride.

My neighbor had finally gotten another neighbor to help her get her boat out. They were heading for the upside-down swimmer.

I called the sheriff’s boat on the radio to tell them everything was OK. That’s when I learned the officer was coming clear from Garfield Bay and was still not in sight.

I think it’s appalling that there was no one at this end of the lake to help. The responding deputy did the best he could, but was a good 30 minutes away. Now our commissioners are taking about further tying the hands of the officers by cutting more of the budget.

I encourage everyone to write the commissioners and express your concerns about this situation. Dale Snipes Sandpoint

Parade well worth the wait

It was July 19 and hot. We family representatives shifted uncomfortably, loosening the grip of plastic lawn chairs from bare, sweating flesh.

“What time will it start?” Grandma asked a third time.

“They said 10.” My watch read 10:33. She humphed in discontent.

Greg, our son, was to demonstrate his drumming skills, more finely honed in the Lakeland summer band. The wait was taking its toll.

“I could be cleaning my kitchen right now,” Grandma sighed.

“Canning cherries,” I added.

“Floating the St. Joe,” an auntie murmured wistfully.

Finally, one hour later than expected, a siren whoopwhooped. The Rathdrum Days parade began.

As far as parades go, this parade isn’t much. There are probably as many in it as watching it. We may not have known all the names of those we shouted, waved to and cheered, but we recognized the faces. They were our friends, our neighbors.

Just for us, clowns capered, flags waved, horses pranced and veterans proudly marched. A live-action reader board of Rathdrum businesses walked, drove or pedaled past. The Bible school sang. The DARE officer blared “Bad Boys” for us.

The local day care center children gaped at us. Fire trucks whooped, ambulances wailed, princesses waved … for us.

And, requiring a full roll of film, my son and the summer band played the music of angels.

We went home smiling, glad we had come. Just goes to show everyone does love a parade, especially a friendly, little one. Marilyn J. Roberge Rathdrum

SPOKANE MATTERS

Don’t bridge river, obscure ‘jewel’

I had never attended a city forum or written a letter of objection - until now. It took the past five or six months for the full horror of discovery to begin to shake loose the cemented isolationist thinking that blinded. Slowly, the realization dawned: personal responsibility and commitment were needed immediately! The danger is imminent to something so dear that could be lost forever.

Fellow citizens of Spokane, my hometown for 46 years, the issue is now before us. Please rise and answer the call. Do not let anyone put a bridge across our beloved Spokane falls!

This, our giant jewel, must be treasured and protected always. Never to be built across at its most beautiful center, but rather displayed in sacred honor so Spokane and its guests can forever gather at its edges, viewing this river’s splendor.

If you share these feelings, join in. Make known your displeasure and desire to see a different direction taken. Voice new suggestions - now! Erasing a plan drawn on paper is far more achievable than physically removing a fully constructed bridge. Suzanne Johns Spokane

Park I see is in great shape

A letter writer recently complained about the poor job of park maintenance this summer in Spokane’s parks. I want to respond with a description of the maintenance job for the past two months in Webster Park, a small city park across the street from my home in Northwest Spokane.

The care of this park has been superlative this summer. Watering has kept the park green and it receives its weekly grass clipping. A small softball diamond in one corner of the park has been maintained well and its sandy play area is clean and neat.

In short, the Spokane Parks Department has been performing its maintenance task extremely well in this small Northwest park. George I. Werner Spokane

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Physical examination cost punishing

Are we de-evolving to the haves and the have nots?

I’m not sure if this problem applies to the Spokane area - I suspect that it may - but it certainly does in the Coeur d’Alene area.

As a single mother trying to make ends meet on highend poverty wages, I am appalled that I was charged $317.51 to undergo a “routine” physical. Being a new patient, I can somewhat understand that I may have to pay a little bit more to set up my file. However, I did not even see the doctor - only one of her nurse practitioners. I’m convinced that maybe nurses know as much, if not more, than the physician does, but no one ought to be charged that much money for something as simple as a physical.

I do have insurance, as well as a wellness rider, but my deductible is $200 and the rider pays only up to $100 per calendar year.

If doctors are no longer in their profession for the old altruistic reasons - people’s health - but for what insurance money they can recover, then the consumer has every right to not tolerate price gouging. Good grief - just think if there was something really wrong!

I can see that my children and I will not be able to afford the luxury of a family physician. Doctors who charge nearly a half month’s wages (which is what I was charged) ought to be ashamed of themselves. I can see the days of socialized medicine approaching. Karen L. VanDyke Coeur d’Alene

People, community are valuable assets

Your recent series of articles regarding Spokane vs. Seattle brings to mind a series of events that many local employees of US West Communications have been very conscious of lately.

Around 1992, the company decided it would be in its best interest to centralize many of its offices and functions, moving the work to larger cities, or “megacenters.” Employees were given a choice: Follow your work to Seattle, Denver, Boise, Omaha, etc., or take a chance on getting a different job that still exists here in Spokane.

Many people felt pressured, and moved to secure their job. However, about 60 or so employees refused to leave our beloved city of Spokane. We chose to stay here and risk being laid off.

We feel the quality of life in Spokane is worth staying here for and worth fighting for.

As it turned out, the company recognized what a fantastic work force Spokane provides and has chosen to keep certain jobs here - partially because so many of us refused to leave.

That says a lot for our community and for the people of Spokane. There are lots of other reasons for keeping a business in a local community. We hope US West will continue to realize and other corporations will recognize the value of a local work force, of how a strong sense of community is important to the city’s survival. Kathy L. Speller Spokane

City has conscience; businesses don’t

I read your front page report, “Berkeley running on empty” (July 25), with interest, noting the sarcastic jibe at the California community’s social conscience in your headline.

The piece missed the real story, which is not the quandary created by Berkeley’s conscience but the fact so few businessmen and capitalists have any conscience at all. Or that their conscience is directed only by the bottom line.

How can a cigarette CEO, for example, continue in good conscience in a business that addicts, then damages and kills so many Americans each year? If these cigarette producers are not criminals, we ought to open the prison cells and free all the drug dealers.

The only thing wrong with capitalism is that it has so little conscience. If Berkeley could find an honest oil company, it would find a gasoline supply to purchase and we would all be filled with delight. George T. Thomas Spokane

Should USPS do merchandising?

Is it right, moral or ethical for the U.S. Postal Service to vend hats, jackets and other such paraphernalia in competition with taxpaying, permit-holding and licensebuying merchants. I’m referring to the Bugs Bunny merchandise, in particular, and probably about a lot of other stuff, too.

Certain types of service seem essential and convenient, but even with boxes and tape, I wonder if the Postal Service should be providing such material at a price lower than the local vendors.

In a parallel vein, does the Postal Service rebate the states and communities for a loss of sales tax revenue? Joseph A. Dufresne Northport, Wash.

THE ENVIRONMENT

Corporations, agency out of control

Thank you for Tim Coleman’s revealing guest column (Roundtable, July 28) on the Forest Service’s proposed plan for managing Columbia Basin public lands.

Where’s the debate on this subject? These are supposed to be our public lands. But as usual, the government, especially the Forest Service, continues to degrade our natural heritage (at a loss to taxpayers, but not to big corporations), while Northwest residents are effectively left out of the management process. To make it worse, while our public lands are being ravaged and abused in the name of the corporate bottom line, we are inundated daily with slick radio and TV ads about what great stewards of the land Boise Cascade is.

Coleman’s points are well-made. This Columbia Basin project seems to be just another example of how the government is run by politics and money, not people. It emphasizes the fact that the Forest Service is a bureaucracy run amok. How else can they justify their actions when their scientists say we need to change public lands management in order to save and restore what’s left of our ecosystems? Kim L. Bailey Spokane

What’s wild is lapse in logic

A few years ago, there was an elk in our neighborhood, which we enjoyed. The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife came out and captured her, leaving her calf to die, because neighbors complained that she was eating their roses.

Now we have a family of coyotes. Some children near us got their first pet, a kitten. It was heartbreaking to see them go through the loss of that kitten they loved so totally to the coyotes. Now, many more pets are gone.

The coyote pups were in the children’s play yard of one home for over an hour the other day. Their mother sought help from the Wildlife Department, saying that although coyotes don’t usually attack people, they might hurt her children to protect their pups. The agency replied that she should be glad the coyotes are there because they are ridding the neighborhood of porcupines and skunks!

Our quail, squirrels, pheasants, ducks and other wildlife are about gone, too. What’s more important, prized roses or cherished pets and children’s safety? Kay W. Anderson Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

Lawyer misses key point of executing

Re: “Lawyer a lifeline for death row dwellers” (July 20).

Anti-death penalty lawyer Joan Fisher’s sanctimonious claim regarding death row inmates that, “A defense attorney is probably the only one who sees this person as a human being…” shows just how far out of touch she is with informed public opinion on the subject.

Most of us who support the death penalty absolutely acknowledge the humanity of those we wish to see executed. We simply refuse to surrender society’s right to strike back with finality against those who behave as beasts among us.

The fact that the death penalty can be applied unevenly is a problem we should all seek to solve. In the meantime, it lessens the guilt of death row inmates not a jot. It certainly should have no force when used as an argument to slow the application of the penalty to those whose willful acts earn it.

If there was any chance of misinterpreting Fisher’s adherence to discredited liberal dogma, it is removed by another quote, “And unless you see how the system works, you can’t make valid judgments on it.” That’s right Fisher, blame ‘the system,’ ignore the victims and don’t judge the past crimes and dark dreams of your guilty-assin clients. Daniel A. Blanco Moscow, Idaho

Abortion biggest abuse of all

Re: Golden pen on July 28. I, too, am saddened by the number of violent crimes against infants, toddlers and children. We must teach our children and adolescents that we do not tolerate this abuse. However, do you not think it is due in large measure to our “pro-choice” society and growing tolerance for abortion since it was legalized in 1973?

There were 1,160,581 American, combat-related deaths in all our wars, through Vietnam. There were 34 million American innocents aborted as of 1997. Clara J. House Spokane

Your child is your responsibility

Re: Miranda C. Hale’s July 20, letter, “New law for teen mothers absurd.”

Hale says that if a woman wishes to have a child, she should have full support from society. I don’t think so. Why should I, as a member of society, have to open my wallet every time some woman chooses to have a baby? Their children are not the responsibility of the rest of us. Hale also says legislators should not define what is appropriate. It’s not appropriate for her to have a child and expect society to take care of that child.

Hale’s liberal mentality is what is wrong with America today. She wants to make her own choices, but then she wants her neighbor to foot the bill. Get a life! William A. Hall Spokane

Goodbye to an outstanding friend

I would like to pay tribute to an old friend, attorney Carl Maxey. Few knew about his humble beginnings. A few of us old timers who knew him as a child trying to grow up and survive in Spokane did.

He stayed with my parents for a while as a child until other arrangements were made for him. As he grew into manhood, Maxey never used the excuse of his dysfunctional background to become bitter or turn to crime, as so many young people do. They do crimes, then use their childhood environment as a reason why. That’s why, when I reflect back on Maxey’s life, as I knew it, the title of “champion” that was bestowed upon him seems truly befitting.

At a time when young black men were easily discouraged for the smallest reason, he found the courage to push on, trying to make something of himself and make somebody proud of him. But there was no mom or siblings to give him big hugs and pats on the back and say, “Well done, my brother, my son.”

The display of affection for Carl shown at the Ridpath Hotel July 21 summed it up for all of us who knew him. As Rev. “Happy” Watkins finalized it so eloquently, “After his struggle up the rough side of the mountain, Carl is free at last.”

Goodbye, Carl Maxey, old friend. Doris Mae Aaron Spokane