Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Streets mostly good, maintained well

Fie on those who wish additional money to be spent on street repair. Let them harken back to earlier days when our streets were in infinitely worse shape than at present, and be thankful for clean and mostly smooth driving.

Let them open their eyes and notice the crews constantly repairing our streets. Let them realize that there are far more important and worthwhile areas that need funds in our city. Let them slow their cars a wee bit and go around the occasional rough spots. Mary H. Richardson Spokane

City workers’ response great

I’d like to get some public recognition of some really good performance by our Spokane city workers.

On the afternoon of July 1, I happened to contact one of our city workers who was supervising some of the streetsweeping just off Five Mile Drive. I asked him which city department should I notify about a hole that was developing in the street next to the drywell for water runoff. He volunteered to make the report for me to the appropriate department.

That was nice enough, but what was even better was that the wastewater management people came out the very next day to fix the problem.

So, this taxpayer certainly feels pretty good today about the responsiveness of our city workers. My feeling is that my experience is probably pretty typical. I’m sure that our city workers, by and large, are doing very good work in a very responsive manner. But, it’s human nature to dwell on things that don’t go our way and to complain more often than praise. Charles E. Latimer Spokane

Business overlooks key question

Wouldn’t it be inspiring if a decision was made on the basis of need, as opposed to convenience or profit?

Recently, the area across from Wandermere Shopping Center was cleared to make way for the new Fred Meyer store, approximately 10 minutes from the Fred Meyer on Francis.

Why do we Americans fail to ask ourselves, “Do we really need it?” Will this new store really solve any currant problems such as traffic on our streets?

If there is one attribute that distinguishes an area as beautiful, it is the trees, along with the space that sustains those trees.

As human beings, we need aesthetic beauty in our environments for true quality of life. We must begin to see the value in mere space and patches of land untouched by human influences. Otherwise, our surrounding environment will be eaten up for mere convenience and profits for a few. Tracee B. Jenson Spokane

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

Stewart gone but memories endure

In his passing, Jimmy Stewart leaves many of us with very powerful memories. The Lord will show him even greener pastures. And prevaricator’s Texas whitefaces come next spring.

My salute to one hell of a man. Mark Ramsey Spokane

Show Tyson the door

I don’t care if Mike Tyson is black, purple, white or green, he should be booted out of the sport of boxing. Forgiven, yes, but kicked out and humiliated.

Look what happened to Pete Rose. He didn’t do anything to the sport of baseball. All he did was gamble, and look what happened to him. Tomas A. Hunton Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Republicans didn’t hit on Jones

Republicans get blamed for everything in this town. Last time, it was slavery. Now, it’s Paula Jones. Ernestene D. Becker (“Enough of Jones and Republicans,” Letters, 1 July) accuses the Republicans of convincing Jones to “go after” President Clinton.

The Republicans didn’t invent Paula Jones, and I’m unaware of any Republican plot to have her sue Clinton. Quite honestly, most Republicans don’t relish the thought of our nation’s highest elected official being sued for soliciting oral sex any more than Becker does, although their grief is more for the respect of the office and for our country than for Clinton himself.

If you must blame someone for Clinton’s current embarrassment, however, you should really blame him. Congress has been trying to pass some meaningful tort reform since the Republicans gained the majority. President Clinton keeps vetoing it to repay all those trial lawyers who gave so generously to his campaign.

If the United States operated under the English law system that requires the loser to pay the winner’s costs, perhaps Jones would have thought a bit more about filing her suit if it’s as flimsy as Becker seems to think it is.

Becker also mentions dropping out of the women’s lib movement if those in it support Jones. Well, that would be a shame. I’m sure she’ll miss those trips back to Boston to campaign for Ted Kennedy, that champion of women’s rights. Hal R. Dixon Spokane

Always open season on taxpayers

A couple of years ago, apparently, there were extra tax funds - paid by you and me - left lying around. So some elected officials decided that instead of giving taxpayers a break, or even a refund, they ought to spend that money.

The ideal way was relocation of the timberwolf. It was perfect. The public would like the thought of bringing an almost extinct breed back to the United States. So they went to Canada, trapped the majestic Canadian timberwolves, brought them out of their natural environment and stuck them into pens in Yellowstone National Park, so that they could adapt.

Once released, the timberwolves proceeded on instinct. They marked areas as their own territory. They started looking for mates, and for food for themselves and their families.

The problem those elected heads of office thought could be handled now arises. What are they going to do now?

Instead of leaving well enough alone, they have decided to destroy those majestically wild creatures, saying now that the wolves are unadaptable. They figure the taxpayers don’t care how their hard-earned money is spent. So, they won’t return the wolves to where the wolves belong. They will instead just exterminate them. James A. Williams Spokane

Corporations target Social Security

I notice how some of our multinational giants (IBM, American Express and countless banks and brokerages) are spending huge sums to encourage members of Congress to to privatize our Social Security system.

Wake up, America. Wall Street is feeling another 1929 crash coming and wants us to infuse it with our Social Security money.

All senior citizens and seniors-to-be better stand up and be counted. Tell your representative to leave social security where it is and let Wall Street interests lick their own wounds. Anthony A. De Biase Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

Sign language interpreting a profession

I was very disturbed after reading the article portraying Holly Doughty, a recent REAL graduate. In the June 2 article, it was stated that she is a sign language interpreter and works on-call at Sacred Heart Medical Center.

No one could become an interpreter after taking a couple of high school courses. Certainly, a Spanish- or Laotian-speaking interpreter would never be expected, or allowed, to act as an interpreter after a couple of courses. Interpreters are expected to go through a rigorous training program at the college level and pass a difficult exam to receive certification from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID). There is a professional code of ethics that interpreters must abide by.

Deaf people must overcome many obstacles in life, the most difficult being myths and misconceptions. At the very least, we want to be able to communicate in a clear manner. An ASL interpreter is relied on to voice our thoughts and ideas. The interpreter must translate for us the hearing world. In the most important job of communication, only the trained and proficient interpreter can be trusted.

I applaud Doughty for her effort to learn sign language. She has a good start, like many high school students across the country. I hope that she and other high school students will continue their interest in ASL and consider interpreting as a profession. Elise Holliday Spokane

Jacoby column most helpful

I hope all the readers carefully studied syndicated columnist Jeff Jacoby’s column on the Bible and justice (June 28). It was so enlightening! I opened my Bible and again read Exodus 21 and more. Yes, there is confusion about the meaning of “an eye for an eye.” Justices make decisions that require wisdom. Knowledge of the law, experience and prayer are vital. Knowledge is from man but wisdom comes from God. Eileen L. Wilson Spokane