Letters To The Editor

Wed., May 7, 1997

WASHINGTON STATE

Fund hardball, not football

Our Legislature is asking us to spend $300 million for a football stadium in Seattle. We need prisons to contain vicious criminals a lot more than we need sports.

A ballot for the approval of the stadium is due June 17. Let’s put off the sports until we can make our streets safe for honest people. Don’t play games - fight crime. R.K. Merrick Loon Lake, Wash.

Easy to see what health insurers want

Re: “Veto preserves health insurance access,” April 28:

Congratulations to Gov. Gary Locke for having the courage to stand up to the health insurance industry by vetoing House Bill 2018, a bill written and sponsored by an insurance industry executive.

By sponsoring that bill, the industry admitted it’s not committed to the awesome responsibility of delivering health care in the United States. Therefore, we have no choice but to forge ahead with a national system that guarantees health care for all citizens at a reasonable cost.

As we work on this complicated task, let’s hope the insurance industry doesn’t again resort to scare tactics in its feeble attempts to circumvent a national health plan. Pamela Wolfrum Spokane

Locke health insurance decisions wise

Gov. Gary Locke’s veto of most of House Bill 2018, the state health insurance law, is a good first step toward a single-payer health plan.

Consider the fact that Canada spends 4 percent of its health-care dollars on insurance and administration, compared with 20 percent in the United States.

Competition among multiple insurance companies has increased the cost of health care instead of reducing it. A single-payer approach would reduce insurance premiums for everyone and enable the poor to be covered by insurance. Lower cost in universal coverage is a worthwhile goal. Wayne S. Limber Spokane

SPOKANE MATTERS

We don’t want city fleet facility

I would like to comment on Doug Floyd’s April 10 article concerning the city’s proposed fleet maintenance yard, put forth as a neighbor to Logan Elementary School.

As a resident of that neighborhood, I take pride in the area. We have fought to maintain a decent living environment even though we are about as close to inner city as it comes. This hasn’t been easy. Because we are centrally located, there is a temptation to dump operations such as a fleet maintenance facility nearby.

We have lived near the current, much smaller city operation and it has not been good to us or the environment. The neighborhood is full of exhaust fumes and the ground next to the city wells is full of heavy metals and petroleum products - by the city’s own admission.

We have proposed alternatives to our site that make much more sense. We don’t want this in our back yard because ours is a residential neighborhood. We want fleet maintenance where it belongs: in an industrial zone, where it would be welcome. Anthony P. Davis Spokane

Property valuable for city, too

Now that the value of $2.1 million has been established for the Ronalds’ riverfront property, it’s important to assure the tax rolls reflect that amount. David D. Emerson Spokane

Wanted: benefactor for city

What most caught my eye 15 years ago when I came to Spokane were the wonderful city parks. All of us owe a great debt to those forward-thinking people who made possible such delightful places as Manito, Corbin, Riverfront and Cannon Hill parks.

Now, it seems we are in need of some visionaries to take a similar step by purchasing the land between the downtown library and river and giving that land to the city. This land affords an exquisite view of the falls, which is a highlight for all our visitors. Now is the time to assure that future generations can enjoy those falls that have attracted people for centuries. Robert M. Stevenson Spokane

Keep strollers to the rear

It would be nice if the Bloomsday folks would enforce the rule that all strollers must start at the rear of the red area. It would at least give the rest of us a fighting chance at avoiding being run over. Garry R. Matlow Spokane

REMEMBRANCE

Hammond inspired so many

As a graduate of Project Self-Sufficiency, I will dearly miss Betty Hammond. She was an inspiration to many women and her words will continue to live within us! Alice M. Polignoni Spokane Valley

IN THE REGION

Jazz event ‘a great experience’

I thank The Spokesman Review and Spokane Jazz Orchestra for giving our community a great gift. The recent “We Came to Play” concert at Colville High School was such a great experience, not only for our community but also for our aspiring musicians who played with them.

As the parent of a trombone player in the Colville High School Jazz Band, I believe this was a great chance for my son and the other band members to be exposed to professional musicians and make contacts that may help the young musicians in their future careers. It also gave them another interpretation of the music they play every day.

The audience was made up of not only band parents, but also of many other community members who took advantage of easy access to this type of entertainment. Although Colville is not that far from Spokane, it is not easy to get to concerts there as they are mostly in the evening and the drive can get to be very late. Concerts like this need to be done more often for outlying areas.

We have a strong support system here for our music department. We are very proud of our musicians. All their concerts are standing room only (I have quite a video collection).

I really hope this event will happen again in our area, as I felt it was a success for everyone involved. Thanks to you all. Diane E. Wood Colville, Wash.

Golf course need not cause problems

Regarding the April 17 article about the Washington State University golf course expansion (“WSU plan to expand golf course upsets residents”), the Pullman Men’s Golf Association fully supports expansion of the WSU golf course.

Many universities have 18-hole golf courses that draw visitors to their campuses. We believe this will greatly enhance recreational opportunities for WSU, the city of Pullman and surrounding areas and will be a great asset for the community.

As the article pointed out, however, there is some opposition to expanding the golf course. If the golf course expansion is designed properly, it can properly address the concerns expressed in the article. Roundtop Park should be preserved and the golf course should be designed so that it does not impact the park.

Other valid concerns not publicly expressed yet involve environmental issues that a golf course can impact, such as water conservation and wildlife habitat. Golf courses can be designed to minimize impact on water use and can actually improve wildlife habitat by use of native trees and shrubs. Examples of environmentally friendly courses are Desert Canyon in Wenatchee and Cross Water in Bend, Ore.

WSU is recognized as a major agricultural research institution. We are confident the university is up to the challenge of creating a golf course that can serve as an example for the entire nation. Gene S. Patterson, president Pullman Men’s Golf Association

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

Positive accentuated very well

What a great commentary (“A presidential moment for father and son”) by editor Chris Peck on the April 27 “Perspective” page! What a great message for all children from President Clinton.

What a positive atmosphere for the development of our children, if we could just keep the focus on what we are for, rather than what we are against.

I agree with Peck; our children do not need to learn about political scandals. Rather, they need to be inspired to find out what their special talents are and to use those talents to make a difference. Each child has a special gift to give to the world.

A concentrated effort to help children understand how important it is to be for a cause rather than against a cause changes the negative into a positive. Instead of being against war, be for peace. Instead of being against poverty, be for prosperity. Instead of joining the war on drugs, be for purity in our youth.

Judging and focusing on the mistakes of others (scandals) takes a great deal of energy that could be focused on positive ideas like the ones President Clinton gave to Cody Peck.

Thanks for sharing your “positive dad moment,” Chris. Kathy M. Blanch Spokane

Judgments about older mother faulty

I find viewpoints to be so narrow regarding the 63-year-old woman who recently gave birth via the University of Southern California’s IVS program. When Anthony Quinn, Tony Randall or any other male over the age of 60 fathers a child, they are treated to a wink, nudge or slap on the shoulder congratulating their studly abilities.

There is great concern over who will raise this child eventually. Well, IVS is a costly procedure and I have no doubt somebody financially prepared for that can be prepared to also send this child to college and provide for its future. As people take umbrage over this issue, I’m so disappointed that the opposite end of this spectrum doesn’t generate as much discussion and outrage.

Even as 13-year-old Kristin Wille expressed her outrage on April 25, “Parenthood needs age limit,” many 13-year-olds are in labor or delivering babies. Who will raise those children? Pretty much grandparents, foster care and us, through our tax dollars going to the state Department of Social and Health Services.

I’m sorry there is nothing regulating reproduction in underaged children. I’m confident that the 63-year-old mom and her husband have just welcomed a much-wanted child into their lives. I wish them the best. Julie S. Smith Spokane

Sex given too-central prominence

Re: “Good things come to those who wait,” “Our view,” May 1:

My main problem with that editorial is its obsession with sex. It implies sex or sexual abstinence while dating plays a crucial role in the marriage thereafter.

To some extent, I can agree: If one party is HIV-positive or already has kids, I would not consider him or her real good marriage material. But if somebody has sex before marriage, be it he or she, that marriage can still be a big success.

Marriage is not about love shaped by Hollywood or “faith” standards that talk about love in terms of sex. Marriage is about the love of builders who are building a tower. Typically, it’s children who are that tower.

Sex is important, as is good health, but neither should be a cornerstone of a good marriage.

Yes, one implication is that even sex outside of marriage will not bring a good marriage down: The heart of the builder is with the tower.

That’s why I think President Clinton is much more of a family man (he allegedly had a long-lasting affair but did not divorce) than Rush Limbaugh (divorced twice) or Donald Trump.

Sex is here for us to enjoy and so is chastity, as D.F. Oliveria correctly pointed out. But they are both highly personal choices. To make them public, let alone a vehicle of political movement, seems strange. In other words, a citywide abstinence convention appears to me as right as a citywide convention of people who do “it” every Saturday night. Peter C. Dolina Veradale

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