Letters To The Editor
HEALTH AND SAFETY
‘Toxic nightmare’ real, downplayed
Editorial writer D.F. Oliveria’s editorial of April 21, “Toxic soup talk is only talk,” is true. The problem with Oliveria is that he can’t seem to (or refuses to) see the absolute truth.
Qualified people have been studying the effects of the 50-some years of mining in the Coeur d’Alenes and have come to the conclusion that the mine has been a toxic nightmare for the residents of that area. Once rich farmlands have been abandoned. Many children have high lead levels in their bodies that will cause shortened lives and mental problems.
Divers probing the bottom of Lake Coeur d’Alene have found, as they describe, a mess of toxic wastes from the mine. Forty percent of U.S. waters (lakes and streams) are polluted, according to recent studies.
Yes, the Spokane River is polluted. Tests show that Spokane River fish are not safe to eat.
The Cowles family has long supported the mining industry. Oliveria, as usual, spouts off about problems that he knows little about. A.K. Stirling Spokane
Millions of tons? Not likely
An article on April 25 (“Washington funds mine waste study”) refers to “millions of tons of lead, cadmium and zinc.”
Millions is a good, round figure that just rolls off your tongue. I never cease to be amazed by this word. If it was 2 million, as the author insinuated by using the word in the plural form, this would amount to 1.095 50-ton carloads of pure metal going into the river everyday for the last 100 years. I also doubt that the companies that were mining would have let this amount of mineral escape.
As long as we are talking pollution and financing the cleanup of the aftermath, I suggest we look at where the money generated by these mining operations went. It is common knowledge that a very large portion went to the people of Spokane, to build the fair city.
Let’s also take another look at pollution, a large dose of which Idaho received last Sunday on the gentle breeze from Washington State. I wonder how much radioactive material came to Idaho from this dust storm. Starting in the late 1930’s, this material was released to waft over our state.
I would like for our esteemed governor to petition our lawmakers to appropriate money to sue the state of Washington, the federal government and all the companies that were involved in this. We need lots of money to find out why we have so many potential health problems in Idaho. Marvin C. Lake Kellogg, Idaho
Brain disorders deserve fair coverage
Mental Health Awareness Month is an appropriate time to call attention to inequities in mental health insurance coverage for “mental illness.”
Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy and schizophrenia are all brain disorders, but only the first three are covered adequately by insurance. This discrimination is based on the profound misperception that diseases like schizophrenia are behavioral problems rather than treatable medical conditions.
Myths and misinformation persist in the classification of the brain disorders schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), major depressive disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic disorder, as purely mental in origin. Thanks to major scientific advances, researchers have identified several biological factors that are among the causes of brain disorders.
In any given year, about 5 million Americans suffer from a severe form of a brain disorder. Forty percent of these individuals do not seek treatment, oftentimes because they are either not covered by insurance or because they do not believe they can be helped.
While they cannot be cured, brain disorders can certainly be treated just as effectively - and in many cases more successfully - than other medical problems. For example, bipolar disorder treatment has an 80 to 90 percent success rate, as compared to 45 to 50 percent for cardiovascular disease.
It’s no secret that brain disorders are shrouded in stigma. For centuries they have been misunderstood, feared, hidden and often ignored. It is time for us to eradicate this ignorance. Without informed public support, insurance companies will continue their discriminatory practices. Gerri Graber-Wilson Spokane Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Spangle, Wash.
SPOKANE MATTERS
Calculating a Spokane travesty
A tragedy is being played out at Manito Park. It’s not the ice storm and resulting damage but the city’s shortsighted response to that disaster.
Guided by actuaries who foresee an insurance risk, the city parks department quietly decided to topple 15 of the 20 stately willow trees around the duck pond.
At a public meeting under one of those very “dangerous” trees, the parks manager brushed aside all arguments that the trees should be given a reprieve. A branch could fall at any minute, was the reply. Although these trees had survived the great ice storm, they were now a safety threat.
Incredibly, the insurance experts who determined that the trees must fall could as easily calculate how unlikely a happenstance it would be that a falling branch from any given tree would land anywhere near a person. The chances are infinitesimal. Still, the city decided to destroy a wonderful community resource based solely upon a risk as elusive as the wind.
What a joy that Spokane’s founders weren’t driven by the same actuarial spirit, but rather the dream to build a place in which people would want to live. Had they been, the great, stately trees that make children smile and provide shade from summer heat, that make Spokane a livable city, wouldn’t exist. They would have, at the outset, been considered too great a risk.
Spokane enjoys a rich legacy. Before we destroy our trees further, I suggest we put our calculators away, look up and see what we’re losing. Karl Van Amburg Spokane
Gonzaga teaches respect, not racism
I am a former graduate of Gonzaga University, as are my brother and two sisters. I share the frustration the administration and students at Gonzaga have concerning the racial hate promoted by a few anonymous people.
I know firsthand that the university’s strong Jesuit tradition has always nurtured respect for all religious and ethnic groups. Racism has never been tolerated at Gonzaga.
The student community on campus and the local community should not pre-judge the unfortunate anonymous criminal acts of a few until the culprits are apprehended and brought to justice, and their secret motives are disclosed.
The culprits may be racists, mentally ill or perhaps even minority members looking for publicity. In any event, we should let school authorities and local law enforcement and the FBI do their job to bring the perpetrators to justice. John Cooney Spokane
Expo ‘97 powerfully constructive
Congratulations to Mike Murphy, Lucy Gurnea and all of the crew at Associated Industries on Expo ‘97, The Environmental Forum for Business.
The trade show and the four major conferences: Designing and Building for the Next Century; Growth Management and Sustainability; Green Power, the Color of Money; and the Inland Northwest Water Resource Conference, were outstanding. Particular notice should be given the speakers at this conference.
David Crockett’s presentation on Chattanooga’s strategy for using environment and sustainability to transform itself from the dirtiest city in the nation to one that has become a model for United States, should have been a must for our regional leadership.
Joel Makower’s speech showered us with evidence that sustainability is the essential planning theme for our economy.
The address of William McDonough, dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia, on designing and building for the new century, was a profound analysis of how we should design our structures for a resource-efficient future. He is an exceptional thinker and doer whose clients include Nike, Wal-Mart, the White House and several foreign governments. His listeners will be influenced for the rest of their lives by what he said.
Spokane hosted a World’s Fair on the Environment. Ours is a city charting its future. As such, we all need to take advantage of the experiences and concepts of these remarkable thinkers. Jim H. Lynch, new products manager Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute
IN THE PAPER
Big moment marred by hypocrisy
As I read editor Chris Peck’s April 27 column, “A presidential moment for father and son,” I was amused at how far Peck could stretch and justify his fluffy question to President Clinton.
If House Speaker Newt Gingrich had been accused of everything that Clinton has, can you imagine Peck’s outrage? Can you imagine if past presidents Bush or Reagan were speaking? I have no doubt there would have been an embarrassing question on Iran-Contra or some other liberal hysteria.
Peck has written columns on his confusion of character in today’s world. Peck may be confused about character but he has hypocrisy down pat. He just stamped that forever onto his son.
Peck thinks that the people of Washington state should vote on a new stadium for the Seahawks. But have you heard him or The Spokesman-Review once claim that right for the people of Spokane concerning the city’s connection to Cowles’ parking garage?
All of us have contradictions in our lives, but most of us try not to blare our ignorance out for our neighbors to hear.
If Peck wants his son to be a good citizen, he must teach him by example. In all of the answers that Clinton gave, none were about honesty. None concerned hypocrisy. You don’t teach your son about character or thrift by taking him to hear a bank robber. James C. Allen Spokane
Focusing on what’s really helpful
I was elated by two great columns, back to back, by Opinion editor John Webster (“Hold the spit and extend the hand”) and editor Chris Peck (“A presidential moment for father and son”) on April 27.
I commend Peck for resisting the opportunity to embarrass the president, perhaps realizing that even democracy is imperfect and that the structure of politics, corporate America and special interests requires financial influence to compete. I imagine that most Americans realize this factor. So actually, it boils down to who is the most spiritual leader. Obviously, President Clinton has done a remarkable job in this area. Community spirit is the primary ingredient for a better community and a stronger nation.
Webster illustrates well that anger has never accomplished anything good in society. After all the wars and destruction in history, the opposing parties still had to sit down and find a point of compromise.
We all experience anger throughout life. How we deal with it is what separates winners from losers and winning communities from losing communities.
If we fail to instill the winning spirit in our youths, they will be destined to failure - as will our nation.
Our community is striving for spirit. There is a limit to that which individuals can accomplish. There is no limit to what a community, acting in unison, can accomplish collectively. Allan Le Tourneau Spokane
PEOPLE IN SOCIETY
Vaunting intolerance, muddling crime
Editorial writer D.F. Oliveria says those of us who would like an end to prejudice against homosexuals have some sort of anti-Christian agenda.
I am a Christian. I want my children to learn that there is no room for prejudice and discrimination in this world. It’s important that we raise our children with the understanding that the kind of intolerance and hatred exhibited by Oliveria is unacceptable.
My daughter has a friend whose mother is a lesbian. This child lives with her mother and her mother’s partner. They are a very loving couple and I’m happy that my daughter has had the opportunity to see these people as the normal, caring parents they are.
Oliveria compares the horror of pedophilia with adultery, promiscuity, profanity, sexual innuendo, nudity, masturbation and homosexuality. What kind of mind equates the love exhibited by two consenting adults with the victimization of children at the hands of a predator? This releases the pedophile from the stigma and guilt of his or her crime.
It further victimizes these children by telling them that what was done to them against their will was no worse than what loving, consenting adults do among themselves.
What does Oliveria think the purpose “promoting homosexuality” is? When Ellen came out of the closet, did people everywhere think, Wow! I always thought I liked the opposite sex, but I must have been wrong. I think I’ll join that gay club! Later, I can recruit someone else and earn that toaster oven!
Perhaps all the “cultural elite” are trying to promote is understanding and acceptance. Deborah Lawrence Hale Greenacres
Slam at homosexuals unjustified
I cannot say how dismayed I am that a thoughtful professional like editorial writer D.F. Oliveria - presumably a well-educated man - would exhibit such sentiments about gays as he did in his May 2 editorial (“Ultimately, they’ll embrace pedophilia,” From both sides).
I realize that pedophilia and homosexuality arouse similar sentiments in many people and that they are therefore emotionally linked. However, rational, reasonable people have examined homosexuality and found nothing to be afraid or contemptuous of. Plenty of wonderful human beings either are homosexual or have parents, children, friends or co-workers who are.
Regardless of the disgust their activities raise in you, Oliveria, these people belong as full members of our society.
Rational, reasonable people have also looked at pedophilia, believe it or not, and found it wanting. Not because it is disgusting but because of the almost certain abuse it entails due to the power imbalance between participants (even using the word “participant” seems wrong, for affected children).
Please, Oliveria, give the issue more thought. Talk to your friends about it; if all your friends agree with you, make new friends. Our society cannot afford such intolerance. Greg H. Simpson Pullman
FINAL WORD
Waco deaths were an inside job
D.F. Oliveria wrote in his Apr. 24 Hot Potatoes column, “The ATF stormed the Branch Davidian compound … and … shot holes through some and burned the rest to death.”
Oliveria should get in touch with anyone knowledgeable about incendiaries and explosives who watched that final episode on television.
While federal agents’ ineptitude in Waco is beyond dispute, he would be assured that the action of an armored vehicle in breaching the corner of a building could not possibly cause the almost immediate explosions and fire that broke out everywhere in that rambling compound.
The fire was triggered from within. Those who died from fire or gunshots were victims of either murder or suicide. Harry E. Missildine Moscow, Idaho