Letters To The Editor

Sat., Sept. 13, 1997

SPOKANE MATTERS

Sommers has earned respect of many

Duane Sommers’ history of leadership, integrity and public service has earned him respect in our community.

His ability to work with disparate interests in order to come to a resolution on many issues has earned him respect in Olympia. His broadminded approach to looking at issues and solving problems has earned him my respect.

This city needs to get back to the basics. We need a limited government that recognizes an individual’s rights and responsibilities. We need to elect officials who have a vision, a philosophy and an agenda that will move us forward toward achieving our goals. I strongly recommend Sommers to move our city forward into the next century. George L. Wells Spokane

Geraghty doing a good job for city

A Spokane mayor is expected to be the city’s greatest salesperson and Mayor Jack Geraghty knows he has an excellent product to promote.

During his tenure, the state has invested millions in the RiverPointe Higher Education Park, Nordstrom has kept a serious commitment to a vibrant downtown and Japanese buyers aware of Spokane’s Nishinomiya relationship continue to pursue huge amounts of Washington wheat.

Geraghty has even gone to Olympia to ask lawmakers to give Spokane taxpayers a better return on taxes they pay at the gas pump. The the city street department receives just fifty cents of every tax dollar paid at the pump.

Geraghty’s belief in a new Spokane is also shared by Potlatch Corp., the huge timber company that will establish headquarters here this month.

For the mere fact that he has walked through the neighborhoods to check on local needs, send him back to city hall. Jonathan Feste Spokane

More to Greenwood than ‘recovering’

It’s an unfortunate sign of the times that a person of Charles Greenwood’s caliber can be labeled a “recovering drug addict” (candidate profile, Region, Sept. 6). Even the president of our nation says things like “I didn’t inhale,” referring to the 1960s.

Greenwood’s impeccable honesty, though refreshing in a public servant, does him no good when putting together a political package. No matter that he has nothing to do with drugs and never even has a social drink. The political climate is such that someone of his generation who however lightly experimented long ago with what was thought to be a form of recreation, is forever branded.

The moment he perceived he had a problem, he immediately sought help and never again indulged. All drugs, however, are lumped together as one big “scarlet letter.”

Even programs meant to help people don’t make distinctions as to type or severity of problem. Because of this, a person like Greenwood, who never had anything to do with alcohol, not only was put in an alcohol rehab program, but is also said to have so many years of sobriety. Not finding the right slot for someone can certainly result in misleading conclusions.

Almost no one works harder, every day, in the the community than this man. After more than 15 years of serving on various boards, committees and workshops, as an elected freeholder and in service to the poor, he has garnered a multilayered knowledge of issues facing us today.

Greenwood would be an invaluable representative on the City Council. Let’s hope his rare social commitment is not overshadowed by things that have nothing to do with one’s ability to serve. Mary Beth Long Spokane

We don’t need Lincoln Street Bridge

In the short span of 15 blocks, Spokane has four bridges that cross the river, not counting the Post Street Bridge: the Maple Street, Monroe Street, Washington Street and Division Street bridges. Our City Council shouldn’t spend millions of dollars to build another one.

The City Council wants to block the Ronalds’ property development because it would block the view of the falls from the library. Well, their Lincoln Street Bridge project would spoil everyone’s natural view of the falls and the river just by being there. Leila L. Larson Spokane

Downtown should be car-free zone

Building a Lincoln Street bridge was a poor decision. Any decision to route more traffic through the downtown area is a poor decision.

Our downtown could be a very large pedestrian mall, with people strolling from store to store and no cars allowed (except for delivery trucks, of course).

This is the main attraction of malls - you can shop and not have to worry about being run over by a car.

Why can’t people see that automobiles are ruining our quality of life and take some personal responsibility for this? After all, in the end we are all going to the same place. Why not look around and enjoy life along the way, instead of keeping your eyes glued to the road ahead? Dorothy E. Carter Spokane

Sabey’s answers serve Sabey first

Now we’re seeing how big-time Seattle developers deal with competition.

Dave Sabey, whose bumbling did in Frederick & Nelson and who abandoned downtown Spokane like a rat leaving a sinking ship, not only wants to ensure that our downtown stays down, he also wants to try to buy our city government as well.

Sabey’s slick, Los Angeles-produced radio spots are filled with the strangest cause-and-effect half-truths that I have ever heard.

Frankly, I think Spokane is on an upswing right now and that the people here will see through this thinly veiled attempt by an outsider spending huge amounts of money to put his own handpicked candidates in charge of our city government. Deven F. Johnson Spokane

Fair’s smoke rules a blessing

Ah, footloose and smoke-free! What a wonderful day my family had at the fair last Saturday.

Petting draft horses, admiring newly shorn alpacas, marveling at the talents of our community’s crafters, munching down our elephant ears and applauding the cloggers -all enjoyed in a more smoke-free environment than ever before.

Yes, there were people who were unaware of the policy change this year. But in one instance, I overheard a young woman tell another, “Don’t light up here - they have new rules.” As she looked at my young son, I simply said thank you. She smiled and walked away. Maybe she decided Camels don’t belong at the fair after all. Linda J. Thompson Spokane

WASHINGTON STATE

Initiative 676 costly for all taxpayers

“The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself or the state shall not be impaired.” This statement from the Washington State Constitution means nothing if Initiative 676 becomes law.

One hundred dollars for an eight-hour safety course and the $25 fee every five years to exercise a constitutional right seems a bit much to me. With over 1 million handgun owners in Washington state to be trained, tested and licensed in nine months, this law will make hundreds of people instant criminals.

You say you don’t own a pistol so this law won’t affect you? Think again, Mr. or Mrs. Taxpayer: the liability for you by the Department of Licensing will run into the millions each year. Yes, you will be footing the bill for I-676.

I-676 won’t save one child’s life; it will only create one more state bureaucracy that answers to no one.

Vote no on Initiative 676. Mike L. Stephens Kennewick

Initiative 676 is not reasonable

After reading L. Rusty Nelson’s letter to the editor, which suggests that Initiative 676 is reasonable and accommodating, the following thoughts come to mind.

Nelson suggests citizens read I-676 (and you should). However, I doubt he has read it in its entirety.

Since neither Nelson nor his wife own handguns, they won’t be required to pay for and attend handgun education courses. I find it easy to spend others’ money, too.

Since he does not own a handgun, Nelson won’t have to report to the state the transfer of his firearms within three days or face felony charges, even if the transfer is to his children.

Finally, Nelson must be extremely naive if he really believes that a trigger lock is going to deter the criminal element from using or obtaining firearms. William K. Bean Veradale

HIGHER EDUCATION

Payne gets it backwards

Syndicated cartoonist Hank Payne’s “Post-affirmative action education” cartoon of Sept. 6 is either an outright lie or the product of absolute ignorance.

I dare anyone to pick up any college or graduate school application. I guarantee you that the vast majority of applications, in addition to having questions relating to merit (e.g., grade-point average, Scholastic Aptitude Test, extracurricular activities, etc.), will ask the applicant to list (with dates of attendance or graduation) all of his/ her family members who have attended the institution. What does that have to do with merit? Nothing! However, children of alumni and political cronies are eligible for non-merit “legacy” admissions.

While the University of Texas and University of California had drastic decreases in the number of entering students of color this fall, I seriously doubt either had any decrease in the number of entering legacy students.

Why isn’t anyone filing lawsuits or legislation, or drawing cartoons to end the thousands of legacy admissions? Each legacy admittee denies a seat to a more qualified applicant.

Oh, silly me - I forgot that there are few legacy admittees who are people of color.

The sign in the cartoon should read, “Back to Being the Old-Boy Network U.” Robert H. Kelley Spokane

WSU program rich in diversity

Re: “Students fight for diversity,” Sept. 7.

Your subtitle references Washington State University’s “Western Civ” program, when in fact WSU has a world civilizations requirement. A decade ago, the university stipulated this more-inclusive approach instead of the traditional focus on Western civilization. WSU is the region’s only four-year institution taking this approach. It did so for good reasons.

Washington state faces the Pacific and Asia; WSU students need to know the nations we do business with. Our students’ pasts extend beyond Europe and the Mediterranean. World Civilizations core courses’ purpose in part is to engage students in exploring their own complex heritages.

Franz Maish’s charge that the program is “essentialist” or “racist” in concept is absurd.

Second, the headline creates the absurd impression that the institution or faculty oppose including diversity issues in the curriculum. For several years, WSU’s faculty has systematically included the perspectives of women, ethnic minorities and issues of race, class and gender in the curriculum. Forty one general education courses now focus explicitly on American diversity, including The Civil Rights Movement in America, Social Inequality and Intersections of Race, Class and Gender.

These are not required freshman courses. But the issue on the table isn’t whether to include more attention to diversity in the curriculum, but how.

A far more accurate story could have been titled, “Students and faculty work for more diversity at WSU.” Richard Law, director of general education Washington State University, Pullman

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.