Letters To The Editor

WASHINGTON STATE

I-694 concentrated dose of extremism

In a perfect world, every child would be a wanted child. In truth, we live in a world where the unintended pregnancy rate continues to rise and anti-choice advocates continue to limit women’s right to choose. Initiative 694, the so-called infanticide initiative, defines “infanticide” as most abortion procedures performed at any stage of pregnancy. Although it has been framed as an initiative intending to criminalize so-called partial-birth abortion, its vaguely worded language would have women and doctors prosecuted for choosing almost any type of abortion, procedures performed for any reason, and as early as the first trimester.

Right-wing supporters of I-694 like Bruce and Ellen Craswell and the Christian Coalition are the same people who are in support of banning RU-486, an abortion pill used very early in a pregnancy, which has been safely used in Europe for nearly 20 years. These same people want to limit funding for sex education and family planning. They have gone so far as to title safe and commonly used forms of birth control “abortifacients.”

Banning abortions for all women, for any reason, at any stage of pregnancy, certainly does not solve the real problem: unintended pregnancy. How far will we allow these fanatics to go before we take action?

Women do not deserve to be imprisoned for making safe, responsible decisions under the guidance of their doctors. Voters who care about women’s health must vote no on Initiative 694 this November. Peggy Nash Walla Walla

Schindler deserves voter support

Lynn Schindler is a grass-roots Republican who has worked tirelessly for the good of the party and its principles since moving to Spokane in 1982. She has been a volunteer on many community boards such as Valleyfest and Spokane Regional Health. Her organizational skills are legion: chairman of Spokane County GOP convention, vice-chairwoman of Spokane County Republican Party, chairman of Sen. Bob McCaslin’s re-election campaign, organizational chairwoman of the National Convention for Pro America in Spokane, president of Valley Republican Women and president of Spokane College Women and other volunteer groups.

She has been a partner with her husband, Jim in conducting national basketball coach clinics and in real estate investments. Her many activities have put her in touch with many people and the needs of the 4th District.

Her personal research and attendance at numerous hearings in Olympia have kept her informed on state government. I can think of no one else who has worked harder to further the values of basic education, private property rights, safe neighborhoods and less-intrusive government.

No wonder she has the support of state legislators, Republican precinct committeemen and Washington State Council of Police Officers, among others.

We in the 4th District are very fortunate to have Lynn Schindler as our representative because we know and trust her to represent our best interests and concerns in Olympia. She’s done her homework, paid her dues and deserves our support on September 15th. Barbara Green past president, Spokane College Women’s Association,Spokane

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

Errors forgivable but denial is not

Psychologists tell us our internal defense mechanisms prevent us from being objective about ourselves. We do, however, demonstrate our attitudes, speak our beliefs and orchestrate our behavior hourly. We have a pretty good idea about what motivates or stimulates us.

It would’ve been understandable if Mark Fuhrman had testified that yes, he had used the N-word when talking about black criminals. He should’ve admitted that years of law enforcement had made him angry and hostile toward people who have a total disregard for the lives and property of others. He could’ve also pointed to a career of treating decent, law-abiding people with respect, no matter what their color or ethnic derivation.

Some among us don’t deserve to be spoken of in anything but the strongest negative terms. It’s not wrong to have opinions that are well-founded and supported by facts.

President Clinton is probably the most intelligent, articulate individual to occupy the White House this century. He speaks in complete sentences and can weave together, with amazing clarity, several seemingly unrelated thoughts into persuasive arguments. He possesses a keen memory and almost encyclopedic knowledge.

He’s also a flawed individual.

He’s a moral and ethical cipher. It would’ve been much better for him to admit a weakness for the flesh and acknowledge he needs help from those he loves, those who care for him and maybe even the help of professionals, to rid himself of the reckless propensities that have likely denied him his proper historical legacy.

No one is perfect and most of us don’t expect perfection, even from our leaders. Neither do we want aggressive denial of the obvious. Keith A. Springer Spokane

Investigate overbearing Starr

Where did the smirking Kenneth Starr, with his love for the limelight, get such authority (which almost smacks of dictatorship) to make the U.S.A. the laughingstock of the world?

We should sit back and take a real look at this person who, with personal animosity, can cause this trouble for a president who has shown great concern for our problems and the things that really matter in this country, and is trying to find a solution for them. Lillian P. Fleming Spokane

Smooth, persuasive and very wrong

I take great exception to the Aug. 18 headline, “Clinton apologizes.” He did no such thing. I defy you to find where he directly apologized to anyone other than his wife and daughter.

He took responsibility. He said that he was wrong. He said he misled people, even his wife, and that he deeply regretted it. These are statements of what he did and how he felt about it. He never once looked in the camera and said, “I’m sorry” or “I apologize.”

As a taxpayer, that’s all I was looking for.

Clinton didn’t apologize to those who went to jail or were subpoenaed. He didn’t apologize to the women he lied about, to his staff or to the congressmen and senators who stood beside him believing he was truthful. He didn’t apologize to the public. As a matter of fact, he said it was nobody’s business but his and his family’s. I beg to differ.

This episode only proves how good he is at what he does. He convinces you over five minutes’ time that you received an apology when it never happened. He was superb, in rare form. Now I know why they call him Der Schlick Mister.

The Slick Willie and Hillie Show should resign. Robert L. Wimp Spokane

Precedent of deceit is the problem

Does this “poll-taken majority” of a nation actually approve of what Clinton is doing to the presidency? Or worse, what he’s doing to our judicial system?

Last January, Clinton lied on national TV to every man, woman and child. He lied in testimony under sworn-to-God-oath. American .

OK, you majority people, is there a light bulb turned on? A flickering candle?

I can hear it now, Well, goll-eeeee, the economy is good.

If Clinton can so recklessly lie under oath, why can’t I? And why can’t you? We’re all equal in a court of law. In a nutshell (no pun intended), I don’t give a hoot about his problem with adultery. That’s between Bill, Hillary and God. I look at the possible fiascoes in court down the road with defendants using Clinton-speak. We’re all equal, remember.

What do others really think? Should Clinton get punished? If so, what would be fair to the country? I detest deceit because the person causing it shows so little respect to those he deceives. In this case, to our nation. Laurie M. Kriet Spokane

People prefer Clinton policy choices

Why is it that most commentators and the majority of Republicans continue to express surprise at the approval ratings of President Clinton?

The president’s support has remained not because of acceptance or approval of his sexual misbehavior but because of support for the majority of his policies, agendas and goals for our county, and because we can’t support the majority of the goals of current Republicans.

I’m dismayed at being referred to as a liberal because I support Democratic candidates. My personal philosophy is quite conservative but strongly influenced by a Christian belief in social justice and compassion for those who are less fortunate.

How sad that we rarely see compromise. It appears to me that the majority of Republicans prefer their way or no way. Consequently very little constructive legislation gets passed. Mary C. Shepard Otis Orchards, Wash.

Private life is where Clinton belongs

It’s truly a sad day for our country and our moral standards. The president has committed the serious sin of adultery and has breached and misused the public’s trust beyond the point of acceptability.

He has caused to be inflicted upon the people he leads an unprecedented amount of time and money expended in the search for truth. He has set, by example, a pattern of behavior which can’t be tolerated or excused. One which sets apart his position as president from the people he leads and governs. Let it be known to the world that even the American people hold their elected officials accountable for these actions. Even the president.

It’s imperative that he resign to avoid further division of our country and to restore a level of truth and trust to our nation, which is seen by the world as a beacon of light for all that is good and decent.

I agree that presidents do have private lives, and it’s for all these reasons that he should resign and again resume a private life as a regular citizen. Andy Johnson Airway Heights

Maybe now we’ll elect a woman

The history of presidential marital infidelity is long (Jefferson, Grant, Harding, Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Kennedy). The road has been bumpy, to say the least.

What a positive way for paving the road for a woman to be president. A woman whose brains are located closer to the top of her body. Kaye M. Fry and Kelley A. Brammer Couer d’Alene, Idaho

OTHER TOPICS

Be pro-active if your child has ADD

My son attended Chase Middle School for the past two years. I was astonished at the lack of knowledge and or acknowledgment of children with attention deficit disorder and their needs. His teachers, counselor and vice principal were at a complete loss as to how to educate him.

Through our private counselor, I found out about a plan offered through public schools designed to help learning disabled children achieve their potential. I had to ask the school to initiate the program. It wasn’t offered, even though it was clear he was failing and that he had ADD. Unfortunately, his teachers never adhered to the plan. He barely made it to high school and was fearful of what the next four years might be like.

Schools have braille books for the blind, bathrooms, elevators and ramps for wheelchairs and programs for gifted and slow children. Why is it so hard for some schools to recognize that most ADD children need an alternative learning plan?

Parents of ADD children need to know that by law public schools must provide an alternative learning plan if needed for disabled children. ADD is a government-recognized disability.

There is support if you have trouble with schools unwilling to make a plan or adhere to one. In Spokane, call the PAVE Parent to Parent Training Program or call District 81 and speak to the compliance office. Kathy A. King Spokane

Give up your cars and wood stoves

OK, Spokane, stop your whining about farmers burning their fields. Have you forgotten that the rural areas surrounding Spokane have kept your economy going for generations, not to mention the abundant, cheap food you eat? How could this community that was largely built on the economics of farming become so disconnected from it?

It’s been well documented that agricultural burning consists of less than 1 percent of your air quality problems. That percentage will even be lower now because you shut down the grass growers.

If you really want to clean up Spokane’s air, stop driving your cars and burning your wood stoves. Ray Shindler Olympia