Letters To The Editor

Wed., Aug. 26, 1998

SPOKANE MATTERS

Do away with STA Plaza? Yeah, sure

I agree with George Britton (Letters, Aug. 17). Let’s get rid of the Spokane Transit Authority Plaza and get the buses back to Howard and Riverside. Heaven knows, the city doesn’t need those parking spaces and I’m sure the merchants miss the bus riders milling in their doorways and not coming in to buy anything.

How about the countless singers, dancers and theatrical groups (usually children) who have entertained the Plaza and Crescent Court patrons? I bet they would much rather perform in the middle of the street, especially in the snow at Christmas (atmosphere you know, so important).

Who needs clean restrooms between transfers, anyway? Who needs air conditioning in 103-degree heat and shelter from the rain and snow? Are we not just as hardy as those panhandlers whom I’m sure every one misses mingling with day after day?

Yes, the past was so much better. Can’t we go back?

As an aside, does Britton know that STA did listen to the riders and has made several revisions to the first proposal, or did he already make up his mind that the STA beast was going to turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the public it serves?

Take the time, Britton. Every Thursday at the Plaza the new system will be explained. I think he may be in for a pleasant surprise. Margaret B. Kelley Spokane

No bus to concert for many of us

Re: “Fireworks concert a Spokane treasure,” Letters, Aug. 13.

I’m sure it is. I would like to go down and see it but my only form of transportation is the STA buses. And since this concert is on a Sunday night, and the STA buses usually stop running at 7 p.m. on Sunday, there’s no way for many of us to be able to go see this concert.

I think this is unfortunate. A lot of times these things are set up for the upper crowd, who have transportation. It would be nice if they would do as they do on the Fourth of July and have bus service that night, so that a lot more people could attend the Royal Fireworks Concert. Mike G. Gaines Spokane

Companies’ cleanup effort laudable

Re: staff writer Kevin Blocker’s article on the Superfund plan for a sports field facility. Thanks for the positive coverage of a very exciting prospect for the Hillyard area, but an important fact was somehow overlooked.

What allowed this project to reach this stage was the cooperative efforts of three Spokane companies, Washington Water Power, Kaiser Aluminum and Inland Power and Light, which, along with EPA, comprised the cleanup team. It was these three companies that took responsibility and paid millions of dollars for the cleanup, even though they didn’t own the land. They set an example of business working cooperatively with a regulatory agency and were exemplary in meeting with and informing the neighborhood groups throughout the Superfund cleanup process.

It takes nothing away from what Spokane Youth Sports Association is planning at this site to give credit to those who have invested so much to return this land to a usable state. Without their cooperative efforts, there’s no doubt the Spokane junkyard would still be a blight on this neighborhood and holding its place high on the Superfund cleanup list. Mary C. Gaddy Spokane

Vote to continue fine EMS

The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Levy will be on the Sept. 15 ballot this year. Please vote yes to continue EMS.

The City of Spokane is fortunate to have an EMS system that’s second to none. Our Spokane Fire Department EMTs and paramedics provide CPR, early defibrillation and other medical care to heart patients. They perform careful extrication with rapid treatment and transport for victims of trauma. The dispatchers not only direct personnel to the scene of an emergency, but also help callers in the performance of CPR, aid choking victims, and provide other urgent care. EMS does save lives.

Our emergency caregivers have provided dedicated and compassionate emergency services to over 16,000 incidents in 1997 alone.

This is all accomplished with funds provided by the EMS levy. The levy rate is not being increased, but is the same rate overwhelmingly approved by the citizens in 1992. It provides basic and advanced life support personnel and equipment for our families and friends. It provides continuing education for our Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and public education (CPR training) and injury prevention programs for our community. Passage of the EMS levy is indeed very inexpensive insurance to continue this lifesaving service for the citizens of Spokane.

Please remember to vote on Sept. 15 and vote yes to continue EMS. David A. Ott, M.D. Spokane

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

It’s don’t worry, be happy time

According to the polls, if they are right, over 60-plus percent of the citizens of this country approve of President Bill Clinton. If this is true, it seems the American people no longer care about the conduct, character, integrity and dignity of the presidency. If that’s true, I’m afraid this country is in bigger trouble than just Clinton. Janet E. Carpenter Coeur d’Alene

We’ll need a lot of first stones

Bill Clinton is exactly the president America deserves.

He is innocent until proven guilty and every American should ask himself, “How long would I last if my integrity were to be interminably subjected to brilliant legal minds?”

Even if Clinton is guilty of some indiscretions in judgment, is anybody of a sound mind going to deny today that older men are actively and avidly interested in younger women? It is solidly entrenched in our culture as a way of life. If they crucify him for any alleged sexual indiscretions, they should follow through and hold all Americans to the same standards, because the president is supposed to be one of the chief examples of good moral character. Wesley Alan Storer Spokane

Leave private matters alone

So what, if the president didn’t tell us about an affair. Would any of you openly admit you had oral sex with someone? I know a lot of women who would lie until the day they died before admitting something like that. Your personal life is yours, not every one else’s.

Everyone should look into their own life before judging anyone. Almost everyone has a secret they would like to keep to themselves. Private lives are just that: private.

If you want to blame someone, how about blaming a woman who betrayed her friend’s trust by telling the world she had sex with someone - the one who kept a dress that may have semen on it?

As for Kenneth Starr, what does this have to do with Whitewater? How much of the taxpayers’ money did he spend to prove that Clinton is a human being? There’s something to talk about.

I’m trying to teach my children about privacy. The media aren’t helping. Are we teaching that our sex lives are public business? I hope not. This isn’t high school, where gossip is everywhere. I think you all need to grow up or go back to high school and start over.

I believe in our president and all who voted for him in a second term. Melissa A. Mumby Spokane

Lewinsky, Starr, press all wrong

Why is everyone attacking President Clinton? He’s not the only one who did anything wrong. Monica was the one who had the affair with him even though he was married. And she’s angry because she didn’t receive a formal apology on live TV. Why should she?

She was a 50-50 partner in this whole thing. Nobody should feel sorry for her because she was taken advantage of. She got to appear on the cover of Vanity Fair.

Even Kenneth Starr is doing everything possible to ruin the president’s name. A serious investigation of Whitewater has turned into a pathetic spot on a dress. I don’t know about most people but if I had a dress that got a stain on it, I would be smart enough to get it cleaned.

The president did do some things that are wrong but I would like to know what justice he obstructed. And the perjury shouldn’t have to do with anything. Had this been a civil case, the charge of perjury would have been thrown out a long time ago.

I thought the Supreme Court was supposed to protect the individual. Apparently, I was wrong.

Most of the letters to the editor have been ridiculous, saying Clinton should be impeached if he doesn’t step down. Many presidents have had affairs; it’s the press that has changed. The press doesn’t even have the decency to keep something private when it should be private. All it cares about is who can be attacked next. Bryan S. Johnson Chattaroy

Clinton cannot be trusted

President Clinton didn’t seem sorry he had done wrong. He seemed mad that he was caught. He said, “Even a president has a private life.”

We say not in the Oval Office of our White House! If he were a CEO of a large corporation, he would be booted out, sued or both. If he were in the military, he’d be court martialed.

He said “This has gone on too long and has cost too much.” We say that if Clinton told the truth over six months ago, we could have saved lots of time and money.

Who’s fault is all this? Not us. It lies at the president’s feet. He lied to the American people and did so on purpose. How do we ever know when to believe him again? We can’t trust him and our national security is at risk with this president.

Get rid of him! Our legislators need to look into the process of impeachment or whatever it takes, ASAP! Weston “Monty” and Donna Montgomery Spokane

Maybe he should’ve bragged

The American people have been betrayed. Our president went before us and promised to reveal his sex life. And he promised us he would tell us more, rather than less.

For seven months, we waited in breathless anticipation. Our economy and our national defense were sacrificed in a crusade of justice, as two terrible forces slashed at each other. Our allies were perplexed, our enemies moved in for the kill.

Finally, the most powerful man on Earth was stripped of his dignity, his privacy and the trappings of his office. And still, our president told us less rather than more. Our morbid curiosity and his powerful enemies waited for details several days longer, until leaks from the secretive grand jury oozed out.

Some condemn our president for his defiant show of arrogance and anger. Some recognize that is all that is left holding up this man, to whom the world increasingly leans on to prop up a sagging global economy, stop starvation and prevent human atrocities.

Undoubtedly, future presidents will succumb to the awful sin of adultery, as past presidents have. Some among us proclaim, however, this president’s guilt is different. They say the sin is not about sex, it is about lying, denial and attempted cover-up. If so, there is a lesson to be learned. Could this president have averted an inquisition if he had followed the lead of his willing partner and substituted bragging for denial and cover-up? Nancy Lynne Coeur d’Alene

In ‘74, Clinton waxed prophetic

“No question that an admission of making false statements to government officials is an impeachable offense. … I think it is plain that the president should resign and spare the country the agony of impeachment and removal proceedings.”

These quotes were made to the Arkansas Gazette by none other than Bill Clinton in August of 1974. Clinton, who was a candidate for the 3rd Congressional District was of course referring to Richard Nixon.

Truer words were never spoken. I wonder if this president will take his own advice. Mary Jane Fahland Deer Park

Sound the hypocrite alert

Scene: A congressional meeting room in Washington, D.C. Several congressmen are assembled to review Ken Starr’s $50 million report regarding President Clinton. A committee member says, “Mr. Chairman, this committee is about to review a special and very sensitive report regarding President Clinton. There may be persons, who, because of their own personal matters (skeletons in the closet), feel they may not be qualified to sit in judgment of the president and therefore, would want to be excused from this committee. I move for a short recess to provide an opportunity for these persons to leave the room.”

An embarrassing silence engulfs the room. No one leaves and the committee meeting begins. Are we, the public, to assume everyone sitting on this committee is a “saint?” Or are there some who are not truthful to themselves or to the public which they serve? Robert G. Thomas Post Falls

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.