Letters To The Editor

Sat., Dec. 26, 1998

U.S. AND THE WORLD

Bombing points up the real moral lapse

Again, I write to protest the bombing and killing of innocent people in Iraq. The savage Anglo-American attack violates the United Nations Charter and accepted standards of international law. A Third World country already weakened by seven years of sanctions becomes the testing ground for the latest generation of high-tech weapons. What possible good can come of this arrogant display of power, except perhaps the economic stimulus from having expended lots of million-dollar missiles? What a commentary on the quality of American leadership at the end of the “American Century!”

The same people who condemn President Clinton for sex support him in making war. The Pentagon estimates a “medium range” of 10,000 deaths from the bombings. Iraqis, too, are human beings who, like us, only have the chance to live once. To kill them while concealing the bloodshed behind euphemisms like “unavoidable collateral damage” - that is the true immorality of this administration, not its attempts to evade the right-wing sex police.

Rod Stackelberg Spokane

Attack was another Clinton ploy

President Clinton’s Aug. 20 attack on Sudan and Afghanistan took place the same day Monica Lewinsky testified before the grand jury.

The destroyed pharmaceutical plant in Sudan was not producing deadly chemical weapons but life-sustaining medical supplies. Osama bin Laden and hundreds of other terrorists were not at the camps damaged in Afghanistan. In fact, bin Laden could just as well be found in Saudi Arabia, where his family construction company is nearing completion of a $150 million project that will house American troops. That’s right, bin Laden will have a set of blueprints to this building that is replacing the one bombed in 1996, killing 19 Americans.

President Clinton attacked two nations and murdered many innocent people, not to stop terrorism but to divert attention. Now, his attack on Iraq the day before the impeachment vote should prove to anyone he should be removed from office as quickly as possible. How many innocent people in Iraq and American servicemen will die in Clinton’s latest attempt to save his political career?

Iraq has never attacked us and is not a threat to the United States. President Clinton has unconstitutionally, without a congressional declaration of war, attacked three nations in the last six months. Steve J. Dunham Spokane

Let leaders duke it out

On the eve of two of the world’s holy times, Christmas and Ramadan, two evil men are trying to start a war that could easily become the end of life on Earth as we know it. So what else could be done?

How about hand-to-hand combat? Bill Clinton vs. Saddam Hussein, to the death! Half time at the Super Bowl. All proceeds would be divided by the poor of both countries. What could we lose? If Clinton loses, the world is minus one corrupt politician. If Saddam loses, there is one less aging dictator. Americans and Iraqis would be more able to peacefully coexist without Willie and Saddam.

Instead, we will allow them to run humankind off the cliff to war, like lemmings.

The greatest man to ever walk on this Earth was Jesus. He preached peace and love for all, and look what they did to him. The human race is failing miserably. Why can’t we give peace a chance? Dennis Boni Spokane

FIREARMS

Gun assumptions wildly erroneous

Re: Stacy Swider-Schalick’s Dec. 14 letter about guns in urban areas.

To make the statement that the only folks who have guns are criminals, drug dealers, scared citizens and police is a good example of a misinformed citizen. I suggest Swider-Schalick get a copy of the Constitution and study what it says about freedom, responsibility and good citizenship.

The fact is that responsible gun ownership, as guaranteed (not granted) by the Constitution, is responsible for an amazing drop in the crime rate the last seven years. The fact is, gun control laws only restrict the law-abiding citizen and have no effect on criminals.

The fact is that children killed in crossfires, mothers held at gunpoint and mugged, and other such crimes are not committed by law-abiding gun owners. The fact is, if you are a responsible citizen, you will take some responsibility for your own safety and protection of yourself and your loved ones and fellow citizens.

The fact is, the police are a reactionary force and will probably not be in the parking lot when you are being mugged, raped, robbed or murdered. Your best hope in such a situation is the responsible, law-abiding citizen who happens to be carrying his or her legal firearm.

Finally, the Constitution does not mention anything about hunting. The Second Amendment is about protecting your country, yourself, family, property and fellow citizens against enemies both foreign and domestic, especially the two-legged type. William D. Wright Spokane

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

Clinton’s the lesser of transgressions

Which is the greater evil, the president’s lies and deceptions about his truly stupid affair or the attempt by Republicans to overthrow the will of the people by trumped-up charges?

Proof that the charges are trumped up is in the response of Republicans to the lies of Republican presidents and their henchmen. For instance, Republicans praised the lies of Oliver North, who contradicted the expressed orders of Congress and paid terrorists to murder Nicaraguan peasants. These terrorists were called freedom fighters by then-President Reagan. (Then Vice-President Bush claimed he was “out of the loop” on the whole matter. Which lie is more destructive?)

Which lies were more certainly proved - that President Clinton fondled Monica Lewinsky or that Oliver North violated a direct order of the U.S. Congress? Again, no question. More importantly, which matters more?

Further, which investigation was more fair, Leon Jaworsky’s of President Nixon or Ken Starr’s investigation of President Clinton? Again, the answer is clear and simple.

If you are too young to remember the Nixon-Watergate investigation, it is important that you study the history and learn the obvious differences. Also, which hearings were conducted on a bipartisan basis, with both parties involved in all procedural questions?

Look it up. There is a lot at stake for all of us. It is the future of our democracy. Janet G. and Robert M. Stevenson Spokane

Hyperpartisanship a Democrat thing

I thought it interesting that President Clinton and the Democrats accused the Republicans of blatant partisanship in regard to the articles of impeachment vote.

Your recent graphic, Vote by Party, clearly showed that if either party was guilty of partisanship, it was the Democrats. Democrats’ no votes were 199, 200, 199 and 203. Republicans’ yes votes were 223, 200, 216 and 147. To me, this clearly shows that if either party was being partisan, it was the Democrats.

I expect the Senate trial will follow this trend, resulting in the president remaining in office. It will be necessary for at least 12 of the 45 Democratic senators to vote against the president, assuming all 55 Republicans vote against him.

Democratic representatives have already shown how partisan they can be. Does anyone expect the Senate to act differently?

I’m sick of all the time, money and press coverage being wasted by all this when nothing of any real consequence will result.

Expect the president to finish out the remainder of his term, regardless of all this nonsense. Wayne Hannas Spokane

What’s in a name? Glad you asked

I used to think that GOP stood for the Grand Old Party. Now I know that it really stands for God’s Own Pharisees. Steve Gigliotti Davenport, Wash.

Forgiveness doesn’t preclude penalty

It was nice to read again the wonderful Old Testament story of God’s forgiveness to King David (“Judges will face God’s judgment,” Letters, Dec. 7). There are, however, a couple of problems with Lavern Taylor’s comparison.

First, King David ruled Israel, not a republic where people vote for their leaders. Our country is governed by the Constitution, not a king.

Secondly, forgiveness and consequences are not one and the same. Taylor should have told the rest of King David’s story, to more clearly illustrate the difference between God’s forgiveness (which he freely gives to those who repent) and the consequences of our behavior.

Because of David’s sin, violence, strife and murder plagued him, his family and country for the rest of his life.

To David’s credit, when the prophet confronted him with his sin, he didn’t argue his case, blame others, nit-pick over word definitions or evade the questions; he repented and faced the consequences without complaint.

The consequences for lawbreaking are in place. Impeachment is a consequence. Those in a position to judge Clinton should forgive him, even if they must remove him from office. Neree Beal Sandpoint

Clinton was just being discreet

A year or so from now, America’s going to look back and say President Bill Clinton did what any gentleman would’ve done under the same circumstances. It was a noble gesture. He lied to protect the young woman’s reputation and to spare his wife and daughter unnecessary pain. Any gentleman would not have hesitated to do the same.

Gentlemen, be honest with yourselves. Haven’t you done the same thing? Or were you a loathsome cad who went about bragging to everyone the vivid details of the sexual exploits of you and your partner? Are you such a reprobate? If so, you and not Clinton should be ridiculed. Be proud our president is a gentleman with the dignity and taste to try to protect the reputation of an indiscreet young woman.

Gentlemen, it’s time for Congress to end this righteous, hypocritical outrage and move on. The rest of the world is laughing at us. Sheridan L. Peterson Deer Park

AOL poll a slanted sampling

Two letters in the Dec. 15 letters section require responses.

Marion Bauman bases his belief that the president should be impeached on the America Online poll. The AOL poll is like a poll by the KKK asking whether members believe African Americans are inferior to whites. Of 100,000 respondents to the AOL survey, 64 percent are male, 17 percent are ages 40-49, 40 percent are Republican, 25 percent are Democrats and 27 percent are so-called independents. Of course that poll is slanted toward impeachment.

Bauman should check the ABC News, the CBS News-New York Times, the CNN-Gallup and the Pew Research polls. The lowest percentage of support for the president from these reputable surveys is 60 percent!

Grant Tolton’s letter blaming the whole debacle on Democrats and using the teenagers’ phrase, that we “just don’t get it,” reveals who doesn’t get it.

This impeachment effort started five years ago and has gone through a dozen costly phases. The jackals finally asked a question that should not have been asked and Clinton was not truthful in his response.

No Democrat worth his salt would desert his president in the face of such blatant partisanship. Ed Meadows Spokane

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