Letters To The Editor

CHURCH AND STATE

Why must religionphobes have control?

Be careful, all you educators, the Christmas police are out to get you. Let’s not offend anyone by stating what you really believe. Walk on those eggshells.

Let the diversity promoters speak out of both sides of their mouth and get away with it. Diversity is promoted throughout our public schools with one major exception the diversity of our religious beliefs.

Ivan Bush of Spokane School District 81 wants us to heighten our sensitivity. I offer that we are too damn sensitive already.

Does it really make sense that we let a very small minority tell us that we can’t have Christmas, Chanukah or other religious holidays on our school calendars or the symbols of these holidays in our public schools? I would love to see all religions share their beliefs within our schools. The better we understand each other, the better our chances of working together and achieving what our founding fathers had hoped for.

No, I’m not advocating teaching religion in the public schools. But why do we let the religionphobes (those who fear or hate religion) dictate what we do in our schools? Just because the Supreme Court didn’t understand what is meant by separation of church and state doesn’t mean we need to carry it to the extreme. Patrick W. Carroll Spokane

Pride goeth before a fall

In the Dec. 25 issue of The Spokesman-Review, W.F. Bittner asserts that it is the work of “anti-Christians” that prevents religious expression in schools and other public places.

In fact, a large part of the original ban was due to the actions of a few quite devout Christians who refused to accommodate the beliefs and worship of others.

At the suggestion that classes might begin with a Jewish, Muslim or Ba’hai invocation, in addition to a Christian prayer, school boards in the South and Midwest were inundated with complaints from parents worried that their children would be somehow damaged by exposure to another’s faith. Since it was obvious that no compromise was possible, it became expedient to deny all religious expression rather than continue the acrimonious debate.

In some locations, the debate continued between various Christian factions that disagreed amongst themselves over the interpretation of scripture. Again, since compromise was impossible, the only alternative was to ban all prayer and religious observance. It was the equivalent of a parent saying to unruly children, “If you can’t play nicely and share, I’ll have to put the game away and nobody will get to play.”

Perhaps the best way to reintroduce the concept of religion into schools would be to invite all religions to participate equally. Play nicely and share! Good advice. Sam Van Wyck Spokane

Seek closeness to Christ in church

In the Dec. 20 article, “Christmas evolution,” it was stated that the Spokane public schools are discouraged from using Christmas signs, symbols and sacred music at Christmas. This is understandable because the schools educate the young from many different religious and some nonreligious backgrounds.

An answer for parents dismayed because their children will no longer be exposed to the Christ of Christmas in their schools is attendance at a church.

Find a church, any church, that celebrates the true meaning of Christmas. There you will see the creche and the cross, sing sacred music and hear the Christmas story. But more than that you should see a fellowship of Christians who not only care for each other but care for others, especially those in need.

I hope they welcome you with the love and warmth I feel in my church. Then maybe, just maybe, you will come back in January when the glow and festivities are over but where the Christmas spirit lives on all through the year.

In a Christian fellowship you might find something more than a once-a-year goodwill feeling to all mankind. You might find something that may change your life. Jeanette Zellmer Davenport, Wash.

WASHINGTON STATE

Salmon vanity plates - give ‘em a go

Why is it that our state won’t take a chance to save the salmon? The plan to raise money to save them by creating license plates honoring the fish is a wonderful idea, yet our Legislature is too chicken to go through with it. The lawmakers don’t want to do it because there are already 20 specialized plates that haven’t “lived up to expectations.” What can a person expect with square dancer plates?

It’s not like the idea hasn’t worked in other states. Oregon raised $473,000 in nine months with salmon license plates.

Our Legislature just needs to decide what’s more important, saving the dwindling salmon population or honoring ham radios. The salmon need all the help and money they can get, and selling these license plates just might be an answer to some of their problems. We’ll never know unless we try. Meghan Hannes, age 14 Spokane

U.S. AND THE WORLD

Attack ill-timed and un-Christian

The United States views itself predominantly as a Christian nation, I believe. And, if I have read and understood the New Testament correctly, the major principle of Christianity is love of neighbor and love of enemy, expressed through nonviolence. What is more, Christians just celebrated the highest observance of the year, Christmas Day, the remembrance of the birth of our Savior and founder.

I find it strange - no, I find it appalling - that U.S. Christians did not raise an outcry over the bombing of Iraq, Dec. 16-19. The mail was not flooded with letters urging dialogue rather than violence. The president’s e-mail did not shut down, inundated by a torrent of objections and the White House hotline was not tied up and inaccessible because of thousands of calls from outraged Christians. Churches did not rally with vigils in sympathy for innocent Iraqi civilians. True, a few thousand people across the United States objected. In Spokane, about 20 people gathered in a daily vigil. But the rest of the Christian U.S. continued the business of celebrating Christmas as usual.

I fail to understand how we U.S. Christians tolerate war at any time, but especially when we are in the midst of celebrating Christmas, the “season of peace.” God, forgive us! Kateri Caron Spokane

This pounding of Iraq is not right

I feel great shame with the Clinton administration’s undeclared war on Iraq. The last time I checked, Iraq hasn’t been sinking our ships or invading our shores.

We contained the Soviet Union, a well-armed country, for decades with the threat of force. How can we possibly justify dumping millions of dollars worth of explosives on a virtually helpless people?

The news media reported our night attacks of terror like they were watching a video game. They should visualize what it would be like to have their own families cringing in the dark while bombs rain down. Robert S. Korkus Spokane

Quiz points up real Mideast threat

Our fireworks on Iraq are over for now and Saddam is still there. Here is a thought-provoking quiz that appeared in a Florida newspaper not long ago:

1. Which country alone in the Middle East has mass-destruction weapons (including nuclear) and refuses to sign the nonproliferation treaty?

2. Which country in the region forcibly seized the territory of other nations and continues occupation in defiance of U.N. resolutions?

3. Which country routinely violates the international borders of another with warplanes, artillery and gunfire?

4. Which country attacked a U.S. ship in international waters, killing 33 and wounding 177 American sailors?

5. Which country first denied links to its spy, Jonathan Pollard (who stole classified documents), then gave him citizenship, and has been demanding pardon by the U.S. president?

6. Which country has the most powerful lobby in the United States.

7. Most relevant, which country has defied 69 U.N. resolutions, with protection from 29 more by U.S. vetoes?

Most readers will identify this country. Yet, which country has just been further destroyed because not only “must (it) obey U.N. resolutions,” but, more importantly, must obey Anglo-American commands? Answer: Iraq.

Even the former UNSCOM inspector admits that while in Iraq, he used to coordinate his activities with Israel and he has just charged the UNSCOM director of having staged the crisis for our latest adventure.

Our hypocrisy and double standards are shameful. Decent, knowledgeable citizens must feel embarrassed. S.M. Ghazanfar Moscow, Idaho

Saddam has got to go

It is a given that as long as Saddam Hussein controls Iraq, he will present problems to the Western world. Given that, why doesn’t the United Nations pass a resolution that calls for his stepping down from power or risk imprisonment? With that resolution in hand, then the appropriate force could be used to control this most despicable tyrant.

We need to wake up and realize that this man will be a problem as long as he is in power. Being pro-active in this situation is very defendable for the good it will do our planet. Vernon J. Nelson Spokane

BUSINESS AND LABOR

‘Crybaby’ doesn’t quite describe us

In the Christmas edition The Spokesman-Review letters, Ron Lueck advises us that we wouldn’t know a hard time if it came up and slapped us in our “crybaby faces.”

For Lueck’s information, I’ve been working in Spokane for 30 years, doing about every job there is. Try untangling the guywires on a drill rig 50 feet in the air in the middle of a blizzard at 11 p.m. Try driving a half-full tanker of fuel oil over icy one-lane roads. Try “sucking it up” after 18 months of being told that you’re “overqualified” for one job after another, when all you want is enough to make your mortgage payment and utilities bill.

Try holding a ladle steady while molten steel runs between your boots and sets your pants on fire. Try being responsible when you’ve been on shift for 14 hours at 5 a.m., you’re fighting to stay awake and there’s $50,000 worth of metal that will be scrap if you don’t find and fix the problem in a machine the size of a football field immediately. I’ve been there and done that.

I don’t want or need sympathy. All I want is to preserve the jobs that support the local wage standard so you and I don’t have to work for minimum wage. G. Steve Dodge Spokane

Unions coddle the unproductive

I really had a good laugh about a week ago, when I read in letters to the editor a truck driver’s comments about getting his truck loaded at Kaiser. Before the strike, high-quality, high-pay union workers could load his truck in 3-12 hours. Since the strike, nonunion workers can do it in less than one hour! No wonder Kaiser wants to eliminate some jobs.

I am an old senior citizen, but I have a good memory. In 1958, when I got out of the Navy, I went to work for Sears as a stereo systems repair technician. There were four lines running, two with senior union technicians and two with junior union technicians (myself and another young man). The other young tech and myself did four times the stereos that the senior techs did. But guess who got laid off at Christmas when two lines got shut down? I wouldn’t have any complaint if the senior techs did comparable work, but they were just plain lazy! In other words, I paid my union dues just to be laid off. This is why I have been anti-union to this day.

If unions want the public’s respect they will have to earn it by getting rid of unproductive workers. As it is, the only way a union worker can be fired is by selling nuclear secrets to the enemy or voting Republican! Phil Lindemann Kingston, Idaho

Beware of fostering two-tier economy

A number of letter writers have expressed unhappiness with the Kaiser workers because the writers would be happy making the same money.

Wake up, people!

A free economy and free trade will lead to an equalization of wages among the countries of the world. Given that about 35 cents an hour is the prevailing wage for unskilled labor in many countries, the equalization wage could be about $1 an hour. Unless the American public supports an equitable distribution of our country’s wealth, many will be working for this amount.

Labor unions are one form of government policy that allows a larger share of our national wealth to go to the working class. Unless we support labor unions and their strikes, and government intervention on the side of labor, the United States will be another country where two economic groups exist - the haves and the have nots. Claude Philip Waring Coeur d’Alene

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

Sanctity of law is the point

It seems that your editorial board and the letter writing defenders of Bill Clinton still have no idea why he was impeached. Do we have a bunch of sex maniacs here who still think it’s all about sex? Have you ever heard of the Constitution? Somewhere in there it says no man is above the law. Joe P. Wollman Odessa, Wash.

Witness the mother of all witch hunts

Whither now, America? Now that extremists have established firm control over the Republican Party and have put big, sharp teeth into their oft-stated position that no “real American” could honestly disagree with them; now that hatred, rage and intolerance in political discourse have been elevated to the level of moral imperatives by the ubiquitous right-wing propagandists and their sycophantic audiences; and now that the U.S. Constitution has been reinterpreted to mean that the sanctimonious posturing of a gang of craven hypocrites justifies the overthrow of national elections, who would dare represent an opposing view knowing that they thereby become the target of a (taxpayer-financed) partisan inquisition that will never rest until the offender is utterly destroyed even if that inquisition needs to be sustained for years by a coordinated campaign of false accusations? (Where is the Whitewater report, Travelgate report, Filegate report, the Fostergate report, etc.?)

Our Congress has made it clear that the preservation of the ideals of our Constitution is of little concern compared to the historic opportunity to establish hatred and intransigence as guiding principles in resolving our differences.

In their lust for the power to ride roughshod over those who honestly disagree, Congress has sown the seeds of a most bitter harvest. Robert Maurice Sandpoint

Good that impeachment goes forward

I am very encouraged that the House of Representatives has voted to impeach President Clinton.

I feel that he has dishonored the office of the president and broken the law.

I am very discouraged that The Spokesman-Review continues to print articles on the front page, and elsewhere, which state that the American public do not believe these proceedings should continue.

Opinion poll statistics do not constitute a fair representation of the American public, and even though the White House lawyers will use this information to build their case, I feel a fair and impartial media could do better. Perhaps the media would do well to explain to the public the basis for “opinion poll facts” instead of printing them as if they were actual fact.

I am glad that the Congress seems to be listening to its constituents and not to the media or the opinion polls. I hope they will have the courage to continue to do so. Shaun L. Brown Liberty Lake

Clinton lied to spare his ego

I have followed the Clinton scandal and the letters pro and con in your paper. There have been some outlandish remarks on both sides of the issue; however, the comments by Sheridan L. Peterson (Dec. 26) take the cake.

To say that President Clinton is a noble gentleman who lied only to protect his wife and daughter is preposterous. To imply that all men have done the same is an insult to all faithful husbands and fathers in this country.

No, not all men lie and cheat. Not all men are adulterers, like our president. An adulterer is no gentleman.

Clinton lied under oath to save his presidency and his ego. If he truly cared about his family, he wouldn’t have had his numerous affairs. Monica Lewinsky wasn’t the first and she won’t be the last.

I must agree with Peterson on one point. The rest of the world is probably laughing at us. The office of the president has lost all dignity. This country’s morals have hit an all-time low. Ann P. Olson Veradale