Letters To The Editor

LAW AND JUSTICE

Clark made sense of Hamlin mess

Re: “Sentence won’t help make sense of teen’s death,” 1 Feb.

Doug Clark’s diatribe on the Joey Hamlin manslaughter trial startled me. It was utterly refreshing to read such a no-nonsense appraisal of an ugly scene and its attendant cast of characters. Clark’s thoughts on this aren’t very original, nor is my endorsement of them, but something about the direct, unflinching way they were stated made me want to stand up and yell, here!

I may be just another cranky middle aged guy, but we’re not far from having 6 billion humans jostling for some peace and space on this non-expanding, irreplaceable wet rock we live on. I solemnly believe it’s time we dealt more harshly with such unrepentant human dross as these boys. They’re just one or two on a long list that might have Tim McVeigh and Ted Kaczynski near the top.

There are no saints in my house, but what can we be thinking if we allow such people to roam our flock? Am I being too subtle? Our less civilized ancestors would think us pretty crazy for mollycoddling such no-goodniks, such punks. Thanks to Clark for resurrecting such unfashionable words.

There sure are days when I think it would be so wonderfully sane to live in Singapore, where instead of making excuses for nasty behavior they have the good sense to spank bad boys, at least. Dan Treecraft Spokane

Injustice in case is unimaginable

I am shocked and disgusted that a teenager who murdered his friend is simply slapped on his wrist. Not only did Joey Hamlin kill his friend, T.J. Frazier, but he covered it up to look like a suicide, lied to detectives and showed no remorse.

Imagine if you are the parents of a 14-year-old who is shot and left in his house to be found by his two young sisters returning from school. Imagine if you are led to believe your son committed suicide.

Imagine if, after almost two years, you find out that he was killed, in fact, by his friend - a friend who repeatedly lied to detectives about the events that day.

Imagine if his murderer was found guilty of only second-degree manslaughter. He will apparently serve no jail time and will have one year probation and some community service.

As a mother myself, I cannot even imagine the anger, sorrow, dismay and frustration the family of T.J. Frazier must be feeling. My heart goes out to them. Linda B. Wixom Otis Orchards

DUI notions wrong, dangerous

In the Feb. 3 Spokesman-Review was yet another article that misstates the facts about repeated DUI offenders.

It seems Rep. Maynard Miller of Moscow wants to increase fines rather than send these people to prison. He goes on to state, “They are not criminals. They are not violent; they are stupid.”

I disagree entirely with Miller’s statement.

For someone to reach the state prison system in Boise, on an alcohol-related driving offense, they almost always have to kill someone. Most offenders and repeat offenders do nothing more than spend a weekend or two at their local county jail. Those who actually see the prison system have an extensive history of driving under the influence, and most have permanently maimed, or more often then not, killed someone.

If Miller does not think these people are violent, he needs to speak with victims and emergency service providers to learn of the violent deaths suffered as a result of one of these offenders being “stupid.”

It is far more cost-effective to pay for incarceration for repeat offenders than it is to seriously risk the lives of our families and friends. I feel that Miller should either educate himself on the facts or let someone take office who has. Dorene Carney Hayden, Idaho

State should exit marriage matters

Paul Adriance suggests in his Feb. 5 letter, “HB 1130 safeguards marriage” that the Bible should be the basis of law. This is supposed to be a nation of separation of church and state. Furthermore, he must know that there are many contrary “time-tested and valid authorities” in the world who would dictate acceptance of multiple marriages of some sort, as the Bible does.

An Omni Magazine study of over 1,500 human cultures shows that most encourage or at least tolerate polygamy. Studies in America indicate 70 percent of all marriages involve cheating. Half of all marriages end in divorce. Clearly, the state’s historical involvement in marriage has done little more than add to the sense of guilt that the Catholic church has been promoting since the 12th century. Before that, even the priests could have multiple wives and mistresses.

Since couples can live together and/or have children without marriage, I believe the state has no need to be involved in marriages. Instead, let any who wish to form domestic partnerships through which rights and responsibilities can be spelled out the same as they are for corporations now. This would in no way interfere with those who want a traditional church marriage.

This is a free country, isn’t it? Richard D. Reed Spokane

DiBartolo a killer, not a victim

What if Tom DiBartolo is innocent? What if Patty DiBartolo had lived? What if her children and family still had her last Christmas? What if Tom DiBartolo had been a faithful husband?

I understand a mother’s love and her choice to believe her son (to not believe means to acknowledge her son is a stone-cold killer).

It was proven in court beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is guilty. The jury looked at all the evidence. They believe he brutally killed his wife and so do I.

I think Ella DiBartolo should spend time with her grandchildren. Because of their father’s actions they are orphans. There are victims here, real victims - the children, Patty, Patty’s family and friends, even Ella DiBartolo herself. But Tom DiBartolo is not a victim. He is a man who decided murder was easier and more profitable than divorce.

There are no lingering questions left open, no overlooked clues or shoddy detective work. The killer has been caught. Tammy L. Namet Spokane

What ifs could go on and on

Re: Ella Dibartolo’s letter of Jan. 2, “What if DiBartolo is innocent?”

What if a person was telling a lie to protect himself from going to prison? What if the jury knew “beyond a reasonable doubt” that he was guilty of his crimes? What if Tom DiBartolo’s trial had been in another jurisdiction, suppose China? Wouldn’t the death penalty be the only sentence he would receive?

What if Patty DiBartolo had been a police officer ? Wouldn’t that mean the automatic death penalty for the individual who was convicted of this heinous crime?

What if Tom DiBartolo had been faithful to his wife during their marriage? What if a guilty man will spend only 20 years in prison for a crime so disturbing? Daniel Miller Spokane

Decision to prosecute mother wrong

I express support for Tony A. Sanchez’s conclusions in his comments of Feb. 2 (“Justice is selective, not blind” Letters). There should be a public apology to Olena Bezzubenkova from our city manager.

Do the terms “motive” and “criminal intent” mean anything to our prosecutors? Who exactly was responsible for the outrageous decision to prosecute? According to a quote in the Feb. 1 Spokesman-Review, Spokane County Prosecutor Jim Sweetser states he has a responsibility to not prosecute frivolous or inadequate cases (“Men hope legal long shot lands them in court”). Where was he in Bezzubenkova’s case?

Thank goodness we had some people with common sense on the jury! John W. Bauer Spokane

CHILD CARE

Foolish to drop SCC day care program

It should be no surprise that this state is having day care problems.

The state Department of Social and Health Services and Legislature put people on advisory committees who do not act in the best interests of the state’s children.

I am speaking specifically of Pam Praeger and Pat Early, who are responsible for Head Start in this area. They have proposed to Spokane Community College that the college should use SCC’s day care facility for Head Start and eliminate the current program. This is the Bigfoot Day Care program that was featured in your paper, commended for the quality of its child development and noted as the lowest-cost day care in Spokane.

This proposal would remove 120 of the lowest-cost day care openings now available in Spokane. Head Start program funding should be used to increase day care delivery, not eliminate capacity.

It might be noted that the Head Start program is not accessible to many of the people currently using Bigfoot at SCC. Paul W. Lewis, executive director Bigfoot Day Care Center

TECHNOLOGY

Internet filter? Forget it

Penny Lancaster is perpetuating a myth about Internet filtering software (Letters, Feb. 2). Without defining the criteria such filters operate under, she states that some filters have 90 percent accuracy in blocking illegal and/or offensive Internet sites. Her added comment that a password is necessary to unblock sites the software will mistakenly block indicates just how reliable such filters are. (“Offensive” or “explicit” are not synonyms for illegal, either.)

It is not possible to speak in terms of percentages or any type of numerical measurement when speaking about blocking Internet sites. There are tens of millions of sites on the Net, with untold thousands going up each day and going down each day. The Net is constantly changing, and no software (or human) watchdog in the world can keep track, with any sort of accuracy, of what’s available at any given moment.

Additionally, webmasters know quite well how to avoid using certain targeted terms in order to avoid filters. And Net users, kids included, have much more up-to-date information available through Internet grapevines about “hot” sites, if they really want to find them.

Internet filters presently do only two things. They give parents and self-appointed morals watchdogs a false sense of security; and they give parents yet one more way of entrusting their children’s well-being to someone other than themselves.

Lancaster, obsess over your morals if you wish, but don’t interfere with me or my kids. We’re doing quite well without the imposition of your personal ideas of good and bad. Katherine L. Brooks Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

Try to make the world a little better

For Martin Luther King Jr. Day, my class was challenged to try to make a difference. One example we were given was about a 11-year-old boy who was passing by a corner when he saw a homeless family. He didn’t know there were homeless people, so he asked his parents why they were there. His parents explained to him why there are homeless people.

That very day he organized a blanket drive, by himself. Many people brought blankets, sleeping bags and even pillows to the blanket drive.

This is just one example of how one person can make a positive difference. I can make a positive difference by volunteering at a hospital, shoveling sidewalks, raking leaves, watering neighbors’ gardens or even smiling at everyone I see. I encourage all of you to make an effort, no matter how big or small.

You never know who, or how much, you can help. Holly Forsyth, age 11 Spokane

Crowding comics - how crass

Every day we are subjected to a barrage of advertising. Television commercials parade flashy products. Radios blare annoying jingles. Icons turn in the corner of the latest web page and roll by at the hockey game. We are interrupted by telemarketers just as we are settling down for dinner.

This manifest destiny spirit of marketing has now spread to one of America’s beloved institutions: the Sunday comics. Now residing in a space large enough for a Calvin and Hobbes masterpiece is an ad informing us we can “get the goods on lunch!”

Because of this new addition, the artistry of the comics is compromised. Our favorite comics have been downsized as a result of the overbearing ad.

Spokesman-Review, in my mind at least, you have officially sold out. I am sorely disappointed by your choice. Audrey G. Mauro Medical Lake

Thanks to all who helped pass bond

Spokane made history Feb. 3 in its support of our schools. The landslide victories of both the District 81 maintenance and operation levy and of the capital improvements bond issue are true testaments to why Spokane is a great place to raise our children.

With Spokane’s future being inextricably tied to the education of our children, the election results bode well for this community.

On behalf of the Vote Yes for Kids campaign, we publicly thank Spokane voters for your outstanding support of these critically important measures. You received the message and responded in tremendous numbers.

To the hundreds of volunteers who worked so hard to make this election the success is was, we thank you for your phenomenal efforts. Parents, students, educators and many others gave up their time to volunteer whenever they could to get the message to the electorate. Whether by putting up signs, passing out information, raising funds and contributing, telephoning, organizing mailings or helping with the myriad of other projects, we express our tremendous gratitude.

Spokane’s schools will now have the financial base to educate our kids for the next few years and facilities and equipment will meet the need to produce outstanding, productive citizens. William D. Hyslop, Scott Jones and Tyrus Tenold Co-chairmen, Citizens for Spokane’s Schools

No thanks to or trust in Clinton

I am responding to the letter by E. Arthur Seaton II, who seems upset and thinks it’s a waste of time for him to read innuendo and hyperbole about the alleged White House sex scandal.

First, it’s not about sex. It is about lies, six years of lies, one lie after another, one denial after another, one scandal after another. It is too bad it took a sex scandal to get the media involved when there are many other incidents that they should have been upset about.

No, Seaton, not “everyone else is doing it” as your 12-year-old son said. That is an insult to most of the American people.

If everyone else were “doing it,” why is it so difficult to believe Clinton did it?

We keep hearing about the economy and what a good job the president is doing about it. What did Clinton do that makes the economy what it is today? It is the people of this country that made the economy what it is, despite a federal government that has tried in every way to tax and regulate them into extinction. Joe P. Wollman Odessa, Wash.

What’s visible isn’t whole story

I read with dismay the Associated Press article, “Disabled-parking bills target those who cheat.” The article stated that not everyone who has a disabled parking permit is like Fred Miles, who is 83 years old and hobbles to his car. Even Miles is quoted as saying, “Some of ‘em look pretty young and healthy to me.” At times, Miles adds, some of them fill parking spaces needed by Miles and people like him.

Miles’ statements are carelessly judgmental and may be based on the stereotype created by inaccurate information about age and disabilities. Disabilities exist among people of all ages. Some disabilities are not easily observed. Unfortunately, youth and health don’t always go hand in hand. People with fibromyalgia, heart disease, asthma, leukemia, diabetes and other physiological impairments may become substantially limited in their major life activities. But should we deny these individuals a parking permit just because we cannot readily see their disability?

Although I strongly support our lawmakers’ efforts in prohibiting the fraudulent use of disabled parking privileges, let’s not treat others less favorably because they are young or their personal disability is less visible. When determining the need for disabled parking permits, let’s continue to keep our trust in the wisdom of the patient-doctor relationship. Linda Haladyna Spokane