Letters To The Editor

IDAHO VIEWPOINTS

We have right to parade, express views

Pastor Richard Butler has invited 100-plus men and women to participate in a 100-flag march in downtown Coeur d’Alene for white unity.

We would like to express our viewpoints calmly, peacefully and politely. We do not wish to, nor will we, act violently, rudely or be disrespectful to any of the residents of Coeur d’Alene before, during or after the march. We would like to simply voice our opinions peacefully during the parade.

Mayor Steve Judy, Gov. Phil Batt, Bill Wassmuth, and Marshall Mend say that they are expressing concerns over the march. What they’re doing is merely stalling on giving the permit for the march.

The last time that I checked, the U.S. Constitution protects The Church of Jesus Christ Christian/Aryan Nations. Although we are white supremacists, neo-Nazis, KKK members, racialist, bigots, etc., freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the freedom of religion are still valid, and all citizens of the United States of America have these rights.

We also have the right of freedom of assembly and to pass out our literature under the free exercise clause.

So, in the state and city offices the mayor and governor hold, they have sworn an oath to uphold and enforce the U.S. Constitution.

Who lives by and upholds the Constitution of the United States of America? Pastor/Col. Mike Teague Church of Jesus Christ Christian/Aryan Nations, Hayden Lake

SPOKANE MATTERS

Taxpayers footing bill for incompetence

A downtown mall is under development and now we read that the long-awaited building permit for this all-important project will be filed this year. The Davenport Hotel remodeling has been ongoing, but the permit will be filed by summer. We have the shoreline oversight on the Lincoln Street Bridge.

Whoa! Build, then apply?

It was reported, “About 500 Spokane residents filled a meeting room in the Spokane Convention Center, anxious to offer their visions for downtown.” That hungry crowd had been waiting to “offer their visions” to the comprehensive plan - some east of Division - having been teased by Horizons’ intellectualizing of the Master Comprehensive Plan. How many of Horizons’ troupe had a Spokane-sponsored tour of the city’s quadrants? The Council viewed a slide show of concepts without plans for implementation. This charade failed to suggest moving the biggest eyesore and polluter - buses - out of downtown.

City management increased utility rates to finance union-negotiated salary hikes. These salary hikes were negotiated by the same managers who received the salary increases “to keep pace … with union employees … otherwise, those non-union workers might unionize.” A push-pull subterfuge for salary increases; in legal parlance, extortion.

The Peter Principle is deeply embedded at City Hall and taxpayers are the losers for underwriting incompetency. Will our moral gauge embrace new management in Spokane? Edward Thomas Jr. Spokane

Critic’s housing notions ridiculous

Re: “Developers maximize profit at community’s expense,” guest column, Feb. 12.

Let’s say it right up front: Bart Haggin isn’t interested in affordable housing. His astonishingly ill-educated column first blames developers for the high cost of housing, then launches a chilling condemnation of “immigrants” who did not arrive here “through natural means” as being responsible for the high cost of housing. He then suggests the addition of a $22,000-per-new-home “impact fee” would make housing more affordable!

Haggin in so many words accuses developers of being responsible for Spokane wage and income levels. Then, in a flash of further insight, he deduces that the route to making housing affordable is certainly not to reduce onerous regulation and endless costly requirements and restrictions, but - aha! - just to pay everyone in Spokane lots more money so they can afford housing!

And yes, Haggin imperiously announces, foolish home buyers should conform to his determination of what housing is fine for them.

He lists all the things he would apparently like, if it were in his power, to dictate to housing consumers, saving them the socially unconscionable difficulty of making their own choices.

Apparently, it hasn’t occurred to Haggin that builders and developers are the only ones who have a vested interest in providing affordable housing. Haggin’s only interest in affordable housing is his steadfast effort to exterminate it in Spokane.

That he is a member of the Spokane County Growth Management Steering Committee is a bizarre indictment of bureaucracy gone mad. Terry L. Lamb Spokane

Foot draggers can hurt whole area

Redevelopment of downtown Spokane, with a strong retail presence as its core, is critical not only to Spokane but also to the citizens and businesses located in outlying areas.

Our company is located in the Valley and I live on the North Side. I also conduct business and shop downtown. I cannot vote for the mayor or the City Council, yet their decisions have a significant impact upon our business and my personal quality of life.

If we do not have a strong downtown core, it will have a significant impact not only on our business but others as well. It will become more and more difficult to attract new and vibrant companies and to recruit individuals.

New companies and individuals would not only bring economic growth to the area, but would also help local businesses. Our convention and visitors business, worth many millions alone, requires a healthy, vibrant downtown. It will suffer significantly without this project.

It appears that some of the city’s elected officials - one in particular - are taking a very narrow, shortsighted view of the downtown redevelopment project. This project, along with downtown Spokane, impacts the entire Spokane area. These officials should put their petty personal agendas aside and consider the whole picture. They must think of the greater Spokane area, not just their own back yards.

I challenge our elected leaders to act and make decisions globally, as leaders for the good of many, not just a few. Nathan S. Batson, president and CEO American Electronic Sign, Spokane

Keep parks fully funded

When we must prioritize and streamline the spending of our tax dollars, we must not forget the true value of our county parks. What is the real value of our outdoor recreational vehicle park, swimming parks, fairgrounds, golf courses or hiking trails?

They are all investments. We invest our tax dollars in our active youth by giving them quality, safe, family oriented environments in which to exercise, learn new skills and enjoy themselves. Our children are our future.

In light of reduced state funding for our ORV parks, we must lobby state officials to show them the error of their spending cut. There was a strong need for ORV parks when they were created. The need still exists. Our kids need a safe, legal place to ride.

Let’s keep all our county parks fully funded through whatever means necessary. Parks are a great investment. Craig A. Coppock Spokane

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

Founding documents should be learned

Interactive editor Doug Floyd’s Jan. 27 editorial on Senate Bill 6432, which would make it mandatory for schools to teach the Declaration of Independence and Constitution one day each year, conveniently discloses to the educationally adept his generally apathetic view toward the most significant articles in our nation’s history.

Floyd’s argument is that it would take time out of the precious 180 days that are already full to overflowing and it seems to him to be redundant, time consuming and ineffectual.

You, my good man, are a history teacher’s nightmare. You sound like that student who never was satisfied with the answer to the question, “Why do we have to study the past?” House Speaker Newt Gingrich was not supporting this bill as a legislator, but as a history teacher. This support comes from years of teaching students who can’t tell one document from the other. He knows the value of these articles drawn up by our founding fathers and that studying these one day a year from grades 1-12 will only go on to strengthen the value of these documents when they are covered in the fifth-, eighth- and 11th-grade U.S. history classes.

Teachers are also supposed to hang new knowledge on prior knowledge when teaching. I’m sure that for students to already have a familiarity with these papers will make the teacher’s job and the students’ learning much more enjoyable and fulfilling. Eric S. Fugitt Spokane

Educating shouldn’t take second place

I used to be proud to be a teacher. I love the spark in a child’s eye when he or she learns.

I always will feel privileged to be one who teaches, but I find myself cringing to be associated with teachers who, for ambition and political posturing, have sacrificed truth for a chance to get ahead.

I taught in a pilot district for schools for the 21st century and attended the hearing in Olympia. A project that I was told provided cutting-edge research for education reform in our state provided no research, had an “outside evaluation” done by an employee and produced students who scored lower on statewide exams than those in traditional schools. Children failed while education reformers made money.

Then, I watch the news with teachers moaning about the reading bill. You may hear a lot about this bill, but as one who teaches children to read, I recommend you do just that: read the bill. It does not prevent a teacher from using other methods of reading instruction. It just mandates attempting phonics for children who are failing. There is much research to show this works.

Teachers talk a lot about wanting to be treated like professionals. When they stand up for truth they will get that honor. Muriel C. Tingley Medical Lake

U.S. AND THE WORLD

If war must be, prosecute it fully

President Bush was wrong to leave Saddam Hussein in power after the Persian Gulf War. President Clinton will be wrong to attack Iraq but stop with Saddam still in power.

Among the most distinguished heads of the joint chiefs of staff was Adm. Thomas Moorer, who served in that job during part of the Vietnam War. Later, having thought about it long and hard, he argued that for both moral and practical reasons, the United States should never to go to war unless it intends to change another country’s government.

War is so horrible, he reasoned, that we should resort to it only if no real alternative exists. That being the case, only removing the government whose behavior is intolerable, and with which we can’t deal in any other way, can justify risking the lives of our own and the other country’s citizens.

As shown by our experiences in Korea, Vietnam and Iraq, that is also the only practical goal. Anything else will fail or lead to different but still vexing problems. Most people agree that war should be waged to win, but winning means different things to different people. Deposing the enemy’s government is a clear goal that can unite our citizens.

Finally, the Gulf War proved that overwhelming force is the best strategy. Unless that is our strategy and deposing Saddam is our goal, we shouldn’t risk the lives of U.S. or Iraqi citizens. If it is, and if it’s necessary, we should lay siege to Baghdad until the Iraqis throw out Saddam’s head. Edwin G. Davis Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

President’s behavior matters a lot

Yes, it does matter what goes on behind President Clinton’s closed doors. For if this man would sell out his marriage for a cheap sex act, what price would he ask for his country?

Spouses and significant others of people who are chanting that it doesn’t matter have serious reason to doubt the stability of their relationships. We only support policies, good or bad, that we are comfortable with. In other words, birds of a feather do flock together. Charles F. Childers Hayden, Idaho

Misplaced fingers send dicey message

I was distressed to see a photograph, “Dicey situation,” in the Feb. 3 Handle. It shows a North Idaho College culinary student with his latex-gloved hand seemingly touching his mouth and nose. In light of the recent hepatitis A outbreaks, I can only speculate how this photo ended up in one of the largest local newspapers.

Many of us in the restaurant/food service industry are working very hard to promote the serving of safe food from the time food enters our kitchens until it’s served to our customers. What message does such a photo send to potential patrons?

Everyone in food service has an obligation to be constantly aware of where their hands have been and where they’re going. Plenty of soap and water, and frequent changing of latex gloves minimizes the risk of cross-contamination. “Watch the fingers,” indeed. Mary K. Deane Moscow

Medical care rules make no sense

I am an 82-year-old veteran of World War II, attempting to survive on Social Security and a small pension.

I was recently diagnosed with pulmonary embolisms in both lungs. The doctor gave me the choice of going into the hospital for five days for treatment of the condition at a cost of $15,000 to Medicare and my insurance company, or purchasing the needed medication myself at a cost of $251 and treating myself at home.

I chose the latter because of the discomfort and inconvenience, as well as the involvement of several other people, of going into the hospital.

I can ill afford $251 for a prescription out of my monthly income, and I can’t get reimbursed for it because of government rules. But it would have been OK for the government to spend $15,000 for treating me in a hospital for the same result.

This is ridiculous - a good example of government stupidity. Something should be done about it. Donovan M. Bush Elk

Officials wrong to give medal back

Re: Ross Rebagliati, the Canadian snowboarder who had his Olympic medal taken away and then given back.

The Canadian coach should have instituted a zero-tolerance policy and tested athletes. This should be routine. If Rebagliati was, in fact, a victim of secondhand smoke, he should have left the party where the smoking was going on. High school athletes are told that if they are at a party where illegal substances are being used, they are to leave. How much more true this should be for world-class athletes.

Because of the publicity this incident has gotten - and this letter contributes to that - the message our young people get is that marijuana is OK - even Olympics officials don’t care. Bad, bad mistake!

Marijuana is an insidious, mind-altering drug. People who have dedicated their lives toward trying to inform kids about its dangers have just taken a real slap in the face. The damage done by this episode will take years to overcome. How sad.

If Rebagliati did smoke and then lied about it, he may have the medal but he’s not a winner. He is a loser. John P. May Chewelah, Wash.

Olympics coverage excels

I commend The Spokesman-Review on its excellent newspaper coverage of the Winter Olympics. It’s really great to see all sports presented, not just the “glamour” sports.

Also, the coverage has been timely in terms of the event outcomes. Take Picabo Street’s gold in the GS, for example. That particular event did not make CBS’ coverage until a day and a half after the event.

I was very touched by the story of the Nordic gold medalist greeting the Kenyan at the finish line.

I think that for the duration of the Winter Olympics, I may forget about CBS with its previews of the preview, U.S.-focused and glamour sport coverage, and look to the Review sports sections for a more rounded view of what’s happening in Nagano. Penny A. Schwyn Spokane