Letters To The Editor

CHILD CARE

Quality child care helps children

My comment that bad day care is “psychological thalidomide” was misquoted recently, first in an op-ed piece published in the Wall Street Journal (Jan. 8) and subsequently in your Jan. 16 editorial, “Kids need parents, not paid stand-ins.” Both authors dropped the qualifier - bad day care - which altered my meaning 180 degrees.

As a developmental psychologist, my position is that good quality day care is conducive to the healthy growth of children and is not harmful.

The tragedy in this country is that we don’t insist on quality child care that is consistent, safe, warm, nurturing, attentive and intellectually stimulating. We know how to create good child care environments but, for the most part, we don’t. A recent study of 400 child care centers in four states found that only one center in seven provided care that could be considered developmentally appropriate for children; the rest were mediocre or poor.

When child care regulations for infants and toddlers in 33 states (including Washington) do not even meet the minimum requirements for healthy development, what are parents to do?

President Clinton’s plan to invest $21 billion in child care over the next five years represents the biggest step forward in 30 years. The states should also wake up and upgrade their appalling standards for child care practice.

And for the hundreds of thousands of mothers who want to stay home with their infants for the first year but simply can’t do without their paychecks, this country is long overdue for a paid infant care leave. Every other industrialized nation has one. Edward Zigler Sterling professor of psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.

Competitors behind ‘witch hunt’

Your story regarding the troubles that Rosie Zaring is having with the state (“Rosie watches the kids; State watches Rosie,” Feb. 15) made me think about my own experience.

My son was in Rosie’s preschool in 1994. I found Rosie to be a truly caring individual who would do anything for the children. What she does is a service to working parents who need affordable child care during the day. At no time did I feel the arrangement that she has with her daughter jeopardized the care for the children. In fact, most children enjoyed being in each location for four hours at a time.

I feel that other day-care providers are fueling this witch hunt because of the competition she creates. My main question is: When did innovation become a dirty word? Gerry Bozarth Spokane

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Nurses determined to protect quality

Unlike Sacred Heart Medical Center’s administrative department, the registered nurses’ main issue is not the almighty dollar. The most important issue is you, the patient. Or maybe your spouse or child who just had surgery, or your premature infant who can’t breathe on her own.

Nurses are the experts when it comes to delivery of patient care. Nurses are the liaison between you and your doctors, the educators for patients, families and other staff. Nurses have the technical knowledge needed to predict a crisis and intervene. Nurses are the first persons to begin treatment if your heart stops beating or your infant stops breathing.

I’m not employed by SHMC. But because of an inadequate amount of licensed nurses, I’ve watched some nursing colleagues at SHMC go from being proud and enthusiastic about their career to exhausted and afraid to return to work the next day for fear they’ll make a mistake, or miss something important.

Decreased insurance and Medicare reimbursement and high overhead costs definitely demand attention. But if SHMC administration and staff within each department would collaborate, there is money to be saved in many other ways without sacrificing the quality of care or the reputation that Sacred Heart and its staff have worked so hard to achieve.

Nurses, work together and be strong. What you do today will affect our entire health care system for a long time.

Spokane community, please support Washington State Nurses Association and the SHMC nurses. Your opinions will make a difference. Carolyn R. Prouty, R.N. Nine Mile Falls

CONSUMER AFFAIRS

Zinc lozenges needn’t be so expensive

The front page of the Feb. 17 Spokesman-Review had an article about the use of zinc for colds. The cost of Cold-Eeze was listed as $5.99 for a bag of 18 lozenges, or 33 cents a lozenge. I have a bottle of zinc lozenges (15 mg. of zinc, 5 mg. of vitamin B6, and 60 mg. of vitamin C) that cost $6.59 for 120 lozenges, or 5.5 cents a lozenge. Check around before you buy zinc lozenges to shorten the length of your cold. Walter A. Becker Pullman

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Armey’s tax idea is flat wrong

Rep. Dick Armey, R-Texas, says, “I believe our tax code should be simple, fair, stable, economically neutral and visible to taxpayers, and it should promote economic growth,” but the flat tax he proposes has few of these virtues.

Armey uses fairness as a selling point, but with the “generous personal allowance” in his plan, not only would the wealthy pay their share but also pay the lower-income person’s share and subsidize taxes for the middle class. How is this fair?

This is just more welfare-state thinking where the more productive members of society are compelled to support the less productive and unproductive. Everyone benefits from military protection, highways, courts, etc. Everyone should pay their fair share.

Why should the federal government be entitled to 17 percent of anyone’s income? God only requires 10 percent, and with no personal allowances.

This plan distinguishes between employee and employer. An employee in a family of four who makes $33,900 would pay a $17 tax. The employer, no matter the family size, making the same money, would pay $5,763. That’s not much incentive to start a business. All the jobs and material wealth in this country are created by people willing to risk their money starting and investing in businesses. Why would we want to punish then?

This flat tax plan has a lot of qualities, but simplicity is its only virtue. Sam K. Cathcart Spokane

Demand leaders be morally strong

For several weeks, I’ve been reading the pros and cons on President Clinton’s problems. I have seen anger in those who believe he is guilty of all charges and anger in those who believe the president’s sex life is his business only. We have also seen that (if we can believe our newspaper) lying is now acceptable under some circumstances.

I wonder if the leadership problems we’re experiencing only reflect our acceptance of morals. Perhaps we are, as a people, getting only what we deserve. None of us has lived perfect moral lives. I hope this will inspire us to try harder, rather than display an attitude of “oh well.” What’s wrong with expecting leaders to be of high integrity? Shouldn’t we expect them to be stronger than the rank and file? Shouldn’t this include morality?

I’ve been told by many that that type of person doesn’t exist in the political arena any longer. Perhaps not, but I certainly was impressed with the integrity I saw displayed in Alan Keyes’ speeches. I’m sure he is not the only man of integrity now in politics.

Let’s demand that our leaders have moral integrity. The future of our children is at stake. Russ D. Brown Mead

LAW AND JUSTICE

Tucker execution just, necessary

I’m thinking of Karla Faye Tucker, who was executed in Texas after a changed life. I’m also thankful for the government of Texas. They remained steady among those who were wishy-washy.

The comments were interesting. One that caught my attention was, “I don’t believe that we have the right to take another life.” Two wrongs don’t make a right is what’s being said here - and isn’t that correct?

In purely human terms, I agree. What right does one human have over another in any area? Why should someone stop you from speeding? Or tell you which side of the road to drive on? What is morally right or wrong? What right do we have to pass any laws? From a purely human standpoint, my ideas on how society ought to function are as valid (or worthless) as anyone’s.

Life would be total anarchy if not for an agreement in a higher standard written upon the tablets of our heart and our conscience. It is this authority that directs us to take life for life (make the punishment fit the crime) when that kind of crime is committed. An extra 14 years for her is just the icing on the cake. Kenneth A. Connelly Coeur d’Alene

BELIEFS

We are our own worst enemy

Jeanette Faulkner’s timely Street Level contribution was a breath of fresh air (“All you have to lose is the emptiness in your life, Feb. 8). It exhibits the cyclical route of many nations’ and individuals’ lives - generation, degeneration and, hopefully, regeneration.

The “city set on a hill” has regressed to the town dump. As we acknowledged Presidents’ day, the legends of presidents Washington and Lincoln emphasized their honesty. We’ve come a long way. Today, we celebrate the ABCs of decay in high places: adultery, bribery and cover-up. The lines between vice and virtue are not only becoming obscure, they’re being obliterated.

Faulkner’s reference to this being a post-Christian era reminded me of a speaker I heard at a recent history conference. Historian Steve Wilkins said, “Pastors prepared their congregation for the upcoming war for independence. He preached as a dying man to dying men.” Founding father Samuel Adams addressed the state house in Philadelphia on Aug. 1, 1776, “We have fled from the political Sodom; let us not look back, lest we perish and become a monument of infamny and derision to the world.”

Martin Lloyd Jones wrote, “Any study of church history, and particularly any study of the great periods of revival or reawakening, demonstrates above everything else just this one fact: that the Christian Church during all such periods has spoken with authority.”

“The modern evangelical church wants the doctrinal structure of an inner tube; wants the stability of a bowl of pudding,” according to Doug Wilson, pastor and editor of Credenda Agenda.

Faulkner ends her column with a plea for spiritual reformation, not conformation but a transformation of society. We have met the enemy and it is us. Donna Kuhn Spokane

Our society has turned away from God

“Truth be told, lying is accepted” (Feb. 8) was a grim reminder that what has happened in so many societies throughout history when the essence of truth is disregarded could so easily happen to us, too.

Cynicism, utilitarianism, materialism and societal depersonalization have combined to spawn a society that is completely alienated from its heritage and literally drowning in its own affluence. The root of this problem was eloquently stated by Jeanette Faulkner in her Street Level column, “All you have to lose is the emptiness in your life.” She wrote, “We wanted to find out what America would look like without God. Now we know.”

The consciences of so many of our population have been callused by prosperity, selfishness and greed, among many factors. Only Jesus Christ, the messiah of Israel and savior of mankind, can restore them.

Those who call for a massive return to godliness and righteousness are not a bunch of radical jousters at windmills, as they’re so often depicted. On the contrary, most are probably more in touch with reality than any of their detractors. No philosopher, social engineer or politician has his or her feet planted more firmly on the ground than those whose faith is in the unseen and whose vision is focused on heaven.

Without Christ there is no hope for any of us. Yet, precisely because God’s grace cannot be reproduced by man, so many doubt it.

As Faulkner reminds us, “There is room and hope at the cross for us all.” Victor E. Buksbazen Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

Celebrate Hitler’s birthday? Never

How dare those illogical Nazis who call themselves the Aryan Nations church use the precious First Amendment rights of this country to celebrate Hitler’s birthday? What kind of freedom of speech or expression do they think they would have now if Hitler had won the war?

I have an uncle whose family was in England when Hitler sent repeated bombing raids to destroy that nation. My uncle underwent many hardships in the war as he fought to defeat that monster. Norman is in his 80s now, but I believe he’d still give a serious whipping to anyone who suggested we do anything for Hitler besides celebrate the day he blew out his own brains.

I pity Richard Butler if he ever meets my old uncle. Mike Ruskovich Blanchard, Idaho

Humane Society well on track

As an animal lover and newcomer to Spokane, I felt serious concern over the events at the Spokane Humane Society as reported by The Spokesman-Review.

After calling city administrative offices and being told it was “not their concern,” I contacted Gov. Gary Locke’s office. That resulted shortly in a response a from Kim West, interim director of the Spokane Humane Society. She answered my concerns about the welfare of the animals and invited me to visit.

I walked into an organized and odor-free reception area. On my tour, I saw clean cages, affection shown to the animals and full water and food bowls. I saw doors being repaired that had let in cold air for years. Filthy floors and walls had been scrubbed clean by West and her staff. The employees I met were efficient and dedicated to the animals. The interaction between West and her staff is positive. They are taking care of business with caring and warmth to the animals.

The Spokane Humane Society is important to Spokane.

The society does not receive funding directly or indirectly from umbrella agencies such as United Way. It does, however, offer many animal-related services. The society is moving ahead, living daily its mission statement, “to relieve the suffering and abuse of all animals and foster an awareness of their importance in our lives through leadership, compassionate care and placement, public education and human services.” Karen M. Kearney Spokane

Positive teen stories more common

I am a sixth-grade student at Hutton Elementary School. Our class has been participating in a reading unit called Quest, which deals with cutting and commenting on newspaper articles in The Spokesman-Review.

In past years, it has seemed that an excessive amount of negative articles have been written on teens. One of our activities in Quest was to research the paper for five days and cut out any articles on teens, both good and bad.

Instead of taking a look at the newspaper five days in succession, I took one day per week for five weeks. I did not count the articles in which the paper did not specify what age group it was. Even so, my results were astonishing.

More positive than negative articles had been written on teens when I totaled the articles from the five weeks. This number was helped by the creation of your teen page. I highly commend the paper for the increase of positive articles on teens. I think that if teens see many positive articles about themselves they will be proud of that. Not all teens are doing good things, but a lot are. It is just as important to be proud of yourself as it is to learn about all the “don’ts” in life. Thank you for acknowledging that teens do many productive things. Christine N. Beamer Spokane

Trashy ex-teacher got all the coverage

On Feb. 11, Mike Crabtree was honored by the School District 81 board as Principal of the Year. The Spokesman-Review had the chance to spotlight a unique principal who is a great leader and has upstanding moral character. I did not see any mention of Crabtree’s success in the newspaper.

Perhaps there was no room for this news because another sort of teacher was deemed more newsworthy. The Review used a lot of space detailing the bizarre, revolting behavior of a deplorable ex-teacher engaged in immoral acts with one of her students. If you think this is what your readers want, you have missed the mark. We would much rather read about the good-for-thecommunity man who has made the difference in the lives of many young people.

Contrary to what we read in the paper, there are many, many successful teachers using the best methods possible to teach students the basic skills needed to become productive citizens. This is newsworthy. The abhorrent behavior of a mentally ill woman is not. Jeanne M. Schrock Spokane

Editor’s note: The Dec. 20 North Side Voice included news of Mike Crabtree being named the region’s principal of the year. The story included quotes from Crabtree and Cynthia Lambarth, associate superintendent of Spokane Public Schools.