Letters To The Editor

HIGHER EDUCATION

Merger won’t solve the real problem

Sen. Jim West’s guest column, “Curing what ails EWU won’t be easy, yet it must be done,” deals with two separate issues. One is merging Washington State University and Eastern Washington University to solve higher education problems in Spokane. The second issue is EWU’s recent dip in enrollment.

West suggests a merger would solve both problems. I disagree.

EWU’s enrollment problems were the result of an extended bout of poor management. EWU’s board of trustees is addressing that issue. It is fair to say that until West made his rash proposal, morale at EWU had begun to improve. The proposal was a kick in the head to employees trying to rise from the ashes of a difficult past.

I think West is extending the status quo. His proposal severely damages EWU’s efforts to change direction. It demands keeping in place, at least for the short term, those responsible for EWU’s dilemma.

West suggests a merger will solve higher education delivery problems in Spokane. This is questionable, at best.

The focus of the problem is engineering. WSU has an engineering school in Pullman. Will the Legislature invest in an engineering school in Spokane? Can the east side of the state support two engineering schools? Would WSU be willing to move its engineering school to Spokane?

This is the real issue and a merger will not solve it. Tom L. McArthur Spokane

Try giving EWU a fair chance

Over the past few months, I’ve read article after article in The Spokesman-Review praising the merger effort offered up by Sen. Jim West to make Eastern Washington University part of the Washington State University system.

Before you write another editorial praising this merger, let me share with you a few things you might not have considered.

First, West was quoted in this newspaper as saying that tuition at EWU would probably rise if the merger was to happen, but that students would have access to greater financial aid.

Let me get this right. West and proponents of this merger want students to be forced to take more financial aid, which means more debt, in order to get an education. How smart is that?

Second, who said anything got better when fewer choices were offered? EWU and WSU both offer distinct lifestyles, classes, professors and communities. Combining the two would only offer students fewer, less-distinctive choices. How does that help students?

I realize The Spokesman-Review has always wanted WSU to be located in Spokane instead of Pullman. I also realize that you can’t help it that you fawn over WSU. After all, it is bigger, more prestigious and has more donors than EWU, Gonzaga University and Whitworth College combined.

I just ask that you remember one thing. For every negative thing you write about EWU, you’re contributing to EWU’s enrollment problems. Why don’t you be a real community newspaper, and in your positive press try to include all of your community, not just the part that you want in it? Tiffany LaMonte Spokane

PEOPLE AND ANIMALS

Help resolve overpopulation problem

It is estimated that each day, 11,000 human babies are born in the United States, but there are more than 70,000 puppies and kittens born during the same period. As long as these birth rates exist, there will never be enough homes for all these companion animals.

In 1990, as many as 9.1 million unwanted dogs and 9.7 million unwanted cats were put to death in U.S. shelters. This number needs to be viewed as a minimum, as many shelters did not respond to the survey. Also, many homeless pets die outside shelters, of disease, starvation, in traffic accidents, as prey to other animals or at the hand of humans.

This massive killing of innocent companion animals, most of which were young and healthy, must be stopped. Pet overpopulation can be avoided.

People, including young children, should be made aware of the enormity of this preventable tragedy. Pets must be neutered, not allowed to breed even once. I appeal to the conscience of all breeders, to stop breeding for at least one year.

Shelters are overcrowded with victims of a society where everything is disposable. One of these unwanted companion animals could be your best friend. Until there are no more healthy pets put to death in our shelters, adopt one.

The Companion Animal Aid and Placement Society places more than 300 fine companion animals annually. In order to continue this enormous task, we need your support. Recently, there were 28 cats and 27 dogs in our program, with more coming in during the holidays. Yvonne Herman, president CAAPS/Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Pullman

Farm Bureau policies wrong

The American Farm Bureau is celebrating its recent successful court challenge to a Yellowstone National Park wolf reintroduction program. The bureau purports to protect farmers from bureaucratic red tape.

Certainly, wolves don’t threaten wheat, corn, soybeans or alfalfa. So why does the bureau want wolves eradicated from Yellowstone?

The bureau, in the past an advocate for corporate farming, has become in recent years ever more aligned with the extreme right wing of the Republican Party. It is a vocal proponent of a watered-down revision of the Endangered Species Act currently offered by Sen. Dirk Kempthorne, R-Idaho. The bureau likewise fights strengthening of the Clean Water Act. It appears the bureau is intolerant of wild animals but not water pollution.

Wolf recovery efforts on public lands are roundly supported by the public. The Yellowstone recovery effort has been heralded as a success story demonstrating that endangered species populations can in fact be recovered.

The smartest thing to do is to leave wolves in Yellowstone where they are part of the natural ecosystem. Cows should stay on the farm. It’s time for a reality check, American Farm Bureau! Susan K. Coleman Republic, Wash.

Russell terriers aren’t easy

Wishbone, the reserved and obedient television star, is not a realistic portrayal of a Jack Russell terrier. We have two, so I know.

The Russell is a high-energy hunting terrier, bred to run all day. It needs little sleep and has only two speeds: off and high.

A Russell is always busy. It is stubborn and independent, and has absolutely no will to please. It is a digger, climber and barker, and can easily jump on the the dining room table. No fence can hold it and it is too thin-coated to be an outside dog in our climate. If left inside, bored, it will merrily destroy your house in the name of entertainment. The breed must be obedience trained. Even then, it will only come when you call if that happens to fit in with the dog’s own plan.

This dog is extremely tough and will pick fights with other dogs. It will not tolerate the tail-pulling behavior of small children or physical abuse in the name of discipline.

This dog demands affection, attention, energy burn-off and mental stimulation (training meets all four requirements). Unless you have several hours a day to devote to a dog, better look for another breed.

If you are still interested, contact the national club at (410) 561-3655 for information on the breed, Russell Rescue and breeders. All good breeders will make sure you know the bad traits and guarantee to take the dog back if, for any reason, you cannot keep it. Sharon D. Aizer Spokane

Animal killings not joke material

Regarding columnist Doug Clark’s ferret killing commentary.

Why, Clark, did you make light of this act? You jokingly referred to them as livestock, called them “freaking ferrets,” and even sarcastically tried to make a connection to the apocalypse. You then tried to justify your warped sense of humor by trying to get your readers to (instead) focus on the animal rights “extremists” and their protests.

You thought it strange the “remote” connection they made to serial killers starting out by torturing small animals. Don’t you read the newspaper you write for?

This kind of thing cannot be taken lightly any more. This was not a random act of violence, not a “dysfunctional family” case. This was a calculated act of sadism and nothing else.

You stated that the person responsible actually injected them with bleach! It takes time to kill and torture 93 animals enclosed in cages. He had plenty of time to think this thing through beforehand, not to mention the time it took to carry it out. There is only one “step” immediately prior to torturing humans and this is it.

Given that 93 were slaughtered, I would think you might be a little more aware of the seriousness of this criminal act.

I can’t help but wonder if your column was for real. Or were you just writing trash to get reader response? Curt Brennan Spokane

PARTING SHOT

Don’t be so quick to label victims

Re: the several women killed recently in Spokane.

When will this discrimination stop? They are mothers, wives and, furthermore, ladies. Why must they be called prostitutes? And when one of the ladies is murdered, I believe a good percent of Mr. and Mrs. America and our law enforcement say good riddance.

Now, after nine or 10 of these women have been murdered, the police are setting up a task force. If one of the women had had a prominent name in our city, every cop and deputy would be up in arms. So would our fine newspaper, which calls the women prostitutes.

If our law is so concerned, arrest these women or legalize their profession and then give them protection. Peter E. Therens Spokane