Letters To The Editor

PEOPLE AND SOCIETY

Don’t confuse entertainers and heroes

There seems to be some confusion these days about the use of the word hero. A hero is defined as one who exhibits great courage.

Courage is defined as mental or moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear or difficulty.

Courage can be identified with situations where your personal safety is at risk.

With these definitions firm in mind, it’s easy to see examples of heroes: firemen risking their lives to save people in a burning building; policemen risking their lives each day to ensure our safety; or soldiers saving their wounded comrades during battle. In short, a hero is someone who puts their safety or life at risk to help someone else. They attach a very high value to the lives of strangers, friends, and family.

The will to play or win a sports event (for example, a football game) is not a display of courage or heroism.

Today the word hero is confused with sports stars and movie celebrities. These people are not heroes; they do not put their safety or life at risk for anyone. They are simply people with talent who entertain us, but they are certainly not heroes.

For all the real heroes in the world, the rest of us salute and appreciate your courage. Douglas F. Scott Spokane

Is Fuhrman not on schedule?

I got the chuckles reading D.F. Oliveria’s column of Jan. 13 regarding the rehabilitation of Mark Fuhrman. Apparently, Oliveria has a timetable as to how long it takes for a person to be “rehabilitated.” Oliveria seems to think that by being a talk show host on KXLY, Fuhrman has been rehabilitated “too soon.”

I think it would be nice if Oliveria would publish his timetable for rehabilitation. It would be interesting to see his categories of offenses or crimes and how long he thinks it should take before a person, guilty of something specific on his list, is eligible for rehabilitation.

May I remind Oliveria that the O.J. Simpson case was not about Fuhrman, but whether Simpson murdered his ex-wife. Pete Brittain Sandpoint

Another photo could have been used

Re: Jan. 3 photo of Ryan Leaf with a cigar in his mouth. The caption read, “Ryan Leaf tries out one of the props that goes along with being a magnate following the Rose Bowl.”

Each of my boys (ages 7 and 8), separate from one another, saw the sports page that day and the large photo. Both were very curious. They asked, “Why is Ryan Leaf smoking?” and “Doesn’t he know it’s bad for him?”

I pointed out that we don’t really know if he was smoking, only that he had the cigar in his mouth. I also mentioned something about some people seeing it as part of a post-game celebration.

The dictionary says a magnate is “a very important or influential person in any field of activity.” With consideration toward your younger readers, I would ask The Spokesman-Review to please try to avoid printing large photos of “influential people” participating (or appearing to participate) in questionable activities. We are trying to teach our children not to smoke or drink: Say no to drugs. I can only imagine, given the enormity of the event, that there were dozens of other photos of Leaf without the cigar.

Second, I realize Leaf has gone from a high school athlete to NFL prospect in four short years. I congratulate him on his successes and appreciate his God-given talent. I’m sure there are many children, besides my own, who look up to him and want to emulate him. I urge him to please make wise choices. The NFL scouts aren’t the only ones watching him. Janine Baxter Rathdrum, Idaho

EDUCATION

A disservice to Fitzgerald

I believe that many in the Gonzaga community are struggling to understand the issues surrounding the resignation of Dan Fitzgerald. The failure to articulate the factors surrounding his resignation is contrary to the values Gonzaga has promoted so effectively and, in my opinion, unfair to Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald has been a tremendous teacher, coach and goodwill ambassador for Gonzaga University for more than two decades. His loyalty and allegiance to Gonzaga is deserving of praise, gratitude and, yes, forgiveness. He made a mistake, apparently, and some sanction may be appropriate. However, by Gonzaga’s prohibiting fair and open discourse on this point, a grave disservice is done to the well-earned reputation of Fitzgerald, and to Gonzaga University.

As an alumnus of Gonzaga University and Gonzaga Law School, I must voice my disappointment. Martin L. Salina Spokane

Schools’ future rests on vote

I have been at Woodridge Elementary for five years. I like my school very much. I really like computers. In fact, I have been selected to be a tech trainer.

Some of our schools are not as new as Woodridge. Please be sure to vote yes on Feb. 3 so all children have the same learning opportunities. The future of all school children depends on your yes vote. Carly M. White fourth-grade student, Woodridge Elementary School, Spokane

Power Team inappropriate at school

On Jan. 9 I opened The Spokesman-Review to the Region section and discovered a photo of the “Power Team” demonstrating a feat of strength lifting two Evergreen Junior High students. That’s not so shocking in itself, until I looked closely at the T-shirt the gentleman was wearing to read, “Power … God made you to …” (I couldn’t read the rest). I remembered seeing this team on cable TV a while back. That was shocking to see them use demonstrations of strength in a carnival-type atmosphere to enthusiastically promote Jesus. As a teacher, I’m aware of how important it is to keep “God” out of my classroom.

I’m not allowed to try to motivate any of my students to follow my Buddhist beliefs, but here a school is putting on an assembly to save their students for Jesus!

I called Evergreen Junior High to voice my concern and confusion. I was referred to the assistant principal, Karl Ota. I was again shocked at his response to my question. He said that they didn’t preach to his students and that the Power Team has every right to wear “God” on their T-shirts. Since they were not preaching, he felt there was nothing wrong with motivating his students toward God. I don’t’ know how this can go on in a public school without some questioning and concern.

If we’re going to have religious motivational speakers in public schools, I suggest that we have representatives of all the major religions of the world. Or, better yet, keep religion out of school. Mary A. Naber Spokane

Children need decent schools

School District 81 is asking us to vote so that the levy approved in February 1996 will continue. In addition, they are asking us to support the school facility bond so that Lewis and Clark High school can be renovated. Rogers High school also needs some major repairs, and my daughter tells me that Browne Elementary has to be replaced. The neighbor kids tell me that there is no ventilation in Garry Middle school and that will be taken care of.

These kids need to go to decent schools and somebody has to pay for it. I’m 78, live on Social Security, and still voting “yes for kids” and schools. Ruth Bentley Spokane

Vote yes to support learning

On Dec. 17, the Shadle Park High School Music Department presented a wonderful winter program. Students from the band, orchestra and choral classes performed beautifully. However, a problem arose when the sound system faded in and out. Despite this, the students continued with their program.

On Feb. 3, Spokane citizens will be asked to vote on a school levy and bond proposal. Schools in District 81 need many improvements. Both Shadle and Ferris high schools need lighting and audio work in their auditoriums. Other schools greatly need renovation, and in the case of Brown Elementary, to be rebuilt.

Teachers and students work hard on learning and should have facilities that aid this process. Please vote yes on Feb. 3. Let all children in District 81 know you support their learning. Kathy Smith, chairwoman Shadle Park Band Parents, Spokane

ENVIRONMENT

It’s the small things that count

The not-too-distant environmental conference in Kyoto was a major media event as it occurred. Now the dust has settled and it seems it was all too quickly forgotten.

I do not doubt that people want a healthy environment, but it seems that we lose interest after a short time period. Although environmental standards that are good for the environment were set at Kyoto, I believe that large public environmental actions like that of Kyoto could end up being, ironically, harmful to the environment. When people see that something major is being done about the environment they tend to breathe a sigh of relief and go on with their lives. This, of course, is not a universal truth, but it is in general human nature.

To help our environment we can not rely on large public actions, no matter how good intentioned. We must take personal responsibility for the state of our world and doing all the small things that are good for our planet. Britta Nielsen Spokane

Control population, save the dream

I hope that P. Norman Nelson (“Global warming talk is all hot air,” Letters, Jan. 10) read the Jan. 11 article, “World leaders and companies tune in to bleak Earth news.”

You can debate on and on whether man is or is not the major cause of global warming. However, this does not change the fact that forests are shrinking, water tables are falling, soils are eroding, wetlands are disappearing, rangelands are deteriorating, rivers are running dry, coral reefs are dying, and plant and animal species are disappearing. And all these problems are indisputably caused by man. The global economic boom is rapidly depleting the world’s resources.

Worldwatch states that if China follows our American dependence on the automobile, it will need all the world’s oil production, and that if China develops an American craving for beef, it will take all of our grain production to feed their cattle. If China were to consume seafood at the rate of Japan, the Chinese would demand all that the world’s oceans now produce.

It seems beyond obvious that we have two options. The first is to reduce our standard of living, either voluntarily or through forced economic pressures. The second is to stabilize our population, preferably through increased family planning services being made available across the globe. If every child was wanted and planned for, it would go a long way toward beginning to stabilize the world population. Reducing population growth is the only way we Americans can continue to live the American dream. Kerry L. Masters Liberty Lake

OTHER TOPICS

Story was a breath of fresh air

Your news story concerning the misconduct and possible criminal behavior of Judge Baechler was like a breath of fresh air for Pend Oreille County. Your reporter, John Craig, informed Judge Kristianson in the fall of last year about most of these allegations, and since Kristianson controls most of the news that comes out of the tri-county area, it was not made public until many other concerned citizens became involved. The delay did give Baechler a chance to line up his excuses.

Hopefully, your reporter and the Newport Miner will learn a lesson from this. Mitchell G. Sundseth Newport, Wash.

Don’t forget the victims

The Jan. 14 Spokesman-Review published two stories in different parts of the paper that struck me as being very much interrelated.

The first was a front-page story about a confessed bank robber who allegedly robbed four banks in Spokane with a toy gun in order to get money to halt a foreclosure of her home.

The second was a short article in which it was reported that convicted murderer Mitchell Rupe’s second death sentence had been overturned on appeal. Rupe was convicted for the 1981 murders of two bank tellers in Tumwater.

Before we shed a tear for the first robber, we should consider the second. Robbery is an act of terrorism. It necessarily involves a perceived threat to the victims of imminent harm. I’m sure the bank employees here did not know the gun they had been threatened with was not real. They could very well have been thinking about the two tellers in Tumwater, and so should we. The effect of these robberies on the employees has received little press, but I hope it will not be forgotten in the apparent rush to explain and perhaps even justify the robber’s motivations. Richard John Roberts Spokane

Rose Bowl a community experience

I would like to thank The Spokesman-Review, KHQ, KXLY and KREM for their tremendous coverage of the Cougars Rose Bowl tour.

For those lucky enough to make the trip, it gave them memorabilia to savor the dream long into the future. For those unable to go, they gave many the next best thing to the actual experience. They brought the “side lights” home. They brought the Rose Bowl dream to our community that has starved for this celebration for decades.

These media entities incurred huge expenses, sending large contingents to California, to share this incredible experience with so many. There were no profits to be made in this endeavor, only huge losses. The efforts brought this community together in celebration as never before in history. If only we could have these celebrations much more often.

However, in reality we are a unique community. We come together often to celebrate just being a community. So when something as terrific as the Rose Bowl comes along, it becomes a million times more special than it would be to the communities that expect it often.

Thank you to the 1997 Cougars, the greatest bunch of overachievers in history. You proved that the greatest of fantasies can be realized.

Thanks for collegiate athletics, that provide glory without arrogant millionaires. Allan Le Tourneau Spokane

Vegetarianism is a healthy choice

Although Doug Clark scorns the issues of vegetarianism and mad cow disease, his column may stimulate readers to attend EarthSave’s potluck and presentation on Jan. 18.

As a member of EarthSave, I’d like to clarify our role as scaremongers. We’re a local chapter of a national organization formed by John Robbins, author of “Diet for a New America.” Our goal is to educate people about the consequences of their food choices, both for personal health and the improvement of the environment.

We don’t expect everyone to adopt a vegan lifestyle, but we he hope to show the benefits of moving to a plant-based diet. Heart disease is the biggest killer in America and even the American Medical Association has advocated the health benefits from eating less saturated fat from animal products. The lower rates of cancer for vegetarians is documented in numerous studies.

The energy factors in producing animal products are significant - each serving of meat represents 30 servings of grain. About 2,500 pounds of water is needed to produce that pound of beef compared to 60 pounds of water for a pound of wheat. Water running off from stockyards, dairy production and slaughterhouses is a significant contributor to water pollution.

We at EarthSave are a supportive group who enjoy delicious food and wish to share the amazing variety of healthy vegetarian fare. All are invited to join us for some exotic tofu tasting. Vegetarianism is not a modern fad - Plato, Einstein, Gandhi, Ben Franklin and Thoreau knew the advantages of being vegetarian. Sara K. Holahan Spokane

Even Americans kill in God’s name

Brutal human slaughter in the name of God seems to have become an international sport.

In Northern Ireland, killing continues in retaliation for previous retaliatory killings provoked by earlier retaliatory killings. The opposing sides are loosely labeled as Protestant and Catholic.

In Algeria, Allah is believed to approve of the continuing massacre of men, women and children with axes and knives.

Thank heaven all the senseless atrocities defended by false religious perceptions are over there and not around here.

Oops. What’s this in the Jan. 12 Spokesman-Review? It’s a beautiful front-page picture of a group gathered in a Spokane “Christian” church, seeking God’s blessing in their campaign to promote abortion.

We Americans have never been above joining in a popular sport. George Carstens Spokane