Letters To The Editor

ANIMALS

Many more abused than stories tell

Thanks to stories written recently by staff writers Adam Lynn, Mary Sagal and Virginia deLeon, people are lining up around the block to adopt featured unwanted and abused animals. It is with great appreciation to these reporters and the caring people in our community that I write this letter.

Please keep in mind that there are hundreds of pets available for adoption in Spokane’s shelters due to abuse, neglect and a general lack of commitment. Even though they don’t make the headlines, there are dogs tied to trees, left to starve, while their owners simply move away; unwanted puppies thrown into Dumpsters; and cats and kittens left to run wild with no food or care. Literally hundreds of horrible abuses take place in our community and its surrounding areas every day.

If people need a sad story to encourage them to adopt from a shelter, please visit SpokAnimal CARE, the Spokane Humane Society or the county animal shelter and ask any of the dedicated employees or volunteers to share some of what they see. I guarantee you’ll find a pet whose sad story is more than worthy of news attention and a friend who’ll be a wonderful and loving addition to your home. Kelly S. Conley, president board of directors, SpokAnimal CARE

Don’t burden animals with rights

I read the letters under the heading “Diet” with some amusement, and some horror. Amusement at the naivete, horror that the new Nazism is alive and flourishing in Spokane.

Adolf Hitler was a major proponent of “animal rights.” His regime was the first government to blur the distinction between the species, and to elevate animals to a higher legal status than human beings.

Meat eating has been around far longer than human memory. Pre-historic cave drawings venerate animals. Animals provided food, clothing, shelter, tools, glue and the camaraderie of the hunt, just as they still do. We see no depictions of carrots, turnips or broccoli on cave walls.

Vegetarianism has become more of a cult-like religion than a healthful way of life. Of course, they always cite health as one of the reasons for their vegetarianism but they propound animal rights.

I wonder if any of them actually understand what rights truly are? A right is not a freebee, not a given. Every right carries with it a burden of responsibility. To burden animals with “rights” that they do not have the capacity to understand, let alone function under, is indeed a cruelty. Cherie Graves Newport, Wash.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Presidents also moral leaders

Re: Paula Jones vs President Clinton.

According to your front-page story on Jan. 14, it seems that the author feels it’s OK for a president to have sex with anyone he wants to when he isn’t on duty. He mentions reported escapades of former President John F. Kennedy, “the president Clinton most admires.” Then the author states that an anthropologist named Walter Williams said, “If presidents in the past had been removed from office for sexual activity, we would have lost the talents of a lot of effective leaders.”

We need not wonder where this generation is headed. Our public officials set the examples for our children and for our adults, too. When they enter the public arena their lives are just exactly that, public. There are many public officials who are great leaders. There are many of us who believe that if we would always have had morally sound presidential leaders in the past our nation today would be one that would truly be respected here and around the world. G.F. Larson Spokane

DuBois doesn’t deserve stamp

Jeff Jacoby’s commentary, “Turncoat DuBois has already been way overrecognized” (Jan. 12), leaves unanswered one important question: Why does the U.S. Postal Service honor this traitor with a commemorative stamp?

We know he was so filled with hate for America that he renounced his U.S. citizenship, left the country to sing the praises of Joseph Stalin and Mao Tse Tung, hailing communism as “the only way of human life.”

While branding Harry Truman as “one of the greatest killers of our day,” he eulogized Stalin, who slaughtered countless human beings and caused the deliberate starvation of 7 million Ukrainians, as “a great man.” Rather than condemning these horrible crimes against humanity, W.E.B. DuBois commended the dictator for “driving out the rural bloodsuckers.”

The Soviet suppression of religion, wrote DuBois, was the Russian Revolution’s “greatest gift.” It was a “moral disaster” to let parents teach children so-called religious truth. “We have to thank the Soviet Union for the courage to stop it.”

“Of all nations on Earth today,” DuBois told an international communist convention, “the United States alone wants war, prepares for war, forces other nations to fight and asks you and me to … commit suicide for a world war that nobody wants but the rich Americans who profit by it.” (He neglected to say that American taxpayers were spending billions to feed and rebuild a war-shattered Europe.)

The Soviet Union awarded DuBois the Lenin Prize and Red China celebrated his birthday as a national holiday. And for the second time, America honors him with a commemorative stamp. Why? Leo Aspenleiter Spokane

EDUCATION

A vote for the future

On Feb. 3, we voters of District 81 will have the opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to quality education for the children of our community. Consider what three of history’s greatest thinkers had to say on the subject of education: “The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future in life.” (Plato, 428-348 B.C.)

“Education is the best provision for old age.” (Aristotle, 384-322 B.C.)

“Only the educated are free.” (Epictetus, A.D. 55-135)

As the proud parent of a student at Linwood Elementary, I feel it is imperative that we, as parents and concerned citizens, give our children (and their teachers), the tools and facilities that will ensure that we have the well-educated young people that will be needed to shape the future for our city, state and nation.

Please vote yes for kids on Feb. 3! Roger W. Erdman Spokane

Schools deserve our support

As parents of two students in the Spokane public schools, we are supportive of the two year replacement maintenance and operations levy and of the building bond issue which will appear on the Feb. 3 ballot. Our two kids are receiving a high-quality education from outstanding teachers and they, along with thousands of other students across our district, derive great benefit from the necessary dollars the M&O levy provides.

We are also excited about the projects which will be funded by the bond issue. It will be wonderful for students in the Lewis and Clark High School and Brown Elementary areas to be able to attend much needed new facilities, and for students across the city, like our own, to have increased access to technology and the educational opportunities which this important bond issue will avail.

A yes vote on both of these ballot issues is a yes vote for kids. We encourage fellow parents to join us in providing continued support for the Spokane public schools and the superb quality of education our students are being afforded. Please vote yes on Feb. 3. Michael and Teresa Dunn Spokane

Vote can make a difference

We feel that the Spokane Public School District 81 school levy/bond is excellent. It is about time that we all invest in our future, our children. This bond/levy effects all of our children and of course all of us in many ways.

The renovation and remodel of schools will affect many of the children; they can be proud to show off their school. The atmosphere influences people’s attitudes. The better their attitude, the better they will learn and enjoy learning. The community using the schools can have a place to go to that is up to code and safe.

The telephone/communications/security upgrades are essential. The school our daughter attends has very few incoming telephone lines. Right now, it is impossible to get through on the phone, since all the lines are busy. If there was an emergency, we would not be able to get hold of her quickly.

The technology improvement at all schools is necessary. After all, everyone agrees, we need to prepare our children for a successful future. These children who enter the work force must have knowledge on how to operate computers to be successful or to obtain a job.

We all can appreciate this levy. We hope that everyone votes on Feb. 3, so we can make a difference in our children’s lives. Deedee and Bud Merritt Spokane