Letters To The Editor

Fri., Jan. 30, 1998

From LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, January 31, 1998: CORRECTION A Jan. 30 letter to the editor incorrectly described Sally Jackson of Spokane as a member of the state House of Representatives.

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

Approve Medical Lake levy

On Tuesday, Medical Lake School District voters will consider a two-year maintenance and operation levy. It replaces the existing levy and its continuance is a crucial component of district finances.

The levy is used to finance numerous programs because the state does not fully fund education. Programs in Medical Lake such as computer education, gifted education, elementary art, music and physical education are supplemented with levy dollars. In addition, Medical Lake’s buildings are excellently maintained, due in part to levy funding.

The levy is at the same rate as the expiring levy. If approved, it will again make district eligible for state matching levy equalization funds of approximately $900,000. The district would receive almost $3 of state matching funds for every $1 of local levy funds. This is a great return on investment. However if the levy is not approved, the district would not be eligible for the $900,000.

To continue education excellence in Medical Lake, vote yes for the replacement maintenance and operation levy on Tuesday. Peggy Schweikhardt, president Medical Lake School Board

Support Medical Lake schools again

Medical Lake has excellent-quality schools in our district. The community made this choice by supporting levies and bonds. As president of the Medical Lake Education Association, I urge you to join with me in supporting the upcoming levy. Larry Hutchinson Medical Lake

Mead High students need your votes

I am a freshman at Mead High School. Earlier this year, power went out during first period due to a bad connection. The students thought it was pretty cool because we got to go home. But now, other things are going on.

I play basketball, and for the last week and a half, we have had to play around garbage cans on our court that are catching water from the leaky roof. It has been so bad that one day we had four teams in one gym and ended up sending two of them to another school to practice.

Not only this, but some of the classrooms have been flooded and are so cold we have to wear our coats and use blankets during class.

I know that after paying for the new high school, Mt. Spokane Mead High, you are probably weary of paying more taxes, but the students at Mead High school would really appreciate your support in making our school the best it can be. Please vote yes for the bond issue so we can all make Mead High School and the Mead School District a better learning environment. Holly A. Ready Spokane

Reasons to vote for levy, bond plentiful

Why vote for the Spokane school levy and bond issue?

Educating young people is one of the wisest investments a community can make. Spokane has a great tradition of providing a healthy educational and recreational environment for kids. Let’s keep this up!

The operation levy merely continues needed funding; it’s not an increase in current tax levels. The levy provides a crucial 18 percent of operating expenses for Spokane public schools.

The school bond proposal represents a well-thought-out capital spending plan to get our kids’ schools ready for the next century. Besides addressing significant problems at aging Lewis and Clark High School, the bond proposal provides needed funds for updated science rooms at Rogers, deals with overcrowding at North Central and improves facilities at Garry Middle School. It’s a bond issue benefiting all schools.

While we may disagree on the need for funding another bridge to cross the river, we need to unite in our support for funding the educational system that is our children’s bridge to future success. Vote yes twice on Tuesday. Tim and Linda Williams Spokane

Commit to meeting school needs

None of us enjoys paying more taxes, but the time has come for us to make a long-delayed investment in our schools.

The levy portion of the ballot renews an important source of regular funding for all schools in the district. Levies have to be renewed every several years under Washington law.

The bond provides long-needed infrastructure improvements. While a sizeable portion will go to renovation of Lewis and Clark High School, the bulk will provide for wiring upgrades and technology improvements across all schools. Many schools are scheduled for specific improvements, such as at Wilson, where “temporary” buildings more than 20 years old will be replaced.

In short, this is an opportunity to help give teachers the tools they need and our kids a safe and productive learning environment. It’s an investment our community will benefit from for years to come.

Enough of us must vote if the election is to be certified. So please, get out and vote yes for kids on Tuesday. Bruce F. Howard Spokane

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

This piling on is unseemly, wrong

I am near 80. I love my country, but I’m angry and disgusted.

I’ve listened to the heartbeat of the nation through the media. It is sad that we’ve become a people mired in common gossip and malicious innuendo.

For a quarter of a century, we’ve had a no-holds-barred society with little respect for decency, good judgment, courtesy and consideration. Competition has become so fierce that peeking through keyholes, so to speak, and telling all we see or imagine in order to make a splash or gain some money is the way to go.

Stones being cast at President Clinton are an example. It isn’t enough that he’s trying his best to do a good job of leading the nation. His enemies are doing their dirty best to knock him down. This is obvious to the ordinary citizen. Do we remember the admonition, “He who is without sin cast the first stone”?

Do we hear as often as these other things the good our president is doing? The media are having field day picking him apart. That the State of the Union address was forthcoming made these people froth to get Clinton off his feet. They talk of impeachment. Anything to score.

For goodness sake, let’s have some common courtesy and discretion in our public scenes! Politicians and journalists, please set up a mode of responsibility so as to be mindful of your effect on the younger generation as well as those of us who are older. Let’s love our neighbors, and quit such disparagement, please. Laura W. Venard Bonners Ferry, Idaho

Morality still matters

My wife and I heard a statement on the evening news dealing with President Clinton and his current situation regarding his alleged affairs that made our blood boil. 4th District Rep. Sally Jackson said, “If we have to worry about the sex life of our president, then we will not have many good politicians and leaders to choose from in this country.”

Every citizen, especially every politician and leader in this country, should be offended by this remark. If the moral fiber of the leader of our nation is not an issue, then why not elect Tom DiBartolo president? Rep. Jackson’s intimation there are no candidates for leadership capable of honoring a commitment, whether it be marriage vows or an oath of office, is an affront to our society.

The office of the president of the United States is more than a job. Our president represents our nation and its people to the rest of the world. I also believe the current situation is holding our nation up to ridicule in the eyes of its citizens and the world. I have always tried to vote the person, not the party, and still feel moral integrity is a vital ingredient of their ability to lead. Please, don’t succumb to the notion that morality is passe or out of vogue. David W. Leavenworth Rosalia, Wash.

President should have character

Recent polls and numerous opinions in print suggest that a significant number of voters are prepared to give Slick Willie slack, even if he either admits to, or it’s proven that, he had some sort of sexual contact with a then-21-year-old White House intern.

The notion that what the president does behind closed doors is none of our business is ludicrous. We pay his salary and the upkeep on the oval office, behind which such activity may have occurred. We expect his zipper to stay up while he is on duty, unless he is at the urinal. Further, he needs to be totally focused on the business we hired him to do, which was not monkey business. We do not expect our president to have his hands on one hot line in case he needs to respond to the emergency hot line.

It appears that a goodly number of women in this society are so enamored with this silver-haired, silver-tongued sociopathic president that maybe the only problem they have with such behavior is that it may tend to interfere with their own fantasies about him. Grow up!

And apparently some men excuse him because of similar such extramarital affairs, which, of course, are excusable because, “We men are so different - our testosterone goes wild sometimes, ya know - and things just happen.” Balderdash!

It is time for character to re-emerge as a prerequisite for all future applicants for president. Ken Van Buskirk Spokane

I’ll gladly tune in to Fuhrman

Re: The Mark Fuhrman segment on KXLY.

I have always had my radio on country music, but since it was written in the paper that Mark Fuhrman will be on the KXLY Radio talk show Thursday afternoons, I’m going to switch over and listen to him from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

I always said Mark Fuhrman got a bum rap, right from the start. I wish him all the luck in the world. Dee Harden Spokane

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

Diversity need not mean violence

Re: “Immigrants reaping the benefits” (Letters, Jan. 23). Robin Corkery writes about immigration and diversity: “It is no myth that where diversity is found (as in Bosnia, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Kurdistan, Fiji, Chechnya, etc.) there’s also bloodshed.”

Just what is Corkery implying? Does he mean that whenever there is a diverse group of people we should expect violence? Is he suggesting that letting others into our country (immigrants like our ancestors) will result in mass bloodshed? Or is this even a gross, veiled warning to immigrants to the U.S. that they better watch out, because some of us may massacre them?

Let’s remember where we came from and welcome those who join us. And let’s not equate diversity with violence. Rex J. Rempel Spokane

Avaricious consumers cost us all

A recent article showed that Northwest people are far less than thrifty with their finances. Bankruptcy applications are booming. The article didn’t mention that, nationwide, bankruptcy applications jumped from 1.1 million in 1996 to 1.3 million in 1997, an alarming increase.

Questions arise as to why so many people jeopardize their future with credit card purchasing when they have no way to pay off the balances. The national average for credit card charges is 16.82 percent on unpaid balances. With inflation presently in check at 3 percent or lower, wages will mostly follow that figure. The result is a bankruptcy application.

I’m alarmed, as bankruptcies are costly to everyone. We know that banks and finance companies are greedy, but why are so may lured into buying so many things they can’t afford? Why do so many people buy on credit instead of waiting until they save enough to pay for their purchase? There are three obvious reasons.

First, most people really don’t understand math or finances. Second, many are impatient and want it now. Third, many are obsessed with conspicuous consumption, which scholars say is caused by a lack of self-esteem.

I know many people who have gone through bankruptcy. A few were victims of unfortunate circumstances and my heart goes out to them. I wonder how the others can look at themselves in the mirror. Gerald W. Ray Spokane

Women voters suckers for sweet talk

President Clinton has taken advantage of women, both in the bedroom and in the voting booth. This sweet-talking southern gentleman has confirmed the sense of people who once opposed women voting. The fact is that women, as a group, are exceedingly vulnerable to emotional rhetoric.

Clinton’s politics can be summarily defined as whatever sounds nicest. Women respond to that by nature. Wake up, ladies, before you are sweet-talked out of your free country. C. Jay Johnson Coeur d’Alene

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Say no to N-waste dumping

It blows my mind that everyone in our area hasn’t been up in arms about Dawn Mining Company’s plan to fill its open mining pit with tons and tons of low-level radioactive material.

I doubt there’s anyone in the Spokane area who has not lost a family member, friend or neighbor to cancer. Hanford’s emissions over the years have taken a toll. We know radioactive material causes cancer.

Now, 38 to 40 trucks per day, 260 days per year, for five to seven years will haul low-level toxic material through our area to fill Dawn’s pit.

We’ve been dealing with Hanford’s nuclear garbage for 50 years. Our waste-to-energy facility has incinerated Canadian pesticide containers that Canada won’t touch. It’s certainly time to say loudly that enough is more than enough.

Write to Gov. Gary Locke and urge him to just say no to Dawn’s contract. Tell him how important the health of our loved ones is to us. Do it for your family. Sally Jackson Spokane

Better acupuncture than an overdose

Before legislators pass measures to require pain relief in patients, even when it endangers the life of the patient, the value of acupuncture in this area of medicine should be fully examined.

Since the late 1950s, acupuncture has been used when major surgery is performed in China. Scientific research in the West shows acupuncture can be a valuable tool with no side effects for pain control in Western medicine, too. House Speaker Clyde Ballard expressed a legitimate concern about giving doctors the uncontested right to prescribe medication, knowing it could end a patient’s life. This legal right has been abused in Denmark and would be abused here, too. Sharon Leon Spokane