Letters To The Editor

REVELATIONS

Toplessness shouldn’t be scandalous

Re: letter of July 20 by Stephen M. Gerads, “And God made women - different” in response to the July 16 article, “Topless walkers vow to fight.”

It is a fact that men and women are different. However, Gerads’ statement that women have more private parts is subject to debate because it is a matter of perception. There are many cultures that do not perceive women’s breasts as something to be hidden, kept private. Even breastfeeding in public is not deemed immoral.

Fact: We are born nude. When we run around naked as children, we don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed; it feels natural. Reason: The creator doesn’t make us feel shame or morally bind us to hide our private parts. Man creates these inhibitions, literally.

Practical note: It is just skin; anything else that is perceived is what you or I attach to it. Ironically, I’d wager that man has created this baggage because of his guilt for being sexually aroused by this area on a woman’s body.

Furthermore, it has been my experience that when we remove the fig leaves from our private parts, it is a wholesome act.

Remember, it is just skin. Whatever else it is to you or I is what we bring to the table. Pursue what makes you happy, ladies. It seems fair to me. Donavon O’Keefe Greenacres

Equal rights include top-free-dom

When is a law not a law? How a about when it’s unconstitutional.

Here stands Idaho, defending verbal assault against blacks, Indians and Jews based upon the First Amendment, while shamefully denying women equality - no, denouncing women - based upon antiquated moral principles. Now, isn’t that against the First Amendment?

Sorry, but I’m a bundle of questions today. Like, who made men’s chests the standard of decency? And which is the different gender? And who the hell is Moscow (or Spokane) to tell women what to do with their own bodies? Don’t the police have enough real criminals to arrest? Are men so titillated by female breasts that we become boobs at the mere sight of mammaries?

Lori Graves, Natalie Shapiro and Stacy Temple, my hat and shirt are off to you. You have, well, courage. And rights. Stravo Lukos Spokane

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

Exiting standards to certify competence

Work has started on a project that will affect the future of every Idaho child - setting exiting standards. Exiting standards are simply the specific skills and knowledge a student is expected to master in an area such as math.

The Idaho Board of Education appointed an Exiting Standards Commission to write the standards for students in grades nine through 12. The board tapped parents, educators and members of the business community to create a broad-based commission. As a retired business executive, I agreed to serve because I believe that some things in life - education among them - are too important to leave solely to professional “experts.”

The commission’s goal is ambitious: We want Idaho graduates to leave our schools with the skills needed to start college or enter the work force. Although I believe that Idaho has a reasonably sound system of public education, I am concerned about evidence and reports from business associates that too many of our high school graduates lack basic skills in the core subjects of language arts, mathematics, science and social studies.

Exiting standards will allow us to hold our students and teachers accountable by requiring that graduates demonstrate by examination that they do meet reasonable exiting standards before receiving a high school diploma.

We’ve asked more than 100 volunteers to help write the standards. This fall, we’ll asked for your help, too. We will visit each region of the state to hold public hearings on the draft standards. William A. Griffith Coeur d’Alene

Right outcome but for wrong reason

Re: “Post Falls rejects creationism,” (July 14). I have never heard a description of creationism that does not rely on the Bible as the jumping off point for the operation of the model. As such, creationism is an attempt to square the natural world with the Bible. This is fundamentally a religious enquiry.

Conversely, the rationalization of religious values is not a scientific enquiry. I consider the examination of systems of religion a quite proper element of the education of the nation’s youth. But the teaching of creationism as an “alternative” to evolution is inherently an effort to proselytize. This is what the First Amendment prohibits.

In contrast, it is very sensible and proper to encourage critical analysis of the evolutionary theory and other scientific theory derived from observation of the natural world and structured experimentation. It is such critical thinking that ultimately improves the theory or causes it to be cast aside.

Post Falls did the right thing, even if it was for the wrong reason. Patrick D. Spurgin Yakima

Know what evolution’s really about

In his otherwise excellent editorial on the Post Falls School District decision on teaching creationism (July 20), D.F. Oliveria pulls out that old red herring of the question of the origin of life. Evolution does not deal with this issue; it is limited to the matter of how life forms differentiate over the course of time: i.e., origin of species. Max Bromberg Hope, Idaho

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Police trampled non-Aryans’ rights

I am writing in response to the excessive police action taken at the Aryan Nations parade in Coeur d’Alene last weekend. The City of Coeur d’Alene and its law enforcement should be ashamed for accommodating white supremacy. It is unacceptable to attempt to protect the Aryans’ rights while grossly and maliciously infringing upon other citizens’ civil rights and liberties.

If a form of martial law is declared in a particular place for a particular reason, the public should be informed. The city lacks a mechanism to inform citizens their normal civil rights and liberties, such as freely walking down the street wearing a backpack, will be temporarily frozen.

Rather than spend $125,000 for an Aryan Nations parade at taxpayers’ expense and the long-term security of our communities, annually allocate $125,000 to schools to address race relations, in order to prevent violent and abusive hate groups from emerging. Jonathan Crowell Moscow, Idaho

Quit coddling low-lifes

Police brutality? What about the brutality demonstrated by Linda Huff’s “alleged” murderer? Get real! The jerk is fortunate to have escaped with just a broken arm.

I fully understand the dangers inherent in allowing our police officers untethered freedom when dealing with the pond scum of the world. However, this country spends way too much time and resources considering the plight and eventual “rehabbing” of our criminals. Put ‘em away, take away their phone privileges, weights, televisions, “free” medical care that we all pay for and and their three meals a day. Let them read books and work in chain gangs. And why can they wear earrings, get tattoos, deal drugs and be so arrogant when they are supposedly being punished for their crimes?

Overcrowding? I’d stuff them in 6-by-6 cells, with two bunk beds, four scum to a cell, and let them enjoy their own company. Betcha they would think twice before they committed their next offense. Frank L. Krosnicki Coeur d’Alene

Local police meddling ticket writers

On July 10, I had a piece of heavy equipment that was torched by arson. I immediately called the Kootenai County Sheriff’s office to report the crime.

I was told there was nothing they can or will do. I became incensed - and then I was the bad guy.

Three days later, a friend asked me to go on a boat ride. We arrived at the Fernan docks and found four patrol cars writing one parking ticket. Then, I found out that the day before, a bunch of officers were down at the Hayden Lake docks doing Breathalyzer tests on every boat operator who came into the dock area. Yet, they can’t spare anyone to investigate felony arson.

I guess my question is, why are we paying taxes to a police force that harasses us more than helps us? The answer: there is no money or assets for them to seize by investigating crimes. The only thing our local police are good for is writing tickets and harassing the general public. Brian K. Spurgeon Coeur d’Alene

AFTERMATH

Hate with hate? Not good enough

After last weekend’s Aryans parade, I found it ironic that some of us were responding to those who hate with hate. Isn’t it time to respond with a higher choice? Stacy Cossey Spokane

Sorry spectacle all the way around

While I do not agree with their feelings, this is America and everyone has the right to express those feelings, whatever they may be.

There was a circus in town the other day! I am referring to the Aryans’ parade. I was appalled to see news trucks from the Seattle area jammed into the parking lot next to the museum. Had the media not made such a big deal out of this, the others who came from out of the area to support or to protest the parade most likely would not have been so numerous.

Some of the people who came to protest the hate showed their own hate. This really makes sense to me.

All in all, it left the city with a large price tag that must be paid by the residents. Why not pass the bill to the ones who created it, the Aryans, media, JDL, KKK and any others involved?

It makes my heart hurt to see my town given such bad publicity. My wife and I were in City Park, involved in the art and craft show, which no news people came to cover. Not much chance of a riot there, I guess.

Law enforcement did a great job with their zero tolerance. It’s a tough job. My hat is off to them. Rick Bayles Coeur d’Alene

Whole affair handled badly

On Saturday, there was so much more going on than just the parade. Movie theaters encouraged patrons to visit the movies rather than the parade by showing free movies from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and there were sales and activities that helped take attention away from the Aryans.

They have a right to their way of life. However to give them this much attention was just flat out wrong. They have had other marches and parades before. Where were the Jewish Defense League and news crews then?

This all has to do with sensationalism. The media, the community and the U.S. in general handled this quite badly. If we could have just ignored them through this, imagine what an effect it would have had on their morale. They would say no one cares.

Because everyone gave them so much publicity, they can turn this to their advantage by saying we were victimized by a bunch of hypocrites at our own parade!

Wow, what a symbol of American freedom of speech. James A. Duram Coeur d’Alene

Parade one of underwhelming force

Thanks so much to the Aryan Nations for their great demonstration. They demonstrated that there are only about 25 people who miss the evil monster, Hitler.

On behalf of the other 4 billion, what a nice way to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s birthday! Robert Maurice Sandpoint

Glad we’re united against them

Blessed are those who don’t fall into the hate and anger of racism. I am so sad that Couer d Alene let this march happen but glad at the same time now that united we stand. Kathy Kiel Kila, Mont.

WILDLIFE

Boundary County twice blessed

Re: “Boundary County gives up on caribou,” (July 9).

Is 1,000 acres large enough to support 45 of these animals? Maybe some are leaving because they need more old growth forest acres to feed themselves on. Are they nomadic in nature? At any rate, they are gorgeous and rare, and Boundary County is very fortunate to possess both these magnificent animals and 1,000 acres of old growth forest (less than 5 percent of old growth is left on the entire North American continent).

Where are the entrepreneurial people who can put Boundary County on the map for possessing these outstanding assets? It’s clear this Pete Wilson character can’t think beyond his next proposed chain saw massacre of public forest land. Nancy Lynne Coeur d’Alene

Man is chief threat to caribou

Over 10 years ago, my father and I participated in the International Caribou Task Force. The committee was composed of biologists from Idaho, Washington and Canada, logging lobbyists and members of the public. Several facts haven’t been mentioned in the earlier discussions.

Early settlers and the Native Americans’ chief source of game in the mountains of Bonners Ferry through Libby was caribou. The caribou eats the moss from mature trees when there are heavy snowdrifts. The moss is approximately 10-12 feet above ground, so you can envision how deep the snow must be!

One writer suggested removing predators. Unfortunately, humans are the biggest potential predators. A biologist once said, “The animals are so docile, except in mating season, that you can kill them with a board.”

Logging is the reason the native population in the Salmo Priest has become endangered. Their food source was reduced and the animals were easily slaughtered with the increased road access.

Caribou don’t recognize political boundaries. The caribou’s home is the Salmo Priest, which covers northeastern Washington, North Idaho and Canada.

Lastly, tourism needs to be expanded in Boundary County. Timber exists in these areas now only because it was harder to reach. Logs are exported because American lumber mills don’ use the same specifications that the Japanese require, making the processed boards unusable.

Millions of visitors come to the Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park. To quote the late environmental activist, Morey Haggin, “People don’t drive from Iowa to see stumps!” S.R. Robinson Spokane

Lynx designation threat to people

A public comment meeting will be held by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to discuss listing the Canadian lynx as an endangered or threatened species on Sept. 10 at the Coeur d’Alene Inn. This will be the only comment meeting in Idaho.

If you hunt, fish, hike, ride bikes, snowmobile or in any way enjoy the outdoors, you ought to attend and voice your opposition, because you are the endangered species, not the lynx.

This listing, if passed, will restrict outdoor use in 16 Northern Tier states, from Washington to Maine. We will be denied access to large areas that support populations of snowshoe hare because the food source of the lynx also must be protected.

Our U.S. senators and representatives must all receive mountains of letters opposing this listing. They are our only hope to derail this process and curtail the abuse citizens suffer from the overzealous actions of the Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service.

All user groups should attend and oppose this farce or suffer continued loss of access and opportunity to enjoy “our” public land.

Attending this meeting is like voting. Don’t complain when access to your favorite area is closed because you didn’t become involved. The lynx is not endangered, your access to public land is! Ed A. Lehman Idaho Wildlife Council

THE ENVIRONMENT

Mess makers don’t want EPA testing

Re: “Group organizes against EPA study,” (July 7).

I am sure all the “private donors” funding the anti-EPA group are extractor-based. The wanton destruction of our natural resources by resource extractors needs to be highlighted to force cleanup of existing sites before issuance of permits for new ones. This is just common sense. I certainly wouldn’t let my kids make new messes before they clean up old ones.

The EPA testing will show the mess still exists.

Calling EPA testing “dishonest” is a smokescreen. What does the EPA stand to gain by falsifying test results? Only the mining companies that don’t want to clean up their messes stand to benefit if the EPA is stopped from testing. Bobbi J. Dalton Heron, Mont.