Letters To The Editor

IDAHO VIEWPOINTS

Police overreaction must be addressed

I was outraged at the positive attention paid to the law enforcement in the press after the Aryan Nations rally. The local law enforcement protected the constitutional rights of bigots at the expense of the rights of everyone else.

Several peaceful demonstrators from Moscow were illegally searched, our speech was censored and two of us were arrested and handled abusively by police for simply declaring our constitutional protection against illegal search and seizure.

Does this tiny pathetic group of misguided misanthropes strike so much fear into our hearts that their mere presence undermines the very foundations of democracy and civil freedom? Will we begin to revert to a police state every time people gather together in a public place to express unfavorable opinions? Fear and tension do not render our Constitution void. Where will it end?

We intend to ask for an investigation into the conduct of the law enforcement and are filing formal complaints against the agencies involved. The regional community should respond and ensure that such flagrant abuse of power will not occur again. Lori Graves Moscow

Hagadone, you’ve got enough

Re: “Competition heats up for tiny plot of vacant Coeur d’Alene property,” (July 15). I would very much like to see the land in question remain public land. After all, we the public need as much access to the lake as possible, what with Duane Hagadone owning so much and trying to keep people out.

I find it ironic Hagadone wants to scale down the parking and boat launch at Third Street, yet needs this one-third acre for parking for his personal gain. Enough is enough.

Let’s keep what is public land public for all taxpayers to enjoy. If a sprinkler system is needed, although the land in question never needed it before, put a pump in the public lake. This is the first I’ve heard of a petition, where do I sign? Linda L. Leigh Coeur d’Alene

Keep bypass from ruining things

Although a Sandpoint bypass is absolutely necessary, the proposed Sand Creek Bypass will significantly degrade the aesthetic qualities of the lake front. Sandpoint’s appeal, to locals and tourists alike, will suffer. The town will probably lose a popular swimming beach and a portion of the popular Long Bridge walking path and parking lot.

Additionally, the scenic views from downtown over Sand Creek and out across the lake will be much the worse, with an elevated roadway casting its shadow.

Sandpoint has little enough public beach front now. Obviously, some damage to the tourism business might be expected. Something should be done to mitigate this damage. Road planners should spare no expense to minimize the bypass’s impact. Possibly, a boardwalk could be built and new public beach purchased with federal funds.

The best solution would be to purchase the railroad right of way, which runs east to Clark Fork. This right of way is on the lake front at many points. It would make an awesome hike-bike path with beaches. It would be one of the premier summer destinations in the Inland Northwest, really boosting summer business and far exceeding its value as a railroad.

We need more park space for our growing population, because not everyone can afford a boat or lake front property. Don’t expect the public officials to handle the problem. People must demand that the bypass’s effects be mitigated. S.S. Howze Sagle

Doesn’t Peter know what Paul got?

Ironic that the Idaho Fish and Game Department had a $38 million shortfall in the 1998 budget. At the same time, officials are crowing about a $34 million tax revenue surplus. It’s not rocket science, folks! Mountie E. Morris Arco

Views not representative, fact-based

“Look to small business interests,” (July 19).

In response to Terry Hughes’ letter, in my 20 years as a Coeur d’Alene small-business owner, I’ve never felt so oppressed by resource extraction businesses. Of 18 Natural Resources Committee members, fewer than a third represent resource extraction business. Of 25 chamber board of directors members, two represent resource extraction businesses.

Yes, 257 in Kootenai County are loggers on some employer’s payroll. There are hundreds more independent loggers, log truck drivers, mill workers and people in jobs otherwise linked with the timber industry.

As more people brought more vehicles and boats here, air quality has deteriorated, but it’s hardly “dirty air,” as anyone who’s been where there truly is dirty air should recognize.

Testing by both agencies and institutions has confirmed that Lake Coeur d’Alene water meets federal drinking water standards - hardly “poisonous water.” Were Hughes’ clearcuts on public or private land? How recently were they logged? Who decided to clearcut and why?

I’ve been a chamber member for 20 years while operating a business unrelated to natural resources. I’ve been on the Natural Resources Committee since it was formed. I’ve missed few committee meetings or functions and don’t recall ever meeting Hughes. He did not poll other members before expressing an opinion as if it were representative of the committee. I did poll them. One declined to state a position. The other 16 don’t concur with Hughes. Roy H. Cook Coeur d’Alene

Firearms instructor missed the mark

“Culture Shock,” (July 15). What is wrong with this picture? I was raised with weapons and was on the National Guard rifle team for four years. The rule has always been: Never point a weapon (loaded or unloaded) at anything you do not intend to kill.” Seems like the instructor needs some instructing. Kenneth L. Johnson Post Falls

SPOKANE MATTERS

Whatever it takes, clean up Sprague

Prostitution - get it off the streets, out of neighborhoods with children and away from businesses and business owners trying to make a respectable living. Legalize it, put it in a house, charge taxes. Do whatever is necessary to clean up Sprague Avenue.

Prostitutes proposition customers as they approach businesses. Whether it’s to enjoy a meal or buy a car, prostitutes actually turn prospective customers away from the business owners who pay taxes to the city to own and operate a legitimate business.

Why doesn’t the newspaper publish the names of the johns in the sting operations?

The city needs to clean up this prostitution mess and put an end to the murders that take place. Business owners are writing down license plate numbers and calling Crime Check with descriptions of johns and vehicles. Is this how our tax dollars are put to use?

And the family neighborhoods - what a great way to raise a child, when they can’t even go out into their own yard to play without seeing something obscene.

Prostitution has been around forever. It won’t go away. I just ask that it be controlled and taken off the streets. Debbie L. Brown Spokane

AFTERMATH

We must teach our daughters well

I spent some very enjoyable vacation time in Coeur d’Alene last week. My children felt it was the best place they had ever visited!

I followed the news on the impending Aryan Nations parade closely. I was impressed at the way Mayor Judy and many of the community businesses chose to handle it. Pat yourselves on the back - you deserve the applause.

When we returned to Federal Way, Wash., I kept my eye on the television to see how things turned out. The merchants and police did a stellar job.

Prejudice has always affected me deeply. As I watched news coverage, two things came to mind: no man is an island, and that Aristophanes is still food for thought 2,400 years after he wrote “Lysistrata.” We must teach our daughters not to support men filled with hate. A society that cannot procreate fades like a nasty little memory! J.C. Ormbrer Federal Way, Wash.

Out of the mouths of babes …

Re: the Aryan Nations parade.

I think my 10-year-old daughter, Stephanie, summed up what many of us in North Idaho are feeling when she asked, “Mom, why can’t people of all colors just get along?” Tammy K. Warren Coeur d’Alene

Now, on to dealing with subtle racism

Twenty-eight minutes. All the Aryan Nations’ march came to was 28 minutes of a few ignorant people sweating in the sun.

The promotion of hate and racism by the Aryan Nations and Richard Butler must be looked at square in the face and countered. However loud and obnoxious Butler and similar ilk can be, their time is past. On the other hand, several hundred people gathered at the Gonzaga campus to support and celebrate the human race.

However, the larger problem is the underlying, subtle racism that goes on every day. The racist joke told at work that is not objected to, just because we do not want to confront the other person; the store clerk passing over an African American person to help someone else first; or the job going to a lesser-qualified person just because the other applicant has a different skin color or ethnic background. These insidious aspects of racism are harder to fight because it means every one of us must look inside ourselves and fight it.

We are all minorities. I am a minority of one; everyone else in the world is slightly different than I am. These differences make us stronger, as long as we do not allow hate to divide us. Paul Alan Claussen Spokane

THE ENVIRONMENT

End national forest logging

When discussing emotionally charged issues, it’s always tempting to consider your own position well-reasoned and logical while labeling the opponent as an extremist. This seems to be the style many have adopted in discussing the environment in general, timber and mining issues in particular.

I am a member of the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee; however, this letter is an expression of my personal opinion only. I’m sure some (most?) of my fellow committee members disagree.

As a home builder, I am acutely aware of the need for good quality, reasonably priced framing lumber. I don’t need to be lectured by a representative of Idaho Forest Industries about the many and varied commodities I use in the course of my life.

I would never take a position that would significantly reduce the availability of the materials I need in home building. However, speaking as someone with an environmental conscience, I’m disgusted by the hideous clearcuts scarring national forest hillsides. As a taxpayer, I’m tired of annually subsidizing the timber industry with hundreds of millions of our hard-earned dollars.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, less than 5 percent of the timber used in this country is cut from public lands. It’s time to shift the last small increment of timber harvest from public to private lands.

It’s time to put an end to logging in our national forests. William R. Brown Jr. Post Falls

Progress is being made

In connection with the EPA, federal trustees and tribal basin activities, comments have been made concerning the lawsuit for natural resource damages brought by the state of Idaho and settled in 1986.

It’s appropriate to note that, 12 years later, the settlement has been leveraged into nearly $60 million in actual cleanup and water quality work.

The settlement established the Silver Valley Natural Resource Trustees and gave them $4.5 million. That $4.5 million along with the interest, contributions from mining companies, Union Pacific, the state and EPA is allowing the trust to spend some $8 million.

The settlement also made it possible for EPA to allow money spent by the trustees to be a part of the state’s 10 percent cash match requirement for cleanup work at Bunker Hill. The trustee match will be at least $5 million.

Work at Bunker Hill is nearly completed. The $50 million generated by the match, and the trustee work, has been converted into mine tailings removal at the highest metal loading locations on the South Fork and in the basin.

Continued discussion about the circumstances of the settlement are certainly “fair game,” but as chairman of the trustees and having direct involvement at Bunker Hill, the lawsuit and settlement have certainly made some things happen. Charles W. Moss, Chairman Silver Valley Natural Resource Trustees