Letters To The Editor

Tue., June 16, 1998

KILLINGS

Actors shouldn’t glorify killers

Reporting on the story one day after the Kip Kinkel shooting, The Spokesman-Review of May 22 quoted a university psychologist, “Why are we seeing a spate of them right now? I think it’s due to the copycat scenario. I suspect what’s going on now with these murders in the schools is that you have already distressed adolescents… And they see that this way of becoming important is popular right now.” The article further noted the escalation of one-on-one disputes into “movie-style scenes of mass mayhem.”

As chilling as those words were, what made me shudder even more was an item from the People, Etc. section that same day. It said, “Leonardo DiCaprio … the ‘Titanic’ heartthrob has agreed to play a … serial killer in an … adaptation of the novel ‘American Psycho.’ Brad Pitt and Matt Damon also had expressed interest in the role.”

I wrote a letter that day to DiCaprio, asking him to reconsider and not lend his star status to such undertakings, but I fear all we can do now is sit and wait for the next wannabe to explode. Bill Leong Spokane

Put focus on heroes, not psychos

Although crime rates in general are down slightly, one particular type has skyrocketed. The Moses Lake school shooting started a rash of such tragedies.

People keep groping for a rational explanation. But why expect one for these irrational animals? It would make more sense to examine the medias’ output to see if they could discourage this behavior. The common denominator of these monsters seems to be a depraved need for attention, and the media heap it on them.

Why not stage a reenactment, showing the capture of the vicious killer at Springfield. Jake Ryker’s heroic action, dragging the coward down although shot himself, should be an inspiration to other youths. But the most important lesson is to other sickos, as they see this one (Kip Kinkel) beaten and rendered helpless by brave boys. Perhaps they wouldn’t imitate him. Joe Bloomsburg Worley, Idaho

STERK’S CANDIDACY

Where are Sterk’s loyalties?

Re: “Sterk rakes in endorsements” on June 5.

Sterk predicted the difference between being elected Sheriff or not being elected was the endorsements of the Sheriff’s Deputy Association. Did he forget to mention that when that decision was made by the Deputy’s Association that of the more than 100 deputies in that association only 39 deputies were present and even then he did not garner 100 percent support?

Sterk shows a large financial support from business and labor, not from the citizens. Will that put him in a compromising position as sheriff? Will he have favors he will have to repay? He sounds like a politician not a sheriff.

I think he’s forgotten the job description of the sheriff’s office, which is to catch the alleged criminals, not to prosecute them or to pass judgment on them. He needs to leave that avenue of action to the prosecutors and the judges.

Mark can’t be everything to everybody. Mary Chey Austin Spokane

Backing GOP ‘dangerous nonsense’

Even in the best of lawns there is an occasional noxious weed. In the Labor Council of Spokane there is the County and City Employees Union.

This group of misguided individuals has betrayed the party that has been the most supportive of its existence, the Democrats.

I have been a union member for almost 40 years and I’ve never heard of a reputable labor organization giving aid and comfort to the enemy (Republicans) until I was made aware that these people will actually endorse a Republican candidate for sheriff of Spokane County. The reason? Who knows?

One labor leader told me it was because of Mark Sterk’s excellent voting record on labor-sensitive issues while a legislator. When he was told that Sterk voted for labor only 37 percent of the time, he replied, “Well that’s pretty good for a Republican.” Well, duh! Are they saying they’d rather have a Republican in office that opposes labor 63 percent of the time than a Democrat who would support it 93 percent? Is this now the state of organized labor?

It is rumored that the Spokane Labor Council may also endorse Republicans for county offices. If the Democrats don’t support labor, who will?

The union leaders of Spokane County had better put an end to this dangerous nonsense before all that the Democratic Party has done for working people is destroyed. This is a critical time for labor, and the radical right is waiting for opportunities such as this to eliminate the effectiveness of the working class. Ed Meadows Spokane

SPOKANE MATTERS

Jones may not be only one to flunk

Community Colleges of Spokane trustee Roberta Green’s letter (June 4) gave your reporter, Grayden Jones, an F for his article that, gasp, included criticism of candidates for CEO of the community colleges.

We agree. He deserved an F.

Perhaps he wasn’t the only one. Some of our colleagues think Rex Hollowell, who gave the two CEO candidates a C- and a D, committed grade inflation.

Others think the candidates, who spent the day waxing vaguely on world class this or that, were marvelous dressers and nice guys who ought to get an A in dress or niceness in the face of harsh and cruel questions from a nasty person who doesn’t give one whit for public relations or the tender feelings of the poor, beleagured candidates. Some accuse Ms. Greene of being disingenuous since the search committee has reopened the process, an act that could be viewed as a slap in the face for the candidates who put up with Rex Hollowell’s searing interrogation.

Could it be there are two processes at work: The public process wherin the candidates are trotted about trying their best to avoid drooling in public, so to speak; and the private process? God knows what goes on there.

Roberta Green probably does and it might be helpful if she would be more revealing about that private process.

Jones may deserve an F for not getting the full story, but what grade should Greene and others in the know receive for not giving the full story? Pete Q. Wyman and Mark E. Doerr Spokane

Wal-Mart belongs somewhere else

Wal-Mart’s Cynthia Lynn writes that Wal-Mart has exercised care and concern regarding the major impact of their Northside takeover. Wal-Mart’s concerns when they chose our location were only that the site met their business needs.

Has Cynthia ever heard that childless people think they are authorities on how to raise other people’s children? Cynthia, who lives in California, believes she is an authority on what is best for our existing peaceful neighbors.

The buffers they conveniently propose will have little impact on keeping crime, pollution, noise and the 24-hour mall blue light beacon away from our homes.

Wal-Mart would gain my support if they were to locate to a commercially zoned land, one that is not zoned residential and surrounded by homes, children and people concerned for the welfare of Spokane. JoAnne R. Nixon Spokane

Don’t confuse computers, Internet

I am responding to Wilma J. Henderson’s May 31 letter regarding computers in the county libraries.

First, the library has had computers for a very long time; it is the Internet that is the newcomer to them.

In saying that the computers will have no filtering, she is sorely mistaken. Each library will have one station which has content filtering on it. This gives parents a choice. They can teach their children to use the filtered station, go with them to the library, or have one of the trained library staff members help them during their computer use. Parents also have the option of trusting their children not to access the kinds of material that they have been taught is offensive.

When people complain about the dangers of “unacceptable” material on the Internet, I wonder how extensively they have used it. Offensive material does not simply appear without help from the user.

The library district has information available about its actual Internet plans for those who desire it. Virginia Dedas Spokane

City should cut gambling tax

The City Council should read Washington state law RCW 9.46.113, which details what the money derived from gambling taxes is to be used for.

This law’s intent is pretty clear: enforcement of gambling laws. The Washington State Gambling Commission does any necessary enforcement. Their operation fees are collected not in taxes but on legal licensed gambling activities throughout the state. In fact, the WSGC operation budget isn’t even close to what all the cities and counties collect on the tax. The city should reduce at least the tax on pull-tabs, or change it so that the net total is taxed.

The tax was first placed on the gross on pull-tabs in 1972, when all the rules weren’t intact to obtain an accurate tax on the net. Things have since changed. Therefore, the city should reduce the tax.

One Spokane radio talk show host feels that Jeff Colliton has a conflict with this issue because he works in the pull-tabs industry, and that by reducing the tax on pull tabs the company he works for would sell more. I know his wage wouldn’t increase, but it would mean more revenue for everyone, including the city of Spokane. The city wouldn’t lose any tax revenue by reducing the pull tab tax.

Councilwoman Phyllis Holmes hit the nail on the head when she said, “It’s an issue of fairness.” I wonder if Councilwoman Cherie Rodgers thinks it’s fair that our neighbors north of Spokane are operating illegal slot machines without paying taxes, while licensees operating legally in Spokane pay too much in taxes. Dwight “Ike” Bailey Spokane

Paper died a natural death

I read the article by Virginia de Leon, and like the majority of our community I was horrified. I cannot believe that Spokane is going to lose such an important part to the integrity of journalism and our community.

Yes, I am talking about Stonewall News Northwest.

I feel that something must be done immediately. Everyone should call their local and state representative. We should get the sales tax raised 1 percent or raise property taxes. We could even raise the B&O taxes on local business; we all know that they have piles of extra money. Another possibility: license fees are far too low on motor vehicles.

We must save this business that cannot survive on its own merits.

This is what happens when something is not as popular as the liberal community thinks it should be, if it does not have government funding (i.e. our money) it ceases to exist. If, for instance, we made PBS or NPR go out on their own and sell advertisements to survive (just as other networks have to) they would fail.

Is this not the second article in The Spokesman-Review about John Deen and his newspaper? Why do we not see similar actions when other businesses cannot survive? Spokesman-Review, you have tried your best to make this important news, now let’s put your attempts to rest. Danny D. Shea Spokane

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