Letters To The Editor

Wed., May 6, 1998

SPOKANE MATTERS

Wal-Mart is in attack mode again

Wal-Mart is once again using drastic takeover tactics by trying to bully their way into the middle of our community. Wal-Mart isn’t concerned about the welfare of those who live here, nor are they interested in promoting improvements within these residential areas. Their only concern is to continue their tradition of personal gain by destroying areas zoned for residential growth.

Are they worried about the quality of community life they plan to destroy? They believe they’re entitled to build a 24-hour mall in the middle of our homes. They’re not concerned about the crime drawn to a 24-hour mall, about the traffic impact, the noise level, nor are they concerned that the county hearing examiner has already denied Wal-Mart the right to rezone the area.

Wal-Mart writes they “will be good neighbors for the community.” This community does not want undesirable neighbors. They say it will be “good news for the local economy.” Try telling that to small businesses as they are forced out of business with the result of many lost jobs. They tell us they will be “a good fit for North Spokane.” Why don’t they look for an area in north Spokane that’s not so hostile to their plan? If Wal-Mart is as interested in the welfare of our community as they claim to be, they would build on land suited for their highest-level commercial development.

The county commissioners are smart. They will listen to Wal-Mart’s yadah, yadah, yadah appeal and again consider the welfare of their people, not the Wal-Mart voice. JoAnne R. Nixon Spokane

Wal-Mart plan violates code, policy

Get ready, Spokane, here it comes. Wal-Mart is launching a public persuasion campaign and you are the target. Anyone who noticed the quarter-page ad in the April 26 Spokesman-Review may be wondering why they feel the need to run such an ad.

Wal-Mart and co-developers need you to misunderstand the issues regarding their quest to build a North Side store. The ad fails to inform you that the Spokane County Division of Building and Planning and the Spokane County Hearing Examiner recommended denial of the project. It also fails to tell you that Wal-Mart wants to build its new store on residential property surrounded by existing residential homes. Did their ad forget to mention that there is commercial property available to them just across the highway?

As a resident of the Camelot neighborhood and a member of Citizens for Neighborhood Preservation, I state again that I am not opposed to a Wal-Mart store on the North Side. I am opposed to their choice of locations because it is in violation of the Spokane County Comprehensive Plan, Spokane County zoning codes and Spokane County planning policies.

As citizens of Spokane County, please do not succumb to misinformation and propaganda. Wal-Mart can build on the North Side, all they need to do is buy commercial property so as to stay out of the back yards of residential neighborhoods. Karen A. Barniol Spokane

NorthTown beautiful? Preposterous

Re: John W. Bartol’s letter of April 30. I am not responding to Bartol’s admiration for David Sabey’s empire; he is entitled to his opinion. However, for him to call NorthTown a “beautiful shopping mall” is too laughable to pass up without comment. There is nothing attractive about NorthTown anymore. NorthTown has the appeal of a prison facility and is just as inviting. Nadine J. Presta Spokane

Reconsider low-income housing need

If Spokane County Commissioners Kate McCaslin and Phil Harris could visit with the large portion of their constituencies that desperately need low-income housing, perhaps they would forget their expressed worries about the “real estate market being soft” (Region, May 1) and back the request of the Spokane Housing Authority to buy 13 low-income apartments.

As a volunteer child advocate in our community, I have personally observed this need and also seen what positive changes it can make for entire families when (screened, of course) cases are given this boost.

This is hardly “unfair competition.” The real estate industry is doing quite well, thank you. Check the business/real estate sections. But it is part of McCaslin’s job as a commissioner to more thoughtfully consider well-thought-out plans for low-income housing, such as the project presently proposed by the county’s Community Services and Community Development Commission. Ruth F. Dixon Spokane

At least one fine old school was spared

How wonderful that Lewis and Clark High School was spared the wrecking ball.

How sad the old West Valley High School was not. Jeanne Batson, mayor Millwood

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Kaiser behaving callously

Re: “Kaiser appeals fines” (Business, April 28).

Kaiser states that no violations occurred and that the penalty is excessive in the death of James VanDoren. How dare they state that $35,000 is excessive when someone lost their life. That amount is probably not even one day’s payroll for a company of that size. It was one of the most insensitive statements I have heard. What a nice statement for a family to read when they have lost someone they love. If no violations had occurred, obviously, the Department of Labor and Industries would not have imposed fines.

The article also states that Kaiser says the deadlines set by Labor and Industries to correct any problems are unreasonable. I am sure that the department sets a standard for every company to comply with their penalties. Is Kaiser unwilling to fix their problems as soon as possible for the safety of their other workers? JoAnne M. Hansen Deer Park

Insurers balanced in denying help

Re: “Viagra in great demand” (May 2).

In reading the Viagra article and hearing that “most” insurance companies are not paying for its use, I at least feel some comfort in knowing that insurance companies aren’t practicing discrimination by not paying for birth control.

Perhaps, with the “hopeful” treatment of erectile dysfunction, the insurance companies will see the need to finally cover the costs of birth control. Christine Stutzke Coeur d’Alene

ARYAN NATIONS

Principle more important than parade

Re: Evelyn Gottlieb’s letter,”Let Aryans celebrate at their place” (May 1).

Gottlieb is right, a parade honoring Adolf Hitler is sad and disgusting. However, an even more tragic occurrence would be if Coeur d’Alene officials did not allow the march to occur. Then, you “can’t help but think they might be Nazis themselves.”

What keeps them from being Nazis is recognizing freedom of speech, for that is the issue here. Along with freedom of speech is another freedom. That is your freedom to not listen, or to listen and fight back.

The government cannot abolish hate. To do so would be impossible, and the methods would be very Nazi-like. Instead, it allows citizens like you to call attention to this disgusting display of racism and express exactly why it is so wrong. If hatred was illegal, your hatred of bigotry and racism could be abolished as well. Respecting the rights of others, no matter who they are, is difficult. But honor those who do it, like the Coeur d’Alene officials. Protect the same freedoms they are protecting, for as long as those are safe, groups like the neo-Nazis and white supremacists can be challenged.

I admire you for speaking out, but realize that you are only free to speak out if everyone is. Jennifer L. Klein Spokane

Freedom can’t be doled out piecemeal

While I personally find everything the Aryans stand for totally reprehensible, I as strongly feel that we absolutely cannot embark on the slippery slope of deciding just who “deserves” freedom of speech and right to free assembly.

Coeur d’Alene Mayor Steve Judy has no choice but to allow the Aryans to march. We cannot, and most hopefully do not wish to, allow our elected officials to decide on freedom of speech for one person but not you because they don’t like what you have to say.

One of the many lessons passed on by my late father was, “I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend your right to be wrong.”

Perhaps rather than condemning local government officials for upholding every citizen’s constitutional rights, we should focus on peaceful, productive counterprotests, such as contributing to the pledge drive to raise funds for human rights groups based on the length of the Aryan Nations’ march. Terri A. White Post Falls

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