Letters To The Editor

IDAHO VIEWPOINTS

BNSF’s reassurances are worthless

Re: The half-page ad in the May 27 Spokesman-Review by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad.

I could write about BN’s statement touting its “safest in the nation” record, but am not sure the Northwest could contain the laughter through the tears of the many who have lost loved ones to BN’s high-speed behemoths. The plain fact is that all these other factors you wrote about are not central to the issue at hand. What is is that you choose this location primarily for economic reason, and to my humble thinking, your money will never be as important as our water.

Where is your first backup location? Second location? What does land there cost? Did you folks make a mistake when you acquired land over an aquifer serving a major population? Do you now expect us to roll over and quietly pay for your mistake to the cost of betraying our descendants? Promises are so easy to make, but also so easy to excuse later.

Why not, instead, just do the right thing now and spend a few more bucks to locate this spill-waiting-to-happen in a location less hazardous to the public’s well-being? When you list projects that total $7 billion over two years, I cannot by sympathetic to saving a few thousand dollars at our risk. Of course, I am biased and do not trust you to contain your future spills because terms like “state-of-the-art” and “ensure safety” roll off your lips so easily they expose the lie in your corporate heart.

I hope the public will soon rise to this issue and let our decision makers know their political future is at stake, as well as the cleanliness of our water. Jack L. Hall Post Falls

Not worth risking aquifer for

It’s almost impossible to believe anyone would want to create a project that threatens the Rathdrum Prairie aquifer - the sole source water supply for nearly 40,000 people. But that is exactly what the proposed Burlington Northern Santa Fe refueling depot at Hauser will do.

The aquifer is one of our area’s finest resources. More than that, it is essential to our life here. Why risk losing it to a potential Exxon Valdez-type of disaster? Why risk polluting the water supply of this many people? Laurence J. Leahy Post Falls

Elect Rankin private citizen

Hello! Is anybody listening?

Again, we have read another article in which Kootenai County Commissioner Ron Rankin resorts to inflammatory remarks. When questioned about senior citizens circulating petitions calling for an alternative county government, Rankin responded by saying, “This will give them something to do besides playing Bingo.” We hope the seniors don’t invite him to play when he no longer has a job.

When comments were made about his English-only project going to the state level, he called his opponents Chicken Littles. Not only was that rude, it didn’t even make sense. You may remember when he said, “The asylum (assessor’s office) was being run by the inmates.” He also made some offhand comment about the assessors being demigods. That one was unbelievable!

We don’t want a commissioner who resorts to name-calling and inappropriate remarks, especially so publicly.

Rankin, didn’t your mother ever tell you, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything? We are not suggesting that someone should ignore or not take issue with what their opponents believe. After all, we are writing this letter. But it’s quite embarrassing to have an elected official behave so badly.

Rankin admitted he is outspoken and has no regrets. We hope the Kootenai County voters who voted for him do and will elect a candidate with more self-control. Michael T. & Holly J. Vandenheuvel Coeur d’Alene

City-Chapman shenanigans obvious

Our city planning commission voted 6-0 to deny the Joe Chapman’s request to construct a six-story condo and restaurant at the public access to the east side of Tubbs Hill. Over 2,300 signatures were presented requesting that the rezone be denied and that the public park proceed. Of the property owners nearby, 30 opposed the project, only two were in favor.

If the city doesn’t get the message this rezoning effort for its favorite friend is an ill-conceived mistake, I guess it never will. Ironically, the city can still appeal its own rezone request to the City Council. Chapman can’t legally appeal the rezone denial, since the city, not him, requested it. Should there be an appeal, you’d see a ridiculous, unfair situation — the city appealing itself - to reverse a unanimous decision of its own planning commission.

I am deeply concerned about the deception some city officials have engaged in, including, telling the public the rezone parcel isn’t part of Tubbs Hill when it has been the public access point to the east side of Tubbs Hill for over 30 years. I suspect the city did this because rezoning public property for commercial development violates representations the city made to the Interior Department when it got a $125,000 1975 grant to use Tubbs Hill for a public recreation area. Should the city violate the grant terms, it might not get any more federal grants.

We want to continue our effort to develop this site as a park and deter the city, should it appeal. You can contact me at 415 Lakeside if you haven’t signed the petition against the rezone. Steve Bell Coeur d’Alene

Seat belt comments wrong, deplorable

I’m disappointed in editorial writer D.F. Oliveria. I thought he was a responsible person until I read that May 19 paragraph saying he’d be miffed if he got ticketed for not wearing a seat belt. If he was trying to get the public’s attention, he sure caught mine. I cannot believe he would advocate breaking the law. That seat belt law was passed by elected officials with the intention of saving lives, his included, and the rest of his family along with mine.

I don’t feel sorry for his supposed invasion-of-privacy problem. I would rather see him able to continue to drive with peace of mind, rather than worry about getting a citation for being hard-headed.

Please think about those fine officers enforcing all the laws passed enhancing our safety on the roadways of America. They are just enforcing the laws, not passing them so they can have a little fun. They have a job to do and it’s hard enough without the likes of Oliveria’s comments.

Children can and do read. I hope his missed this one and buckle up each time they climb into a car. C.R. Lines retired police chief, Hayden Lake

VIOLENCE

Kinkel act extension of abortion ethic

Just after Kip Kinkel gunned down his parents and classmates in Oregon, we went to a family movie. The previews were ear-splitting murder and mayhem. A laughing Mel Gibson machine-gunned folks right and left. He made a real party of it. Even the Disney preview was gruesome.

American kids are “entertained” with continuous images of simulated murder and death agony. While our little darlings are primed to imitate such violence, they are “educated” by the godless notion humans evolved from animals. School room killers are why humanist America is all about. Children of the corn. Confiscate guns and they will use knives, machetes, ropes and razor blades.

What did Kip do that millions of American have not done? Each year in Oregon, thousands of mothers contract for the murder of children in their womb. In killing his classmates, Kip merely performed retroactive abortions - Gibson style. Schoolhouse blood-fests are ostentatious replays of what happen in Planned Parenthood clinics every day.

Let’s admit that the only reason we put Kip behind bars is because we piously prefer that genocide be perpetrated only by those who have a licence. The tearing of limbs and piercing of skulls is acceptable only against those who cannot scream. Bestial brutality against gentle human life must be done quietly for some “noble” cause, and always behind closed doors. Anna Whitman Coeur d’Alene

Violent kids lack spiritual guidance

The May 22 newspaper reports three incidents of teenage brutality. A 15-year-old killed his parents then went to school and shot 19 others; two of them have died. A 15-year-old girl was tortured to death by her teen friends. A 15-year-old boy shot himself in the head after taking his girlfriend hostage. All in today’s paper!

My question: What was the spiritual grounding for these young people? Who is their God? I see city and school officials, pediatricians and psychiatrists, parents and friends making comments on TV. Where are the churches, the spiritual leaders? Kay McAuley Pullman

Early discipline - let’s try it

Law-abiding folks scratch their heads, wondering what went wrong. This rash of young folks bringing guns to school - why?

Think back a few years. Any of you who attended Gonzaga might recall the paddle. Wow, could that priest swing a wicked stick! Your complaints fell on deaf ears, both at school and at home. If you hadn’t messed up in the first place, you would have never experienced that unforgettable encounter.

Now, if you so much as raise your voice, let alone your hand, the kids are instructed to dial 911.

I most certainly don’t advocate beating the bejabbers out of anyone. But there’s an old saying, “Spare the rod, spoil the child.”

Television is loaded with violence; it’s considered the norm. What we need are more gardens to weed. More wood piles to cut.

Just look at some of the recent murders here in the River City by the younger generation. Look at their record - a laundry list as long as your arm. What if we’d jumped on them with both feet the first time they broke the rules? Maybe we’d be looking at some future community leaders. If it didn’t work they could always be reminded of what happens when you can’t distinguish between right and wrong.

As long as our taxes are going to every banana republic in the world, why not build more places for incarcerating these miscreants? When they get a 20-year sentence, let that mean 19 years and 12 months before they’re eligible for release. It might work! We all know that what we’re doing now doesn’t. Charles E. McCollim Spokane

Kill kids with kindness early on

We go through grief and sadness throughout our lives, either by losing a parent, child or friends. But when I read about a 15-year-old shooting his parents and 25 high school kids, I can only imagine the pain everyone is going through - and this is going on all over.

Kip Kinkel was mad at his dad because he got grounded. He was suspended from school the day before the shooting for bringing a gun to school. All the signs were there but no one did anything about it. His dad even let him keep one gun.

Some children, when they are very young, show signs of having problems. That’s when they should start to get help.

Parents should watch what they say to their children from a very early age. Don’t call them names or make fun of them. Teach your child to be nice to other children, even though they might not like their looks, etc. Kill them with kindness.

Have your child show respect for others and show your child respect. If they deserve to be punished, do it in a way that is kind but strong and caring, without putting them down, so that they understand. Killing with kindness will do away with the killings our young people are doing. If you do see signs, do something right away. It takes time to help a child, but only a minute to take lives. It is up to us as parents to be the big force to stop this. Sally Hazlett Spokane