Letters To The Editor

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Steelworkers’ cause is just

I can’t seem to comprehend the negativity some people express toward the Steelworkers. I can speak firsthand about Kaiser management and the union.

I feel that the management people at Kaiser, who are inside working their butts off, are not there because they want to be, but more because their jobs are on the line. These people are working disgusting hours performing jobs they haven’t done in years, during hours they would prefer to spend with their families.

As for the union, I can honestly say that the last four summers I have worked with the Steelworkers were the best times ever. I’ll admit that my attitude at the beginning stemmed from the once known lazy-Kay attitude. However, my opinion has changed greatly. Almost anyone who knows a Steelworker will agree with me when I say that family values and respect for each other are pure throughout Kaiser.

Steelworkers treat women better than professionals I know and they would prefer spending time with their families over gambling and drinking. Some tend to forget that the values we once instilled in children consisted of family, working hard to make a living and fighting for what you believe in.

If the $30,000 Kaiser employees make is such a crime, would you prefer that those 3,000 people collect welfare? Steelworkers make an honest living and it’s not their fault that a lot of people forget the fact that their parents and grandparents used to work in unions. Kaiser Steelworkers put their lives on the line every day inside that plant and they should be paid appropriately. Ask any temporary person who has lost fingers or been injured in the last month. Jill Lowe Spokane

Maxxam chief should get a clue

I would like Charles Hurwitz to receive my thoughts today.

He needs to come to his senses, listen to that inner voice we all have and give the Kaiser Steelworkers a fair contract for 1998. Consequentially, they will come back to work and produce for him.

Company people have been working 12-hour shifts too long now and there’s no need to destroy future leadership. It’s not necessary to break the camel’s back. Roy R. Hollandsworth Spokane

Solidarity of old paid off

In 1966, I took part in a nationwide strike that completely shut down five major airlines, paralyzing the country, embarrassing President Johnson and resulting in major concessions from our employers.

In 1975 and 1979, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers struck United Airlines and our wages and benefits finally reached a level equal to and a little above those of automobile mechanics.

Labor leaders were active in our achieving these triumphs. Not just the leaders of the IAMAW but the Airline Pilots Association, Teamsters and warehouse workers nationwide who joined in and made it impossible for UAL to operate without a fair settlement with the IAMAW.

Members, for the most part, respected our leaders and followed their strong suggestion of never supporting Republicans for political office. We were almost unstoppable.

Times change. Republican leadership makes it easy for corporations to break unions that dare to oppose them. It’s likely that Kaiser will win this standoff and be praised by joyous conservatives. The defiant Steelworkers must seek employment for less pay or return to Kaiser to toil under oppressive conditions. The Republicans and corporate America win again.

To the labor organizations that sit back and let loyal Steelworkers be crushed, I say, shame on you.

To labor unions and the Spokane Labor Council that endorse Republicans, I say that your actions and attitude are to blame for the decline and likely demise of the labor movement as we know it, and you should be ashamed.

Old Labor. It was a great party and I’m proud I was invited! Ed Meadows Spokane

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

Keep standards uniform - and higher

What kind of hypocrites are we to even consider firing Public Works Director Dennis Scott for having a consensual affair with a subordinate? Based on the last election, didn’t we just give President Clinton a pass for the same thing?

Scott and Clinton both had consensual affairs with subordinates. Clinton’s was with a starry-eyed 21-year-old intern but that does not make any difference; a lot of people said so.

Scott used the county e-mail system and Clinton used the White Houses telephones to carry on their lurid affairs, and we gave Clinton a pass on that.

Clinton has succeeded in doing what liberals do best. He has lowered the bar again. A new standard has been set, and either we let everyone pass on the same lowered standard or we do what our conscience should be telling us and say enough is enough. Stop lowering our standards and stand up for what we know is right. Mike Scalera Spokane

Propriety police will get us all

Re: “E-mail, affair may topple official” (Nov. 13).

People have affairs for many reasons, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t qualified to do their jobs. If the affair is not the issue, why did they hire a private investigator to follow him around? Why did the paper feel it necessary to point out the affair and not just the mismanagement?

Let’s face it, sex sells. Let’s just take the videotape and e-mail letters and post them on the Net and in the paper, so everyone can see what he mismanaged. No one has a private life any more. We should all look over our shoulders, because the next time it could be you. Vicki Nicodemus Spokane

Let’s have parity on what we vote for

The Nov. 7 Spokesman-Review had two letters on a related topic. Yvonne Ahlborn, in her letter, claims that the people should vote on impeachment. Tom Wootton is upset by Milt Priggee’s cartoon on Ken Starr spending $40 million of our money. Did we get to vote on that? Is Wootton’s life improved by that expenditure? Is it possible that the money could have been better spent?

Let’s vote on both or neither. Sanford E. Gerber Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Time for a clean, third-party sweep

The Republican Party and House Speaker Newt Gingrich have just proven one very well worn, old axiom, “What goes around comes around.” Never has this truth been more self-evident.

The American people are tired of election campaigns that reek with negativism created by spin doctors, investigators, special prosecutors, partisanships, special interest groups and their lobbyists.

Republicans rode in on a wave of phrases in 1994, not the least of those was “Throw the bums out; start fresh.” After these last few years of watching our so-called elected representatives represent only themselves and their party, I have come to the conclusion that a third party is our only solution. This party could ride in on its own victory wave with the phrase, “A new broom sweeps clean.”

The leading candidate to wield this sanitized bit of real voter representation should be retired Gen. Colin Powell, a man who has fought the great fight and emerged victorious, as well as having earned the respect of all the people whom he has touched. James A. Nelson Spokane

Bad move, extending the vote that way

It has been 85 years since the Constitution was amended to permit us to vote for our U.S. senators. The selection of Sen. Patty Murray has convinced me that the authors of our Constitution had the right idea for our first 125 years.

Voters should not be permitted to select senators for six years when so few citizens even care. Pat D. Kilpatrick Post Falls

Speak up to save our forests

People, it’s time to wake up and do our part for this country. Fight for our land.

Congress will be voting on the Act to Save America’s Forests. Our national forests, where we go hiking, camping, rafting and fishing, have already had 180 million acres logged. President Teddy Roosevelt specifically installed regulations for our national parks so we could still have pristine parks to visit when everything else has been logged. Well, that day is here. There are checkerboard patterns of logging all over our national forests, like it’s some kind of game.

The federal government is supposed to watch over these forests, not wait to make the next move. It’s our turn to take control. Let the government know how you feel. It has to support the majority. Call (202) 225-3121 or write letters. Visit saveamericasforest.org on the Net for more information. Be a real hero. Natalie L. Conner Elk

Tell Nethercutt to honor Foley

Sally Jackson’s Nov. 9 letter, “Nethercutt - amazing gracelessness,” prompted me to write to Rep. George Nethercutt about my feelings on naming the Federal Building the Thomas S. Foley Court House.

Rep. Nethercutt’s reason for not taking any action on this matter was that there appeared to be lack of interest and therefore he did not pursue it. I’m sure that if a poll was taken, that conclusion would not be justified.

Foley was admired by both Democrats and Republicans. The current situation surrounding the resignation of Speaker Newt Gingrich should indicate why Foley deserves this honor, to show our appreciation for the dignified and cooperative manner in which he fulfilled his responsibilities as representative of the 5th Congressional District and as speaker of the House of Representatives.

It’s time for voters to express their feelings on this proposal. Violet L. Nicol Cheney

Can’t win elections? Call people names

Re: “Not reviling Clinton - how pathetic” (Nov. 7) and “Sign skullduggery was partisan” (Nov. 6).

Do the people who write in against liberals and/or Democrats really believe the venom they spew?

Judith Cocking made herself sound childish with her talk of Democrats desecrating her property, and her question, “Is it any wonder that we are Republicans?” I could just see her stamping her little feet.

According to Bill Klein’s views, if you care about the environment, you’re a “tree-hugging nincompoop.” And if you believe in the right to choose, you are a “proabortionist.” Just how does our desire for “more moms in tennis shoes” get lumped into the same category as “more sexual deviants and perverts”? One is an obvious slam on President Clinton but how is the other inherently bad?

What their rhetoric really reveals is an inability to look fairly at another person’s views and, in the case of Klein, it shows open hostility toward women.

Anyway, the rest of us “pathetic, uninformed nincompoops” have nothing to worry about. The childish name calling on their part serves only to further our cause. The voters have already spoken. Nya nya nya - so there! Pthbt! Carol A. Carpenter Greenacres

We’re letting lawyer-pols ruin all

We Americans do not need to look at certain other countries and people to attack and bring down this great nation. We need to look with fear and loathing at our own attorney-ridden politicians to destroy everything our founding fathers so carefully crafted. Every year they legislate away a few more of our rights and freedoms under the guise of “doing what’s right for America.” Has the American citizen lost what made this country great or is it we just don’t care anymore? Errol D. Sommer Spokane

Let’s have some parity in memorials

On Oct. 25, Vice President Al Gore dedicated a $24 million monument to the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing. I was struck by two thoughts when I heard the report.

The first thought was the excessive government spending. Just think of what kind of monument could be built with $1 million, let alone $24 million. Was this extravagance really necessary?

The second thought I had was, where is the $24 million monument to the victims of the Waco, Texas, massacre, where government agents murdered defenseless women and children? Also, where is the $24 million monument at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, where government agents murdered Vicky Weaver as she stood in the doorway of her home holding a baby in her arms? Why do the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing merit a $24 million monument when the victims of Waco and Ruby Ridge merit none? Harvey A. Dunham Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

Child abusers deserve death penalty

I recently read a column about a father who burned his 14-month-old baby daughter on a 500-degree rack. It made me wish I could get my hands on the abused baby’s father and caused me to think about our national priority list in the late 1990s.

Nowadays, stories about murdered children do not incite much of a reaction from either citizens or politicians. But let three morons beat a homosexual to death and the entire country goes through a paroxysm of remorse.

No thinking and moral person can accept or rationalize crimes committed because of race, sexuality or abortion views. Neither can a reasonable person seriously believe that such crimes are somehow worse acts than the physical abuse or murder of any child, the rape of any female or the murder of any human being. We know what kind of nuts commit the so-called hate crimes but what kind of monster can punch, burn or rape an innocent child?

If we are going to get into a national lather about anything, we need to consider getting into a frenzy about child abuse, and put the fear of death into the hearts and minds of any who think to abuse children because children are defenseless.

There is no hope for a society that does not have the character to kill such people like mad dogs. James H. Titus Chewelah, Wash.

I’ll stand up for freedom, too

To David T. Bray, writer of the Nov. 5 letter concerning the “gutless letter writer at Gonzaga University.”

I, too, am a former Marine and I also believe in free expression for everyone. While I may not agree with a particular person’s choice of lifestyle, I absolutely agree with the concept of freedom and a person’s right to express that freedom. You and I both fought for that ideal. So, if that wimp letter writer and his buddies decide to accept your challenge to meet, let me know. I’ll be standing right beside you. Stephen H. Piper Spokane

Whale hunt sets bad precedent

Re: “Anything for an unworthy cause” (Opinion, Nov. 3).

While we debate about culture, traditions, heritage and rights, the survival of the whale is in our hands. It is happening right now in our own state, but we are so tied up in proclaiming our cultural rights that we cannot see the truth.

The truth is that if the Makah Tribe is allowed to kill whales, other countries and cultures will follow suit. How many countries will hold to a quota of four hunts per year? Who will be there to make sure that Japan and Norway kill only for “cultural” or scientific reasons, and not for the pet food industry?

Whales were close to extinction until the nations of the world agreed that banning hunting of whales was necessary in order to ensure their survival. Allowing whale hunting, under any pretense, will end the moratorium on hunting and threaten the whale’s very survival.

The members of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and other protestors understand this. Hopefully, before the last whale is slaughtered, John Webster will finally get it, too. Kerry L. Masters Liberty Lake

Cheers for young huntress

Re: “This girl brings home the bucks, and the bucks.”

Leave it to Doug Clark to find, and showcase, such an outstanding young woman as Charlene Monson. Clark is my favorite columnist, bar none. I was so impressed by Monson’s skill that I sent copies of the article to friends across the country.

Hunting is humankind’s most ancient tradition. Women need to have survival skills also. The cushy life we live today could be gone in an instant and hunting could again become a necessity.

We should all take a lesson from Monson and be prepared to feed and clothe ourselves should the need arise. Kudos to this remarkable young woman. Cherie Graves Newport, Wash.