Letters To The Editor
WASHINGTON STATE
Taxes up, services down West goes
I recently received a letter from Sen. Jim West apologizing for his error in judgment. Doesn’t everyone who makes threats say they’re sorry? It makes one wonder how many more “errors in judgment” have been made.
West states, “In the next legislative session, I intend to keep working to improve our schools, to fix our roads and to keep the state living within its budget.”
He has had 12 years to accomplish these “goals.” Meanwhile, Washington is among the highest-taxed states in the union, our schools are substandard, taxes keep going up and our roads are deteriorating. The budget has increased from $10 billion to $19.7 billion in 10 years without a large increase in population or inflation, yet basic services have decreased. Is this “working for the common good, sticking to the budget and operating in a responsible financial manner”?
He states he “was able to cut property taxes permanently.” I can’t find any reductions, and people have told me theirs haven’t been cut, so where is the reduction? Taxes keep going up. We are paying more now and receiving less for our money. The only thing that’s been cut is services.
It is time to get rid of professional politicians and get someone - anyone - in there who will truly represent our interests and concerns. After all, how much more “responsible financial manner” can we afford? Isn’t there anyone out there? Leo J. Fagan Spokane
Let’s unleash mouth that roared
The Aug. 14 story, “Many tongues wag over news of attack,” revealed the lighter side of terrorism. Adjoining articles revealed how U.S. forces retaliated with air strikes and ship-launched cruise missiles against the terrorists suspected of bombing embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
While there’s widespread public and government support for the action, I believe there’s another, more deadly, alternative. Instead of bombing the terrorists, I suggest we have Sen. Jim “Mad Dog” West call them on the phone and scream obscenities at them.
This action has many advantages. It keeps our military people out of harm’s way. I can’t put a value on a pilot or a member of a ship’s crew, but I know they are worth more than any terrorist. Ships cost several million dollars each. A single B-1B bomber is $250 million dollars. Have you priced cruise missiles at Wal-Mart lately? I can assure you they have gone through the roof.
West can give the United States a mobile strike capability that would be the envy of the world. This will free our pilots for more traditional duties like nude flying, as described on the front page of the Region section.
Any terrorist in his right mind would live in fear whenever the phone rings. It’s time for the United States to take full advantage of the electronic age. It’s time to let our fingers do the walking and West do the talking. This will stop worldwide terrorism. Thomas L. McArthur Spokane
SPOKANE MATTERS
LC project: Compromise is needed
Re: “First and foremost a school, not an icon,” Our View, Aug. 25.
Spokane voters expected the school board to uphold the stewardship of public properties entrusted to it. The district and architect have both committed to maintaining and enhancing the integrity and character of Lewis and Clark High School.
Unfortunately, the issue of preservation vs. a modern education facility has been set forth as a battle standard. The two are not mutually exclusive. They go hand-inhand in the public’s interest of cost efficiency and best use of public resources. No one I’m aware of has said LC should be a museum.
To date, architect Steve McNutt has only addressed the educational plan while briefly looking at the safety and building code issue. While McNutt has talked to some teachers, many other people use the facility. The other issues involved are historic preservation and cost of improvements.
Public hearings were to be integral to the process, but surely not an invitation to “air the controversy,” which gives short shift to public comment.
As to “the weight of public comment being eloquent and convincing” regarding the 1908 administration building, it was anything but that. It was more like raw and anecdotal. Most comments favored preservation and creative solutions.
Historic renovation of a public building involves complicated issues. Compromise is needed - on all sides - to satisfy educational needs and other concerns of the public majority. George Bryant, member Spokane Landmarks Commission
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Democrats don’t deserve labor backing
Vi M. Bradshaw (Letters, Aug. 29) questions why labor leaders would support Republican candidates.
As an active union member involved in legislative affairs, I’ve only seen lip service at election time from the Democratic Party. When our union members brought up allegations of labor law violations and unfair treatment of disabled veterans by an employer, we contacted the Democratic senator’s office. I was told she doesn’t get involved in labor-management problems.
We got immediate support from Rep. George Nethercutt’s office. Those from Idaho received the same support from the offices of Rep. Helen Chenoweth and Sen. Larry Craig. An investigation was immediately called for.
Union members have always been told to blindly follow the Democratic Party line, regardless of whom the candidates might be or what their politics might be. Candidates who vote against the flag protection amendment or those who would make a mockery of family values don’t reflect the image of the hard-working union members of America. We can hardly be expected to give the image of feathering our own nests at the expense of other citizens.
The trend of the national party to support the predator and chief, and North Idaho’s party supporting a convicted child molester, are far above and beyond any reasonable call for support.
This convicted felon could be seen at the Democratic campaign booth at the fairgrounds supporting his party and friends on Aug. 29. Until the Democratic Party cleans up its act, refocuses regarding moral values and changes the low level of integrity in leadership, it doesn’t deserve our support. Ray L. Fink Hauser Lake, Idaho
Candidates - field of bad dreams
Kudos to the layout editor for inadvertently placing the profiles of the 11 senatorial candidates next to the “John O’Hurley-J. Peterman” STA ad. The priceless look of astonished befuddlement was so apropos for the bile served as cover letters. Hawk next to dove. Socialist anarchist next to racist anarchist. Incumbent bureaucrats claiming to be one of “us.” “Bureaucrat haters” petitioning our votes to become bureaucrats themselves. People born, raised and educated outside of Washington state who know what’s best for, and how best to serve, the people of Washington state in our nation’s capital.
I find it unbelievable that this great state, in this (still) great nation, cannot produce greater stock for candidates. Racist, socialist, Pisces and prophet? It’s perplexing that some can still marvel at voter apathy and frustration.
One question: If candidate Robert Tilden Medley wins, will he deport his wife, children and grandchildren? A different kind of politicking, indeed! Tadashi Osborne Spokane
Medley a Democrat? Make that fascist
After reading Robert Tilden Medley’s cover letter and resume, I had to write and make sure that The Spokesman-Review didn’t make an error by printing that he is a Democrat. I even looked it up in the dictionary, which stated that a Democrat is a member of the Democratic Party.
I then looked up the word “democracy.” It stated, “a social condition of equality and respect for the individual within the community.” It also stated that a Democrat promotes the interests of the people and practices social equality.
So, instead of calling himself a Democrat, may I suggest the terms Nazi or fascist?
I also spent time in the military, six years in the Navy, and for four of those years I wore a Marine Corps uniform because I was a combat medic. I learned that freedom bears no credence when the lack of it is still being justified in small minds. To confuse all and condemn most is nothing more than feigning fidelity.
In spite of all Medley’s twisting of truth, I still see myself reflected in him and respect his right as an American citizen to express his views. But, why should we repeat the mistakes we already made in the past? Paul W. Flanary, Jr. Spokane
Medley notions drive home a lesson
I learned a lesson today (Aug. 30), thanks to The Spokesman-Review. Usually, I make it a point to read about the people who are running for office. However, sometimes I don’t get around to it and I think I know the candidates. I believe I am too busy to take the time to read what I think I already know. Then, I find myself in the voting booth with names that mean nothing and only the notation GOP or DEM next to their names. If in doubt, vote DEM.
Reading about the candidates for senator last Sunday provided a moment that will affect my voting research forever. There in the midst of many relatively well-thought-out and coherent political ideas was a “Democrat,” Robert Tilden Medley, who believes that African Americans should be “transported back to Africa,” that we should remove AIDS research and treatment from government funding and “license homosexuals at age 21 to engage in sodomy” and use the income to pay for AIDS research, that we revoke Indian Treaties, and that we “take the Armed Forces out of the hands of social engineers.”
Frightening!
I will remember the moment I read Medley’s racist, homophobic, sexist platform every time I think I know all the candidates and all the issues. I always have considered myself an informed voter, but it was drummed in soundly today: I will never again vote for a candidate simply because of the party they say they represent. Deborah Lawrence Hale Greenacres
IN THE PUBLIC EYE
This is not a little white lie
I cannot believe that there are still people so ignorant that they rationalize the entire Clinton-Lewinsky matter into thin air. Lee Delaney wrote (Letters, Aug. 30), “all of us - man, woman, child, animal - would also lie if asked questions about our sex life in an open forum.”
The scandal is not about how justified he was in lying but the setting he did it in - a court of law. If memory serves me right, lying while testifying under oath in a U.S. courtroom is perjury and violates some of the most basic laws of this nation.
One cannot just say they would have done the same and then go on with life. The president of the United States, the leader of our nation, felt that it was OK to break a law in order to protect himself while under oath. If we cannot trust the man we chose to run our country to tell the truth, how can the rest of the world?
When Clinton lied, he didn’t just break one oath but two: “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” and “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Clinton cannot preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and break the laws of our nation at the same time. Nathan D. Holmes, age 16 Spokane
Make Clinton pay for dishonesty
You be the judge: Is Clinton a liar and a criminal?
At his inauguration he took an oath of office to uphold the laws of this land. Doesn’t that include telling the truth under oath? Isn’t it bilking people out of money to take funds from private contributions for his legal defense fund, given because people believed in him when he said he didn’t have a sexual relationship?
Now, I say Clinton should pay it back. If he can’t, “Do not pass go, go directly to jail.” Work it off like Joe Citizen would have to. Richard Morgan Spokane
FIREARMS
See who’s really devoted to safety
Anytime there’s a gun accident or a firearm is misused, the incident is used as a propaganda vehicle by gun-ban activists.
Terry Cox and Elizabeth Huse (Letters, Aug. 25) admonish us to not keep guns in the home, rhetoric that’s right out of a Handgun Control Inc. brochure.
If we’re going to save children’s lives, we need to remove bicycles, stairways, swimming pools and vehicles from our homes. All are far more deadly to kids than firearms.
The National Rifle Association has spent more than $100 million in the last eight years teaching firearm safety and responsibility. Ten million children have been reached by the NRA’s award-winning Eddie Eagle gun safety program, which is available, free, to any school upon request.The Eddie Eagle program has even been adopted by the FBI academy for its agents who have young children.
The NRA wants to prevent gun accidents while the anti-gun lobby only wants to prevent firearms.
We need solutions, not more gun abolition propaganda. Curtis E. Stone Colville, Wash.
Leave responsible gun owners alone
How many times do facts have to be repeated before common sense kicks in? Firearms are used 60 times more often to protect the lives of honest citizens than to take a life. Don’t punish the majority for individual mistakes; it hurts us all more than it helps.
Citizens shoot and kill at least twice as many criminals as police do every year (1,527 to 606). The police will show up to take the crime report, but you’re the only one able to stop the crime. “Readers of Newsweek learned in 1993 that ‘only 2 percent of civilian shootings involved an innocent person mistakenly identified as a criminal. The error rate for police however was 11 percent, more than five times as high.”’ This information was given to me by a police officer.
Unless police officers are stationed at your house, they can only do so much. And it’s not the police force’s job to protect individuals.
In the case of Warren vs. D.C., the court ruled, “courts have without exception concluded that when a municipality or other government entity undertakes to furnish police services, it assumes a duty only to the public at large and not to individual members of the community.” You are responsible for the well-being of yourself and your family.
While the loss of any one human life is tragic, accidents do happen with any object. Getting rid of the object due to accidents or irresponsibility is counterproductive.
Leave us responsible gun owners alone. Like it or not, that is the majority. James B. Beaupre Medical Lake
Not locks, not guns - it’s people
Wow, what a perfect misrepresentation of “truth” in Milt Priggee’s Aug. 27 editorial cartoon. I understand that you must sell newspapers, but not at the cost of the truth.
Trigger locks will not save lives. People save lives; trigger locks are proven not to be safe. Would you patronize a prostitute you knew had AIDS because you know condoms are “safe?” This is all a trigger lock is.
The problem is not the gun or gun manufacturer, it is irresponsible people. My three sons and I shoot over 20,000 rounds of ammunition every year in target practice and competition with handguns. I have been an active shooter for almost 25 years. My 15-year-old son who has shot competitively for five years has won a slot to shoot in open nationals next month.
Why do you suppose that in expending 100,000 bullets over the past five years we have not killed or shot anybody? Luck? Nope, it is a skill acquired by safe gun handling and hours of practice. My family members won’t have a gun accident because I care enough to teach them how to handle a firearm safely.
TV and Hollywood have taught our next generation what it knows about guns while we were too busy working or not spending time raising our children. I challenge Priggee to reprint his “cartoon” of the Grim Reaper, but this time omit the comment on the bottom line and put “parents’ responsibilities” on his robe. This will be the truth. Bill Sahlberg Spokane