Letters To The Editor
Over the line
Land exchange a worthy project
Staff writer Ken Olsen recently authored four articles about a land exchange proposal under consideration in Idaho that would potentially involve state and federal agencies. I am disappointed, but not surprised, with the credibility vested by Olsen in the minority extremist views, which he shares with the likes of Erik Ryberg and Janine Blaeloch.
As a fourth generation farmer, rancher and businessman in the Sprague area, I have shared similar problems faced by federal land managers. I was involved in a direct land sale in 1994 with the Bureau of Land Management and witnessed the maze of federal regulations that govern land sales/exchanges.
During the past eight years, I have observed closely the series of exchanges between the BLM and Clearwater Land Exchange in the Channeled Scablands. This area was dotted with intermingled public and private ownership, resulting in management headaches for private landowners and federal land managers. While credit for the vision of managing the Channeled Scablands lies with BLM for recognizing the importance of landscape management, it is important to extend an equal debt of gratitude to CLE for its willingness to risk time, effort, expense and reputation for facilitating an important public value.
It is important to note that many environmental groups shared the BLM vision for the Channeled Scablands but most lacked the expertise or resources to commit to an exchange project of this magnitude. It required a private company dedicated to conservation transactions to work with the BLM to make it successful. Charles A. Miller Spokane
Criticism went over the edge
Gail Parke Jr.’s (Letters, April 3) stupid analogy of the Idaho Legislature’s irresponsibility (regarding guns in school) somehow relating to “retarded citizens” is inappropriate, misguided and wrong. It only tends to further the prejudices and increase the struggles for people with disabilities. There is absolutely no correlation between physical or mental handicap and the way the laws are made in this country.
If Parke is disgusted at answering questions about other people’s misconception of Idaho, imagine how the other citizens of Idaho now feel about having to answer questions about such ignorance as he demonstrated. Do you really wonder why Idaho is perceived as intolerant? Douglas R. Harding Spokane
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Suddenly, he’s Clinton the Candid
Is our president a brilliant strategist, or what? He starts a war. Within a week, we run out of bullets and then he lets the news media tell all our enemies we are out of bullets. Absolutely brilliant. Don Holschen Spokane
Keep playing field level for all moms
The recent article regarding the Legislature’s forcing welfare moms back to work after only three months home with their newborn has sparked me to write my first letter to the editor.
I agree that infants deserve to have their mom home with them for the entire first year of life. Research has proven over and over that in order for infants to thrive they need constant attention and a strong bond with their mothers.
What urged me to write is that not only welfare moms deserve this extended time with their children. Those of us in the dwindling so-called middle-income bracket deserve it as well.
My child was one of the lucky infants. I worked for and saved my sick and vacation time so that I could enjoy two and a half months with him without having to stress about money issues.
Either all moms should have one year off with pay, or work and save to stay home as long as possible and then go back to work as I did. There should be no discrimination between the classes. Pam R. Mace Spokane
U.S. AND THE WORLD
Milosevic, not Clinton, is in the right
Not since Hitler has one man violated international law so blatantly as President Clinton.
Aspiring to be the leader of the New World Order, Clinton convinced NATO to initiate an illegal war against another sovereign nation, Yugoslavia, whose only crime is trying to prevent an insurgency from depriving it of one of its provinces.
Clinton’s actions have resulted in a disaster of International proportions and he, and he alone, must be held accountable for it. Yugoslavia has not crossed its borders, we have crossed Yugoslavia’s. Clinton admits he has started a war with Yugoslavia because he finds the county’s internal political situation objectionable.
The first group of Russian volunteers arrived Sunday to help Yugoslavia fight NATO forces and a squadron of seven warships from Russia’s Black Sea fleet is being sent to the Mediterranean Sea. We should not cause these brave people to risk their lives just because our president is intent on world domination.
If we do not speak out against the illegal actions of our president and demand that Congress stop this illegal use of our armed forces, other nations must intervene militarily to preserve international order.
Now is the time for us to act so that the actions of an incompetent president do not lead us into World War III. John W. Axtell Valley, Wash.
End this `farce’ now
The time has arrived to stop the bombing in the Balkans. Public attention has been diverted from the Susan McDougal testimony, the discussion of an investigation into China’s relationship that gave access to the secrets of our government and the ineptness of the White Sands facility of hiring an American traitor to work on highly sensitive material, and subsequently hire a Chinese intelligence official to work as his aide, with the knowledge of the American intelligence community.
Instead of negotiating the U.S. government into a corner by issuing an ultimatum to President Milosevic of either bombs or peace, surely, President Clinton’s negotiators, with proper skills and intelligence, could have foreseen what is occurring. With bombing, the residents are being killed or displaced anyway. That displacement is burdening other countries that can ill afford to support their growing population.
Milosevic has not been brought to heel. He has done an amazing job of thwarting one of the greatest powers in the world with his own superior knowledge and skills, and by support of his people. Journalists aren’t allowed in the country. The world is being spoonfed news by Clinton’s media, intelligence machinery and panic-stricken Kosovars. If Clinton escalates this conflict with ground troops, he will have lied to the American people again.
I urge Clinton to stop this farce that supports his political agenda. He gives the title “Ugly American” new meaning. Charlotte Benjamin Spokane
It’s not wrong to counter inhumanity
In response to Rod Stackelberg’s well-written letter of April 5, some of his facts were wrong, as were his ideas. The use of force to defend human rights is the only legitimate use of force. The robbery and murder of an ethnic minority is not legitimate.
He mentions interfering in the internal affairs of a smaller nation. When that nation drives many thousands of its people into other nations, after stripping them of all but the clothes on their backs, forcing other nations to feed and shelter them, it is no longer an internal affair. One wonders, if those other nations were as inhumane and refused the refugees admittance, what would have happened to those people?
The military industrial complex he mentions does not exist. Most items bought by the military are comparatively small contracts with firms all over the country.
He states the bombing violates the U.N. Charter. It does not. The countries involved are all members of the United Nations. The United Nations was formed to help prevent wars and protect all people from such atrocities as are being perpetrated by the Serbs. Therefore, all Americans should support all efforts to stop these crimes against the Albanian people. Robert J. Sheehan Colville, Wash.
PARTING SHOT
Investigators must have had an off day
I am shocked - shocked! - that the police did not find illegal firearms sales taking place at the recent gun show. Is it possible the police have been paid off by the National Rifle Association?
There must have been illegal firearm sales at the gun show. I know that must be true, because President Clinton has said that gun shows are markets for illegal gun sales and must be covered by the Brady Law. Does anyone really believe that the White House would propagate false and misleading information to further its goal of expanding the Brady Law? Get real, folks. The White House only lies about matters pertaining to sex. Francis E. Kent Four Lakes