Letters To The Editor

VIOLENCE

Wrongdoing in, wrongdoing out

The world today is raising too many delinquent children. Why do you suppose this is? After witnessing the atrocities that took place at Columbine High School, how can any parent not think about the ways they are raising their children?

How important our children’s environments are to their future. Our children watch hundreds if not thousands of murders, deaths and crimes on television each year. They become desensitized to the hate and violence. And parents have the gall to say that TV has no effect on their children.

It is time that parents start to accept responsibility for the upbringing and behavior of their small children. If parents would take a great interest in every piece of input in their children’s lives and monitor all the environments our children are exposed to, we would see far fewer incidents like the one we saw at Columbine High School.

I implore you, keep a tight rein on what your children are exposed to. Our great nation’s future rests on their shoulders. Marcy Wilbur Spokane

Latest outrage hardly surprising

As violence and terror rain down on yet another school, we ask how could this happen?

Oughtn’t we ask how could this not happen?

When television, movies and thrill novels are saturated with glorified violence and no sense of any real-life consequence for it, how could this not happen? When nearly 40 years of American primary and secondary education have been devoted to the secularizing and neutralization of the values and influence of the scriptures, why shouldn’t this happen?

When we are on the wrong road, the most progressive person is the one who reverses course the soonest. Until we are no longer willing to inculcate disregard for moral excellence, disregard of accountability to God and the love and hope that originates in God, disregard for life and property, and disregard for other basic values, the truly honest question is, how could this not happen? Gary L. Miles Deer Park

We need national change of heart

The solutions to our country’s violence problems are not going to be quick fixes.

The super religious believe prayers in school would fix it. The arm-yourself-to the-teeth groups want everyone to carry a side arm. The ACLUers have pushed liberties to the end game. The anti-drug bureaus want to fence our borders and our beaches. The hand-wringers are breaking their fingers. And the litigious are suing everyone for everything.

To say that our country does not glorify violence is ludicrous. Most of our professional sports emphasize and reward it. Violence-oriented music, games and movie-video entertainment venues are rolling in the money.

My freedom to swing my arm stops where your nose begins. It is unfortunate, but before we see a change we will probably have to see a decrease in our so-called rights and freedoms. Not something I am personally for. But it all comes back to taking responsibility for our actions and our threat of actions. Courtesy and consideration for the fellow person has all but disappeared.

Would it be possible to have a national movement to embrace a modernized Golden Rule: Do to others as you would like them to do to you. Not a prayer, but a nontheistic request for positive action. Not just undertaken in schools but in business, sports and every daily action. Darryl O’Sickey Spokane

Absentee parenting poor substitute

For all who will cry no more guns after this outrageous incident, I say, you fools! While I’m not in any way for weapons of any kind, this situation does not keep happening because there are guns in households.

It didn’t happen when I was in high school. The biggest bad thing to happen back then was teen pregnancy, which was very rare.

You have the audacity to wonder why, then? Children don’t have their parents at home when they need them. They’ve grown up in day cares. My whole generation never knew of these things. Children, as toddlers and as growing adolescents, need their parents - more than they need material items. Or rather, more than parents need material items.

I shake my head at those who will say these two boys in Colorado did wrong because they grew up with guns in their household (which has yet to be determined). It’s so much easier to place the blame there than to look at our own families, friends and community, and realize that our kids need their parents. Children shouldn’t have to rely on teachers and day cares to raise them and try to get the attention, love and emotional needs from those who did not bring them into this world.

While I realize there are those who simply must work, there are some who know they don’t need to be there. It’s a choice. You make a choice to have children. It is your responsibility to raise them. Kathy Minnerly Spokane

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

Guess who let some other George do it

It has been heartening to see the many letters that show disgust that a draft dodger could be elected as a political leader. While brave soldiers were dying in Vietnam, he was safe in law school. You all know who I’m talking about: Rep. George Nethercutt. That’s right, he attended Gonzaga Law School from 1967-71 and then obtained a political appointment working for a U.S. senator.

How about Sen. Larry Craig, who joined the National Guard to protect Boise from the Viet Cong? Jack Kemp was physically unfit for military duty but managed to play professional football.

Gov. George Bush was patrolling against MiGs in the dangerous skies above Texas while in the Air Force Reserve. Dan Quayle and Steve Forbes had their fathers’ political pull to allow them the safe haven of the National Guard. Trent Lott, Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh completely evaded military service.

If these conservatives supported the war, why did they work so hard not to go to Vietnam? If they were against the war, why didn’t they take a stand?

Whether you agreed with him or not, Bill Clinton at least spoke out. Al Gore enlisted and went to Vietnam, even though his father was a U.S. senator and had more than enough influence to find him an easy out.

If you don’t trust Clinton’s decision on the morality of our actions in Kosovo, listen to Sen. John McCain, who knows as much about the price a soldier pays in war as anyone. Vern P. Stevens Kellogg

You’re being conned again

Is everybody in America nuts?

Less than two months ago, William Jefferson Clinton was impeached. He had charges that he had raped a woman 20 years ago. The media reported that a major espionage scandal involving America’s most sensitive nuclear technology was stolen by the Chinese government and was covered up by this administration. He was the first president of the United States ever to be cited in federal court for contempt.

This is all in a day’s business with this administration.

Then this president, in his full rehabilitate-my-legacy mode, decides to attack Yugoslavia “for the children.”

While this administration mires itself in a protracted air war, the American people seem more than willing, according to the polls, to send their sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands and wives to possibly die in Kosovo to assert Clinton’s moral right to a glorious legacy that he has manufactured to achieve these goals.

Is the allure of the SUV too much? Are the economic times that good, that we forget a con job when we hear one? America and Congress, wake up! Gary A. Doerschlag Greenacres

Support troops, not Clinton

So as Slick Willie stood boasting that we, the taxpayers, had been overcharged by billions, he was going to save Social Security, put a new cop on every block, have a teacher for each child, build new schools every other block and on and on.

Then up jumped the devil in the form of a rape case. Off go our troops to Lower Slobovia. Our cruise missiles ($1 million a pop), planes, ships, food - and now, he needs just a bit more? Six billion dollars?

Was Lower Slobovia going to attack the United States? Their navy consists of three cabin cruisers, 14 row boats and a Ski-Doo!

Seems he is not afraid to send someone else into harm’s way as he gallivants around the country on fund raisers. Certainly, as long as our military is there, everyone should support them. But not the big draft dodger! Charles E. McCollim Spokane

U.S. AND THE WORLD

America’s honor, goodness matter too

Barbara Morrissey writes, “Serbs have long Memories and a need for revenge called `honor”’ (Letters, April 17). Lost in her plea for the United States to totally withdraw from Kosovo is something of critical importance: the honor of America.

Honor is complex. Violence and revenge are negative sides of honor. The positive side is a sense of justice and chivalry. The strong do not massacre the weak and the fortunate don’t turn their backs on the helpless. My heart fills with pride realizing I live in a country that uses its awesome power to protect the weak, rather than conquer them.

I distrust President Clinton. But when I see America take a moral stand against flagrant evil, I know the soul of this magnificent country is sound. Truly, the United States is unique in history and amongst nations.

Our first president did indeed warn us against entangling alliances with Europe. But what would honor have demanded of George Washington had he seen atrocities like those being committed in Kosovo? Particularly if he ruled the superpower of the world instead of a fledgling republic? Can we continue to revere him as a hero if we believe he would have closed his eyes?

As a practical consideration, when Washington told us to leave Europe to itself, the fastest mode of transportation on Earth was riding a horse.

If Serbs’ memories are so good, how can they forget what they suffered at the hands of the Nazis and then inflict the same horrible thing on their fellow citizens? Charles Kenna Post Falls

War is hell - and costs like it

What a mess the Clinton administration has gotten us into in Yugoslavia. He got the U.S. involved to take the China scandal out of the headlines and off people’s minds. Now, he’s up to his nose in a quagmire.

Clinton is doing his own ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. We’ve even bombed and killed Albanian refugees. How many more people have to die before the bombing stops? By the time Milosevic and Clinton get done with Kosovo, there won’t be anything for the Albanians to go home to.

Now, Clinton wants more money to fund the military operations in Kosovo through the summer. Where is this money coming from? After Clinton and NATO finish with their scorched-earth policy in Kosovo, it’s going to take billions of dollars to rebuild the country (there goes more of our money) and NATO troops will have to stay there for who knows how long to keep peace. This is a nowin situation for either side. Glenn Herman Moses Lake

Albanian criminals the real villains

The way mainstream American media treat the conflict in Kosovo reminds me of the way communist propaganda treated the Vietnam War. There you had the heroic, peace-loving Viet Cong on one side and bloodthirsty, war craving, civilian- and kid-killing Americans on the other. Fortunately, nobody took that propaganda seriously.

Twelve years ago, I talked to Serbians who told me about the hardship Serb farmers experience in Kosovo. Yes, the Albanians wanted them to leave. That was long before Slobo became the Butcher of Belgrade. The Kosovars’ suffering is obvious but isn’t it caused by the so-called freedom fighters hiding behind them? Yugoslav forces cross into Albania. Why? Because that’s where the freedom fighters attack them from.

Is it of any interest that the freedom fighters have connections to Albanian gangs that deal in drugs? As those “freedom fighters” are in danger of being jailed in Yugoslavia, as they should be, they’re the first eligible for U.S. refugee status if their criminal activity is viewed as political. Don’t we have enough criminals already?

The Clinton administration does not want to be perceived as not resolute enough. That’s irrelevant. It already can be perceived as stupid, which is much worse. Peter C. Dolina Veradale

OTHER TOPICS

Indifference lets abortions continue

Re: the editorials on “Should Congress broaden the federal hate crime law?” (April 16).

Mother Teresa once said, “The opposite of love is not hate but indifference.” Indifference is more readily found when the economy is strong or that which is wrong has gone on for too long. Crimes against the weak, the young, the infirm and against race are never excusable but understandable in light of a culture becoming more indifferent.

Is there much difference between the beating death of a gay, the dragging death of a black man and 35 million unborn who have been dragged and butchered from their mothers’ wombs? America has its own Kosovo of convenience and indifference that needs to stop. Have Congress include the unborn in this hate crime law. William N. Masten Spokane

You won’t find Fox in our den

The April 10 Faith and Values section featured “Worship for the Future” with Matthew Fox. Worship for the future is more like worship from the past. There is nothing new under the sun, only variations on an original theme.

Many years ago, the late Dr. Ernest Holmes founded the Church of Religious Science in Los Angeles, on the theme Fox is now espousing - with one deviation: the emphasis on dance. It’s an old theme dressed up with a new, catchy title.

Fox could make a meaningful mark for himself by getting involved in the prophesies in the Book of Daniel as they relate to the prophetic Book of the Revelation. Then, he could attract both young adults and older adults as well!

However, who am I to say which path Fox should be on? The Pope gave up on him, so only God knows where Fox will eventually wind up. Fox is no advocate for me and my house, thank you very much! C. Dean Mathers Coeur d’Alene

ACLU should check out money trail

Re: “Student aid under fire by ACLU” (April 16). Isn’t anyone else tired of the atheistic attempts by the ACLU to destroy the concept of “one nation under God” as the cornerstone of our American way of life?

Where does the ACLU and its co-antagonists think taxpayer-funded educational opportunity grant money comes from in the first place? No one collecting taxes has ever asked me if I attended religious services before accepting my check. Nor would they have refused to accept my money if they did discover I go to church and believe in God.

Taxes are paid by all of us. They should benefit all of us. This includes providing assistance for any qualified student to further education in any institute of higher learning where they can be taught by qualified educators. If a heightened sense of morality or the desire to live by the Golden Rule should result, what possible harm would there be?

Better-educated Americans who know that they owe part of the cost of their education to other taxpaying Americans should be an asset to all of us! Jolene Feher Spokane Chaplaincies have high standards i

A recent article about Ann Yeend, a volunteer chaplain at Holy Family Hospital, generated several phone calls from people interested in being chaplains. As the article suggested, this is essential and rewarding work, and we would like to explain more fully the qualifications.

Two national organizations certify professional chaplains after completion of a one-year accredited residency, Clinical Pastoral Education. Other qualifications include a bachelor’s degree and postgraduate theology courses. More and more, hospitals are requiring their spiritual care providers to be board-certified chaplains. We complete many hours of continuing education and are recertified every five years.

Trained to be supportive of a person’s spiritual path, regardless of tradition, we team with other health care professionals and members of faith communities to provide quality care of the whole person. We advocate for excellence in our standards, as would any other professional group, and are grateful for the support we receive at our local hospitals. Julianne Dickelman and M. Jo Schafer, MAs, BCCs Spokane