Letter To The Editor
OVER THE LINE
Arts to run off riff-raff deplorable
Re:“Beethoven to roll over teens” (Aug. 19)
Does anyone else see a very large problem in this proposal? Heck, while we’re at it, why not put up some Monet and da Vinci paintings to scare off those unwanted solicitors and prostitutes? A few Kandinskys are sure to drive them away!
I really don’t think that Beethoven and Mozart intended their music to be used as riff-raff repellent.
This proposal to beat back unwanted kids with classical music speaks to me of another problem in our society today - a complete lack of respect for the arts. Why should a beautiful piece of music offend kids? Why do adults use classical music as a weapon to drive kids off? And what am I doing devoting my life to the study of classical music when this is the respect it gets?
Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association, when you use classical music this way, you show your own ignorance and lack of respect for this wonderful music, and prove you hold it in no higher esteem than the kids running from it.
It is attitudes like the one that brought about this proposal that are causing symphony audiences to dwindle and the arts to slowly die. How about piping in music because it sounds good instead of offensive, or promote live street musicians? Maybe one of these days we will try and, God forbid, support and learn about the arts, tell our kids classical music and the arts are good, and appreciate them for what they are: a beautiful representation of what it means to be human.
If we would give all our kids music lessons instead of a music beating, we would solve many more problems than loitering. Sean V. Barker Spokane
Coeur d’Alene could take the high road
I read the Aug. 19 front page article, “Beethoven to roll over teens” - clever.
I accede that there may be a problem with kids hanging out but I raise three points:
What did these shop owners do when they were young, lock the doors of their homes and go to sleep at 8:30? No, they were out with some friends on a nice summer night.
These businesses could play elevator or polka music as loudly as they want and if I lived in Coeur d’Alene, it would not deter me from being around my friends.
Why don’t these business spend the 12 grand on a teen center, a small theater or an arts center where kids can congregate and play their foul rap lyrics all they want?
So it all boils down to this: You can spend a bunch of money to drive kids away from your businesses (don’t deny it; it’s true) or acknowledge the lack of support for the youth in your town and spend your resources on something that will help everybody. Nick S. Richer Liberty Lake
We seek fair, open land exchanges
As president of the Western Land Exchange Project, I must protest Heather Sparano’s mischaracterization of our mission and our relationship with reporter Ken Olsen (Letters Aug. 18). The implication that we oppose all land exchanges is wrong and her suggestion that Olsen is our “puppet” is simply ludicrous.
Yes, we do answer Olsen’s questions when he calls. We also speak to reporters from the Wall Street Journal, the Oregonian, the Los Angeles Times, the Tucson Citizen, and the Seattle Times, among others. The media are not alone in applying more scrutiny to the land exchange issue. The federal inspector general’s office, along with the General Accounting Office (Congress’ investigative arm) are also looking into the chronic problems that plague land exchanges.
Why all the fuss? Because the deals are done in secret. Land trades should be of equal value but the appraisal is usually controlled by the private party and not open to public review. As past investigations have revealed, the public often gets the short end of the bargain.
The Idaho-Arkansas exchange may have helped the Mississippi River but in Idaho, the public lost. It is common for exchange promoters to highlight the value of public lands to be gained. But land exchanges simply don’t make sense if we lose lands of ecological benefit.
The mission of the Western Land Exchange Project is to reform land exchange policy so that future deals uphold the public interest - nothing more than what the law requires. Rachael D. Paschal Spokane
SPOKANE MATTERS
No one I know will back park bond
I wonder if the parks department and the five council members really think Spokane voters will pass the $15 million park bond. I have not talked to anyone who will vote for the bond since the same five council members voted down splitting the bond into separate issues, as Councilwoman Sheri Rodgers and Mayor John Talbott directed by their vote.
It appears the city doesn’t want to be accountable for where and how the money is really spent in the parks department, so the voters get duped again. Erma D. Boxer
Spokane Park bond good for all
Spokane One of Spokane’s greatest assets is its beautiful park system, and our pride in maintaining and expanding our green space.
In the currently proposed bond, every neighborhood park gets dollars for necessary park improvements. Our park swimming pools and tennis courts get repaired. Plus, we will acquire new park property in our downtown area for future generations to enjoy.
As we enter the next millennium, we have a tremendous opportunity to ensure that our park system will be top quality. Your “yes” vote on Sept. 14 will be a vote of confidence for Spokane and the quality of life we work so hard to maintain and enhance. Carol A. Wendle Spokane
Exceptional family deserves thanks
Having lived in Spokane all of my life, I have had the privilege of knowing many of the wonderful things the members of the Cowles family have done for our area.
There have been tremendous gifts to churches, colleges, universities, a museum, to mention just a few. And now, of course, there is the rejuvenation of downtown Spokane. The gifts are always given with great modesty and are usually anonymous.
I am very disturbed when I hear anyone speak unkindly of this exceptionally fine family. Instead, I feel that everyone should be expressing his or her gratitude for these amazing gifts. Helen Hazen Rymond Spokane
I apologize for rudeness
In the Aug. 22 letters section, I was saddened to see Bonnie Sherar’s letter accusing me and others of some rude behavior at the Hillyard VFW during a dinner in which Youth Theater Northwest, a very talented youth theater group, performed.
Unfortunately for me, she was absolutely correct. As the tables were arranged, I had my back to the performance area and was inattentive as to the beginning or progress of the play for quite some time before I realized what was happening. When I became aware, I gave the group my full attention and greatly appreciated their skills and apparent courage in the face of such rude behavior.
I sincerely apologize to each and every one there, especially the gifted youth of Youth Theater Northwest.
I hope Sherar and others will forgive me. David T. Bray Spokane
Club also serves seniors
The article in the Aug. 20 Spokesman-Review about the active elderly living longer is not news but it is reassuring to see common sense validated by science.
Spokane has a number of large organizations such as AARP and Senior Centers that help retirees live longer and fuller lives. For those who would like a smaller setting with modest goals, there are niche organizations such as Singles 60 Club Inc. Meetings are held at Old Country Buffet at 9:00 a.m., Wednesday mornings in the Valley, and Friday mornings on the North Side. There are no dues but attendees are asked to pay a dollar for coffee. Richard W. Peterson Spokane
PEOPLE IN SOCIETY
Hippie critic into blame shifting
Re: “Hippie generation gave us all that’s wrong with America,” commentary, Roundtable, Aug. 12.
Robert W. Tracinski’s diatribe belies the very reasons the hippie generation came into focus in the first place. The passing and, sometimes, aggressive resistance to status quo conformity in accepting the moral and institutional beliefs of previous generations was, and still is, the only reason we as Americans continue our evolution as an accomplished society. To lay the blame for attempted (and successful, as I translate Tracinski) destruction of reason, individualism, moral responsibility and civilization at the feet of one generation reveals the limited and cathartic viewpoints of the very mindsets we were (and still are) trying to discourage.
So, we got high, took off our clothes and had a good time, thwarting the value system so long ingrained in previous generations. Yes, we were against senseless bloodshed. We were also against taking dogmatic assumptions on face value and had the temerity to actually question their validity. And yes, we did this as a generation, but on an individual basis because we were against living in the unreasonable, morally irresponsible civilization we found ourselves involved in.
Unfortunately, when one stops questioning and challenging that status quo, one falls into a position of not accepting personal responsibility and tends to lay all faults at the feet of others. Timothy G. Wilkins Pendleton, Ore.
Beware of sending painful reminders
Today, I received a notice in the mail reminding me to make sure my mother came in for her annual checkup. My mother won’t be needing this reminder because, you see, she passed away seven months ago.
As a daughter who is still having a hard time dealing with my mother’s death, I found this small postcard to be emotionally devastating.
Please, those who work in the medical field, take a little extra time to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen. Remember, we are families dealing with a loss, not just numbers in a computer. Carol J.Hooper Spokane
BUSINESS AND LABOR
Scabs’ job stealing days are numbered
As a locked-out Kaiser Steelworker with 26 years of experience at three aluminum plants, I found Rob Routt’s letter ( Aug. 17) to be particularly infuriating. One need look no further for proof of what most people already know - that scabs simply have no clue.
Thank him for securing my job? I would just as likely thank him for stealing my wallet. If he should come across a parked car with the keys still in it, would he feel justified to drive it away? And later, having been caught and arrested, would he claim in court that he had secured that car for the rightful owner?
Here’s what scabs simply don’t understand. Those are not their jobs. Not now. Not ever. That’s the law. Contrary to the newspaper ads, our jobs are “available” only in the sense that a parked car with the keys left in it is available.
All the turmoil associated with this strike and subsequent lockout could have been avoided last September. If there hadn’t been hundreds of scabs lurking in the shadows, waiting to steal our jobs, Kaiser would have been forced to operate its facilities with salaried employees. Faced with this impossibility, the company would then have been compelled to negotiate a fair contract with the Steelworkers within days.
The day will come when the Steelworkers will win. We will get our jobs back. And on that day, the scabs will go back to wherever they came from without our thanks or our pity. David L. Knutson Spokane
Steelworkers, get a life
In the Aug. 21 letters, Marilee Cutler and Nichole’ D. Cockrill whine about the replacement workers stealing the “rightful owners”’ jobs. To them, I say, “Cry me a bucketload of tears.”
The strikers walked out of their jobs and, if not for a liberal socialist law passed that allows them to keep their job, that would be equal to anybody else quitting.
Luckily enough for business, there is also a loophole that allows them to refuse the extortion of striking employees by allowing that business to not take their offer and lock them out (fire them).
To all the out of work “employees,” I say: Get a life. Stop your whining and get a job! And really work for your money like the rest of us. Rob C. Leach Spokane
IDAHO VIEWPOINTS
Re-think Bonner tax increase
When my wife and I moved to Sandpoint from Texas several months ago, we were warned about Idaho winters and we have prepared for them. We were not warned about a proposal to raise Bonner County property taxes by an outrageous 10 percent. Since I am retired and have a fixed income, there is no way we can prepare for such a disastrous eventuality.
I have lived in many areas of the country and it has been my experience that every local bureaucrat can economize without cutting services such as road maintenance, and without raising taxes.
Maybe the Bonner County powers that be should go back to the drawing board. Maybe they might be the powers that were. Don A. Borer Sandpoint
School board needs watchdogs
RE: “A perfect example of trying too hard” (Editorials, Aug. 4) Trying too hard to do what? To swing an election away from tax activist Dee Lawless, whom “we’d hate to see … seated on any school board.” Why? Because Lawless has been performing her civic duty at the local level to keep the politicians honest and our tax burden limited?
We need good watchdogs at every level of government, and we should all applaud Dee Lawless and whoever else helped to uncover this.
Then there is the plea for no fine or punishment for the perpetrators, “who, for good reason, viewed Lawless as a threat to smooth operation of the district.” What good reason? If there is such hanky-panky going on in this district, we need more people like Lawless to threaten this smooth operation.
Such vitriol reminds us of the charges made against women who have been raped, of giving consent or enticing. Lawless is the victim here, together with Mary Rutkowski, and they deserve to be treated with respect, and to have their complaints taken very seriously. Otherwise, who knows what tricks will be tolerated in the future? C.O. and Loraine A. McGowan Post Falls
Alltus `worst kind of violator’
Regarding the articles about Rep. Jeff Alltus and the poaching issue that came to light: Alltus must realize that poaching is poaching. He illegally took big game, tried to cover it up and is willing to blame everyone else, from his wife to the “mysterious Boise Fish and Game official.” (If one even exists.)
As a life-long sportsman, I am angry that a public official would conduct himself in this way. First violating the law, then saying that he would use his influence in the Legislature to address the issue. Alltus has admitted to the Fish and Game violations, and perjury as well. Why hasn’t he been charged with that crime?
Alltus has proven that he is the worst kind of violator - one who refuses to take responsibility for his own actions. Tim A. Goldade Wallace