Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Sheriff exhibits offensive priorities

When I first read of Sheriff Mark Sterk’s plan to hire nine new deputies, I thought, “That is a good idea.” As I read further, I learned he planned to have them pay for themselves by meeting a daily quota of traffic tickets.

This is idiotic logic and offends the taxpaying citizens of this county. Today, I see that our county commissioners have approved his request.

Sterk is quoted as saying, “These people will not be running from call to call,” but will focus on traffic enforcement near intersections where accidents are common.

Did I miss a traffic violation crime wave here in the county? Are there that many uncited violations? What will they do if there are none, set traps? Wasn’t Sterk’s original rationale for hiring them based on the need to investigate noninjury accidents on county roads? There is no revenue in that, Sterk.

We need policemen doing police work. Aggressive investigation of crimes against property and persons is essential and should be the first priority, not generating revenue! If I am a victim of crime, or if my neighbors are, I hope the deputy is not short on his quota and unavailable.

I have long suspected that revenue production is an important byproduct (as Sterk calls it), and now it will become a policy endorsed by our elected commissioners. This insults the citizens they work for and are supposed to protect.

The article said they won’t be around long unless they earn their keep with traffic tickets. Why bring them around at all? I urge the sheriff and commissioners to rethink this one. Jeff T. Reyburn Spokane

No moral right to compel tolerance

Re: Mary Kate Sorensen’s letter (Feb. 4).

Sorensen doesn’t seem to realize, or doesn’t care, that no one’s rights are safe when government can use its monopoly on the legal use of force to commandeer an individual’s life, liberty or property for the so-called good of society.

As long as I do not inflict physical harm on an individual or commit fraud the city has no moral right to force me to adhere to a government-approved set of beliefs.

For the last 70 years, this nation has increasingly resembled the scenario presented in Ayn Rand’s novel, “Atlas Shrugged”: the welfare state forcing the productive members of society to go on strike and allow the dead weight that was left to collapse upon itself. In keeping with the novel’s plot, if the city tries to commandeer my property for its social(ist) agendas, I’ll put my property on strike. I’ll bulldoze the building and let the offended party pitch a tent on the weed-covered lot. Sam E. Cathcart Spokane

Time-temperature signs out of whack

Every morning I come into Spokane from the North on Highway 395 and pass through town using Division Street to Spokane Community College, where I teach physical and cultural geography. As a worker, I cannot be late for my class. Thus, I often check the illuminated time-temperature signs along Division. There are about a dozen of them between the bridge north of town and Mission, where I turn off Division.

Many people have probably noticed that the temperatures on these signs vary a lot. There is four- to five-degree difference within only 50 yards or so. This may actually happen in extreme weather. But does time vary within 50 yards?

Several minutes’ difference from one to the next is the norm among these signs. Apparently, some still show daylight savings time when we are already in the darker half of the year.

I appreciate the effort of those companies went through to put these signs up. But without proper maintenance, that effort is wasted. And I might be late for work! Toshi Ikagawa Springdale

FIREARMS

Look at what laws are doing

In Lexington, Mass., they might have to cancel their annual re-enactment of the Battle of Lexington because 1, they don’t have gun locks for their muskets, 2, they don’t have gun vaults big enough to store their muskets, 3, anyone coming in from out of state, Canada or Great Britain would have to register their firearm and obtain a temporary license after going through a background check.

Many are thinking of boycotting the event because of the hassles.

In Washington state, depending on how things work out, you have kids who can go into the woods and hunt by themselves at age 16, but they would not be legal to carry a firearm.

Please keep the hunting issue in mind as these things pass by. Jack D. Guske Washtucna, Wash.

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

`No pass, no play’ rule a good one

Re: “Ineligible spelled with an F,” (Region, Feb 7).

I’m a fifth-grader at Indian Trail Elementary. My opinion about the North Central wrestler who got an F is that the district should keep its policy about no pass, no play.

I feel this way because if you just care about sports and other activities and you get F’s in school, you won’t get a very good job or you won’t be able to go on to college. I play sports and I still try my best in school. I think this rule should apply to the after-school clubs, too.

I hope that when they vote on Feb. 23, they keep the no pass, no play rule in place. It will make me work harder. Matthew R. Webley Spokane

Incident symptom of ongoing problem

The recent stabbing at Ferris should never have happened. The student told a teacher he was being harassed. The teacher thought it serious enough to walk the student to class but not to tell the administration.

If this student had been in elementary school, the principal would have been notified at once. It seems once students get to middle or high school, the attitude of the staff to parents and students becomes one of indifference. Communication becomes nonexistent until it is too late. Then, everyone wants to blame the other party.

The student made an attempt to tell someone. The teacher should have informed the school administration. Then maybe the zero tolerance policy would work before something happens instead of after. It is better to be safe than sorry. Vicki L. Nicodemus Spokane

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

`Corporate morality’ a bogus concept

Re: “Don’t let cynicism get the better of you,” Letters, Feb 6.

There’s no such thing as corporate morality or corporate immorality. Moral choice requires a sense of right and wrong, something that is unique to each person. Thus, only an individual can make a moral choice.

To be sure, individuals can agree to cooperate with each other to create a result which may be considered moral or immoral (the City Council can pass an ordinance which applies to only one group of people instead of all people) but that is a result of individual moral choices by individual members.

The idea of corporate morality breeds racism and fascism, and has caused some of the most heinous injustices ever recorded.

Each person is a unique creation endowed with his or her own ability to make moral choices. Attempting to define a corporate morality denies that individuality. God created individuals, not organizations. Ken C. Beck Spokane

How can anyone oppose birth control?

It’s unbelievable that there are critics of birth control. This world is faced with the problems that accompany the overabundance of humanity and there are many who do not think abortion is correct. The birth rate needs to be controlled. Pills can do this.

Critics are concerned with insurance costs. How can they overlook the real issue? The costs - money and otherwise - created by so many people far outweigh insurance premium changes. Ginny H. Deane Sandpoint, Idaho

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

`Falwell surely has better things to do’

Just when I think I’ve heard it all, something comes up that bowls me over again. Surely you can find better things to print than “Falwell finds `subtle’ gay role model on kids’ TV,” Feb. 10.

Maybe women should stop wearing purple and carrying a purse. With hats becoming popular again, we should be careful what decorations are put on them or we will be labeled as lesbians.

Falwell surely has better things to do. I wonder what God thinks of what he is trying to stir up. Why doesn’t he try to take sex, violence and daytime television shows (where anything goes), off TV? I’d worry more about my kids watching them than watching the Teletubbies. Leta L. Donahoo Spokane

Persecution - a code of many colors

Jerry Falwell has done it again, but this time, he really got it wrong. Purple is not the gay pride color. This is because during the Holocaust, Nazis placed a cloth triangle upside-down on the left breast of the jacket and the outside right trouser leg. The triangle’s color denoted that prisoner’s crime. Jews wore yellow, politicals wore red, antisocials wore black, homosexuals wore pink and Jehovah’s Witnessses wore purple.

I feel very sorry for poor Tinky Winky, who has fallen victim, as many others have, to the persecution of the religious right. My only hope is that Barney is safe.

I don’t think Tinky is gay. He might question some people’s idea of male role norms, but the only problem Falwell should have with him is that his name can be shortened to Twinky, which is a term used toward young gay men. But, I shouldn’t give him any more ideas.

I will give Falwell a few pointers. First, only go after characters wearing a pink triangle or all the colors of the rainbow. Going after just purple will cause you to lose princess points. “Gaydar” is an important weapon, not to be used arbitrarily. Second, read “Becoming Visible,” by Kevin Jennings (Alyson Publications). It covers over 2000 years of the history and diverse ranges of culture around the world.

Lastly, find better things to do than search children’s programs for gay characters. Travis W. Taylor Spokane

Falwell `out to lunch’

For Jerry Falwell to say that one of the Teletubby cartoon characters is gay, the old man is ignorant and has too much time on his hands. He’s not only out to lunch, he should be put out to pasture altogether. Tami N. Sorensen Spokane

Editor’s note: Dr. Jerry Falwell has publicly denied ever watching the “Teletubbies” program or outing, or otherwise commenting on, the show’s Tinky Winky character. Falwell says J.M. Smith, senior editor of Falwell’s National Liberty Journal, did cite the character as part of an article cautioning parents about the “role-modeling” their children are exposed to on television. Falwell also noted previous references to Tinky Winky as being gay that have been published in the Washington Post, Time magazine and People magazine.

IDAHO VIEWPOINTS

Support schools in spite of lawmakers

Rhetoric abounds from our governor’s office about this being the time to support children, yet the commitment for spending money to accomplish that has disappeared. Don’t expect our Republican state Legislature to fund any improvements to the school facilities or their maintenance.

If you have the opportunity to vote for school construction, do so now. The only thing cheaper than our Legislature is its talk. Larry L. Kenck Post Falls

Aryans’ rights come at too high a price

Letters from local Democratic Chairman Fred Glienna demonstrate why I’m an independent. Glienna blasts those opposed to Aryan Nations marching in Coeur d’Alene, claiming it’s a violation of their First Amendment rights.

I think it’s a question of public safety, squandered taxes and common sense. It’s analogous to Montana ending the Freemen’s First Amendment rights to shoot up the town and pass bad checks. I’m optimistic that Mayor Steve Judy’s continued attempts to thwart the will of the people will help him thwart the march of the Aryans.

I disagree with Glienna’s desire to do away with capital punishment. It seems odd that a party that supports a woman’s right to murder her fetus is squeamish about a state’s right to murder its murderers. I’m embarrassed about Glienna’s recent tirade against home schooling. I agree that many of them will “graduate” poorly educated. However, I’m sympathetic with their parents’ desire to have them emerge alive. With the deplorable condition of Idaho’s school facilities and the nationwide fad of students expressing their First Amendment rights with assault weapons, it’s kind of hard for kids to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

Finally, poor people are not discriminated against by raising sales tax one cent to improve prisons and recreation facilities. I say, raise it two cents to also fund schools and our Fish and Game Department. But end taxes on groceries. That’s mostly what poor people buy - and everyone benefits from better schools and recreation. Nancy Lynne Coeur d’Alene

Let’s make term limits stick

“That government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.” These words of Abraham Lincoln became the mantra of the Republican Party. Unfortunately, many of Idaho’s legislators who call themselves Republicans started as Democrats. They believe that there are different rules for the rulers and the ruled. They reject the notion of term limits on government and squeal the loudest when we the people put term limits on them.

If you are curious, ask your representatives and senator if they used to be a Democrat. Sadly, these Democrats in elephant clothing are going too far with their dishonest, self-serving attempt to overturn the four separate votes of the people in the last four years. In all four cases, the results mirror the polls - Idaho wants term limits on politicians.

What can stop them? Strong leadership. The senator has shown his true colors as a Democrat in elephant gray. He has introduced legislation to repeal our term limits law. Now is time for our new governor to show strength and courage. Step forward, governor, tell the politicians that the governor of the people, by the people and for the people will veto any law that trashes the clear voice of the people on term limits. Stop the politicians from hurting the GOP and Idaho. Don Morgan Post Falls

Forest Service right on beetle issue

In Colorado, 10 to 15 years ago, we suffered a horrible bark beetle infestation. The only way of containing it was to cut all possibly infected trees, even if the infestation appeared minimal. Logging certainly never made the problem worse in Colorado unless the dead trees were left unattended. I encourage everyone to accept the Forest Service and its trained people carrying out their professional decisions on this one. Foster W. Cline Sandpoint