Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Progress is being made - step aside

Why are businesses and the wealthy always made out to be the bad guys? Where would we be if Steven Eugster, king of the naysayers, had been around during the early 1970s? Downtown would still be a tangle of railroad yards, warehouses and the skid row area of Trent Avenue, now Spokane Falls Boulevard.

In about 1970 there was a federal program under way whereby cities were given large sums of money for urban renewal, to clean up decaying city centers. The business people of Spokane decided to turn down the money, saying they would do it their way. An application was made to the Bureau of International Expositions in Paris for Spokane to have a world’s fair. Never before had a city so small featured such a large project and we were turned down.

In spite of this, work on the demolition of the old railroad yards, as well as several business operations, finally began in 1972. While the downtown streets were torn up for updating utility lines, trees were planted. For nearly two years, traffic was rerouted and agonizingly slow but no one was impatient. We were seeing a transformation and everyone loved it. A skywalk system was established. We received the necessary OK from Paris and our world’s fair opened on May 1, 1974. The world no longer needs to ask, where’s Spo-kane?

Sadly, our proud city has been allowed to deteriorate. But this challenge is small compared to earlier projects.

We have people who can put everything back together and it’s progressing just fine. Just get out of our way. Opal Martin Spokane

Downtown, Plaza still need work

Some time ago, I went to a City Council meeting and requested that the core of downtown, the Spokane Transit Plaza, be cleaned up. Especially the waiting area around the Plaza. The Plaza has been and is still overrun with street people. Cigarette butts are still flicked onto the decks; the deck is not more than a disease-laden spittoon. And the language is less than desirable to the average person.

One of the City Council members advised the audience a year ago that she was not aware of the problems. Granted, she does not use the city transit services. Surprise? Security at that Plaza is less than admirable.

Should we the people who spend money be invited to come in and shop at the new River Park Square and be expected to pass through the Plaza and tolerate the eyesore offered by transit, or should we still shop at the malls?

A business person or shopper has a time finding a seat to wait for their trolley without being subjected to harassment and the aforementioned.

If we are going to beautify Spokane, why doesn’t someone in authority initiate cleanup of the area between Riverside and Sprague avenues, Post and Wall streets? David G. Murrell Spokane

Shriners are about helping, caring

Thank you for your informative article (July 8) about the volunteers at Shriners Hospital for Children. My husband, a Shriner for 13 years, and I have just returned from the National Shriners Convention in Dallas, where we were privileged to witness once again the miracles performed daily through this great philanthropic organization.

I am continually amazed at the number of people in the Spokane area who are not aware that we have the good fortune of having a Shriners Hospital in our area. I am also amazed that people think you have to be old and rich to be a Shriner.

This wonderful family organization provides top medical care at no charge to the patients’ families through their various fund-raising activities, such as the Shrine Circus, ice show, duck race and others.

Thank you, Spokesman-Review, for helping our community become more aware of the angels among us. Luanne J. Gehrig Spokane

Beware of bicycle thieves

Recently, someone stole my bike, a Giant Yukon with red handlebar extensions and a purplish frame. Witnesses saw a transient man cut the lock securing my mountain bike and ride away. Panicked, I ran to security and informed them of what happened. They told me that bike thefts happen all the time and that my chances were slim in retrieving my much-loved (and much used) cycle. I was crushed.

I did everything they told me. I reported the incident to the authorities. I circulated flyers and posters describing the circumstances of the crime and a description of the thief and the bike. I rummaged through pawn shops. I slowly began to realize the truth: my beautiful mountain bike was gone.

I write this letter to spread the word about bicycle theft. First, I recommend investing in a nice lock; U-locks are widely considered the best. It’s also a good idea to record the serial number on the bike, in case of theft. This is the easiest way to claim a bike as stolen property. I’ve been told that pawn shops and charities are the most common places for stolen goods to show up; keeping a keen eye on these places increases the likelihood of finding it.

Finally, don’t trust people to deter the crime. At least two people witnessed some creepy guy stealing my bike. No one attempted to stop him. Izarra M. Varela Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Medicare: I’ve seen the need

Recently, I was in line at a pharmacy, waiting to pick up my prescription. The pharmacist was explaining a prescription to an elderly lady in front of me. The pharmacist told the lady that her prescription would be $130.

The lady said she didn’t have that much money. The pharmacist then suggested she just pick up half of her prescription; that would only be $65. The lady said, “I don’t have that much money, either” and started crying. Then she walked out of the drug store without any medicine.

I have never felt so sorry for anyone in my life. Here was a lady who obviously needed to get some medicine, but could not afford to pay for it.

Congress is soon going to change Medicare so that seniors like the lady mentioned here can get the medicine they need.

I want to remind you that if you aren’t a senior citizen, some day you will be. Then, you will begin to understand how terribly important this issue is for all elderly Americans. And you need to be reminded that Republican politicians in Washington, D.C., are fighting to stop this prescription legislation. Tom Akren Post Falls

Credibility gap rivals Grand Canyon

Let’s see if I have this right. The government agency that in February missed its forecast of June revenues by $20 billion or so is now confidently predicting a $1 trillion surplus over the next 15 years.

Politicians of both parties, led by a president who recently denied having sex with an intern, are now falling all over themselves to dole out this ephemeral surplus in the most politically advantageous manner.

The news media are swallowing all of this silliness with great seriousness and pontificating grandly about the supposed merits and relative drawbacks of this tax reduction and that spending plan instead of reporting the facts.

And we are supposed to take them all seriously? We are to believe that a government that blows a threemonth forecast by about 14 percent can peer 15 years into the future and come up with a reliable number? We are to believe those who fail to report the obvious?

Wake up and smell the coffee, people. The emperor is buck naked! Curt Messex Cheney

Conservatives first retire their debts

I listened with interest to Gov. “G-Dub” Bush’s recent speech in Spokane. I downloaded the text from The Spokesman-Review’s Web site to make sure that I’d heard him right.

Did anyone else notice that he said absolutely nothing about paying down the national debt or Social Security, or Medicare, or health care more generally?

He was here presumably to give us a look at his priorities and said nothing about these extremely important issues. Instead, he said, “I’ll cut taxes? It’s conservative to cut taxes.” He said that he’ll cut regulations and build up our national defense, and a lot of other things that are good things but do not relieve the younger generations from the burden of the huge national debt.

Is cutting taxes a higher priority than Social Security, Medicare or extending adequate health care to all of our people? G-Dub seems to think so, judging from his own chosen words.

Isn’t the most conservative thing that we can do as a nation with any non-Social Security budget surplus is to pay down our national debt? That’s what smart, conservative, middle-class families with debts traditionally do with at least most of any extra income they might get.

I hope our nation will insist that the federal politicians use the vast majority of any non-Social Security surplus to pay down the national debt. If you agree, let your representative and senators know how you feel. Charles E. Latimer Spokane

LAW AND JUSTICE

No early release for Briggs

Referring to Doug Clark’s column of June 24 and Janice Parker Slater’s letter of July 8 about Melvin Briggs, I couldn’t agree more. Detective Roscoe Ghering and myself were the arresting officers of Briggs and spent many hours with him. We interrogated, gained the confession and recovered the body of 12-year-old John Siverts southwest of Spokane. Like all child murder victims, it was not a nice sight. (refer to the June 16 and 17, 1965, Spokesman-Review article regarding the John Siverts murder.)

Of course Briggs has been a model prisoner the last 33 years; there were no young boys among his cellmates. But look back prior to his 33 years in prison and you will see a very violent record of assault, kidnapping, rape and murder of young boys.

Briggs is a sexual psychopath, a student of Marquis de Sade (pain) and a murderer a sexual psychopath of the worst kind.

Many smart convicts try to be model prisoners and take all the right programs to obtain early release. Some are sincere, others are not. I cannot believe Briggs is sincere.

Like most of law enforcement trying to protect the people and solve criminal cases, we have seen enough of this type of justice of unqualified prisoners gaining parole or being placed in work release programs. I have noticed pictures of wanted men and women in the Spokesman-Review with 10, 20 or more convictions who are wanted again. They were and maybe are walking the streets of Spokane. I also pray that the three-man board in August will refuse to release Briggs. James D. Allen former captain, Spokane County Sheriffs Department, Spokane

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Officers favored Aryans

I see things clearly now. North Idaho supports the Aryan Nations by its refusal to take part in any attempt to stop them. Saturday’s parade in Coeur d’Alene is a classic example of that.

As several of us shielded a black woman from three young white-supremacist males trying to get to her, presumably to do her harm, all of our efforts to attract the attention of law enforcement to remove these young men fell on deaf ears. The police officers did nothing. They disregarded our cries for help and refused us.

Moments later, when several anti-neo-Nazi demonstrators crossed the same barriers, they were dragged by their hair, beat with batons, kicked, punched, handcuffed, arrested and taken away, as Neo-Nazi supporters rallied behind law enforcement and ridiculed us because they had the law on their side and we did not.

When I saw the look of terror in the eyes of many of these young, inexperienced police officers, I then realized they have bitten off more than they can chew and do not know how to stand up to the very faction they complain gives their town a bad name. A friend observed North Idaho is being held hostage by the Aryan Nations. There were only 18 participants in their parade, including women and children. There were hundreds of us opposing them.

What is wrong with this picture? Elizabeth M. Morrison Cheney

Oliveria has no idea what police face

Editorial writer D.F. Oliveria should try spending a day in a police officer’s shoes. He’s quick to criticize officers responding to unlawful activity and praises when enforcement action is not taken. It’s easy to criticize and praise when it’s obvious Oliveria has no connection with the reality officers must face daily. Those shoes, should Oliveria attempt to try them on, would be far too large for him to bear the responsibility of wearing.

Last year, during the Aryans’ march, Coeur d’Alene police did an outstanding job of preventing a riot. Should Oliveria choose to look at the Car d’Alene incident factually, he would find that again, Coeur d’Alene police did an outstanding job. However, this reader has learned to expect tainted views based on faulty information.

On Saturday, when the Aryans marched, a crowd of law violators took to the street in a peaceful but unlawful demonstration. This act violated the First Amendment rights of the Aryans. The Aryans then became the victims, playing into the hands of the protesters.

Will the constitutional attorney, who so quickly claimed they will sue the city, also represent the Aryans, whose rights were violated? Who’s side will Oliveria take, the victim Aryans’, the victim protester or the victim police officers who were forced to endure the venom of these attorneys during lawful arrests?

When violations occur, opposing factions expect aggressive police response. When not exercised, police are criticized. When police do react, excessive force is alleged. It’s a no-win situation for police. Richard D. Welts Coeur d’Alene

Police handled volatile situation well

I attended my first Aryan Nations parade in Coeur d’Alene Saturday. It would have been a peaceful parade. Everyone would have gone home to enjoy the rest of the day.

Guess what? It didn’t happen. The protestors (out-oftowners) were not contented to stop the parade with a sitdown demonstration across Sherman Avenue. They violated the law by crossing over the no-passing banners.

The police were very patient with the protestors’ blockade. Thinking safety for all, the police had the Aryans halt their parade on Sherman, detouring them away from the crowd, when the protestors advanced toward the marchers.

The protestors had accomplished their goal but were out to make a mockery this parade day. They began to harass the police, causing some unnecessary conflicts.

You guessed it. The protestors arrested were from Seattle, San Francisco and Oceanside, Calif.

What would have happened if our police were not doing their job? Daniel J. Stredni Coeur d’Alene

OTHER TOPICS

It’s trendy to slap down the poor

Vilifying the poor, depicting them as lazy, immoral and dishonest, serves to draw attention away from the real issues surrounding welfare reform and economic justice. Vicious stereotyping helps us justify abandoning poor and vulnerable families.

The real issues are lack of higher education opportunities, low wages and an economic and tax system set up to benefit the wealthy.

When we choose to scapegoat poor welfare mothers as the abusers of our system, we lose perspective on larger abuses at the top of the economic ladder. Corporate subsidies, tax breaks, loopholes and bailouts cost each of us more than all welfare recipients combined.

Welfare reform-repeal have the potential to drive families into deep poverty, hungry children into the streets and to create a permanent underclass. We must think of all of the atrocities that happen when groups of people are portrayed as being less valuable than the rest of us.

Let’s use some compassion and common sense to create a system that offers more opportunities and is more equitable for all people. Julie A. Graham Spokane

Neighbor’s trees a nuisance

I read with interest the letter from the lady complaining about her neighbor cutting down the large tree.

If she asked her neighbor why, I imagine he would tell her he would like to have a clean, neat yard for a change.

My neighbor has five trees in about 30 feet of space on the property line. They are south of me and, of course, the wind blows all the leaves, seeds and mess into my yard and onto my patio. We can clean it up all neat and the next morning, it’s a mess.

The willow is rather new, planted about 12 inches from my curb and fence. The roots will soon take over the sewer line.

The trees keep the back yard dry as their roots soak up moisture, especially the tall pine tree.

We look up the block and envy the nearby yards. Sunshine is rare; we get the shade.

If I sell, believe, me I’ll find a place where there are no trees next door. Erma E. Coffield Spokane