Letters To The Editor

IDAHO VIEWPOINTS

Apology belated at it was meaningful,

Re: “Troopers killer apologizes,” (June 5). I can appreciate the fact that Scott Yager apologized, finally, for the act he committed last June. But to think that just by giving an apology to the family of Linda Huff, crying a couple times in court while having your court-appointed attorney read your statement and trying to get off on a mental reason when you were drunk and on meth at the time isn’t right.

The death penalty should still hold. Who knows, maybe Huff would want it this way. That way, others might think twice before killing a police officer. Jamie Howe Orofino

Parade route serves Aryans better

Re: “CdA chooses dumping ground for Aryan march,” (June 3). If the Aryans use the Ramsey parade route, how is that different? The route will be able to accommodate larger crowds than Sherman Avenue, the news media will have better access and the whole world will again see the spectacle! Jim M. Bashore Sandpoint

Let’s find our way through faith

Our prayers at home daily should convince our children that we love them and how precious they are to us and they should love each other as well as their whole family.

Even if we are not allowed to say prayers in school, we must continually bring to our precious children’s realization that teachers, staff and all of the other students love each other.

They must understand the natural mourning of the nation’s disaster at Columbine High School because Americans love all of our children, everywhere. We must remember how our nation celebrated the return of our young prisoners. That points out how much Americans love each other.

Now we must learn to love all other people. Sayeth our Lord. Robert R. Root Spirit Lake

SPOKANE MATTERS

Community has shown us its best

Community challenges often bring out the best in people. The recent string of upsets at Sacajawea Middle School is no exception.

Although these disruptions have been everything from frightening to frustrating, they have also allowed our staff and students to see the best the community has to offer.

We have been showered by letters of support, plates of cookies, bouquets of flowers, platters of cookies, parents coming to school in droves offering to help with whatever we need, mountains of cookies, lunch sent to the staff, first from one local grocery deli and then another, more cookies - the list goes on and on.

Our society has become masterful at seizing on the negative, but we would be foolish indeed not to recognize what a wonderful community we live in. Thanks to all who have stepped forward to support our school so much these past two weeks. And by the way, the cookies have all been exceptional! David E. Ulmen, teacher Sacajawea Middle School

Current system worth keeping

Steve Eugster’s delivery of petitions to City Hall regarding his strong-mayor form of city government requires that, once again, we comment on this proposal. Having lived under both forms of government, strong mayor and city manager, I stand four square against the strong-mayor form.

Eugster says that election of a strong mayor is best. This presumes that our candidate for mayor has great management skills or a graduate degree in municipal administration. Simple management skills will not do the job. Far better that we hire a city manager to administrate the city’s day to day business and to serve at the pleasure of the City Council. The opposite would be to have a list of qualifications which every candidate for mayor would have to meet. The system we have now works very well and Bill Pupo is a well-qualified manager. Maury Hickey Spokane

School restoration handled well

The Historic Preservation Committee of the Eastern Washington State Historical Society commends School District 81 and the Pacific Design Group on the restoration of the south wing of Wilson Elementary School.

The careful attention to detail is evident in the exterior brick pattern, which closely replicates that of the main building. In particular, we applaud matching the existing window heights and sizes to the original building, which keeps the addition in proportion to it. It is clear from the design of this beautiful wing that architectural sensitivity to the original building was an important consideration. Jane Joseph, chairwoman Eastern Washington State Historical Society

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

Construction worker not like stereotype

In regard to your article about the Mennonite church-raising in Chewelah - a fine example of community spirit and a worthy project - I take issue with staff writer Grayden Jones’ sweeping generalizations concerning the construction industry. “… the usual cursing, smoking and catcalls (and spitting) of a construction site…” implies that this rude behavior is the norm. Nothing raises my ire more than the media stereotyping of the construction worker as an ill-mannered buffoon.

I am part owner of a construction company. We consider our calling a profession and insist that this professionalism extends to job site behavior. Our focus does not include spitting or harassing women. If an employee smokes (not yet an illegal activity), it is confined to breaks. When the average age of a carpenter in America today is 50, my bet is that what’s on his mind is not how far he can spit but what he will be doing with his grandchildren this weekend, how his retirement plan is growing and if his knees are going to hold up for another 15 years in a market with a dearth of young people.

As for cursing, ever hit your thumb for the second time that day with a 20-ounce or larger framing hammer? Ever had equipment break down, requiring expensive repairs immediately? Ever read about what a schmuck you are by someone who has never met you? You can bet there will be blue smoke in the air. However, professionalism also dictates that we choose our time and place appropriately when we let fly.

When stereotyping people based on their sex or race has been considered the playground of the truly unenlightened for years, it amazes me that an article with such blatant insults toward an entire industry so easily made the front page. Margaret E. Tremaine Ritzville, Wash.

Careful what you opt for

When a society puts more value in being protected than preserving its freedom, it will soon lose its freedom in finding its protector. G.P. James Sagle

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Cuts are no way to honor veterans

I hope people spent Memorial Day thinking about what the government is doing to veterans’ benefits. It’s sure nice to see it honor us by making cuts and offering us less.

Millions of vets entered the military and completed the jobs we were asked to do. Those things were sometimes not pleasant but were done nonetheless. We backed the decisions of our government as we were expected to do. Now that years have passed, we ask that the government remember and hold true to its promises.

As a Persian Gulf veteran, I don’t need the help some vets need. However, there may be a day when I will. I just hope the help is there when I need it.

Now we are sending military personal to Yugoslavia, thus creating an entirely new group of vets. The men and women are there at the government’s order. Once finished with them, is the government just going to disregard them or will it take care of them as promised?

This is no way to treat the millions of people who have served this nation with honor. Please call or write your representatives and let them now that you don’t agree with the cutting of funding for veterans. Todd M. Howard Kellogg, Idaho

Change in thinking not a big deal

Abraham Lincoln, our first Republican president, provided leadership that brought freedom for black citizens. Freedom with individual responsibility is still a basic principle Republicans seek to conserve.

As a fellow Republican, I have worked politically with George Nethercutt for many years. I know him as a man of honesty and integrity. He has learned he can serve his fellow citizens better as he grows in the learning process and climbs up the ladder on political committees. The best leaders never stop learning. They change their minds when it is prudent to do so.

We need Nethercutt now more than ever. Compared to President Clinton’s parade of broken promises, Nethercutt’s one change of mind is minimal. Nethercutt is an important cog in keeping individual freedom for all Americans. Donald R. Reed Spokane

Transparency also cuts both ways

Luke G. Williams (Letters, June 9) asserts that the term limits issue concerning Rep. George Nethercutt is simply a ploy of partisan politics to oust a Republican congressman. When now-incumbent Nethercutt endorsed the principle of term limits, thus contrasting himself to longstanding incumbent Tom Foley, was that merely a political ploy? What can be more of a “transparent sham” than to encourage the congressman not to step down now that it’s time to demonstrate that he’s not going to be like the former incumbent? James W. Bradford Spokane

VIOLENCE

Teach young people to deal with anger

Youths need to be taught anger management early in their lives. Hatred and anger arising in youths have caused many of the violent acts in our schools, resulting in grief, pain, disaster and tragedy.

Many people claim that security measures are the solution to violence in our schools. These measures will only delay the problems occurring. A better solution would be to teach children how to manage their feelings and how to forgive one another at an early age.

Youths can control their anger and realize there are better ways to resolve their difficulties. Many movies, television programs and magazines promote violence. Parents need to teach their children that they can resolve their problems through communication. When communicating with the right people they can release the tension that may be growing inside of them. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Violence can be managed if we’re willing to invest effort in prevention.

Forgiveness is the best way to release our anger and hard feelings. When forgiving, youths will learn how to let go of the contention they feel toward others, and feel much better about themselves. If they hold onto the rage it will build up and cause them to do something they normally wouldn’t do.

The only way we can prevent these problems is through teaching anger management and forgiveness. Matt Mergenthaler Mead