Letters To The Editor

PEOPLE AND SOCIETY

Something’s wrong with selling eggs

Re: “A case of eggs over just a little too easy,” by Ellen Goodman (Opinion, March 12).

I’m very disgusted to learn that certain couples with a lot of money are placing ads for a special type of woman to donate one of her eggs. In return, the donor would receive a very hefty sum of money.

This isn’t the world of “Gattaca.” Couples who have the money to spend on finding a donor should be more mature than to think that any baby is better than another. Wouldn’t most people be more proud of their son or daughter if they raised him or her to earn good grades on their own, instead of depending on someone’s genes to do it?

Something’s wrong here. You’re supposed to love someone for who they are, not what they are. Isn’t that what most of us have grown up by all our lives? I know I have. Serena M. Shaw, age 14 Colbert

Personal liberty valuable to most

Re: “Employers’ testing seems reasonable.” (Letters, March 16) My reactions to Chief Rodney Gile’s letter ranged from sadness through anger to horror. I was aboard USS Nimitz that night in 1981.

His letter implies the crash was drug related. In reality, it was caused by a landing safety officer failing to wave off the landing. The LSO is the shipboard guide for the pilot as he’s accomplishing the single most dangerous job in the military: landing a jet on a carrier at night. I’ve seen the film many times. All landings are taped for training.

Having known the three aircrewmen well enough to draft their next-of-kin letters and having trained one to be my boss, I think I can tell Gile what they’d say about sacrificing personal liberties for anything. Personal liberties have been purchased with blood shed from Lexington to Bosnia, not equipment, nor dollars, nor even lives, but personal liberties.

Surrendering personal liberties is something inflicted on convicted felons, and tolerated, to maintain good order, by members of the military. Being neither a convicted felon nor an active member of the military, I refuse to surrender my personal liberty. What would I say to my three friends?

Personal liberty as expressed in The Declaration of Independence and embodied in the Constitution has been a good formula to live under for the last quarter of this millennium. Let’s not start the new millennium by starting to buy string-laden security with both our personal liberties and the blood of our current young patriots. Ted A. Noon Spokane

We should count our blessings

We are American citizens of the United States, lest we forget. I believe there are countless, literally millions, of people worldwide who would dearly love to trade places with any one of us at any time.

Let us count our blessings. We are among the world’s chosen few. Daily we should bless our citizenship in America. Vernon C. Akers Spokane

IN THE PAPER

Clark untrue and irresponsible

It is apparent that Doug Clark isn’t well informed nor does he take his position as a writer seriously. His attack on Spokane Community College and Dr. Jim Williams (column, March 14), referring to Williams as “a Lemming in soda can” was untrue and irresponsible.

Unlike Clark, who has only to please himself, Williams has many that he is responsible to and responsible for. The students, faculty, chancellor, board members and community look to him to deal with issues that disrupt the campus life.

When our lives are as small and self-centered as Clark’s, we dance to our own music, not caring that we are totally out of step with the rest of the world. Whereas Williams, who holds a responsible position not only at SCC but in the community as well, is in step with the rest of the world. His decisions are made not at his whim, but after careful consideration of what is best for SCC and the community.

Clark further stated that the act of appointing an advisory committee would be only to ward off bad press regarding Williams. Apparently Clark feels that his wit, his opinion, his viewpoint is far superior to those of the rest of Spokane.

If I sound a little prejudiced toward Williams, it’s because no one knows him better than I do. I know the long hours that he works each day, usually seven days a week, and not for monetary gain; his salary is yearly. He believes in what he does and does it damn well. Few can match his dedication to Spokane Community College District and the community of Spokane. Jann Williams wife of Jim Williams

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Term `liar’ low blow

I take issue with those in the media who insist on branding Rep. George Nethercutt as a “liar.” They even stoop to putting his face on the screen with Bill Clinton and others. The group calling themselves “Term Limits USA” have been especially vicious.

So tell me, how many of you have made a statement about something you believed, and then perhaps years later, having matured or come across evidence that persuaded you that your first opinion was faulty, changed your mind? Does that make you a liar? Would you really hold still for anyone calling you that?

When Nethercutt promised to serve only six years I agreed, but that’s not the only reason I voted for him - far from it. I listened to him and read about him and considered his reputation, and his world view seemed to be one I agreed with. Since then Nethercutt has proven himself to be an excellent representative for the people in his district, and I would proudly vote for him again.

Sometimes a course of action sounds like an excellent idea, but when acted upon turns out not to work as expected. Then we need to recognize that and try something else. That could well be the case with term limits. There must be a reason why it has never been a success.

In any case, to brand an honorable gentleman a liar smacks of the same kind of smear campaign that the Democrats have become famous for. Mary N. Jones Sprague, Wash.

Keep decision in home state

A long time ago I personally told Congressman George Nethercutt that I would no longer support him if he did not keep his promise of three terms only.

Since I see him as a kind and honorable man, he will most likely keep that promise. However, I find that I have changed my mind.

The organization called U.S. Term Limits, located in Washington, D.C., is represented by a fellow named Paul Jacob, who appeared on NBC recently with Katie Couric. He started picking on Nethercutt, making assumptions that are not fair.

One cannot escape their bombardment of Nethercutt on TV, radio, billboards, etc. This leads me to ask, where is all this money coming from? Surely not from ordinary citizens like you and me. Don’t we residents of this Evergreen State have the right to make our own choices?

If you are also asking yourself what is wrong with this picture, please join me in the “draft George Nethercutt movement.” When I see manipulation of this expensive kind I would like to see Nethercutt serve another term or two. We don’t like to be told by outsiders, especially the Potomac River kind, what to do in this great state of Washington, do we? Christel Midkiff Deer Park

Confusion riddles Y2K campaign

The foundations are being laid for elections in the new millennium. In the past, things were clear: you were a Republican or Democrat or member of some fringe group. The platforms of the two main parties were pretty straightforward.

The Y2K elections appear to be a whole new animal. George W. Bush says he represents “compassionate conservatism.” I haven’t got a clue what that means.

Perhaps that’s the point. If you’re not sure what it means, how can you be against it? On the other hand, if you’re honest with yourself, how can you be for it?

Al Gore says he represents “practical idealism.” Again, I haven’t got a clue. For all I know, Bush could represent idealistic conservatism and Gore practical compassion.

Being a militant liberal, I find all of this very confusing. But then, I live in Idaho, a state that ranks dead last in caring for indigent children, and yet has a governor who has proclaimed this “The decade of the child.” I refer of course to captain Dirk and the starship Free Enterprise. A commander who is taking Idaho boldly where no man really wants to go. Anyway, when you start at the bottom, you have nowhere to go but up.

My prediction for the Y2K elections is that a record number of voters will stay home and be confused. There’s so much spin on politics these days it makes the average voter feel like a snooker ball in a pool hall. Steve Brown Kellogg

Let’s hope deeds match words

A whole new meaning to the word “lie” has been hammered out during the weeks of laborious and dignified oratory coming from the impeachment trial of President Clinton. His alleged lies have been a central theme to this weighty process which would have removed him from office. Perhaps all this discussion and wrangling won’t have been in vain if this new emphasis on a political lie can be carried over to other issues.

Take the term limits plank of the Republican 1994 election platform, for example. Now that the seriousness of a lie has been etched into our awareness, it’s time to see if those who supported the drive for term limits will take this opportunity to stand by their convictions and not lie to us.

An outstanding opportunity now presents itself for all the freshmen politicians to prove that their deeds will in fact match their words and convictions. What a fine lesson it would provide in our home state of Washington, if Congressmen Doc Hastings and George Nethercutt to take the statesmans’ route and step down when their next term ends. Or they can back off their strident stand for term limits and become hypocritical liars.

This golden opportunity presents itself at a time when the voting public has been subjected to many, many hours of oratory about the evils of lying. Surely those who campaigned for term limits must realize that now they can demonstrate their convictions and elevate the public’s image of politicians. David Terentieff Kennewick

Democrats not sponsoring ads

We are bombarded morning and evening with the scurrilous television ads attacking Congressman George Nethercutt - accusing him of “lying” when he promised to seek only three terms. The ad includes pictures Bush and Clinton, making them look like saps, and one of Nethercutt, a good-looking man, looking like a sneering gangster.

We Democrats don’t need ads like that against Nethercutt and we want people to know that they are not sponsored by us. Although a Republican, we respect Nethercutt and believe that he has been a good Republican Congressman. We will not let him off scotfree and will run an excellent candidate against him. Our political ads will be respectful and constructive. Robert D. Dellwo member Democratic Central Committee

Congress needs man like Nethercutt

Are we willing to allow our 5th District and the state of Washington to become pawns for outside interests pouring incredible amounts of money in for vindictive ads?

Rep. George Nethercutt has achieved a record of serving us with diligence, dedication, knowledge and experience. He comes often to keep us informed on issues, and to ask for our input; he answers letters faithfully and in detail.

Term limits did not become the law of the land. Political climates change. The fairest way to approach this issue is through the ballot box. Our country is now at an all-time low in morality, national security, education and world respect.

Yes, trust is important. So is courage - the courage to change one’s opinion if it is in the best interest of our country. The word “trust” is most essential now in the concept of who can we trust to make difficult decisions to bring back respect and stability to our people and the United States of America? We desperately need in our Congress a man like George Nethercutt who has already proved his value.

Think deeply. Give Nethercutt our thanks and the freedom to use his good judgment. Dodie Brubaker Spokane

ENVIRONMENT

Lands policy should be scientific

Hooray for U.S. Forest Service Chief Michael Dombeck. As a fisheries biologist, he knows that roads impact species habitat hugely. Erosion from roads brings silt into streams. Silt means salmon smolts can’t breathe, adult fish can’t breed and fishermen can’t catch fish. Moreover, slob hunters shoot from trucks driven on roads.

Spokesman-Review editorial writer John Webster doesn’t see it that way (“Policy thinking off by a country mile,” March 3). He dislikes Dombeck’s new road moratorium.

But nostalgia robs Webster’s logic. He yearns for days when “a mill worker could drive his pickup into the forest and shoot an elk.” Fact is, elk numbers have plummeted along with the salmon. Roads deserve much of the blame. Human numbers and roads are proliferating in the Inland Northwest, all the more now with the bark beetle “crisis.”

In roaded wildlands, everyone loses - fish, elk, people and the quality of habitat and recreation. Ask Outdoors Editor Rich Landers, who’s written on these problems. Ask anyone who’d rather paddle or hike than drive.

Public lands policy should follow science, not politics. Federal lands need to be managed by scientific principles, not by local folks who can’t change with the times, who allow reactionary nostalgia to dictate their views. Paul J. Lindholdt Spokane

Who are you going to believe?

John Webster is selling snake oil again regarding the lower Snake River dams. His editorial March 21 editorial (“Let’s save both salmon, economy”) plays Russian roulette with the Snake River salmon by suggesting that he and his slack water navigation cronies know more about this problem than an assemblage of the best fisheries biologists available.

Late in 1998, four independent scientists reported that removing the earthen portion of the four lower Snake River dams would produce an 80 percent chance of recovering those wild salmon back to healthy numbers within 24 years. They tell us that in order to restore these salmon, 6 percent of the smolt going down to the ocean must return back as adult fish. If all we wanted to do is hold the population as it is today, we still would have to assure a minimum return of 2 percent as adults. The latest studies indicate that a mere .36 percent survive today if allowed to migrate over or through the dams and when barged, it is even worse, running around .25 percent. In either case, the technology supported by Mr. Webster produces a less than 1 percent return.

I wish this wasn’t the case as I probably have about the same amount of tax money in those dams as Mr. Webster does. However, push come to shove, if you really want to save those salmon, who are you going to believe; John Webster or some of the best scientists in the fisheries business? John E. Bentley Post Falls

OTHER TOPICS

Child’s well-being most important

I have been quietly following the story of the dramatic attack by four vicious animals on Cassie Jones. I can no longer remain silent.

My son was attacked at the age of 6 by a Rottweiler in the Spokane Valley. He had more than 50 bite marks and was on crutches as he returned to kindergarten following his recuperation. My outrage is directed at the selfish choices Alvin Tesdal has made. The dogs are not at fault; the owner is.

Tesdal says the dogs didn’t kill anyone. Does he know that the spirit of a child can die? How about the self confidence Cassie used to have walking down the street? How about the implications of blame? An 11-year-old girl, no matter what everyone tells her, will feel like she is at fault. Why? Because nothing happens to the dogs or their owner, just to her. She has been emotionally scarred for life.

I personally hope Cassie’s attorney acquires a large sum of money on her behalf, at the very least, in compensation for Tesdal’s selfishness and stupidity. A little girl is more important than any animal. Annie M. Olson Otis Orchards