Letters To The Editor

IDAHO VIEWPOINTS

Please help our girls keep swimming

Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Hayden Lake and surrounding areas are small towns at heart where people want to help others. We’re a group with 15 girls ages 6-16 in desperate need of a place to swim this winter. We’re the River City Swans synchronized swim team.

At first, I wasn’t sure about my daughters joining the sport but I’ve seen them and their team grow in confidence, energy and ability so that I can’t let this sport die out for them or other children. In two years of competition, the Swans have placed highly at every meet.

They’re at par with teams from Bozeman, Spokane and Seattle. It’s not just the winning; these young women have gained so much more. Girls who would never be considered athletic are willing to give all for this graceful, yet difficult, sport that stresses teamwork.

When the Post Falls Swim Gym closed, we pieced together time in area pools but our arrangement fell apart. We need a pool at least nine feet deep and large enough for routines. We have a certified lifeguard and are fully insured.

We’ve contacted various places with pools but none has been willing to provide us time. We turn now to the community: If you know of a pool the girls can use this winter, please call me at 773-4236 or our head coach, Cheri Backman, at 773-2926.

Supporting this team will bring unique exposure and rewards for any group and keep a sport alive in our community. Debbie C. Mykkanen RCS Booster Club president, Post Falls

Don’t allow huge predator kill-off

According to the Aug. 29 newspaper, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission on Sept. 29th will consider a policy that would “severely and demonstratively” reduce the number of predators taking game species.

I find it unconscionable that hunters would desire to have predators, which would include lions, bears, coyotes, foxes and even skunks, killed in quantity to supposedly make for a healthier elk and deer population.

If those 22,000 hunters are really concerned about increasing the deer and elk numbers, they would stop hunting for awhile, not destroy their competition. The wild predators hunt to survive and feed their young while the majority of human predators go hunting go for the pleasure of the hunt.

The wild animals of Idaho aren’t the hunters’ exclusive property, to be disposed of as the hunters wish. This policy would be the strongest, most broadly worded directive to reduce (kill) predators in the nation, according to the International Association of Fish and Game Agencies.

If you are equally shocked to have this policy even considered, please let Gov. Kempthorne and the Fish and Game Commission know of your dismay. Donna L.Young Coeur d’Alene

Hunting with hounds is still needed

Re: Chris Lee’s “Killing Cougar Wrong, Senseless.” The only statement this person made that was reasonable was, “This occurrence could have been prevented.”

This person understands nothing about cougar, their behavior or the need for young cougar to establish their own territory.

Since the ban on hunting cougars with hounds in Washington, Oregon and California, numerous pets, livestock and humans have been attacked or killed by cougars because of the expanding cougar population.

We have a real problem with a person who values the life of an animal over that of a human. Evidently this person has no children or they would not be so callous.

Lee mentions it is the cougar’s territory. All of northeastern Washington and North Idaho is cougar territory and home to many people.

Cougar populations must be controlled. Washington will face more child maulings and, possibly, deaths, if urban folks don’t reverse their votes so cougar populations can be controlled using the best method: hounds.

Lee is occupying some young cougar’s territory. Perhaps Lee should move and free up some ground for a young cat. Ed A. and Pat. C. Lehman Laclede, Idaho

Term `atheist’ misapplied

Speaking of bigotry and bias, look at the hate in The Spokesman-Review article, “Church of hate worries superior,” Aug. 22.

The article states, “This summer, members of the atheistic, Hitler-loving church have been associated with killings and other violent crimes in Illinois and Florida.”

No evidence is provided in the article that this group is atheistic -that those in do not believe in a god. In fact, the often-used words “church” and “reverend” are synonymous with religious belief.

If The Spokesman-Review believes that hate crimes and bigotry are atheistic per se, then where does this leave the newspaper? Even the Catholic Church is finally apologizing for the atrocities committed during the crusades. Philip Waring Coeur d’Alene

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

First, pay down the national debt

Congress is now debating how to deal with the surplus, in case there is a substantial surplus.

Most agree that Social Security and Medicare should be made secure for many years, and that education needs help.

However, there is much heated controversy over what to do with more surplus. The Democrats and the president have a number of social programs they would like to see enacted. The Republicans want a tax cut.

Both parties are being very shortsighted as what is really needed badly is to pay down our tremendous national debt. It costs U.S. taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars every year just to pay the interest on the national debt. It is one of the three biggest items in the U.S. budget.

A tax cut will feed inflation and make the surplus meaningless. Besides, the tax cut proposed would go to the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. The average taxpayer would get about a $10 cut.

We don’t need more social progress until we take care of first things first. Please, Congress, show some responsibility and act sensibly. Elwood Voll Bonners Ferry

Give money back to the taxpayers

The hysteria regarding the Republican tax cuts is remarkable. I would think all taxpayers would welcome more money and lower rates for their families.

It seems tax cuts always arouse those with socialist-Marxist tendencies in our society. You know, people who think, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs” is a part of the Constitution.

My guess is these people are part of the 40 percent of all households that do not pay any federal taxes at all. And they’re upset that others who do pay taxes will seem to be getting money back from the government, and they won’t. I’ll bet these people also don’t realize we’re taxed at a higher rate today than any time in U.S. history except during World War II, when we were fighting a war on two fronts.

Since both the Clinton administration and Congress project a tax revenue surplus (excluding Social Security) over the next 10 years, I say, give it back to those who had it taken from them. The sooner, the better. After all, it’s not the government’s money, it’s the taxpayers’. Varnel Williams Moscow, Idaho

Bard knew about scam artists, too

Sen. Slade Gorton’s smiling face is trying to convince us that the term “tax cut” is really magic, opening up happiness for all of us. According to recent newspaper and television news reports, the proposed tax cuts would go overwhelmingly to the rich, not to middle class taxpayers.

It’s easy to see Gorton’s position - he and his crowd would be the ones to benefit greatly from such a tax cut. It’s easy to see who is paying for all that television propaganda.

Shakespeare wrote; “Oh conspiracy, where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough to hide thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiracy. Hide it in smiles and affability.”

Don’t be fooled. Thomas H. Rogers, Sr. Spokane

People warier than some think

Re: the Aug. 8 Associated Press article by Calvin Woodward. I profoundly disagree with the premise that Watergate ushered in our current era of suspicion and the quote attributed to Sam Dash, “Watergate taught the American people they can’t sit on their hands and trust government” (because they wised up due to Watergate).

I think that such observations sell the American people short and trivializes their much more profound loss and cynicism over the Vietnam War. On the other hand, it continues to boggle me that Henry Kissinger, whom I view as having won the Nobel Prize for helping to negotiate our defeat in Vietnam, has any credibility left. I suspect him of worse things but shall leave it at that. Philip J. Mulligan Spokane

Doctor prescribes `same old line’

The Monday guest column by Ellen Pierce, M.D., offers us the same old line: Somehow, throwing more government money (that’s us, taxpayers) at a problem will solve the problem. This time it happens to be the subject of health care, a service already regulated to death by government.

If a truly free market were allowed to offer medical services, you would see the so-called problem of health care reduced to a manageable level of excellent service with charity filling in the gaps. John C. Hodde Colville

Our government is our enemy

I wonder if the American people will ever wake up to the fact that our rights and freedoms are being slowly taken from us, not by some other country or group but from within by our own politicians and back-room dealers called government. They lie to us and slowly legislate away our rights and freedoms under the guise it is for our own good.

We the people are the government but we stand by like sheep and let the politicians lead us to oblivion under their administration. If we disagree, we are called extremists and mean-spirited or subversive. We better wake up or lose it all. Errol D. Sommer Spokane

LAW AND JUSTICE

Judge’s job difficult enough as it is

I’m one of those who believe Scott Yager should’ve gotten the death penalty. But I am astounded at the vitriolic letters people have been sending to this newspaper against Judge James Judd.

It’s easy for you folks to play Monday morning quarterback, isn’t it? Remember that judges are trained to strictly uphold the law and to thoughtfully render judgments based on what they know and think is right, regardless of popular opinion. That is because a judge has had many years of schooling, experiences and careworn, sleepless nights spent in the pursuit of knowing the law that you people haven’t the first clue about. When was the last time you even read the Constitution, let alone picked up a book on law?

I don’t know Judd but I know the type screaming for his blood. What a bunch of thoughtless reactionaries. Judd has a horribly tough job, one he agonizes over, I’m sure, every day and night. Leave him alone.

I worry that this sort of published hate mail will have the same effect it had on Bill Pupo. Don’t do it, judge! Hang in there and this, too, will pass. Teresa T. Keene Spokane

OVER THE LINE

Fuel depot foes trash the truth

The Friends of the Aquifer, in their zeal to oppose Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s fueling facility, have not told the truth to the public and our elected officials.

They claimed at a recent Coeur d’Alene City Council meeting that the cities of Hauser, Hayden and Spokane have come out against the facility. The truth is, these cities have not taken a position of the facility.

They promise to bring in 300 high-tech jobs to the area if the facility is not built. The truth is that when pressed on the issue by a local reporter, the leader of Friends of the Aquifer, Richard Shuts, was unable to produce any information about the promised jobs.

They claim that over the past years, railroad accidents have increased. The truth is that since 1990, train derailments have been reduced by 45 percent nationwide and in 1998, BNSF had the fewest derailments per track mile of any U.S. railroad.

The proposed fueling facility will be built and operated to protect the aquifer and provide much needed highpaying jobs for this region. This is the truth.

I challenge the Friends of the Aquifer to work with and not against this project, to make sure it’s done right and monitored correctly. This project could be a model for all future industrial growth in this area because of the high standards BNSF will demand for the fuel depot to protect the aquifer. We will all benefit Bill W. Cleveland Rathdrum

SPOKANE MATTERS

Holley-Mason a model project

Spokane Preservation Advocates applauds the Holley-Mason Building renovation as an outstanding project for Spokane. The building is listed in the national and Spokane registers of historic places. It was a Spokane landmark in great need of renovation.

The developers took a long vacant, burned out building and successfully renovated it into a functional, costeffective building while preserving its historic character.

Originally a hardware store and now the temporary home of Lewis and Clark High School, Holley-Mason is an excellent example of how old buildings can be efficiently renovated and converted to new uses. It joins other Spokane landmarks that have been adaptively reused, such as the old Carnegie Library, now offices; Holy Names Academy, now apartments; and the Riblet mansion, now a winery.

Those behind the Holley-Mason project have completed it on time while working successfully with the Landmarks Commission to utilize preservation tax credits and maintain the building’s historic register status, This project shows how a thoughtful property owner and skilled architectural firm willing to work with others can develop a great project that everyone is happy with.

As a nonprofit group dedicated to promoting progress through preservation, this is exactly the type of project SPA supports. We commend and thank the owner, Rob Brewster, and the architects of Wolf Ballantyne Studio Architects for their fine project. They have shown that preservation is an effective, realistic way to revitalize Spokane. We are all better off for their work. Stephen J. Franks, president Spokane Preservation Advocates

Reid offers knowledge, experience

Kathy Reid is the most outstanding candidate for City Council position 2 because she is a true neighborhood leader. She was responsible for the building of the West Central Neighborhood Center and has a long history of leadership in West Central.

Reid brings a wealth of government knowledge to this position. She served as a Spokane County freeholder and, on the state level, as the replacement to Sam Guess when he died. She would be an asset on the City Council. I urge others to vote for her. Karen A. Baker Spokane

Old-style Bingo could prosper

Re: “Big charitable bingo halls beg for help” (Region, Aug. 27) Don Kaufman, director of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Spokane County, is wrong. Yes, he has lost some customers to Indian Bingo. But the main reason is the machines. People like the old-fashioned Bingo games.

Having talked to many Bingo players, it is wrong to sit next to someone playing 50 cards while you are playing 18 by hand. This way causes many splits, sometimes only winning $10. Wake up, you guys! Listen to your players. Thelma C. Dorman Spokane

WASHINGTON STATE

Give alleged Oregonians an acid test

As a resident of Oregon for nearly 14 years and now a Washingtonian, I would rather pay the higher fee for vehicle license than pay the Oregon state income tax.

The solution to fraudulent vehicle registrations is simple. Tell people, If you have an Oregon driver’s license and have vehicles registered to an Oregon address, you must be a resident of Oregon. Here is your Oregon state income tax form. Please return ASAP with the proper amount of money enclosed.

I wonder how many out of staters would still have Oregon plates then! Marveline J. Swynenburg Spokane