Letters To The Editor

ELECTIONS

Stand together for Hendricks

I am sick and tired of the honchos on the other side of the state telling us what is best for us. We are old enough to vote, that qualifies us as adults. However, the know-it-alls from the other side of the state decided they know better than we do what we need in the Ninth District.

Annette Hendricks, who received 34 percent of the vote last year (without any help from the state party in a three-way race), is a person whose ancestors homesteaded this area, and who still has local farms in the family, who served in the military protecting this country for more than 20 years, who supports unions, lives in Cheney, attends EWU with a double major, and personally knows our issues, and is just not the kind of person the West Side wants.

We must have an attorney from Spokane. After all, if you’re from a little town you can’t be elected. Big Brother knows what is best for us. They have provided more than $20,000 to support Annette’s opponent. Annette has had to earn all of her money.

The 9th Legislative District is not on the West Side. Let’s show Big Brother what can happen when we stand together. Send Hendricks to the House of Representatives. Kathy L. Fleming Cheney

Please support fire bond issue

We urge your support on Sept. 14 for the Spokane Fire Department Fire Bond Issue.

This money will be invested in the future of the Spokane Fire Department by upgrading fire apparatus (some of our front-line apparatus are more than 20 years old), replacing aging and outdated protective clothing, breathing apparatus and emergency medical equipment. Money will also be spent to relocate and enlarge our cramped communications and dispatch center, relocate and enlarge one outdated fire station and continue the process begun in 1989 of building the Fire Training Center. In keeping with the concept of multiiuse facilities, this training center may also be shared with other state, local and federal agencies and the military. Money for these capital projects is not supplied from our regular operations budget.

Your city fire department provides the best in emergency medical services, emergency hazardous materials responses, water and other technical rescues and public education as well as fire suppression and prevention and related services to the citizens and visitors of Spokane.

Please help us to help you. Lewis W. “Skip” Powell Vice-President Spokane Association of Fire Officers

Support parks system improvement

At the end of the 19th Century, the city leaders in Spokane had an ambitious plan for a park system in Spokane. The plan was well thought out and provided the framework for the outstanding park system we enjoy in Spokane today.

Throughout this century, the Park Board and City of Spokane have implemented and improved the original plan. Now, at the end of the 20th Century, we have the opportunity to support a plan to improve and enhance our parks well into the next century.

I am supporting the parks improvement bond, on the Tuesday’s ballot, because it lays out a well thought through plan to improve parks in all areas of Spokane. New neighborhood parks will be established and improvements will be made to many others. Land acquisition and renovation will help to ensure the growth and continued vitality of Riverfront Park. The improvement plan touches all of Spokane.

Improvements should touch all areas of Spokane because all citizens use our parks. The parks are not only community assets, they are community treasures. As such, we need to support the ongoing improvement of the parks system.

Please join me in supporting the parks improvement bond when you vote on Sept. 14. Mick Miller Spokane

What’s in a name?

It is always instructive to read the political endorsements by The Spokesman-Review. I have in mind the Sunday morning (Sept. 5) endorsement of Jeff Colliton. I don’t know Jeff, but I gather from the endorsement that “Jeff” must be a nickname for Jesus.

On the other hand, the other candidates, Steve Eugster and Judith Gilmore, must be mere mortals. Howard H. Herman Spokane

Ads message puzzling

It is puzzling that City Council candidate Steve Eugster should want to tell Chris Peck and The Spokesman-Review to “Go fish!” in his campaign ad (Region, Sept. 8). In the children’s card game, a declaration of “Go fish!” means I don’t have what is in demand. Look elsewhere for a solution to your problem. Is that really the message Eugster wants to send to the voters of Spokane? Garry R. Matlow Spokane

SMOKING BAN

Fair ban sends wrong message

I found myself compelled to answer the Sept. 4 letters to the editor from Trish Seghers and Dr. Dennis Biggs, Jr. The only message our children will get from this, another law, will be to make many laws about everything we don’t like.

Maybe we should ban public drinking of alcohol, especially at family oriented events like the fair, or is it good for the health? Oh, I forgot, we did that once, didn’t we.

How about the consumption of red meat? Many health professionals maintain this is not healthy, and we all know it contributes to high cholesterol, which contributes to heart problems and strokes. If enough people on our Board of Health or in political power believe this will damage us, or is immoral due to the slaughter of innocent animals, it could very feasibly become more and more difficult to obtain, more expensive, and eventually illegal. Should we just close all the restaurants and eliminate all the ranchers now to save time?

Far fetched? I don’t know, but think about it. Mary S. Williams Spokane

Smokers, save your lungs, enjoy fair

I fail to understand the upset by the smoking population about the ban on smoking at the fair this year. One letter printed claimed that in talking to fifty nonsmokers, not one said they minded the smoking. I don’t know who they talked to but I am happy to tell them that smoking in crowded public places such as the fair can ruin my experience.

I applaud the decision and have no pity for people who believe the ban will not allow them to take their children or grandchildren to the fair. If their need for a cigarette takes precedence over spending two smoke-free hours at the fair, there are other problems they need to address.

I have spent time at the park and concerts staring at the cigarettes in peoples hand - not the entertainment - to avoid being ashed on or burned. My clothes reek of smoke when I come home. I have always wondered that people don’t have the courtesy to not smoke at crowded, family events. Now Spokane is not going to allow them to be so rude.

Put out your smoke, save your lungs, and enjoy yourself at the fair this year. Laura M. Onstot Spokane

Fair not for everyone

Many thanks to the nonsmokers who are supporting the right of smokers to be granted an area to smoke at the fair. I seriously doubt if any smokers are out to violate nonsmokers’ rights. We just a feel a designated area at an outdoor event would allow us to feel we live in a free country. However, the Spokane County commissioners apparently are dictating the policy with no concern for a large group of former fair goers.

Maybe next year there may be a vegetarian on the board who will feel all the food booths offering meat products should be banned as meat doesn’t fit the requirements as healthy. Oh well, just don’t advertise the fair as being for everyone. A lot of us won’t be there this year. Nance J. Nicholls Davenport, Wash.

CREATIONISM VS. EVOLUTION

Ponder more significant things

What is all this fuss about Creationism versus Evolution? Who cares what other people think, as long as we’re satisfied with our own opinions? It’s not as if either theory can be totally proven anyway. And if it were proven, someone else would just come along and prove it differently.

It used to be a fact that the Earth was flat, and now it’s a fact the Earth is round. It was a fact that the Sun revolved around the Earth, and now the exact opposite is a fact.

If there is a God, wouldn’t God rather that we spent our time pondering more meaningful, significant things? Like how are we going to make sure that all humans have adequate nutrition, housing, and financial and emotional support? Like what are we going to do to ensure that God’s world continues to flourish instead of destroying it? If there isn’t a God, isn’t that what everyone should be more concerned about, anyway?

I don’t understand why people care so much about how we got here and yet care so little about what we’re going to do about being here.

Stop wasting your time in futile arguments and start spending it in areas that truly do matter. Let both Creationism and Evolutionism be taught in school as theories, someday they may become as mythical as the Greek gods and goddesses, and then won’t we feel silly for believing such notions? Jessica M. Crinean Spokane

Credit God for remarkable design

Frank Walker’s Sept. 8 letter attacking evolution is typical of most letters from those who do not understand evolution and science; weak, short on facts, logic and rationality. He attacks letter writer Jack DeBaun with the statement, “How dare you give God credit for causing changes in organisms that lead to their very death!” Really!

God created man. Man is an organism. Man changes via the aging process. The aging process leads to Man’s death! This process is inherent in all of the organisms God creates. God does create the process that leads to death, simply by creating life itself.

The God I believe in is the God who created the universe through the Big Bang, and continues to create to this day via the process we call evolution. It is God’s way. It is a very intelligent design which scientists and the rest of us laymen are still trying to comprehend and understand. Let’s at least give God credit for that. John D. McCallum Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Republican’s priorities self-evident

Republicans feel strongly that there shouldn’t be any estate taxes, or as they name them, death taxes. Actually, this is a tax on the very live inheritors of wealthy estates (minimum value of $1 million). It’s a tax on money that the inheritor has neither earned nor worked for.

Why are Republicans so set on eliminating estate taxes in their current tax-cutting proposal? They always state its to save family farms, but farms already have a $7.4 million tax-free exclusion. Similarly, family businesses have a $4.5 tax-free exclusion.

Estate taxes currently effect only the richest two percent of households (the households that provide more than 90 percent of all political campaign contributions). Inheritors of vast wealth have done nothing to deserve the millions of dollars dumped into their laps except being lucky enough to be born into a rich family.

While Republicans are busy making all unearned inheritances tax-free, the only bone thrown to average working Americans is a 1 percent cut in income taxes. Taxes on money that you earn through hard work. Also remember that you pay more in payroll taxes than income taxes, and this isn’t cut at all. Compare your one percent cut on earned income tax to the 36 percent decrease for inheritors of vast unearned inherited wealth. Our Republican representative’s priorities are self-evident.

But be thankful and vote Republican next November. There will be many advertisements (paid for by political contributions from rich inheritors) to remind you of the crumbs that Republicans have thrown you. Vern P.Stevens Kellogg, Idaho

OTHER TOPICS

Many workers benefit from unions

This letter is in response to Chris Zornes letter to the editor (Sept. 2). Corporations rarely give out of the kindness of their hearts. Wages of today are largely due to the workers who formed unions decades ago. These people fought and many were killed while trying to gain workers rights we take for granted today. Union jobs are the difference between a living wage and benefits and minimum wage jobs so many people have. Granted some businesses do pay a decent wage and give benefits to avoid unions coming in. These people still indirectly benefit from unions. Where do You think labor laws come from?

Maybe you need to take a took at the history of the labor industry. The unions were the ones who pushed for safety laws, 40-hour work weeks, child labor rules, overtime pay and other benefits you may be enjoying. These laws and unions are what separates us from third world country sweat shops.

If you had bothered to check the past record of Kaisers’ owner you would find a person who has devastated the Redwoods, had his logging permits revoked, bankrupted savings and loans, built over endangered breeding grounds, liquidated pension plans leaving companies in escrow, and has business partners in federal prisons and hiding in Switzerland. This is who you are proud to have in our community!

Be careful what you wish for, Chris. The next person on the unemployment line may be you. Whom will you be looking to for sympathy? Wendy S. Wise Hayden, Idaho

Cougar menace is remote

It seems to me that mankind is very quick to destroy anything that threatens it, be it cougars, sharks, etc.

Bees kill many more people than cougars; dogs are constantly in the news with attacks on, or even killing, people. No one is advocating the hunting of these species. Falling soft drink dispensers (tipped when they don’t dispense) kill several people each year in the United States.

Get a grip folks, the cougar menace is extremely remote. Man is the real danger to man, and we can manage to share our planet with the other species of life if we care enough to do so. Me? I spend a lot of time in the woods and would like to enjoy every species that God put there. Adam R. Yonck Spokane

`Basket’ has wholesome appeal

I’m not sure how much longer “The Basket” will be showing at the new AMC theater downtown but I do not expect it to show at another theater in Spokane. The Regal cinema chain (read monopoly) refused it probably on the basis of marketability (read greed). But many showings at AMC have been sold out and the film has been held over for several weeks.

This movie is excellent. It is an interesting, exciting, thought-provoking, and thoroughly entertaining experience. It was filmed in the Spokane area area by an independent filmmaker and includes many local people in the production and cast. But it’s appeal rests with the high quality of script, actors, cinematography, and especially music and the absence of profanity.

It is a wonderful example of genuine wholesome filmmaking. Let’s show them our support! Judy D. McEwen Spokane

Teens learn bad habits from parents

The reason teenagers get a bad reputation as not being safe drivers is because they’ve learned their bad habits from riding in their parents’ back seat for 16 years.

The majority of the cars in my Gleneden neighborhood go 10 to 20 mph above the 25 mph speed limit, and continually run various stop signs.

The county, and the city for that matter, would have a surplus in its budget if it would only patrol our neighborhood streets and with that surplus put more officers on the street.

Get a clue parents and slow down! Carol T. Hatcher Spokane