Letters To The Editor

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Get cycling events off Seven Mile Road

Although I understand that bicyclists have a “right” to our roads, along with rights go responsibilities.

If they find themselves unable or unwilling to ride responsibly on our roads, they should ride somewhere else.

Last Sunday morning, I needed to go to town around 9:45 via Seven Mile Road. I was appalled at the cavalier attitude displayed by the many bicyclists, who were participating in the Troika Ironman Triathlon, toward motor vehicles on the road. These bicyclists would not move to the side even when honked at. They traveled two and three abreast going 15 mph to 20 mph, slowing traffic to their pace. Most of the road is marked with a double yellow line and visibility is poor; there is no shoulder.

My children and I witnessed one “lady” who pulled her pants down and urinated right beside the road. There were other areas (with tree cover) in which she could have done this.

Some other road should be used for this event. Motorists cannot comfortably or safely coexist with multiple bicyclists on Seven Mile Road.

I also would love to hear from law enforcement personnel concerning the logic behind not ticketing these folks who are impeding traffic when the driver of a motor vehicle going the same speed would be expected either to pull over or get a ticket.

Events like this one frequent Seven Mile Road. Sponsors of these events should find a less-traveled section of road, one with wider margins for error. It makes a person angry to see a sign, “Caution, bicycles,” when the cyclists refuse to do their part to coexist with motorists. Jan McGovern Nine Mile Falls

Adjust that attitude

I am responding to Robert D. Vaughn’s Aug. 4 letter, in which he stated that he might not help police solve a case the next time they ask him to.

Suppose the police took that same kind of attitude toward him the next time he called 911 for their help. And suppose the police had not been on hand during the Missoula Hells Angels rally. Do you honestly think those bikers would have been on their best behavior? Vaughn should be grateful the police were there to protect the citizens’ interests.

It seems to me, though, that maybe it wasn’t the bikers who were the troublemakers but rather the protesters. They got what they deserved.

As far as watching the event on TV news, one must realize that sometimes those clips are edited and taken out of context and often do not present the whole incident as it actually happened. Kathy Hood Sandpoint

How does this killing get by?

The federal government has spent millions of the taxpayers’ money defending its presence on Ruby Ridge and compensating the residents of that compound. But strangely, no one has been found guilty for killing the first victim. Nor has the perpetrator of that murder been obliged to pay compensation to the victim’s wife and children. Eleanor T. Howes Hayden, Idaho

LAW AND JUSTICE

U.S. rights are not universal

Re: “Editorial an unfair attack” (Letters, Aug. 4):

Barbara Lindsay, executive director of United Property Owners, of Redmond, Wash., complained about Native American sovereignty over non-Indian residents living on reservations. She wrote, “U.S. citizens’ civil rights travel with them abroad and that should be true when a citizen lives or works on or visits an Indian reservation.”

I’ve got alarming news for you, Lindsay. Your U.S. civil rights do not travel with you when you visit foreign countries. You must abide by the laws of the nations you visit, and some of those nations may not recognize U.S. citizens’ civil rights. It is your responsibility to know the laws of any nation you visit.

Lindsay also wrote, “The tribe claims to have the authority to tax and regulate non-Indian residents, their businesses and property. That’s a power grab and not a treaty right.”

Wrong again. Native American reservations are sovereign lands and should be respected as such. Non-Indians living on reservations are a convenience to the tribes or a favor to the non-Indians. Either way, tribal laws govern tribal lands.

One last reminder: Please be careful if and when you travel abroad. Misconceptions about “U.S. citizens’ civil rights traveling with them abroad” have landed more than a few Americans in foreign prisons. Joseph Flores Nine Mile Falls

Insight less than keen all around

If Barbara Lindsay of United Property Owners really believes “U.S. citizens’ civil rights travel with them abroad,” it’s not surprising that she doesn’t understand the concept of tribal sovereignty in America. Malcolm N. Landis Spokane

REMEMBRANCE

Seniors will miss a great friend

In past years, I’ve clipped many columns by Frank Bartel to share with other senior citizens. Now, with my eyes so filled with tears I can scarcely read the words, I clipped tributes by staff writer Mike Prager and associate editor Chuck Rehberg: “Journalist Frank Bartel dies at 66” and “His fights won’t soon be forgotten.”

As a member of the AARP-VOTE 5th Congressional District team, I met Frank when our chairman invited him to our meetings at the Spokane Club. Frank was welcome to stay for lunch, but he always picked up his notes and went to work to write his story.

As Rehberg said, “Frank often challenged the bureaucracy of the 33 million-member AARP.” I tried to convince him that the AARP is us, 33 million members serving all generations.

At our meetings, Frank met members of the State Legislative Committee and the National Council, all volunteers. He became aware of the AARP chapters and the Senior Legislative Committee of Spokane, which is affiliated with the Washington State Senior Lobby.

There is no way to measure Frank’s contribution to the health and fitness of the senior community through his columns on the Senior Games and the Seniors Wellness Conference.

After Frank retired in April, I could almost feel his presence in our battles to protect Social Security, reform Medicare and add a prescription drug benefit.

Frank’s son, Brian, said, “Spokane was important to him.” I hope the family knows how important Frank was to Spokane. We seniors shall never forget. Elinor F. Nuxoll Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Liberals getting panicky

The liberals must be really worried about Republicans taking the White House and retaining the majority of Congress in November. Witness the recent letters by Gail Parke Jr. (July 30) and Tom Akren (Aug. 4).

It appears that, with these two letters as examples, the liberals are in a panic. They are throwing out old stereotypical accusations that don’t wash.

The Clinton administration has had almost eight years to turn around some of the problems, such as rising drug costs, that our country faces, but to no avail. Thanks to the intelligence of the people of this country the Republicans won a majority of seats in Congress in 1994 and will win the White House in November.

We all can see one common thread in these two letters. One has to conclude that some Democrats are very good at fearmongering. Curt Hodson Post Falls

Gore’s No. 2 pick won’t help

Re: Spokesman-Review headlines that assert the selection of Joseph Lieberman, a staunch critic of President Clinton’s behavior in the Monica Lewinsky affair, removes the ethical question from the campaign:

In my opinion, Al Gore’s selection only adds another ethical question of a somewhat different dimension, as it shifts the burden of admitting Clinton’s moral lapses from Gore to his running mate. But, in so doing, it calls Gore’s courage, loyalty and taste into further question. Don Barnes Spokane

Ivins right about Bush claims

Regarding Little George’s claim that Texas schools are the best: Thanks for carrying the Molly Ivins column (July 28) so the Inland Northwest can get a balanced perspective on George W. Bush’s record as the “education governor” of Texas. Ivins stated “the Rand study ranked Texas 27th out of 44 states” - not the best in the nation as Bush commercials would have us believe.

I fully agree. I taught in Dallas public schools for 14 years. The educational reform started back in 1982, with Ross Perot and a Democratic governor, Mark White.

They crafted some of the reasons Texas schools have improved so much: There can be no more than 22 students per classroom in kindergarten through fourth grade, teachers have to take a state test called the Tecat to be qualified to teach and, as Ivins said, more money is spent on poor children. Our school even offered prekindergarten classes for 4-year-old Hispanic children.

Now, I am taking courses at Whitworth and have learned about the WASL state test. It is much harder than the Texas state test. So comparing states as to which offers the best education is not possible if we don’t have the same measuring instrument.

Folks should not be misled by Bush’s campaign claim of making the schools in Texas the best. Inga M. Boyles Spokane

Taxpayers fleeced for immigrants

Re: “Resident wants what immigrants get” (Aug. 2): I read with dismay Wesley Storer’s letter about this dilemma. I have been so concerned with all the perks immigrants get that I wrote to ask Rep. George Nethercutt the same question.

It seems to me that whenever immigrants arrive, there must be some kind of task force of spend-the-hard-working-taxpayers’-money Gestapo lying in wait to personally escort the immigrants to every welfare entitlement office. Then they help them fill out all the paperwork. (These government types must be doing this - they’re the only ones who can figure out the paperwork!)

Too bad us dumb paychecks who work every day and foot the bill for everything need to find out about all of these perks by accident or after very exhausting efforts. Whose side is our government on?

By the way, Nethercutt’s response to my three-page letter was a lot of noncommittal double talk. Kris Bennett Nine Mile Falls

Definition of `rich’ needs updating

Pat Kilpatrick wrote (July 30) about how President Clinton defines “the rich.”

The Republican Congress passed two tax measures in recent weeks to provide tax relief. The first is the bill to remove the tax penalty on married couples. The removal of this tax penalty is a fairness issue, not a matter of benefiting “the rich.”

The second tax measure involves legislation adopted in 1983 in a bipartisan effort to “save Social Security.” The law established a formula by which couples with $32,000 or more of taxable income must add 50 percent of their Social Security benefits to their adjusted gross income. The 1993 Balanced Budget Act increased this percentage to 85 percent, with Rep. Tom Foley and Al Gore casting tie-breaking votes. The $32,000 benchmark for triggering this tax on Social Security benefits was unchanged.

Money from this tax on Social Security benefits goes to the general fund of the U. S. Treasury, not the Social Security Trust Fund. These benefits are taxed at a 20 percent or more rate depending upon the other taxable income of the taxpayer. The higher adjusted gross income reduces the deductibles on Schedule A, particularly medical expenses.

The “rich” continue to be defined by the $32,000 floor. If that $32,000 had been indexed to the Consumer Price Index, the floor in the 1999 tax year would have been $52,160. My family would have kept enough of our Social Security benefits to pay our long-term care premium and prescription drug co-pays. Jay W. Rea Cheney

CHURCH AND STATE

Let’s just observe golden rule

Concerning recent opinions on the role of religion and morals in government: I respect your right to make personal decisions. Why can’t you respect mine?

Shame on Opinion editor John Webster for reducing the problem of state-sponsored prayer to those pesky naysayers who “find prayer offensive.” Of course we’re not guaranteed the right to prohibit what we find offensive. However, it’s essential to our freedom, religious and otherwise, that government not become a theocracy and taxes not become tithes. After endorsing prayer, should we next install a crucifix over the door and a baptismal font for initiating new council members?

Audrey McKinnis refers to “our cable system” in advocating legislation against the new pay-per-view sex channel. Unless McKinnis is an AT&T shareholder, it’s not her cable system or her neighbor’s cable system but AT&T’s cable system. In pursuing legislation to control how they use it, the moralists would impose their morality on everyone.

This station is not “invading.” To see it, you must take several deliberate steps and pay for each program. It’s not something that happens accidentally or under compulsion. Why insist on turning to politicians and coercion to “protect” you?

To Lyssa Gooch, who felt “persecuted” by an earlier letter ridiculing the Bible: Though perhaps rude, ridicule of one’s beliefs is not persecution. For persecution, look at treatment of homosexuals by mainstream Christianity, which declares their very nature sinful and actively opposes any effort to win their acceptance as legitimate members of society. Joshua M. Haberman Coeur d’Alene

Religion should be integral

Freedom is not something that just happens. Good people have given their lives for it. We must constantly be on guard against frivolous laws that replace freedom with convenience just so we can be comfortable.

Freedom requires that we all give something to others. The First Amendment records some precious rights. If we are not careful, they will be lost to others just seeking to make themselves comfortable because their viewpoint is different. (1791) “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The First Amendment guarantees freedom in religion. You will not find words to say the free exercise is excluded in all government activity.

Courts are establishing a religion and denying the free expression thereof. This government religion is not named yet, so let’s create a name to reflect the value: Church of the United States, Anti-God, Anti-Prayer.

If you believe God and prayer have no place in government, read Daniel 4:30-32 and Romans 13:1-7. God established government and set the leaders to be a blessing or a curse. Any nation that excludes God will have confused leadership looking for private gain, and its youth will have no direction. We need better than that for our nation. We need values and moral direction for our blessing and our health. Patrick D. Woods Veradale

IN THE PAPER

`Key Moments’ valuable challenge

This is a belated thank-you for the excellent series of articles that you published, “Key Moments.” Your writers and photographers explored parenting and many aspects of growing up from pre-conception through adolescence. The discussion and letters to the editor that ensued proved you were writing on an important topic. Controversial issues need to be explored. I applaud the openness and honesty of Ashley Muzatko in sharing her trials in being a middle school student. The article on the two Rogers students who chose separate paths was very poignant and depressing.

You have raised awareness of how tough it is to be a teenager in this society. Now it is up to the community to mobilize and find solutions so that every child will choose positive, healthy lifestyles. Wendy Wright Spokane

Correction

C.A. Holm’s Aug. 8 letter about wolves, their prey and hunting included an erroneous reference that should read: “One has to give to the other since both prey on the same wildlife-ungulate population.”