Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS Roskelley, I salute you

Re: “Developer loses round in bid for shops near river” (Jan. 19).

This morning I felt truly grateful that Spokane has John Roskelley on the Board of County Commissioners. It cannot be easy for him to be the target of the greedy maneuverings of developers of the Raymond Hanson ilk. I thank Roskelley for his courage.

The filing of this contrived strategic lawsuit against public participation, or SLAPP, underscores for me the need for us to value the dwindling natural beauty of this area and become committed to public vigilance and the support of representatives willing to defend our resources. The Spokane River and Centennial Trail area should not be used to further enrich private interests. These assets belong to us and our children.

I am gratified to read that Commissioner Kate McCaslin is no longer considered to be in the pocket of any industry group. Perhaps she will respond to the arrogance of this presumption and stand now with Roskelley. We must consistently resist any attempt to intimidate the commissioners and the citizens who rely upon them. Mary S. Murphy Mica

Let’s talk qualities, qualifications

Re: “Potential mayor candidates” (Jan. 17).

Instead of starting the name game, the public would be better served to begin suggesting credentials and qualities desirable in a strong mayoral candidate. A position such as this requires the education, experience, expertise, leadership and dignity of an individual with a fairly diverse background mixing business with public service.

One of the biggest challenges facing any candidate for the position will be dealing with the rules of civil service as they affect the hiring, salaries and productivity of the labor pool at City Hall. It would be a shame if this election turns into a popularity contest of unqualified candidates. Most of the people mentioned as potential candidates are wonderful people with a great deal to offer. However, there are likely many others who aren’t mentioned who would be great candidates.

The suggested salary may deter many qualified individuals from even considering a run at the position as the really talented usually command higher salaries.

If a list of desirable credentials and qualities (essentially a position description) is developed, then the voters can cast an educated vote for the candidate who most closely fits the requirements. R.K. Slaughter Spokane

Dragisich would be fine city manager

Re: “Council feuds over city manager post” (Jan. 19).

What does the public want? My perception is that there are valid objections to an insider (too tied to the existing power structure) or an outsider (doesn’t know the people, history or issues).

Although there is no way to fully satisfy these conflicting criteria, let’s look at Nick Dragisich, who has served as assistant city manager of operations. His basic credentials are an MBA and his experience as a mayor, as a technical consultant to cities and as a fiscal consultant to cities. After 18 months in Spokane, he manages roughly 1,000 city employees, about half of the total, with a budget of about $200 million or about half the total budget. Dragisich is a relatively short-time employee so not an old guard insider. But he already knows the ropes in City Hall.

What kind of guy is he? I’ve observed him at our neighborhood meeting, at several transportation meetings and at a meeting of our Washington Conservation Voters, where he talked and answered questions for 45 minutes. My overall impression from these encounters is that he’s an open, articulate, competent, effective, knowledgeable and insightful man. The unanimous reaction of our eight WCV members was that he’s “a breath of fresh air,” “wow” and “we need him.”

Spokane would be very lucky to have Dragisich as city manager, acting or permanent. K. Julian Powers Spokane

Chamber comes off as two-faced

I attended Mayor John Talbott’s recent State of the City speech. I am sorry the article reporting the event did not convey how strongly and passionately the mayor feels about this subject.

I was truly disappointed when, following the mayor’s remarks, Chamber of Commerce CEO Rich Hadley told the audience that dealing with discrimination is a top priority for the chamber. This, just two months after the chamber chose not to address a discrimination measure on the city ballot.

The chamber’s actions speak louder than its words. Douglas T. Kelley Spokane

Clarification

The Robert F. Armstrong whose letter was published on Jan. 22 is not the Robert F. Armstrong who resides at 6116 East Sixth Ave.

WASHINGTON STATE

Cheaper tabs and diminished safety

The horrible home fire that killed three children vividly illustrates the folly of Initiative 695. Revenue cuts forced firefighters responding to the tragedy to keep one engine inactive.

Although a spokesman for the department claimed that the shortfall had no effect on the terrifying outcome of the fire, the fact that there was a shortfall at all bears fearful implications.

Will a shortfall actually kill anyone next time? Does the convenience of $30 vehicle tabs justify a dangerous threat to public safety? One wonders, if Washington citizens are so penurious about the expenditure of public funds to ensure a reasonable standard of safety, are they prepared to see firefighting return to pre-industrial practices? What could be next, bucket brigades?

Tim Eyman’s initiative is nothing short of irresponsible stewardship. Even the threat of losing one life in return for cheap car tags is too expensive.

Eyman’s paranoia about officials wanting to “get back” at the citizenry for approving the car tab rollback evokes H.L. Mencken’s caustic observation about the pitfalls of democracy. “Democracy,” Mencken said, “is based on the notion that the people know what they want, and then deserve to get it good and hard.”

The rollback caused by I-695 is not the result of conspiratorial officialdom. It is nothing more than an efficient nature at her cruelest. It is cause and effect. Unfortunately, it may very well be our children who bear the cost of Eyman’s foolishness and wind up getting it good and hard. Phyllis G. and Tom M. Wootton Pullman

Saturday library closure hurts

We were informed weeks ago that the downtown library was closing on Saturdays due to budget cuts from Initiative 695. Although we did not vote for I-695, I understand we have to live with the consequences of reduced income to the city.

It had been our habit to go to the downtown library on Saturdays, then shop or eat downtown. The first Saturday we had to go to the branch library on the South Hill brought home how much we have lost. We drove to the library. It was no longer part of a pleasurable day downtown. The branch library is much smaller and the checkout line was very long.

None of our alternatives is good. Very few people want to squeeze in a quick trip after working all day. I wonder if the only decision possible is closing the downtown library on Saturday. It was already hard that the library was not open Sundays.

Doesn’t this seem contrary to the goal of increasing downtown usage? Could it be closed on a weekday? How was the list of possible budget cuts developed and how were the priorities set for those cuts? The library always seemed busy on Saturday.

There really wasn’t much time for the city to make the hard decisions necessary for I-695 budget cuts. We hope there will be reconsideration of this decision. Jim and Tamara Weaver Spokane

No free lunches or bus rides

Re: “Pullman buses full, purse empty” (Jan. 19). I am continually amazed by the continuing fallout from the cold and cruel Initiative 695. The latest victim is the critical free transit service in Pullman.

According to your article, Pullman Transit gave a whopping 1.2 million free rides last year. However, all sorts of cuts in service and jobs were going to have to be cut (the usual response from the management).

By taking the advice of one of the bus riders, if everyone gave just 50 cents per ride, we could save the system. The math is simple: 1.2 million rides times 50 cents equal over $523,000 - exactly the shortfall. But instead of doing the sensible thing, the transit manager is going to look for some money from the federal government, and the board of regents hopes voters will vote in a gasoline tax increase. Lots of luck on that one.

What will be the next shocking result of I-695? Stay tuned, folks.

Let us try and remember that America is the land of the free, not the land of the freebie. William J. Bennett Spokane

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

We’re obsessed with sex, scandals

Why are Americans so obsessed with President Clinton’s sex life? It’s been a year and it’s still a hot topic. No matter that there hasn’t been anything new since Monica Lewinsky. Everyone and anyone can say anything and people believe it.

So, let’s start on Hillary. She hasn’t done anything, yet it’s OK to write a book and delve into her sex life. Who’s next, Chelsea? It’s not as silly as it sounds. It will happen.

With this obsession on sex, no one is overlooked.

When John F. Kennedy was president, he was doing the same thing Bill Clinton was accused of. Nobody cared back then.

Once, it was enough to read about the sex lives of celebrities but not any more. It’s OK to ruin a man’s life and his family. I’ve been around quite awhile, but no one has ever been treated like Bill Clinton, our president. It won’t stop any time soon, either. Now that Hillary has moved into the new house to establish her New York residency, he is alone. It’s only been a week and they call the White House the playboy mansion. Next week, they will probably say Monica slept with Bill in the Lincoln Bedroom. The week after that it will be something else. The crazier and more absurd it is, the more likely people will believe it. Wanda Constantine Spokane

Banner with a strained device

Regarding the Confederate battle flag, recent newspaper articles show that many people need a little history lesson.

In February 1861, representatives of the then six seceded states met in Montgomery, Ala., to form the government of the Confederate States of America and to design its flag.

On March 4, 1861, the Stars and Bars was adopted. It was a rectangle with three wide horizontal bands, white in the middle with red above and below. A field of blue in the upper lefthand corner contained a white star for each seceded state. This flag flew over the confederate capital at Montgomery and was carried into battle. Since it had the same colors as the Stars and Stripes, soldiers said there was confusion when the U.S. flag was furled.

The currently discussed battle flag was then designed, usually a square with red background and a blue cross of St. Andrew filling the entire space. Along the crossbars are white stars representing seceded states. It was used extensively in battle but never officially adopted; more white was needed.

The third design, adopted May 1, 1863, had all white background, was rectangular and had the battle flag symbol in the upper lefthand corner. Too much white caused confusion with a flag of truce. On March 4, 1865, a wide red vertical band was added at the outer white edge but war ended the following month.

Obviously, irresponsible uses of the St. Andrew’s Cross battle flag do not portray Southern intentions of the mid-1800s. Lillian O. Forster Spokane

Score one for Clark

My husband and I aren’t the biggest of Doug Clark’s fans. However, after his “Elvis B-day bash,” column, we may soon have a little more respect for him.

I still have a hard time figuring out why so many people idolize people who kill themselves by abusing drugs, i.e. Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Elvis. What they should be doing is pitying them for wasting their gift by abusing drugs. We should feel sorry for these souls for being fortunate enough to have been given such a gift, and then not being able to handle it, so, they take a little trip - and they don’t come back. Lori Michels Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

`Miss Saigon’ too tawdry for families

“Miss Saigon” has come and gone, and with her my innocence of Broadway musicals being a form to lift and brighten my life.

Maybe one way to help would be to have a rating system for this art form, along with the others. The rating for “Miss Saigon” is a definite “R” or even an “X.”

The foul language and obscene gestures were not appropriate for families, although families were in attendance.

I find it appalling that a director would go to such extremes to portray our animal instincts. “Madame Butterfly” at least told the story with class and dignity. Leeola Mittelstadt Spokane

Finally, justice for Christoph

Kudos to The Spokesman-Review! Jonathan Martin’s story, “Mother’s conviction thrown out,” (Jan.14) serves your community well. His earlier article about Dayna Christoph’s plight and the striking cartoon that accompanied it contributed to my initial interest in serving as a consultant/expert witness.

My feelings are described in a declaration submitted to the court: “I have never before included a personal statement in a professional report, but having reviewed hundreds of cases involving allegations of child abuse I cannot recall another case in which an individual has been more grossly disserved and betrayed by her family of origin, agents of the state, and community institutions (including Tamarack, child protection services and the criminal defense services) purportedly serving in the role of parens patriae.

“Christoph’s experience is eloquent evidence of our society’s abysmal failure to provide effective protection for its most vulnerable citizens, whether as abused children or handicapped adults. The court cannot do less, nor more, than to restore her inalienable rights to the full enjoyment of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Superior Court Judge Ellen Kalama Clark saw through the psychobabble and disingenuous rhetoric of those who profit from the child abuse industry. Her wisdom and courage should inspire those committed to justice and to reforming the child protection system.

Finally, Spokane citizens should be proud of the diligent, brilliant work of the Center for Justice. Gloria Finn Porter and Colleen Kerr-Chastek, among others, have earned my profound admiration and respect. Howard Fishman Philadelphia

Leave hunting restriction alone

I am 11 years old and have seen two cougars in my life, both in the same month. I read the article on the bill about hunters being able to hunt cougars with hounds and I disagree about this issue.

There have been eight people killed by cougars in the whole history of Washington. That is only a tiny fraction of how many people have been killed in automobile accidents.

If you ask me, the government has more important things to worry about than cougars, seeing they are about the least cause of deaths in Washington.

There are also not many cougars left, so if hunters are able to hunt them with hounds then that will reduce the population even more. Austin Campbell Northport, Wash.

Harassing is out of bounds

I am 100 percent against abortions. I don’t think they should be legal. However, I could not believe my eyes when I read “Abortion foes assert rights” (Jan. 20).

Jay Sekulow, an attorney for the protesters, attacks a law that limits abortion protesters: “They can’t talk confidentially to patients and they cannot share leaflets or Bibles unless the person consents.” What kind of an idiot would like to talk confidentially to a person who is not interested? Confidentiality must be voluntary. By the same token, to force Bibles on people against their consent is stupid.

Protesters who try to “consult” patients at abortion clinics know that they will not prevent abortions. They upset, embarrass and emotionally attack women who are in an extremely difficult psychological situation anyway. How cowardly.

No matter what we think about abortion, as long as we are civilized people we should all unite and demand that those women are protected from those types of “consultations.” This is not about killing unborn babies. This is about reckless losers who vent their frustration on fragile, vulnerable women. Peter C. Dolina Veradale