Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Ruinous leadership not admirable

I was saddened to see that out of the hundreds of people listed in The Spokesman-Review as filing bankruptcy, only one was picked for blatant disparagement. Yes, sadly, George Wells, featured in the June 23 Spokesman-Review as an outspoken critic of Spokane County Commissioners Kate McCaslin and John Roskelley, did have to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy on his building company. Unfortunately, he’s just one of many businesses in the last few years having to do just that. They banked on a healthy, growing economy in Spokane and on elected officials who alleged to support that. Instead, they ended up with products that people living in one of the slowest-growing counties in the state couldn’t afford. Yet, all the while they were creating their products, from houses to widgets, they were paying millions of dollars in fees and taxes to the government for the “privilege” of being in business.

Since 27 to 40 percent of housing cost is due to government regulations, taxes and fees, I imagine other products have similar impacts. Housing repossessions are at an all-time high, yet we have commissioners and the newspaper bragging about socking away $16 million in “their” reserve fund.

I am one who believes it’s the commissioners’ job to remove obstacles to economic prosperity instead of adding layers of regulation - which is just what McCaslin and Roskelley have done ever since they got elected.

That’s why Wells, along with many of us, supports a change for better county government. Lori Gray, Mirage Homes past president, Spokane Home Builders Association

See why some oppose incumbents

I watch with interest the posturing by opponents of incumbent Spokane County Commissioners John Roskelley and Kate McCaslin, as well as their opponents’ commitment of substantial funding aimed at defeating them.

There is no doubt (from recent newspaper articles) that the development and building community, generally the archenemies of sound long-range planning, are the major sources funding the commissioners’ challengers.

I am a retired county employee with over 25 years of past commissioner watching. McCaslin and Roskelley, representing different political parties as they do, are living, sitting proof that thorough research and attention to details can transcend politics. These two are head and shoulders above commissioners of the last 25 years.

I have witnessed over and over again the energy and time they both spent educating themselves and understanding the many complicated issues before them. I know how much they agonized over many tough decisions, influenced mostly by research and facts, rather than special interest lobbying.

Additionally, as a union steward, I saw how both dealt with sensitive, complicated staff and reorganization matters.

I also note their leadership in establishing the now sizable reserve fund.

McCaslin and Roskelley should be kept in office. When you see ads and letters trying to undermine them, track back to the source of the ads and the money financing such ads. Invariably, it will be the most self-serving money imaginable. Thomas G. Mosher Spokane

Good job, Hoopfest people

What an enjoyable weekend we spent at Hoopfest. We were sorry to read in the paper that some of the bracket champions were deleted from the list. After watching eight 10-year-old boys, the Hot Shots from Cheney and the Seattle Shooters from Green Lake, play their hearts out in their final game, I believe they deserve a mention.

To Ryan Brennan, Trevor Schneider, Kyle Seago and T.J. Tredesco of the Seattle Shooters, congratulations for winning the championship.

To all the boys, good job! Sue Gear Cheney

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Police in schools - how sad

I was dismayed and disappointed to read that Central Valley School District is now going to put a policeman in every school. In the wake of Columbine, I imagine that many of the citizenry are hoopin’ and a hollerin’ that it is about time. But what have we really done? What is the message we are sending our kids?

Statistically speaking, schools are the safest place for our children to be. They are safer than home, safer than church, safer than the beach, the post office or the local video store - just the safest place to be.

But now, every morning, Tiffany and Eric and Billy and Jane will arrive to see Mr. Policeman and they will think that maybe school isn’t a very safe place to be after all. And, if something bad should happen, they will learn a second lesson - that policemen don’t make places very safe, either. John W. Miller Spokane

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

I accept tokens of fecklessness

Twice after having letters to the editor published I have received in the mail envelopes, with no return address, stuffed with anti-Clinton cartoons cut from newspapers and periodicals.

Residing in this bastion of conservatism I fully expect a response when a liberal like myself expresses any rational political thought. Most of those responding at least have enough strength in their convictions to express it in a public form over their name. I suppose one should feel pity for anyone whose ability to express an opinion is limited to clipping cartoons. I cannot help but think a person who hides in the deep shadows of anonymity must not feel their position warrants much merit.

Please keep sending them. As a liberal, I believe in looking at all sides of an issue, even those that are wrong. And besides, I have lots of room in my trash can. Gail Parke Jr. Post Falls

Parent teaches bad lesson

While playing tennis with my son today, a young child was on the courts with his in-line skates. When he got too close to our game, I politely informed him that it was against the rules to skate on the Rogers High School courts and that he should go to the parking lot instead.

Rather than go to the parking lot, he retreated to the tennis courts on the other side of the fence. His father, sitting on the porch across the street, yelled for him and wondered why he was on the courts farthest from the house. The boy told him, “That man over there told me that I wasn’t supposed to be on the courts.” The father told him that it was OK.

When I overheard this, I went over and told the father that District 81 rules prohibited in-line skating or skateboarding on the courts. His response was, “I know what the rules are but it’s OK. I work for the school district!”

What a terrible example to set for our children. The lesson that young boy learned tonight was that rules don’t really matter as long as your parents authorize you to break them. David Wells Spokane

Debauchery, be not proud

Re: “Age of Aquarius - some missed out’ Woodstock was three days of peace and music?

Woodstock was a free-love, drug and sex extravaganza. Public indecency, drunkenness and drug abuse were rampant. As I recall there was a murder on site.

As for defining a generation, these are the people who contributed to the breakup of the American family, dumbing down of public schools, moral relativism, abortion and Bill Clinton.

I’m sure if Michelanglo were to paint Woodstock, it would be depicted by a large black ringed circle with a red X through it. Roger Dudley Spokane

APPRECIATION

Many helped with monument project

I thank Spokesman-Review reporter Rob McDonald for the coverage of our efforts to move the “horse slaughter” monument. McDonald’s reporting was accurate and balanced. However, because of a shortage of space, key participants were not mentioned. I would like to recognize Dwayne Broyles from the Fairmount Memorial Association for donating the equipment and a four-man crew for two days of hot, dusty and heavy work. Dale Clark, Bill Clark, Larry Eberhart and Shon Rhon did not know what they were getting into but they resolutely rose to the challenge. Thank you for completing a difficult job with monumental energy and great humor.

Also, thanks to the Spokane Corral of Westerners for their sponsorship and support. Jim Hollingsworth Veradale

FIREARMS

Keep debate above the gibberish level

Like most gun ban activists, Wesley Shaw (Letters, June 26) relies on Handgun Control Inc. nonsense, not facts.

Arming American teachers is probably unrealistic, yet armed teachers in Israel have virtually stopped school shootings.

Yes, we’ve had many tragic shootings in America but, conversely, firearms have saved thousands of lives and could have saved thousands more. Licensed, armed citizens could have prevented many of the shootings mentioned by Shaw.

Indeed our prisons are full but thousands of dangerous felons still roam our streets after serving minimal sentences for major crimes. When they wreak more havoc on the innocent, the National Rifle Association is blamed.

Dr. John Lott, a senior research scholar at Yale University’s law school, says, “People use guns defensively about five times more frequently than guns are used to commit crime.”

Dr. David Kleck, a criminologist, reports that armed Americans thwart some 2.5 million crimes annually. Even hard core gun abolitionists have not been able to refute the research done by Lott and Kleck.

I hate to rain on Shaw’s parade but the anti-gun lobby wrote the book on “numbers pulled from the sky.”

Finally, serious crime, including rape, has been dramatically reduced in Florida and 30 other states, where licensed citizens can now carry concealed handguns. That’s an easily researched fact.

Shaw should offer rational arguments, stop parroting time-worn anti-gun lobby gibberish and quit demeaning his opponents. Curtis E. Stone Colville, Wash.

Gun rights, yes, but not unlimited

I feel sorry for those who require a weapon to feel confidence and self-esteem! Most gun control advocates do not wish to take away all weapons. They just want to make sure that gun ownership is regulated well, as stated in the Second Amendment - to make sure that guns do not end up in the wrong hands were they could be used in a violent, offensive way.

Why do gun advocates always insist on dissecting the 2nd Amendment to suit their own objectives? “A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” The key words here are “well regulated!”

We do have the right to bear arms. But we don’t have the right to sell a weapon to anyone who has the money to spend. We need to make sure that a proper, well-regulated monitoring and testing method is in place to prevent illegal guns sales and we need to close the gun show loophole. David C. Droll Coeur dAlene

OTHER TOPICS

Seek understanding along path to God

In response to the recent ABC special on Jesus. I would like to state that for me it makes more sense to believe rather than to disbelieve in the historical reliability of the four gospels of the New Testament. I base this choice on factors of faith, reason, studying varying points of view and listening to the voice of my own conscience that speaks to me loud and clear during my times of quiet reflection.

Having said this, I hold no negative judgment toward those whose convictions differ from mine. I can only hope that people of different views will continue to communicate with an honest intention of understanding one another better. This involves careful listening, instead of merely arguing for the sake of proving a point.

I choose to respond to those who look at Jesus differently than I do in humility rather than in arrogance. We must search our own hearts and follow truth as it comes to us individually. Tom Durst Spokane

Credit card case latest in bad trend

Susan Molinari’s June 27 column about the current Justice Department trial against Visa and MasterCard reports that the suit was largely inspired by American Express, the companies’ unsuccessful credit card competitor. Amex hired former Solicitor General Robert Bork to lobby the antitrust division to, as she says, “push for this unwarranted action.”

Molinari writes, “The original idea of antitrust law was to ensure and protect consumer interests, not the interest of competitors. Even a cursory review of the facts reveals that the trial is not about protecting consumers.”

For a parallel example of Justice responding to political pressure, we can substitute Utah software maker Netscape for unsuccessful credit card competitor Amex and replace lobbyist Bork with Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee. The result: Justice’s relentless antitrust assault on Microsoft!

In the Visa-MasterCard case, let’s hope the presiding judge at least knows how to use a credit card, in contrast with Judge Jackson in the Microsoft case, who sat as both judge and jury while clearly almost totally clueless about computers and the Internet. Robert K. Barcus Spokane

Some take discovery well in stride

Re: “Days of discovery” (June 25).

This fall I’ll be a senior at Mt. Spokane High School. Not long ago, I completed middle school. From one who has been there, done that, I was very disturbed by your “Days of discovery” article. Certainly, many people will go through the apparent hell they call middle school but must everyone suffer on the way? Certainly not.

Imagine a seventh-grader (frizzy hair, glasses, orthodontics) stepping into an algebra class full of big eighth- and ninth-graders on the first day of middle school. That was me five years ago. Did I respond to the pressure by hiding, by attaching myself to a boy, by piercing my belly button? No.

Sure, it was intimidating. But what an adventure! Not all kids find themselves, “compounding the chaos” and not all “ricochet between an urge for independence and a desperate desire to be like everyone else.”

There are individuals out there who will embrace their new surroundings and step up to the challenge presented by a new situation. Take, for example, those of us who were in the Talented and Gifted program. Though we were only “sevvies,” TAG gave us the opportunity to stretch ourselves, to apply ourselves. Middle school wasn’t just a place of raging hormones and frightening changes; it was an adventure!

We must not forget those who will see the big building, the crowded halls, the many classes and take it in stride. Those who are not the stereotype and who say, boldly, Here I am, and here I go! Yolanda E. Stetson Spokane

We must not focus solely on dams

Will Stelle, regional administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service, spoke recently at the Met in a salmon recovery symposium where he shared the 4-H mentality (habitat, harvest, hatcheries and hydrology) of the National Marine Fisheries Service as it pertains to salmon and the Columbia Basin.

Stelle’s polished remarks, that comprehensive change must occur to ensure the survival of the 12 stocks of salmon and steelhead listed as threatened or endangered, was like wind - heard but not seen.

The present importance of the Snake River dams far outweighs the negative aspects of their construction and their impact upon salmon. The cost and maintenance of these concrete wonders pale and evaporate when held alongside the expenditures and waste seen in our military and space programs.

The public must demand from all agencies involved in the protection and management of our water resources that the topics of the 4-P’s (pollution, predators, politics and proliferation) be discussed and considered in all salmon recovery efforts.

One common point agreed to by both sides of this damsalmon debate it seems is that salmon continue to be a cherished food source of our country. To ensure that this commodity and resource remains available requires some very serious decisions if this question of salmon survival and not extinction is to be answered. Americans’ freedoms and liberties are in danger of becoming extinct long before the salmon. Andy Johnson Spokane