Letters To The Editor

Higher education

Spitzer’s prose earns high marks

As a teacher of English, I award Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D., president of Gonzaga University, an A-plus for his Roundtable column of May 2. Not since reading works of Thomas Carlyle, John Ruskin and Matthew Arnold have I enjoyed such incisive prose and irrefutable logic. These Victorian essayists were also at odds with their time, and I staunchly support Father Spitzer in having, and concisely supporting, his principles. TerryKay Birrer, Ph.D. Department of English, Gonzaga Preparatory School

Cartoon excluded organization

Milt Priggee did not complete the drawing in his May 3 cartoon about Father Robert Spitzer talking to a cross, “Gonzaga academic freedom.” Left out of Priggee’s drawing was any word of Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood is the leading advocate of abortion in the United States. Gonzaga, as a Roman Catholic University, has every right to reject Planned Parenthood from speaking at Gonzaga. And yes, Gonzaga’s academic freedom is an issue.

For Gonzaga to give in to outside pressure regarding Planned Parenthood would in fact lessen their qualities as a Roman Catholic college.

Suppose another drawing, another cross: on the cross the words abortion, death penalty, poverty, and Jesus looking down at Father Spitzer. I’m sure Jesus would thank him for having the courage to speak on these issues. Right on, Gonzaga and Father Spitzer. Michael T. McGuire Spokane

Campus upholds principles of ROTC

As president of Gonzaga University, Father Robert Spitzer has the authority to make decisions which he deems necessary to uphold and promote the “principles and identity” of the Roman Catholic Church. He has an ethical and spiritual obligation to do so. He does not have to defend his decisions to those outside the Gonzaga community.

However when he chooses to defend his position in an open forum, then one could expect he would engage in such dialog in an honest and forthright manner consistent with his own philosophical and academic rhetoric.

Without entering into a debate of Spitzer’s distinction between “censorship” and “non-censorship,” let’s merely hold him to his own logic. Spitzer states, “Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider in the United States” and concludes that “if a Catholic institution failed to apply the principle of non-sponsorship, it could be justifiably accused of failing to uphold its principles.”

Perhaps Spitzer is unaware that the U.S. government enjoys a similar distinction as the “largest provider” of weapons of destruction in the world, selling more weaponry than all of the other 52 exporting nations combined, and 80 percent of those weapons are sold to non-democratic countries. In Vietnam, 64,000 American soldiers were maimed or killed by land mines, 90 percent of which were manufactured in the United States. In Cambodia, land mines still outnumber people.

Yet, Spitzer, who believes abortion “ranks up there with oppression, racism, ethnic hatred, genocide and skewing of global resources leading to the starvation or maltreatment of the marginalized” continues to “sponsor” ROTC on his campus. Paddy Inman Mead

Any percentage outrageous

Let me see if I understand a part of the Planned Parenthood position as explained by Janice E. Tilley, their public affairs coordinator (Letters, April 24).

Only 4 percent of the “services” provided by Planned Parenthood are abortions. Since I believe that abortion is murder, at what percent should I become outraged?

Too bad Tilley wasn’t born 50 years sooner. She could have been Adolf Hitler’s public affairs coordinator. I wonder what percent of his services were involved with the Holocaust? Patrick W. Carroll Spokane

Other topics

Wisdom comes from human beings

Spokane School District 81 is to be congratulated on its receipt of $16.8 million from the Gates Foundation.

It’s understandable that this grant be spent on continuing to refine the district’s nationally recognized technology infrastructure; but if the objective is “to enhance their efforts and become models for high achievement” in the broadest sense, will the mass fixation on techno driven-curriculum improve literacy, critical thinking, socialization and civic involvement?

Is there one credible study showing a definitive correlation between computer use and the development of the above aptitudes? To the contrary, research even within the industry is inconclusive or demonstrates that computers have no effect on literacy. It’s my hypothesis that compulsive computer use may actually arrest the development of critical thinking, socialization and civic involvement.

Have we forged a Faustian agreement to submit to the machine in return for “information” (not to be confused with wisdom) and the presumption of a more lucrative bottom line?

I’m no neo-Luddite. I use computers and marvel at the immediacy of the one-dimensional world that we can access. But I regard most machines as conveniences, not as a surrogate for the human mind and spirit and certainly no substitute for parents and teachers who should model scholarship rather than relegating that duty to some hybrid of Harlan Ellison’s “glass teat.”

We dwell in a strange space, once only imagined by science fiction writers, where machines begin to resemble men and men machines. Eric Fromm described a generation ago this historical surreality: “The danger of the past was that men became slaves. The danger of the future is that men may become robots.” John B. Hagney Spokane

Congrats to board members

Congratulations to the elected, but unpaid, board members of Spokane School District 81 for being named the best school board in the state. While I know only two of the embers personally (Christie Querna and Rob Fukai) I am certain the other members reflect the same degree of intelligence good judgment and civility in discussing and reaching decisions and resolving issues as do Querna and Fukai.

What a great honor and welcome distinction for Spokane and District 81. What a contrast to our Spokane City Council members Steve Eugster, Cherie Rodgers and Steve Corker, who have demonstrated a lack of good judgment and civility in resolving issues and reaching decisions. While it is too early to reach conclusions concerning the city of Spokane charter changes creating a strong mayor, it is not too soon to conclude that a critical need now exists for the qualities reflected by District 81 board members to be reflected in the make up of our City Council. Robert L. Simpson Spokane

Gun control

Leader Lott out of step

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott appeared on television discussing gun control. He compared gun control to a recent incident where butcher knives were used to injure or kill somebody. “Should we ban (or regulate) butcher knives?” he asked.

What kind of a leader is Trent Lott to compare the thousands of killings by the use guns in this country to the use of a butcher knife? Would the 6-year-old have been able to kill a classmate if he had used a butcher knife rather than a gun? The Republican congress is out of step with reality. Philip Waring Coeur d’Alene

Total ban may be mom’s march goal

The latest scheme to trash the Second Amendment has been dubbed the “Million Mom March.” Organizer Donna Dees-Thomases, angry about a gunman’s attack on a Los Angeles day care center, plans to march for gun control on Mother’s Day.

Is Dees-Thomases aware that the gunman is an ex-felon, prohibited from having firearms, who was left unsupervised by his parole officer?

Predictably, all of Dees-Thomases’ gun-control proposals will target the law-abiding.

More than 3 million other women have purchased handguns in recent years. They realize that restraining orders are often a death warrant, and that the police often arrive after the murder, rape, robbery, assault or carjacking has occurred.

Count on extensive, sympathetic media coverage for this march replete with the usual hysteria, emotionalism and lies. Naturally, comments from the NRA will be censored.

Please remember, ladies, that there are up to 80 million gun owners in America and 3.5 million NRA members.

Frankly, I wonder if “Million Morons March” might be a more appropriate title for Dees-Thomases’ brainstorm?

It’s clear that misguided anti-gun zealots like Dees-Thomases, President Clinton, Nowell Bamberger (Letters, April 14) and Howard Herman (Letters, April 26) are seeking one thing: a total ban on privately-owned firearms. Curtis E. Stone Colville, Wash.