Letters To The Editor

APPRECIATION

People were great at accident scene

We wish to convey our thanks to those 20 or more individuals who stopped to help at an accident scene on May 13, eastbound on Interstate 90 near Ellensburg at about 9:30 a.m. Our daughter, our 3-year-old granddaughter and my husband’s mother suffered injuries when their vehicle rolled three times after overcorrecting and fishtailing. Since both adults were in seat belts and the little one in her car seat, all survived the accident and are mending with no apparent complications. How we thanked God! What a priceless Mother’s Day gift.

Within seconds of the accident, while they were still suspended upside down and screaming, hands were reaching in to help them out of their seat belts and to pull them through the shattered windows. Soon, about 20 people had stopped to help. There were one or two physicians and a nurse in the group, and they offered essential first aid for bleeding and shock. A dear, grandmotherly lady comforted our frightened, sobbing granddaughter. Someone called 911 and when the aid car arrived, all the good Samaritans were asked to leave the scene.

Later, we discovered that one of them used his clean undershirt to bind a bleeding hand. Perhaps another left behind a lovely Pendleton wool blanket with a family monogram.

Our mother had been wearing a necklace with five birthstone angels. She lost five gold-plated angels but was befriended by 20 in return. We’ll never forget your kindness.

Please contact Dr. Steven Brazeau, 457-6175, to describe and retrieve your wool blanket. We’ll return the blanket with our heartfelt gratitude. Janice Brazeau Yakima

SPOKANE MATTERS

Do-their-own-thing gang rides again

Raw deal for City Attorney Jim Sloane, good deal for Dr. Kim Thorburn.

Thorburn, director of the Spokane Regional Health District, fails a vote of confidence by the community and has a party thrown for her by Mayor John Talbott and his buddies upon returning from a two-week vacation. Sloane has a threat of a vote of no confidence and is being transitioned out of office.

And you wonder why voters are apathetic. Perhaps it is because of the political elitist attitude of the existing council or perhaps it’s just that we’re tired of being ignored. I thought these people were elected to be our representatives. Boy, was I wrong! Mike Slider Spokane

Festival association terribly wrong

Re: “A good year to watch parade in person” (May 19).

It’s absolutely horrendous that the Lilac Parade has been commercialized to the point of putting out bids to air it on television; to sell bleacher seats for $5 and $3; and that the parade is no longer called the Spokane Lilac Armed Forces Torchlight Parade. Instead, it’s referred to as the 2000 Global Credit Union Armed Forces Torchlight Parade. What a disservice to all the area residents who may be homebound, in hospitals or in nursing care facilities who have previously looked forward to and watched the parade on television. This year they couldn’t because the Lilac Festival Association decided to put the right to broadcast the parade out for bid. Shame on you, Lilac Festival Association!

Executive Director Brusan Wells stated, “The parade is so important because the community needs to celebrate sometimes.” What about those folks who had family in the parade and couldn’t attend? How do those folks celebrate? The Lilac Festival Association took away their ability to celebrate and enjoy the event the same day as everyone else by watching with pride for their loved ones on television.

The parade is a time to honor and be proud of the Inland Empire and the community. I am not proud or supportive of the fact that the Lilac Festival Association saw the need to change the name of the parade or that it wasn’t televised because of greediness. Money has again taken control of community pride. Charlene L. Spilker Spokane

City should pay to televise parade

For a city the size of Spokane, known for its armed forces and Lilac Parade, I can’t believe they would not have enough money to pay for at least one television station to show the parade.

This city takes in a lot of money on the parade. It’s one of the biggest money-making events. Some of it should be used for televising the parade.

Don’t be surprised if the parade goes downhill fast. The little towns that build beautiful floats and are so proud of their school bands will feel it’s not worth it when it isn’t shown all over so the people at home can see it in their town. What a shame.

I’m in my 80s and disabled. There are thousands of people like me - people in hospitals, nursing homes, in their homes with small children, some don’t have transportation or are too poor and can’t afford to take their families, or live too far away.

If all the people who watch it were in town, where would they park, stand or sit?

This is a slap in the face to the armed forces and the people who worked so hard to make it come true. If the armed forces hadn’t given their all, where would we be? Ruth Herman Spokane

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

Kind man deserves some compassion

It was an extremely dismal December night. Exhausted from being on my feet for 10 hours, I was looking forward to going home and falling into bed. To my horror, I discovered a flat tire.

I was told my emergency road service account didn’t exist, even though I had a current membership card in my hand. By now it was 2 a.m., the wind was howling and the temperature a mere 14 degrees. Here I was, a single parent, having just been denied emergency service, starting a new job and I living 12 miles from Spokane.

A security guard, seemingly oblivious to the dismal weather, offered to put on the spare. He sent me inside, refusing my offer to help. This wasn’t a job requirement; it was a genuine act of human kindness. He refused payment and found a way to return the anonymous envelope I left for him. A good person who barely knew me came to my rescue. I am forever grateful.

This person is now in need of some compassion himself. His son is Matthew Grenier, the 9-year-old Spokane boy who accidently shot himself with his father’s gun.

As a parent, I can only imagine the nightmare this father lives. He had to be taken into custody instead of going to the hospital. Luckily Matthew lives, but the future is unknown. His father’s anguish and guilt over this terrible mistake will remain long after Matthew heals.

Our community can learn from this and hopefully lives will be saved. Please give this family your compassion.

God bless Matthew and his family and guide their healing. Becky Woodruff Cheney

More to gays than lifestyle choice

In the May 24 article, “State extends benefits to same-sex partners,” Rick Forcier, head of the state chapter of the Christian Coalition, compared the gay lifestyle to a compulsive addiction. A nymphomaniac has a compulsive addiction.

I wonder if Forcier actually knows any gay people. I know some people think that they choose this lifestyle but if they took the time to get to know them, they might realize the possibility that it is genetic.

It takes all kinds of people to make the world and it is your choice to have them in your life or not. But, when you allow the differences of people to dictate getting to know someone, you miss out on knowing some of the most interesting people you will ever meet. Vicki Nicodemus Spokane

Churches group behind fall march

At the May 18 Washington State Human Rights Commission meeting I was invited to present information on the various community-based initiatives designed to improve race relations and encourage greater community involvement in human rights issues.

I offer a correction to the May 19 article, “Disability-related issues top complaint list” that mistakenly reported, “Reyes noted an anti-hate groups march organized by the Task Force on Race Relations and other groups, including Churches Against Racism, that brought out 1,800 people.”

Please note that the Churches Against Racism, not the Task Force on Race Relations, organized the Oct. 10, 1999 March Against Hate that led 1,800 community members from Temple Beth Shalom to St. John’s Cathedral. I suspect the confusion occurred because I belong to both the task force and churches group.

I appreciate The Spokesman-Review covering, and offering multiple perspectives on, diversity and human rights. Although it’s important to acknowledge the negative incidents of injustice or exclusion in our community, it’s equally important to realize that Spokane is making a sincere effort to do some positive things. As the bumper sticker reminds us, “Diversity is a journey, not a destination.” Sustainable social change is an ongoing process with tangible results.

Although we have a long way to go, I’m proud to be part of this community and its efforts to make Spokane a safe, respectful, inclusive place where everyone can enjoy being alive and have a responsible desire to contribute to the common good. Raymond Reyes associate vice president for diversity, Gonzaga University

OVER THE LINE

Rich and powerful win again

In the end we may not have God’s drinking water anymore, Spokane. All technology is fallible. It is man-made and man-maintained. Men are fallible, as we are all aware. But, hey, in the end we’ll have a well-fueled, government-subsidized (with your tax money) railroad. It is owned for profit by the long-term, fat-cat rich and influential.

The steel railroad is of far more importance than mere water-consuming humans. This much is clear. Ancient, outdated laws made by the long-since-dead rule here and determine what shall be for us.

At least in the end you can leave town on that railroad if the only aquifer falls prey to the money-minded, greedy interests of the few, the power-money elite. Eric Lafko Spokane

Reasoning that boggles the mind

The scales have fallen from my eyes.

North Idaho is not “really racist,” D.F. Oliveria suggested in his Hot Potatoes column (May 18), and his complexion proves it. “As a person who looks Hispanic but isn’t,” he wrote, “I know Idahoans judge character, not skin color.”

Oliveria demonstrated again - to adapt a biblical maxim - the race is not to the swift.

First he assumed there’s a standard Hispanic complexion. Then, he guaranteed his own complexion matches this Hispanic standard. Having traced this circular route to the truth, Oliveria erected in its center a shrine to all those kindly North Idahoans who’ve accepted him into their fold despite the shade of his face. They really are the salt of the Earth.

Congratulations on your incisive reasoning, Oliveria, that allowed you to cut through all of the overbearing nonsense that infects our conversations about region and race. Paul Lindholdt Spokane

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Mind width a management problem

Re: “Steelworkers made their bed” (Letters, May 23).

You think Steelworkers are narrow-minded, Dave Tegge? You have it wrong about what motivated us at the start of this labor dispute.

Kaiser’s lack of interest in negotiating a contract was what forced the union’s strike vote. Then three months later, when Kaiser’s negotiators realized we were serious about achieving a fair contract, they locked us out rather than let us work while a contract was negotiated. Now, that is what I call narrow-minded!

The fact that the lockout has lasted so long is a commentary on Kaiser owner Charles Hurwitz’s willingness to waste money and break the law to achieve his as-yet shadowy goals, and of Kaiser head Ray Milchovich’s need to blame Kaiser’s mismanagement on the Steelworkers.

And yes, we did know what we were dealing with. Do you? The viewpoints you repeat sound like they come from the scabs and contractors Milchovich is playing the “help us save the company” game with now. We Steelworkers have been there and done that, when we took pay cuts to save Kaiser from the menaces of the 1980s. We know better now.

And by the way, unions are the American way, creating the good wages that supply the American middle class with the buying power to create yet more jobs. Do you ever worry about what will happen to our society should unions and the middle class disappear? You should! It doesn’t look like the “new economy” mirage will save the day. Margaret Larive Steelworker, Trentwood, Spokane