Letters To The Editor

THE ENVIRONMENT

Salmon can’t wait eight years

President Clinton’s recently announced plans to save the Columbia-Snake River salmon is a farce. It ignores much of the known science and allows up to eight years before important decisions will be made. Some of these salmon stocks could well be gone or irreparably damaged in less than eight years.

Stop trucking and barging young fish to the ocean; this hasn’t worked and has cost taxpayers millions. The fish require fast-moving, fresh water as smolts on their journey to the sea. This just isn’t happening in the reservoirs behind the four dams on the lower Snake River. The solution may very well be to remove the dams.

Clinton’s plan takes this option off of the table for at least eight years. This is too long. Also, the slack water behind the dams becomes too warm, in violation of the Clean Water Act, and is lethal to the young fish.

The U.S. government entered into treaties with several Indian tribes in the 1800s guaranteeing them salmon in perpetuity. To continue to allow these fish to dwindle and go extinct is a clear violation of these treaties. We need to honor these agreements and put the fish ahead of some other concerns on the table.

Let’s get real. Restore the river habitat so the fish can be fish. Let the wheat and other crops be trucked down the highways. I don’t want to have to explain to my grandchildren why we allowed the salmon to go extinct. Do you? Steve Bradburn volunteer coordinator, Kettle Range Conservation Group, Spokane

Salmon measure must be effective

Not knowing who our next president will be, I have decided to call upon our current president to do what is necessary to save endangered salmon of the Snake River.

President Clinton has the ability to change the draft salmon plan which calls for continued barging and trucking of fish, allows dams to kill 88 percent of fall Chinook, ignores the recommendations of over 200 fisheries scientists and ignores the fact that the dams are in violation of the Clean Water Act.

Soon, the Clinton administration may issue a final salmon plan. I want that plan to uphold the law, including treaties with Columbia Basin Indian tribes. I want that plan to provide salmon cooler, faster-flowing water. Most importantly, I want that plan to ensure that dam removal occurs within five years if other measures to recover salmon don’t work.

Snake River salmon do not have that much longer. If we, as a region, are serious about salmon recovery, then let’s demand a serious salmon plan. Kell McAboy Spokane

USDA policy just a cop-out

I write in response to the article regarding Jim Lyons, U.S. Department of Agriculture, issuing new policy on forest management. (“Forest Service makes environment a top priority - New management directive limits any activity that threatens the ecosystem,” Nov. 10).

Way to go, environmentalists! Now that Lyons has made his proclamation, Americans won’t even be able to hike in the forest. Just how are you going to monitor what’s going on behind all of those locked gates if you can’t even walk in our woods anymore?

Sustainability is open to gross interpretation. I fear that by removing the human element and leaving everything to Mother Nature we will find that her survival of the fittest policy will ultimately result in a foreign landscape that none of us can now envision. This policy isn’t management of our assets, it’s the USDA throwing up its hands and giving up so that it won’t be blamed for all of its past mistakes.

Let’s follow Lyle Laverty’s lead and keep the human element involved to help restore the forest to its former glory. To leave Mother Nature to her own devices now is like leaving a victim of a mugging lying on the street to fend for herself.

Where’s your heart, Lyons? Better yet, what’s happened to your soul? Rick Tschida Spirit Lake, Idaho

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

Allegations are not credible

Everyone I know is upset over the termination of Randy Shaw by KHQ. To bring his integrity into question with these allegations is unbelievable. I know Randy and Linda Shaw and their family, and have had many years of close association with them. I have never seen any behavior as is described in the article. Randy is one of the most honest, straightforward and honorable persons I have ever had the privilege to know.

Randy would never behave in that manner. I question the motives of those making the allegations. If there is a problem, that’s where one should look. To even question his integrity causes him pain that he doesn’t deserve.

Here is a man who has spent 17 years building a reputation in Spokane that is impeccable and in one day KHQ management tries to destroy it. What is their motive? Shame on KHQ. Without Randy they have lost all their credibility and many, many viewers. Matthias David Spokane (temporarily living in Aurora, Colo.)

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Getting full, fair count important

Get real, people. If the vote totals were reversed and there were serious suspicions that the majority of discarded votes were Republican, there would be just as many idiotic Democrats huffing and puffing that the first vote should be good enough as there would be moronic Republicans screaming for a recount.

I think both sides should be waiting patiently for an accurate count so everyone can be certain our new president is the one the majority of voters want - as best our flawed system can determine that.

One good reason for recounting is that we don’t want the losing party to refuse to accept our new leader. The second, and most important, reason to accurately count the ballots is to assure our young that voting does matter.

If so many votes are disqualified due to mistakes or irregularities as we’ve been made aware of this time, then in effect those people wasted their time voting in the first place. Who knows when it will be your or my vote that gets thrown out.

Why should anyone bother to vote if every vote isn’t important? Donna J. Kubiak Santa, Idaho

Nethercutt came through, all right

Isn’t it interesting that approximately one week before the election Rep. George Nethercutt announced that he had gotten the $5 million Lincoln Street Bridge money that had already been spent forgiven? And now, 10 days after the election, we find out that it wasn’t forgiven but coming out of the money that was allocated for other counties’ bridges that were scheduled to be replaced or repaired.

I hope you people who voted for him remember this when it’s time for the next election. Jeanette Smith Ione, Wash.

Republicans no better than Democrats

For Republicans to suggest Libertarians cost them votes is absurd. During the campaigns, Republicans spouted Libertarian rhetoric about trusting people and letting them live their own lives. At the same time, Republican officeholders worked with Democrats to raise taxes and pass more laws and regulations.

A decade ago, Republicans controlled the Senate and held the presidency. Taxes went up and the federal debt and Federal Register grew. The excuse was those Democrats in the House.

Now the Republicans control both the House and Senate. Taxes are going up and the federal debt and the Federal Register are growing. Now the excuse is the Democrat president.

I hope Gov. George Bush and Sen. Slade Gorton both win. Then the Republicans will be out of excuses. When taxes, debt and regulations all continue to increase, I can say I told you so, and, “Don’t blame me - I voted Libertarian.”

Republicans have more in common with Democrats than with Libertarians. Libertarians want to let you plan your own retirement, make your own medical care decisions, be responsible for your children’s education and not waste your earnings fighting foreign wars with no security interest. The other two both think the federal government should make your decisions, run your life and spend your tax dollars as they see fit.

Polls have shown more people believe in Libertarian principles than in left liberal or right conservative ideals. I invite you to take the poll yourself. Find the World’s Smallest Political Quiz at http://www.self-gov.org. David Wordinger Medical Lake

Young Republicans badly mistaken

For eight years America has enjoyed a booming economy under the present administration. America’s dream of igniting a growing world economy appears to have worked. No one can honestly deny that the past eight years have been very good for corporate America and we’re paying down the national debt for the first time.

Now comes the GOP again, like a pack of ravenous wolves to raid the henhouse while claiming to be conservatives for less government and taking credit for the present administration’s sound fiscal policies and economic success.

The Grand Old party used to stand for hard-working, conservative American patriots. Sadly, it has become little more than a club of rich white guys lobbying for their special interests, fighting for big corporate tax cuts while handing out the working man’s hard-earned tax dollars to all their corporate buddies through pork barrel pipelines.

New young Republicans who believe all Republicans are God-fearing conservatives, open your eyes and see what you’re stepping in! These men of wealth and power worship money and mean to use up this world’s resources as fast as they can if that makes them richer.

You won’t see a penny of their raid on the fiscal surplus. That will go to select few. But I’m sure these good old GOP boys really appreciate all the proud young Republican drones who blindly support their greedy causes and hidden agendas. You might as well be a Democrat or an independent for all they plan to not do for you.

Good luck, America! Chris G. Bowers Liberty Lake

Democrats bad to military

I would like to share a paragraph from an article in The New Australian (online magazine) with your readers.

“Seventeen seamen died on the USS Cole when terrorists rammed a dinghy fully loaded with high explosives into its side. Seventeen Americans gave their lives for their country, These seventeen heroes were brought home with Old Glory draped over their caskets. And what was their reward? To have their comrades in arms stripped of their votes by a party that even plans to wage war against the Boy Scouts of America.” George Knapp Addy

By rights, Gore should win

The people have spoken and morally and legally, Vice President Al Gore is the sole candidate who can make a legitimate claim to the office of president.

By carrying the popular vote across our nation, Gore was the choice of the people. That much is clear. And while it’s true that our nation chooses presidents not by popular vote but by electoral vote, on that front as well, Gore is the winner.

Without Florida, Gore has more electoral votes than Gov. George Bush. In fact, assuming his lead in Oregon holds up, Gore would be just three votes shy of victory. Bush, on the other hand, would be 24 electoral votes shy of victory without Florida.

When it comes to Florida, the vote is simply too close to call, and the controversies too serious to make a fair judgment as to the winner. Even Pat Buchanan believes Gore was the choice of the people.

The reasonable solution? Split Florida’s electoral vote right down the middle and award half to Gore, half to Bush. By virtue of his success elsewhere, Gore would then have enough electors to win the presidency.

It is time for Bush to do the honorable thing, to step aside and to urge the people - all the American people - to back Gore as president. L. F. Stanford Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

School no-kids policy outrageous

I went to Mead Middle School recently to watch my friend play basketball in the County Rec League. I was sitting on the bleachers with my toddler on my lap, enjoying the game, when I was approached by a man who told me I could not be in the gym because I had my child with me. I moved from the bleachers and literally sat in the doorway on the floor until I was approached by another gentleman who told me I could not be in the school at all with a child under the age of 16! Therefore, I did not get to see my friend play and I had to explain to my son that he was not welcome at this school.

I have heard of being dismissed from an event for misconduct but never because you have a family. This is discrimination!

I spoke with the athletic director of Mead Middle School, Dave Ticker, and it came down to the fact that the good parents are being punished because of the parents who don’t control their children. Why can’t the rule be no unsupervised children allowed in the gym? Why should I pay taxes for a school I can’t set foot in because I have a child? Jen Wilbanks Greenacres

Execution is not God’s will

It’s very upsetting how many people are seeking the death of Robert Yates Jr. Yes, he committed murder but does that mean we should also commit murder? If you kill someone, by legal means or not, that also makes you a murderer.

Yates has already been sentenced to over 400 years in prison with no chance of parole. He is no danger to anyone now.

I know people are angry and seeking revenge, especially since he has said he returned to God. But it isn’t up to man or woman to judge whether he’s worthy to receive forgiveness. That is between Yates and God.

This nation was built on Christian values. What happened to those values? Have we become such a bloodthirsty people? Do we only behave as God wants when it suits our purpose? Or do we trust the word of God to be true?

These are the words of Jesus: “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Mat 6:15). “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11:25). “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37).

Just like Yates, when we die we also have to answer to God for our actions. Please think about what you are doing. You have the power to stop the killing. Martine Simmons Airway Heights

Remember, war is a failing

As another Veterans Day was celebrated too many Americans continued to glorify and romanticize war. Honor, valor and courage are indeed qualities we should praise but the reality of war is far from poetic.

Our nation’s leaders like to cast the American military in the role of savior. Since we are a good people, our armies always strike on the side of right. But the essence of war has nothing to do with the goodness of mankind. It’s a manifestation of everything ugly and primitive within humanity. Young people kill and are killed by others, for reasons more often rooted in greed and tribalism than justice or liberty. There is nothing noble or pure about war.

Over the last century we’ve been led by a series of warmongers, through one jingoistic crusade after another. From Teddy Roosevelt, hero of the SpanishAmerican war, to President Wilson’s involvement in World War I, through Lyndon Johnson and Vietnam up to Bill Clinton bombing Yugoslavia, nothing has changed.

As a Libertarian, I believe our national defense should be limited to protecting America from attack and our troops must be brought home from abroad. Our nation’s sons and daughters are too precious to be sacrificed for a politician’s legacy. Tonight I look upon my two young sons and urge parents everywhere to take a step back. Don’t be emotionally swayed by the sight of the flag, the tune of the national anthem or a new president’s rhetoric. Look at your children and demand peace. Kristin Holmes Spangle, Wash.