Letters

Legislature out of control

Oh, this Legislature, what a mess. They continue to override the will of the people who put them in office, ignoring the Constitution and Bill of Rights by passing bills endangering our families, children and parents with dangerous voter registration bills that open the door to fraud, trying to eliminate in-home day care centers, fast-forwarding same-sex marriage, talk of taking from the haves to give to the have-nots.

Their answer to reining in their escalating budget is to propose huge government infrastructure projects we will pay for! They don’t think they’re accountable to anyone!

Carol Black

Spokane

Candidates cool to warming

In the midst of the heated Republican primary season, one issue heartbreakingly absent is global climate change and any start of a plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions, convert to green energies, invest in new technologies or start to collaborate with the rest of the world on combating rising CO2 levels.

At best, Republicans clamor over who is most anti-science, who supports the oil industry greatest, and who will build pipelines and the like (“Drill, baby, drill”) to further worsen our global dilemma. There is not just one study that confirms human-caused rising CO2 and its implications, but thousands. If we ever are in a position to look back on these days and attempt to explain the Republican stance, it will be one of incredible greed, dishonesty, willful ignorance and denial.

All Americans should demand that our government acknowledge science, and that it join the bipartisan work that needs to be done to keep our planet habitable, for us and all life. Obviously, it shouldn’t be a political issue at all but rather a moral one and a practical matter of survival.

It’s the greatest challenge humans have ever faced, with the highest stakes.

Jordan Leach

Spokane

Jensen-Byrd decision OK

I am trying to consider the Washington State University point of view on the Jensen-Byrd building.

It seems likely that the new dormitories would bring in students from outside the Spokane area. Tuition and room/board for out-of-state students is usually higher than the subsidized rates charged to students who are state residents. Bringing in money from out of state would help reduce the burden on our community. There are other intangibles, such as giving Spokane an image of a better college town and creating a need for localized services such as nearby cafes and corner grocery stores.

If the building is to be used in its present condition, it would require a great deal of investment, at the very least, to bring it up to the current electrical and plumbing safety codes. That means that the cost will be borne by future in-state students and the good taxpayers of Spokane.

The WSU solution to this dilemma may not be the perfect one. But without an acceptable alternative on the table, we must look to the future and participate in refining WSU’s plans to improve the benefits reaped by Spokane’s community in terms of economic, social and educational gain.

Neelima June

Spokane

Powers a visionary

Congratulations to Julian Powers, who is honored for his foresighted commitment to living wisely on our Earth! (“Persistence of vision,” Feb. 3)

Back in 1994, I attended his alternative transportation lecture at Salk Middle School, part of a series by “Creating the Future,” and over the years I’ve admired his faithful “walking the talk.” By bicycle.

His award is greatly deserved!

Bernadine Van Thiel

Spokane

Stop anti-life mandates

When the administration’s health care financing plan was signed into law, President Barack Obama and Congress promised that funds under the new law would not cover abortions.

This has been proved to be empty rhetoric.

Why? Because the Department of Health and Human Services has mandated that under the health care law, private health insurance plans must cover the “full range of FDA approved contraception,” in which category HHS explicitly included the abortion-inducing drug Ella.

This mandate includes a so-called religious employer exemption, yet the exemption is so narrowly defined that most religious schools, colleges, hospitals and charitable organizations serving the public do not qualify. Even an expanded definition of “religious employer” would fail to protect non-religiously affiliated organizations, individuals and even religiously affiliated health insurers whose pro-life consciences are nonetheless violated.

This is an unprecedented attack on the freedom of conscience of millions of Americans, eviscerating their freedom of choice to purchase private insurance that does not violate their ethical, moral or religious objections. I hope all readers will contact their elected representatives in Washington, D.C., and voice outrage over this anti-life mandate.

Richard Hernandez

Spirit Lake, Idaho

Hero worship one-sided

I have long been puzzled by the way this paper and others, and, as well, various branches of government have painted lesbian Margaret Witt as a hero. Was she a hero when she faithfully performed her duties as an Air Force nurse or did she only become one when she came out against “don’t ask, don’t tell”?

What about heterosexual Air Force nurses who, likewise, faithfully serve? Are they heroes or do they have to jump aboard the gay-lesbian bandwagon before they can be considered to be heroes? And what if they are married to a spouse of the opposite sex, and they cheat on them, divorce them, then remarry again to someone of the opposite sex? Are we then to look upon them as heroes?

No, not according to columnist Jamie Tobias Neely. These cheating two-timers would have to hook up with someone of the same sex before they could be considered heroes!

In regard to Washington’s same-sex marriage bill, Witt says, “It was extremely moving to hear so many senators speak from their heart in support of the bill.”

What of those who from the heart and with deep conviction solidly backed by Holy Scripture and, as well, the almost universally held morals of society at large for centuries, spoke against the same-sex marriage bill? According to the left-leaning views of this paper and its editorial staff, those legislators, and those of us with the same deeply held, sincere convictions are nothing more than stupid, intolerant bigots!

Ken Campbell

Deer Park