Columnist raises awareness

Karen Kearney (Feb. 11) thinks Doug Clark is bad for Spokane. I don’t. Doug’s a gadfly, making the comfortable uncomfortable and providing a greater awareness for us all. It’s a service that’s badly needed in Spokane.

Spokane is a generous, friendly, compassionate city, and also one of the most parochial places I’ve ever lived. The Good Old Boy network is very strong. Thank goodness Doug isn’t afraid to step on toes and gore sacred cows. This doesn’t mean I always agree with him. I don’t, but he always gets me thinking.

He hasn’t shown disrespect for our way of life; using his freedom of speech is part of our way of life, even if you disagree with what’s being said. If Doug has shown disrespect toward the Spokane Police Department, I don’t think he’s alone. Last time I looked, Doug wasn’t under investigation by the feds and hadn’t beaten anyone with a baton.

If your chief executive friends think the image of Spokane is hurt more by Doug’s column than by the scandals he writes about, or the fact that every exit off of Interstate 90 has a group of scruffy panhandlers present, then maybe they, and you, should think again.

Kevin L. Edgren

Spokane