Letters for Feb. 6, 2022

Give the pseudoscience a rest

A naturopath as a member of the Board of Health?

How about we get an astrologist to head up NASA?

Michael Stanger

Spokane

Book banning

It is truly sad that we are being assaulted by yet another wave of intolerant, baseless objections to books whose only fault is to seriously examine critical issues in our society (especially any books based on actual, rigorous research that deal with the pervasive presence and tragic consequences of racism in the U.S., or those examining gender issues and concerns sincerely).

Even more disturbing is that too many school boards are too willing to cave to the demands of what in truth is a tiny minority of manipulative ideologues. I hope our school boards have the courage to honor the great majority of citizens who respect our educators and educational system and reject these reactive, self-serving efforts – our students, teachers, families and our society as a whole deserve the best education system possible, not some watered-down caricature of education promoted by an intolerant gaggle of intellectual Luddites.

Watching TV coverage of these “outraged citizens” at school board meetings raging against the “evils” of educators forcing their poor helpless children to read books that might make them feel a bit uncomfortable (or actually think) recalls images of similar “decent citizens” screaming obscenities at Black children trying to enroll in white schools in the 1950s and ’60s (and later).

God, people, what are you afraid of? Please, school board members, don’t let these people have the last word, don’t let them bully you – you owe your community more than that.

Steve Blewett

Emeritus Journalism Professor, EWU

Spokane

Kudos due

I just have to say kudos to The Spokesman-Review. Hiring people and printing articles that help me be a better ally to people of color is incredible.

Do you all know, people of color aren’t required to teach us white folk how to be more diverse and compassionate? It’s our job to learn. But The Spokesman-Review has stepped up. Having Amber Dodd, Kiantha Duncan and the Feb. 1 Further Review by Charles Apple help me be more open-minded and educated.

I graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1981. I was taught that slaves were “well treated” as they were given housing by their “owners.” And many families were “kept together.” Gosh, that sounds very nice. I never heard anything about Black Wall Street until two years ago.

Today, many states are banning books and curriculum about the history of racism. That is the saddest thing I’ve ever heard. You all know books can be found anywhere, right? Banning any book is the craziest thing. I’m pretty sure banning books encourages people to pursue them.

It’s not just Black history – it’s the Holocaust, Native Americans and Japanese internment camps. If this history makes your child “uncomfortable,” then have that difficult conversation with them. Chances are, you are the one uncomfortable learning this history. The fact is, history should be learned.

Please folks, open up your minds and hearts to our history. Good, bad or incredibly ugly, it is our history. None of it should be repeated. So let’s all learn from that.

Beverly Gibb

Spokane

Pass the Renew Act

Since childhood, I have taken pride in recycling. I made sure to recycle correctly, keeping track of what recycling facilities would take and ensuring the materials were clean. I worked to educate others to do the same. I was stunned to learn the majority of my efforts were for naught – as little of what is taken to a recycling facility is actually used a second time. Worse than that, many of these recyclables end up incinerated or dumped into oceans. Plastics never completely break down and have nowhere to go other than in the environment. Then, as has been documented, they reappear in wildlife, our food and ourselves.

An investigation by NPR and PBS’ “Frontline” found that the oil industry spent millions telling Americans that the majority of plastics could and would be recycled as a way to earn billions of dollars selling us new plastic. Recycling is perhaps the most successful example of corporate greenwashing, as less than 10% of all plastic produced has been recycled.

However, a promising bill moving through state Legislature right now, SB5697, the Renew Act, would hold manufacturers responsible for disposing of their own waste. Known as Extended Producer Responsibility, the concept has been used successfully in Europe for decades. American made products on European shelves use less packaging than their counterparts on U.S. shelves, proving this is a viable option once implemented. Let’s end the misuse of our natural resources and pollution of our earth and pass SB5697 now.

Shenandoah Marr

Spokane

If GU is serious

If GU was seriously concerned about the spread of COVID-19, perhaps it should have everyone show a negative test to enter the Kennel. As we all know, just being vaccinated doesn’t keep you from getting or spreading COVID. Symbolism over substance.

Kathy McAteer

Spokane Valley

History of World Championship Game

Great article on the early history of the Super Bowl. A friend and I attended Super Bowl I on Jan. 15, 1967, only it was not called that, as the article pointed out. We had midpriced tickets and those were great seats. My seat was located in Tunnel 3, Row 29, Seat 118. Because of the less-than-full stadium, we were able to move to the 50-yard line about 20 rows from the field up during halftime. I still have my ticket and program for the game.

At a Spokesman-Review book event in January 2019 that featured Jerry Kramer and Mark Rypien, I had Kramer sign both my ticket and program. He was blown away when I showed him my 52-year-old souvenirs and he graciously signed both.

Here is the kicker: Our midpriced tickets cost $10 each. After reading your recent article, I decided to look up the price of tickets for the upcoming Super Bowl. The cheapest tickets are more than $3,000. Seats in suites begin around $10,000 to the outrageously priced seat in the suite called the “VIP 131 Row 10” which features seats selling for $50,245 each.

As a lifelong Rams fan, I am staying home and watching on my TV.

Phil Aune

Nine Mile Falls

Save the Chancery

The Pritzker Prize is for the world of architects the top annual award for design, generally always given for new structures. Last year, however, the coveted prize went to Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal, a team of architects that is based in Paris and has devoted its entire life’s work to taking old buildings and reimagining, redesigning and retrofitting them, adding square footage, more natural light, and new appearance among other things, rather than having them demolished.

Carl Elefante, past president of the American Institute of Architects, who has decades of experience in the preserving and retrofitting of old buildings, observes “we’re recycling old Coke cans and beer bottles. Why are we tearing viable old buildings down in the name of progress? The greenest building is the one that is already built.” Demolishing and rebuilding is far more costly than refurbishing, not to mention the conservation of valuable resources in the process.

As the grand old Chancery Building sits precariously on the chopping block, it seems that if these renowned experts have found ways to repurpose and save so many old structures, it can be done for the Chancery. Surely, the technology exists. Surely, we have talented local architects with the skills and passion to make this happen. Surely, the Cowles Company, with its deep pockets and deep community connection, can find a path to rethink this project, leave this magnificent building to stand right where it has for decades, and modernize and give it new life, rather than condemn it to the dust heap of history.

David Vogel

Spokane

Kudos to the street and parks departments

During November , my wife and I were walking the paths of the Ben Burr park near our home.

We noticed large piles of leaves in several locations and realized if they weren’t picked up before the snow fell, the grass would die beneath those piles. We also noticed that various species of tree in the park were badly in need of pruning. Walking home, we noticed two good-sized potholes in the street on our block.

The following day, we decided to call the respective city departments and report our findings.

The Parks Department was on the job and within two days had picked up all the piles of leaves. The Street Department filled the potholes within a week. Just a couple of weeks ago, we observed a crew trimming the trees in the park.

The park now looks loved again. We realize what two phone calls can accomplish.

Thanks, and congratulations to the workers in both departments.

Jerry Williams

Spokane

An impasse with Stockton

I have a compassionate anger and pity for John Stockton and the plenty of the same persuasion. We have known for over a century that the properly masked face reduces the spread of expiratory germs. Vaccinations mitigate the rage and cruel consequences of COVID and other viruses. The unvaccinated torpedo quality health care and raise the cost of living for everybody. Those of the Stockton persuasion have a tremendous love for themselves and have escaped the gravity of critical thinking, moral judgment, human responsibility and common sense.

Consider the possible relationship between the Darwinian theory of extinction and Pavlov’s wager. Playing the cards of disinformation, the Scientology of science fiction and contracted arithmetic could gamble us all into a casino house of forfeiture and ruin.

Rich Magney

Spokane