Letters for Friday, Sept. 2, 2022

Sobriety not required for new homeless shelter

A front page newspaper article on Aug. 17, concerned me. Thus, I am writing this letter. The article, titled “Vision for homeless shelter in east Spokane comes into focus,” describes efforts to create a 150-bed homeless shelter on East Trent in what used to be a commercial warehouse. What upset me was that the newspaper article stated sobriety was not required. I believe that approach is wrong and simply perpetuates the problem.

Unfortunately, there is an element of human nature that, if a person is not required either by personal reasons or economic need to do anything, it simply won’t happen. Here, allowing people free food and housing, without a requirement that they make an effort to address their addiction, whether it be alcohol or drugs, doesn’t help that person at all and simply enables the homeless person. I am sure there are arguments for not placing requirements on destitute people in order to provide them food and shelter. However, I do believe they are outweighed by what I feel is simply enablement and perpetuation of the homeless problem. There should be more focus on efforts by the recipients of the services to address whatever condition is contributing to their homelessness to help them return to some normal and/or productive life. I implore those who are supporting this new shelter to make sobriety, or attempts to get there, a requirement.

Steve Lamberson

Spokane

Equal justice

It should be no surprise to our mayor that criminals think that nothing will happen to them if they break the law. Look at the example that they have in Donald Trump. He publicly ordered his minions to go to the Capitol and fight. They did. People died.

Did Mr. Trump go to jail like any other mob leader who directs thugs attack law enforcement officers? He did not.

Donald Trump’s resort was the subject of a search warrant after he failed to comply with a subpoena. Isn’t that a normal procedure for law enforcement agencies to use to recover stolen items and establish a criminal case? What else is the unauthorized taking of government property but theft? Would any shoplifter in downtown Spokane be treated as gently as Trump has been? Would there be any controversy about a search warrant being served at the shoplifter’s premises? What would happen if that shoplifter then had his buddies threaten those who carried out the search?

Mr. Trump deserves equal justice under the law, nothing more and nothing less and so do those who suffered as a result of his actions. Trump’s gang of thieves, thugs and con men will not prevail in this nation if it really provides equal justice for all.

Michael O’Dea

Spokane

Cybersecurity is a proactive defense strategy

The term cybersecurity can be ambiguous. Occasionally, complacency becomes standard, assuming an incident cannot be severe or happen. Research indicates cyberattacks, such as DDoS, malware, ransomware and account takeover are increasing in popularity. As frequency increases, malicious groups are utilizing AI to extend sophistication and reach.

For example, a house is as secure as its weakest point. An open window and a locked door with a key under the mat are vulnerabilities. Organizations should prioritize strong security measures, tools and training to prevent breaches of business critical applications and customer information.

Individuals can use elaborate passwords, multifactor authentication, update software and exercise caution when signing up for services. However, they’re protecting a single window. The organization providing the service must implement security services, practices, modern systems and leadership to proactively defend against threats.

General awareness of breach and attack severity is vital. We’ve all heard, “I don’t have anything to hide.” But we do want control and visibility over messages, photos, financial and health data, identifiable information, doorbell cameras and location. We don’t want unknown individuals searching our homes and filing cabinets. Today, people have more personal information on their smartphones than in their homes. When malicious groups gain access to one’s data, it’s used with hostile intent.

Commitment to cybersecurity should be shared between lawmakers, vendors, users, organizations and law enforcement. It must be a societal foundational building block to prevent attacks. We choose our priorities. Let’s keep our digital lives safe with proactive security awareness and implementation.

Hunter Smit

Spokane

Employer provided health care

Employers in our state hear often how affordable and quality health insurance options are a primary decision driver for a highly skilled labor force. As the uncertainty of our country’s economic future persists, business owners and lawmakers alike would benefit from protecting workers’ option of obtaining health care coverage through their employer.

In an ever changing economy, employer provided coverage helps businesses of all sizes stay competitive. As the director of public policy for Greater Spokane, I understand the value that employer provided health care coverage options provide employers, employees and Spokane local economies. This option for care continues to be critical to combating our nation’s workforce shortage.

When employees have access to comprehensive health care benefits, they are more efficient on the job, take less sick time and are more likely to seek out preventative care. This has benefits for all parties involved. I hope our lawmakers agree and continue to preserve this critical avenue for care.

Jake Mayson

Spokane

Comcast compared to Waste Management

Recently we received an email from Comcast Xfinity stating, “We’ll be increasing your download speeds from up to 50 Mbps to up to 75 Mbps – at no additional cost to you!”

Comcast, please do not increase our download speed. You’ve played this manipulation game before. We want no part of it.

Initially, we were given 25 Mbps – way more than we needed. Then, Comcast upped it to 55 Mbps claiming “no additional cost.” Later, our rate jumped .

From that point on, each year we have had to “argue” for the lowest speed (15 or 25 Mbps). What’s more, each new one-year contract started with one-to-two cycles of billing errors in Comcast’s favor. Were we being punished?

Finally, during this latest “negotiation,” we were forced by a manager to accept 50 Mbps or go without Cable internet. This creeping manipulation tactic appears to be repeating.

What if Waste Management informed us they were replacing our trash can with a small dumpster at no additional cost, and later started charging us dumpster rates. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand why we would keep enduring the frustrating hassle of asking for our trash can back every year.

Comcast, we don’t need a dumpster, and we can’t afford your dumpster rates! Sure a large dumpster is fine for a large, higher-income family of audio and 4k-video streamers and gamers, but my grandmother and I are a small fixed income, single 1080p stream, 5 Mbps, family.

Randall Scott

Spokane