Letters for April 26, 2023

‘Sporting weapons’

I’m writing regarding your reprint of Jim Brunner’s Seattle Times article on Washington state’s ban on assault weapons (“Assault weapon ban clears WA state Senate, April 9).

I have been a member of a small-bore rifle team as a youngster in high school, college and shot as a civilian on the Spokane police pistol team. I was also an active hunter for about 60 years. I can’t imagine considering an assault weapon a sporting gun. A killing gun, yes. Sporting, no. Stretch the imagination and we could include surface-to-air missiles as sporting.

Let’s pick on Keith Wagoner of Sedro-Woolley. I’m assuming he was one of our state senators who blamed mass shootings on “mental health problems” and “moral decay.” Well, he is right. That’s what many gun bill opponents suffer from. Keith said the ban “won’t stop killing.” Right again, no it won’t. It will reduce killing. Some common sense here, folks.

I believe that many legislators don’t understand the basic law of probability or here’s the big one, have courage. It’s not surprising that we lack confidence in some of our “adult” leaders.

The yard signs before the school levy elections say, “It’s for the kids!” Let’s let the kids vote on this bill, and maybe we’ll get somewhere.

Neil Herbison

Spokane

Advice for Texas judge

U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk should also consider suspending approval of all the erectile dysfunction drugs. This would be of some help in preventing unwanted pregnancies. Conception does rely on the sperm and egg getting together. I keep hoping someone will think to do this. It makes abundant sense to me.

There are unwanted side effects as well as adverse outcomes with the ED drugs. I think men should be protected from the dizziness, vision changes, headaches, increased risk of hearing loss (in some studies), flushes, back aches, priapism and any other side effects.

Fran Watson, M.D., Ph.D.

Spokane

Lies have consequences

Last week, Fox News admitted it lied about the 2020 election and agreed to pay Dominion $787.5 million. Needless to say, $787.5 million represents a lot of lying.

Ongoing lies, along with biased and irresponsible reporting by Fox News, clearly contributed to the paranoia and rage that resulted in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection that saw five people die, 138 officers injured and four officers die by suicide afterward.

Last week, in Hebron, New York, Kevin Monahan, age 65, shot and killed Kaylin Gilles, age 20, when she mistakenly turned into his driveway.

Also, last week in Kansas City, Missouri, Andrew Lester, age 84, shot Ralph Yarl, age 16, in the head and arm when he went to the wrong house to pick up his twin brothers.

What motivated these older white males to shoot these young people and kill one of them? One can’t know with certainty, but one wonders.

With older white males making up a huge part of the Fox News audience, it’s just possible they were driven by the same Fox-generated paranoia and rage that resulted in the Jan. 6 Insurrection.

Tim Gallagher

Spokane

Yates’ $500

In response to the gentlemen who gave Genesis 22:2 and Matthew 2:16 as places in Scripture where the Bible says it’s OK to “kill babies,” context is key. In Genesis, the story of Abraham and Isaac was a testing of Abraham’s faith and Isaac (who was a young man, not a baby) was not killed. In the gospel of Matthew, King Herod killed the male children 2 years old and younger. This was not ordained by God, but a heinous act by a tyrant who thought his authority would be usurped by the birth of Jesus.

God upholds the sanctity of human life from before the cradle to the grave. Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you.” Psalm 139:13 says, “For You formed my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” So, who deserves the $500?

Rita Petersen

Spokane

Naming newest downtown arena

We should call the last three sports complexes money pit one, two and three. The cost to maintain the arenas, surrounding roads and parking fees will far exceed what they said originally but that’s the way the City Council operates.

Ron Shores

Spokane