Letters for Aug. 27, 2023

Love like Jesus loved

I read about bigotry and hatred espoused by people who claim to be followers of Jesus. Thinking about the religion that Jesus learned as a boy in Nazareth versus the religion about Jesus that later developed in Christianity, I find a great discrepancy between his growing up religion and some today who claim to follow him.

Jesus was a devout Jew. When asked about the greatest of the law, he quoted from Deuteronomy, “Love the Lord thy God, with all your heart and soul, and might,” and from Leviticus, “Love thy neighbor as thy self.” He demonstrated this in the story of the good Samaritan, and of the Samaritan woman at the well. Such women were held in disrespect by many Jews, but Jesus drank water from the well with her and talked with her, while his amazed disciples observed.

When challenged about his statement of his relationship with God, he quoted Psalm 82. “You are gods – all of you.”

The Christianity that I have known has attempted to embody the love that Jesus manifested.

How different it would be if those Christians today who espouse hate and who are bigoted toward other ethnic groups, immigrants, people of different sexual preference or gender identity, would become followers of that Jesus – that devout Jewish man.

Robert P. Crosby

United Methodist clergyman

Spokane

Offended by city leaders’ excuses

I am not surprised at all that Nadine and Earl would end up on stage with a man who says that my husband and I, and all the people who support us, should be killed. Matt Shea is the Spokane GOP. I know that these races are “nonpartisan” but we all know who is running on what side. The part that is just ridiculous is that two grown women are running for office and telling us that they didn’t know where they were going or who was going to be there. It is offensive to the intelligence of the people of the city of Spokane. You should drop out of the race now.

Harry Crase

Spokane

Mayor’s location

Let us bow our heads in prayer for Mayor Nadine Woodward, who doesn’t seem to know where she is or why she is there.

Elin Zander

Valleyford

WSU’s excellence in trouble

Washington State University is of paramount importance to Washington’s civic, intellectual, agricultural and economic well-being by producing a literate public, civic leadership, and many economic spin-off endeavors, e.g., Cougar Gold. Yet, WSU’s senior administration has failed to nurture these values; our research rankings have plummeted, as has our student enrollment and many WSU academic departments lack sufficient faculty.

WSU’s state charter clearly articulates our missions; education, research and service, and our faculty have honorably fulfilled these functions for years. However, WSU’s charter says nothing about using state monies to provide entertainment. Yet, the athletic program has been allowed to run up a staggering debt (over $100 million) which will greatly increase this academic year due to Pac-12’s demise and the administration’s insistence on spending “like a Power 5 conference.” The AP is shamefully living beyond its financial means; tax money has been diverted from academics to the AP and this year we are facing even more money transfers from academics to the AP!

Most of the huge athletics debt stems from football. Football causes neuro-degenerative diseases in football-playing students, e.g., chronic traumatic encephalopathy and Parkinsonism, and permanent joint damage; the students are paid nothing for these life-long disabilities. This moral debacle compromises WSU’s faculty. Yet, the administration and the AP continue to knowingly cause brain damage to our students. This is in opposition to our charter calling us to improve student brains. WSU has lost its way. WSU requires administrative change and bold action.

James Martin Krueger, PhD, MDHC

Spokane

Republican will vote Democrat

From 1968 to 2012 (44 years), I voted a straight Republican ticket. I lived in New York City, for six years and there was no way I would ever vote for Donald Trump. He was the same then as he is now. Since 2012, I have voted Libertarian but will now change.

I believe there is a large difference between many good – but silent – Republicans and the MAGA Republicans (Trumpers). Many MAGA Republicans are white Christian nationalists, poorly educated, neo-fascist, and more concerned for their own selfish interests and delusional beliefs than they are for the nation. Their ideas are based on lies and superstitions. The Republican Party is now a cult, led by a narcissistic, psychopathic, pathological liar in Trump.

I read where our Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers said that Jan. 6 was “Un-American.” I have been critical of her steadfast support of Trump, but maybe she has found her voice and will go from a follower to a leader to try and save the Republican Party. The great Edmund Burke said, “For evil to triumph, it only requires good people to remain silent.” I will vote Democrat in 2024, not because I want to, but because it is best for the country.

Marcus Lehmann

Spokane

An idea for fighting wildfires

If I were king for a day, I would require new building construction, where possible, to have a PVC or braided water line going to the peak of home (and business) roofs. On the peak would be a commercial sprinkler, like the ones that you see in parks and playgrounds. These sprinklers cast water up to 60 feet (120 feet diameter). Mounted on roofs and major outbuildings, these would help reduce, if not eliminate, the loss of property to fire.

I’ve often wondered if a “closed collection system” couldn’t be created to recycle water that falls on roofs; channeled through gutters back to a central cistern for reuse by the sprinkler.

Just as insurance companies reduce premium rates for safe drivers; they could also reduce home insurance rates for those homeowners who install such fire control measures. The water pipe could have a valve at ground level to drain water out, so the pipe isn’t damaged due to cold winter temps.

Larry Treffry

Spokane

Where is America?

There is a quote from John F. Kennedy from 1963 in Ireland on his only visit to that country as president: “I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute,” he said, a notion “where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials.”

Where are we as a nation today when we as citizens can’t find the will to live up to these words?

It seems the more corrupt our officials are, they think they can control our lives and our futures.

We owe our future generations more than this.

Mike Hivily

Spokane

You lied! So what?

Wow … So, now we’re hearing from lawyers and learning that – apparently – lying is “protected speech” under the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States! Isn’t it amazing how the laws of man are constantly twisted, bent and broken in order to convince us that “I didn’t do anything wrong”? Really?

There is another set of laws – just 10 of them – that we’ve all heard about, but most have forgotten or simply want to ignore. One is “Thou shalt not bear false witness …” and that judge is less forgiving.

Doug Kaer

Spokane