Letters for Dec. 6 2023

Empathy works both ways

I am writing in response to the Nov. 26 opinion piece by Cathy McMorris Rodgers. She asserts that this is a moment of strong moral clarity while unequivocally supporting the extensive death and destruction wrought by the Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza.

Data from the United Nations World Health Organization reveals that during the 51 days between Oct. 7 and Nov. 27, the Israeli Defense Forces killed 15,000 civilians in Gaza, including 6,150 children , which is 41% of civilian deaths in Gaza. For context, if the same proportions of the civilian population killed by the Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza were killed in the United States, the result is 2,261,715 civilians killed, of which 927,303 would be children.

Data from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency reveal that between Oct. 7 and Nov. 27, Israeli Defense Forces attacks have displaced 1,100,000 civilians in Gaza into U.N. refugee camps, which is 49% of the Gaza population. This proportion would be 165,859,099 people displaced if it occurred in the United States.

McMorris Rodgers states that “as a mom – and a human being” she feels the depths of Israelis’ despair. Where is her moral clarity and human empathy for the survivors of the civilians and children who were killed, and for those who are displaced in Gaza, by the Israeli Defense Forces?

Ed Byrnes

Greenacres

Political ads strayed from truth

I just reviewed the political ads run by the Spokane Good Government Alliance, which I found uniformly misleading, negative and not concerned with the truth. I would expect these ads from politicians, but not from a group of organizations that is purporting to promote good government. I am amazed.

I’m not sure where they are getting their advice about how to impact local governments, but their efforts are clearly not working. After spending $1.4 million in this election cycle, and millions in previous elections, I’m wondering what they think they must show for their efforts. I’m assuming that by and large these are result-oriented people. Did their efforts improve their relationships with elected officials?

My unsolicited advice is that they need to change the nature of their involvement. The definition of insanity is … well, you know the rest. Although the initial reception might be a little chilly, I’d recommend sitting down with those elected officials who they targeted with the misleading ads and look for some common ground.

Where I’m from, that’s what grown-ups do.

Joe King

Spokane

Debates guaranteed to disappoint

I watched the Ron DeSantis/Gavin Newsom debate. Despite whom you are for or against, all debates I’ve watched over the past two years are a huge disappointment.

I urge everyone to go to YouTube and watch a John F. Kennedy/Richard Nixon debate. Both candidates were respectful to each other. Neither candidate interrupted nor talked over the other when it was their turn to speak. Each candidate stuck to the allotted time for their response and each candidate answered the question that was asked.

In the future, all candidates should have their microphone turned off when it’s not their turn to speak. And all debates should have no audience present.

Barry Bauchwitz

Spokane Valley

Degree doesn’t make one an expert

I am finding this paper’s extensive coverage of the Liberty Lake community’s controversial opinions regarding what books should be made available in public and school libraries to be informative, and somewhat entertaining.

It would seem that about half of the residents are for more “authority” to decide by the City Council, while the others are solidly opposed to any such action. The council itself is, likewise, split over the matter.

In “Bid to give Liberty Lake City Council authority over library draws crowd” (Nov. 23), Liberty Lake resident Jackie Babin is quoted as saying, in regard to City Council members, “I will ask you, how many of you have a degree in library science? I do, and so does the library director.” Well, Goody! Goody!

Now we learn that having a “degree” in “library science” makes one an expert on matters of morality and “redeeming values”. I trust Babin will be so kind as to write a “letter to the editor” clearly informing us all as to exactly when mere “wholesome” smut becomes pornography. I suggest she begin with the book, “Gender Queer.”

On second thought, since this paper has published so extensively on this topic, and since letter writers are restricted to only 250 words, in the effort to be fair and balanced in this fine family paper, Babin should be invited to write an “opinion” so she could be more “clear” and precise for the sake of our children. They need to learn.

Ken Campbell

Deer Park