Letters for June 28, 2023

Calling for SHS resignations

I’m writing in response to Spokane Humane Society Board of Director Jeff Milligan’s letter on June 15, where he acknowledges the “many infrastructure pitfalls existing in our early 1970s shelter.” His conclusion is to remedy the situation by spending $200,000 to move seven executives closer to the bathrooms? All past administrations worked in the clinic building. Why is there an additional need now?

Perhaps because the current executive director has prioritized spending on administration over animal care. The direct result is that many dogs will continue to suffer in the current deteriorating kennels until a new shelter is operative in six or seven years. Influential office posturing may be the norm in the corporate sector, but in the animal welfare world, priority should be given to the animals. As to the claim that the Big Red Barn was not being used, management’s policy of access for volunteers was ridden with restrictions, requirements and roadblocks. They commandeered the building for storage, meetings and event preparation instead of opening access to volunteers and the dogs. SHS donors give to SHS because they believe their contributions will help the animals. It’s time for misplaced priorities and poor management decisions to be set straight. It’s time for the Board to step up and do the right thing. Resignations should be called for.

Deborah Walker

Spokane

Lobotomized anti-gun activists

I’m going to borrow a phrase from the late advice columnist Ann Landers (or was it “Dear Abby”?) and say that Elizabeth Cobbs (“GOP Theatrics,” June 11) is “full of condensed apple pie!”

Cobbs’ anti-gun rant is typical of letters that we’re seeing, almost daily, in The Spokesman-Review. They’re replete with hysteria, emotionalism, hyperbole and “statistics pulled from the sky.” Spokane’s anti-gun “we don’t have a clue what liberty is” crowd needs to cease fire.

Resorting to old sayings, again, let me say to Spokane’s misguided anti-gun fanatics: “I’ve got a Flash for you, Gordon.”

Until we start getting serious about violence, we’re going to continue to be awash in violence.

Passing repressive, draconian and ineffective gun laws – which are aimed, totally, at the law-abiding – and banning rifles that are used responsibly by millions – in defense of self and country – is not being serious about crime and violence. It assuages the subversive, Marxist-left anti-gun lobby, but nothing else.

Continuing the “borrowing,” I’ll use a classic from Nancy Reagan and say to President Joe Biden, Gov. Jay Inslee, the gun ban lobby and Spokane’s gun haters: Just say “no” to tyranny!

Curt Stone

Dayton

North Idaho representative should disavow Trump

Russ Fulcher, our congressman representing North Idaho, doesn’t respect the two major law enforcement agencies in this country – the Justice Department and the FBI (“After Trump’s indictment in classified documents case, Northwest Republicans reflect his hold on GOP base,” Spokesman-Review, June 18).

Donald Trump was charged by the Justice Department recently with removing and storing documents containing classified and sensitive information and refusing to return them, and then obstructing the government’s effort to get them back.

As a member of Idaho’s four-man (no women) Congressional delegation, none of whom has served in the military, Fulcher apparently has no idea how the release of this sensitive information could affect or harm our military forces at home and abroad.

It turns out one of our representatives even voted against a bill to expand VA health benefits and provide benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances.

Trump has endangered all our military forces by storing these files in bedrooms, bathrooms and closets and by showing some of them to unauthorized personnel.

Trump – “Cadet Bonespur” as some have named him because of his excuse for not serving in the military – is facing a trial and if convicted should do jail time. Our representatives who support him are facing re-elections of their own.

Jim Ramsey

Sandpoint