Sunday letters

Thankful for assault weapon ban

I’d like to say how thankful I am for our governor’s recent actions on gun safety, especially in light of the daily deaths of children from gun violence. As a mom and grandma, I have watched our country become more dangerous because of easy access to guns. Some people in Congress say “it’s too early,” “don’t make this political” or “you just don’t like the Second Amendment.” It’s too late for families who are burying their children, Congress IS political and refuses to listen to the majority of Americans who want common sense gun legislation. The Second Amendment doesn’t give anyone the right to use their guns to threaten, intimidate or kill innocent children in schools, churches, malls or other public places. But that’s what’s happening, especially in states with lax gun laws. Kids deserve their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness without the fear of a shooter everywhere they go.

People say you can’t take my guns, but guns are taking away our kids! Other countries have done more and succeeded. We can’t save every child but shouldn’t we at least try?

Sandy Bareither

Spokane

Protect wolves, grizzlies in Idaho

I was reading about the push by Gov. Brad Little and the delegation from Idaho and how they are trying to get the grizzly bears in Idaho delisted, claiming they have the ability to manage them. “Manage them” in Idaho usually means getting rid of as many as possible just like they are doing to wolves.

Gov. Little and the state of Idaho are simply showing their bloodlust when it comes to wolves or grizzly bears. You can see how the state of Idaho “manages” delisted species, by aerial killing by the Wildlife Services and trapping, etc.

We need to get and keep wolves and grizzly bears protected and the main body they need protection from is Gov. Little and the bloodthirsty elected officials in Idaho.

Julian Matthews

Lapwai, Idaho

Don’t force freedoms

Some fellow Americans seem to have forgotten the freedoms all citizens have enjoyed for years: If you don’t want an abortion, you don’t have to have one; if you don’t want to marry someone of the same gender, you can choose to marry the opposite gender; if you don’t want to change your gender, you don’t have to; if you don’t want to go to a public library where there is a drag queen story hour, you and your children don’t have to go to the event; if you don’t want your children reading the truth about slavery, Indian massacres and LGBTQ+ people, you don’t have to provide those books for them; if you don’t like the curriculum in public schools, home-school your children; if you don’t believe that Jesus said, “Love your enemies,” you don’t have to.

Everyone should be allowed to live in freedom and not worry about being harassed, shot or killed. It is not necessary to force your “freedoms” on others.

Nancy Street

Cheney

Listen to differing ideas

In the article about “trans health care,” (May 22, Northwest) Dr. Neil Ragan, a family doctor from Pocatello, Idaho, sums up his attitude toward the Idaho legislature. Thus: “What we don’t need in the legislature, some of whom, honest to God, CRAWLED OUT FROM UNDER A ROCK LAST WEEK (emphasis mine), making medical decisions about things that they know absolutely nothing about.”

Dr. Ragan may be a college graduate, but he certainly never learned manners in his education! His attitude toward those he disagrees with (actually, those he considers beneath him) shows his arrogance. I, too, have an advanced degree and am a retired health care professional and I disagree with his presumption that his ideas about “trans health care” are the only correct ones. Moreover, I don’t call him a lesser being who crawled out from under a rock last week. He is after all, a fellow human, arrogant though he may be, who might be very well served to listen (I mean really listen) to those whose ideas differ from his.

Joan Oliver, retired RN, EdD

Deer Park

Vote for people who have hope

On May 23, The Spokesman-Review printed an interview with Andy Rathbun in regard to his campaign for City Council. The article states Rathbun as wanting Spokane to mirror his perception of Arizona and quotes him as saying, “Down in Arizona they don’t have crime. Everything is beautiful, there’s no trash, it’s like heaven on earth. Nobody panhandles because they don’t allow them.”

We lived in Phoenix and still spend part of winter there. Rathbun’s “perception” of Arizona is greatly skewed. I spent a lot of time in downtown Phoenix and the amount of unhoused makes Spokane look like it has no issue at all. Our Tucson relatives don’t go downtown because they feel unsafe.

We moved from Phoenix to southern California before coming home to Spokane. Our perception is that Spokane’s problems are no worse than anywhere else. If you never leave your suburb in Arizona or can afford Sedona, you might think “everything is beautiful” there. It’s not.

If you don’t believe me, believe the Department of Justice’s FBI statistics. In 2019, not only did Arizona have 10,000 more incidents of violent crime than Washington, but the rate per 100,000 inhabitants was double ours.

Please don’t vote for people who are scared. People who wake up in the morning afraid the world is going to hell. Vote for people who believe the kids are all right, that Spokane is already a great place and who have vision and hope for the future. Don’t vote for Andy Rathbun.

Kelly Kelly

Spokane

What’s important this Memorial Day

As we celebrate Memorial Day, let us remember why we have this holiday. It’s not about having a long weekend. And it’s not about barbecues, swilling beer and taking advantage of Memorial Day sales as stores take advantage of commercializing the weekend to their benefit. It’s a day to remember those who have died for our country.

As for me, I will remember my dad’s cousin, PFC Peter Korth, who was in the second wave at Omaha Beach in 1944, who was killed a month later in France and is buried at the National Cemetery at Normandy. And, I will remember Lieutenant Commander Thomas Ewing Crowley who was the Dental Officer on the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, who is entombed forever on his ship.

A few years ago, I was in Perth, Australia, on Anzac Day, which memorializes those Australian and New Zealand soldiers who fought in Tripoli in 1915. More than 8,000 soldiers were killed and 18,000 wounded. Stores are closed, there are no sales, parades are held in every community and memorials are held everywhere.

So, fly the flag and share some time with friends and family to share stories of your ancestors or friends who may have died protecting this great country.

Bernie Korth

Spokane