Letters for Nov. 8, 2023
Studded tires wreaking havoc
On Oct. 30, there was an article on the front page of The Spokesman-Review about the city of Spokane Valley trying to come up with a creative way to raise money for the repair and maintenance of their streets. This is another example of a government body trying to fight a losing battle against studded tires in the damage war on our city streets, highways and bridge decks. There’s not enough money in any government street budget to keep up with the maintenance and repair against the damage that studded tires inflict on our roads. If the city of Spokane Valley would take a small portion of their effort in this battle and use it to encourage the state Legislature to ban the use of studded tires, maybe the Legislature would consider it and in time we would have a much smoother and much quieter driving experience.
Bob Hopkins
Liberty Lake
Tricks without treats
Serious forces seeking the destruction of all that is “Western” are afoot.
Ironically, under the banner of “progressivism,” the liberal tradition is being dismantled. Institutions founded to promote unfettered inquiry now tolerate intolerance. “Moral relativism” and “contextualization” are invoked to excuse a gruesomeness beyond the pale. Intersectionality unites causes whose acolytes would pitch their allies-of-the-convenient moment off three-story roofs without an inkling of introspection should the opportunity present.
Those who shake their heads, wring their hands and tut-tut those “crazy kids” won’t seem to believe that “Never again” was, and still is, just another empty slogan, and “It can’t happen here” belies the passing parade.
So, laugh it off or stay silently cowed. Rationalization is not necessarily a beautiful thing. Don’t call out or confront evil. Go along to get along, but for goodness’ sake stop scratching your heads trying to figure out the mentality that reduced survival to scavenging through the ruins of 1946 Berlin.
William Baxley
Spokane
Terrorism in Gaza
Because I oppose terrorism, I implore Israel to stop the siege of Gaza immediately and ask my fellow citizens to stand up and join me in opposing allocation of additional military assistance to Israel until they release the hostages. “What hostages?” you may ask.
In retaliation for Hamas’ vicious, unconscionable invasion and slaughter of innocent Israelis, Israel has taken the entire population of Gaza, 2 million people hostage. Gazans are now trapped without enough food, water or electricity and subjected to constant terror knowing bombs may level the building in which they live at any moment. Dozens of innocent children are systematically killed every day as collateral damage of bombs targeting Hamas. 3,000 children have been “accidentally” killed by Israel to date. Israel has not articulated how or when this intolerable display of vengeance will end.
Prime Minister Netanyahu dismissed a ceasefire with Hamas claiming it would amount to surrender. While Hamas must be severely punished (if not eliminated), the aggression in Gaza is most certainly not war – it is clearly mass torture and terrorism inflicted primarily on innocent civilians. Calling out this terrorism doesn’t make me anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, or pro-Hamas. I don’t condone what Hamas has done or what they stand for. But Israel’s response is completely unethical and unacceptable. Please join me in contacting your legislators to ask them to deny additional military aid to Israel if the siege continues. The United States should have no part holding entire populations hostage.
Alan Binnie
Deer Park
Win for Shawn Fain and UAW
I just want to say that we need more heroes like Shawn Fain. He courageously led his union members in a revolt against corporate greed and won! Certainly they did not get everything they asked for but everyone knows you always ask for more than you want. And what they did get … what a great victory! Now it’s our turn. We know the “Big Three” will increase prices on new vehicles in order to make up for being forced to do the right thing for their workers. As consumers, we can refuse to pay those prices. Buy used. Make them start listening to everybody. Only then can we destroy the hold the big corporations have on America. Let the Big Three automakers be the first domino to fall.
Jenny Payne
Spokane