Letters for Tuesday, March 10

Rapaport should not be spreading hate at Comedy Club

I was disappointed to hear that Spokane Comedy Club is hosting Michael Rapaport, a man who openly celebrates Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people. I find this deeply unfunny.

Some of his worst offenses: (1) Well before the so-called “ceasefire” and after tens of thousands of Palestinians had been murdered, he posted a photo of Gaza as an “exclusive resort” for Americans and Israelis, thereby supporting the ethnic cleansing and colonization of Palestine. (2) There is a video of him celebrating Israel’s attacks on Lebanon that killed hundreds. (3) After more than 70,000 (on the low end) Palestinians have been murdered by the Israeli government, he has continued to avidly support this genocidal regime and dehumanize the Arab and Muslim community in his comedy routine. (4) He dressed up as the “Ministry of Gaza” in 2026, seemingly in an attempt to poke fun at Gaza’s Ministry of Health, which has been crucial to calculating the genocide’s death toll. I think this is supposed to be a joke given that he’s a “comedian,” but I couldn’t tell you what the joke is.

As a member of the Jewish community, I know that he does not speak for me. His hatred of other communities is disgusting and overtly racist.

I ask the Comedy Club to cancel his shows, and I urge others to email the club and do the same. It only worsens the hatred that other people feel toward Jews.

Abby Saks

Spokane

Sympathy in the wrong place

Bruce Springsteen wrote a song condemning immigration enforcement; local music educator Janice Mayfield wrote a choral composition comparing the plight of Anne Frank to current undocumented immigrants. This is, of course, an insult to the memory of the millions of Jews who were killed in World War II. The penalty for being in our country illegally is a plane ticket back to your home country, the penalty for being a Jew in Nazi Germany was the gas chamber.

The outrage and sympathies of many liberals are with those on the wrong side of the law. Many times, the action (or inaction) of liberal politicians and judges have resulted in the death of our own citizens.

Where is the choral composition for Laken Riley? Where is the Springsteen song for Iryna Zarutska? Where is the concert supporting the people killed by truck drivers with illegal licenses who can’t speak/read English?

Where are the people standing on the street corner holding signs of sympathy for all the victims of fentanyl, sex trafficking, and gangs that flooded into our country during the Biden years?

Is it hard to watch people being detained and deported on the news? Yes. But please spare some sympathy for those who have lost their lives due to open borders – maybe even write a song.

Paul Wesley Tapp

Spokane

Baumgartner supports local students, teachers

Congressman Michael Baumgartner is a great supporter of our local students and teachers – this is the second year he has provided a ticket to the president’s State of the Union address for a 5th District teacher nominated by their students. Regardless of political affiliation, this is an important part of our nation’s government and democracy, and a wonderful effort to promote civics. He often takes time to visit classrooms all across Eastern Washington and is always respectful, thoughtful and positive in his communications.

Our congressman supports a strong public education that is free from political influence. But he realizes that students learn in different ways and that is why he also supports private schools and homeschooling. Parental choice in education helps parents choose the best system for their children. His mother undoubtedly influenced his views on education, having committed 43 years as a talented and compassionate kindergarten teacher in Eastern Washington public schools.

He also realizes that rural schools often face funding challenges that urban schools do not. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act, which not only extends funding for rural schools, roads, and infrastructure, but it includes retroactive payments for previous lapses in funding. This strongly bipartisan bill is an example of what can be accomplished when Republicans and Democrats work together. I appreciate Congressman Baumgartner because I know he is always willing to meet with those with opposing views to find solutions that further help our country.

Bill Conley

Spokane

Where is the fraud?

On Thursday, I received a fundraising email from my representative in Congress, Michael Baumgartner, asking me to “Donate $50 to secure our elections.” In the message, he wrote that “the radical Left is perfectly fine with broken systems and rampant fraud as long as it keeps them in power.”

Baumgartner’s message promoted the SAVE America Act, the bill he voted for that would effectively eliminate Washington’s mail-in voter registration system and require voters to present documentary proof of citizenship and identification. Public records show that voter fraud here is a myth. Between 2000 and 2024, about 36.8 million ballots were cast in federal elections in Washington state. During that same period, only three individuals were prosecuted for illegally casting ballots in federal elections. That works out to roughly one confirmed illegal vote for every 12 million ballots cast.

Yet Baumgartner’s fundraising appeal describes election fraud as a serious and ongoing threat and urges supporters to donate money to his campaign to combat it.

When the documented incidence of illegal voting is inconsequential compared with the total number of ballots cast, and an elected official is raising money on a manufactured issue, voters might reasonably ask where the real fraud is occurring.

Grant Fredericks

Spokane Valley

Baumgartner’s cowardice not what they voted for

Just as many November 2024 general election President Trump voters express that Trump’s cruel, lawless, racist tyranny is “not what I voted for,” the same is likely true of many voting for Michael Baumgartner as our 5th Congressional District representative.

Watching Baumgartner suck up to Trump lapdog Attorney General Pam Bondi during her histrionic, unhinged performance at congressional hearings on opening the Jeffrey Epstein files was nauseating.

Then Baumgartner, always lapdog to House Speaker Mike Johnson, in turn always lapdog to Trump (hence Baumgartner always lapdog to Trump), voted against a House resolution to overturn Trump’s tariffs on goods from Canada that passed the House with six Republican votes – notably one from neighbor Dan Newhouse, Washington’s 4th Congressional District representative, who finally stood against Trump. That ended Newhouse’s five-year period as generally Trump’s lapdog following Newhouse’s exceptionally courageous vote to impeach Trump for the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.

Of course, Newhouse’s current “courage” is made much easier by not seeking re-election.

Baumgartner sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Subcommittee with direct jurisdiction over Iran. He frequently describes himself as “an Article 1 guy,” Congress’ constitutional authority in declaring war. Yet like most congressional Republicans, Baumgartner is fully complicit with Trump sidelining Congress, both in the current Iran war and earlier June strike against its nuclear facilities.

After moving to Spokane in 2013, I quickly recognized Baumgartner’s reputation for excessive self-promotion, but only following his 2024 election that he’s a coward and MAGA cult member.

Norm Luther

Spokane

Give wolves a fair chance too

After reading “Hunting tech rules to be vetted by Idaho Legislature” (Feb. 19), I appreciate the fact that use of advanced technology is limited to give hunted animals a reasonable chance to escape while being pursued.

However, the carve -out for wolf hunting omits rules, restrictions or changes on the use of barbaric traps.

Please do not deprive and violate wolves’ fair chance as well.

Cecilia Nolthenius

Coeur d’Alene

State income tax unconstitutional

Gov. Bob Ferguson says the Washington state millionaire sales tax will help this state! He says it will help low families struggling with food, he’s also throwing in a tax holiday? Whatever that looks like. Maybe he’s blind to the fact that all people in Washington (not just people with kids) are struggling with food, rent, property taxes, etc.

Where is all the tax money from gas, bag taxes, extra car tab taxes, etc.? Where is all the lotto money, marijuana tax and alcohol tax? Not to mention the carbon tax! This income tax is against the constitution of our state. Marcus Riccelli and April Berg need to be voted out of office. They will be taxing you next, this will not stop at millionaires! We are being lied to period, and obviously our elected officials don’t care about the everyday struggles taxpayers are going through. Think next time you vote!

Laurie Worden

Spokane