Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Commissioners sell out

Do we wonder why today’s citizens are so distrustful of government? After all, our government is us, not the result of some nameless evil conspiracy by unnamed “thems.” Along comes a story which can make anyone cynical.

Spokane County Commissioners have fired three of the more honorable and hard-working public servants: Planning Director Wally Hubbard; and planners John Mercer and Steve Horobiowski. Their crime? Working fairly for the public good.

As citizens seeking answers regarding the development of our county, we have found these men and their department to be informative, fair and helpful.

The commissioners are turning things over to the builders and developers. The old question leaps to mind: Who will guard the guards themselves? The new guards, organized and well heeled, have vested interests in pushing their own projects at the expense of the citizenry, which is generally disorganized and scattered.

Researching the history of planning in Spokane, we have discovered decades of good ideas generated by public-spirited planners writing reasonable, economically sensible plans - which then fail for lack of political will to see them through.

Cynics, using this latest blow against the common citizen, will win their debates with the optimists. Honorable public servants are being sacrificed on the altar of short-term private profit.

The result? We will all be paying to fix problems caused by user-friendly rubber stamps who will approve developments that produce crowded streets, overtaxed water systems, increased pollution, tightly packed schools and underdeveloped park lands. Michael and Sharon Page Spokane

Builders shouldn’t control growth

This is in regard to the June 10 article about the county planners who were let go.

I have watched with great interest the last few years of growth in Spokane County. I’ve found that developers and builders are privileged people who have commissioners running interference for them.

Who is running interference for us, the citizens? I have become disillusioned because there is no one there for us.

I am not against development. I do believe that before a development goes in, sewers, schools and parks should be in place. Houses shouldn’t be built and then we figure out where all the rest should go.

Some accountability needs to be put in place, please. Pam Stanley Spokane

New planners fine lawsuit material

Included in the June 10 article about planners being terminated is an inset of “Planning Duties.” The growth management laws are spelled out. It states “The laws were written to rein in urban sprawls and protect prime agricultural farms from development.”

The men discharged represent 50 years of knowledge and experience in the planning field. They respected the law with integrity, honesty and with legality in their decisions. They were criticized and fired because they were too strict with developers.

Those responsible for the discharge lack the knowledge, by comparison, and evidently lack the abovementioned attributes, of the discharged men.

Developers will much appreciate these men who are taking over because in the article it states, “We’re going to base decisions on principals of management growth not growth management.”

Are these men not intelligent enough to realize that after growth is made, it is much too late to manage?

May their woes and lawsuits be many! They have it coming. Eileen England Spokane

Church group did not own assets

Recently, a priest and group from Spokane’s Holy Trinity Episcopal Church chose to leave the Episcopal Church and affiliate with the Antiochian Orthodox Church.

Three points in this matter may need clarification.

First, reporter William Miller’s statement that the group that left was “stripped of its century-old sanctuary” (S-R, June 8, 1995) suggests some confusion about how the Episcopal Church functions. The Episcopal Church is not a congregational church. It has strong and historic ties to a bishop and a diocese. While a parish is a separate corporation, property is not acquired, disposed of or encumbered without diocesan consent. In essence, a parish is entrusted by the diocese to use and care for the property in the best interest of the diocese.

A group within a parish, even a majority, does not simply vote to join another Christian body and take the parish assets with it.

Second, it was implied Holy Trinity was not a strong parish until Father Robert Creech’s tenure. It is true Father Creech arrived at a time when attendance and participation were waning. But there for many of Holy Trinity’s 100-plus years, it was a strong, healthy family community.

Finally, life continues at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. The worshiping community there is smaller, but has a regular worship schedule and has pledged to return the parish to its historically vital ministry. It does this with the prayerful support of the diocese, local Episcopal churches and many individuals. The Rev. Kristi M. Philip Spokane

Local drivers doing it wrong

I was wondering, does anyone in this city remember what a yellow traffic light means anymore? Obviously not!

The problem seems to be getting worse. Now it seems like running the yellow isn’t bad enough, several cars even go through the red at any given intersection around town. I’m fearful anymore of proceeding when the light does turn green.

Wake up, Spokane drivers! Green means go. Yellow does not mean go real fast. Red means stop now. Let’s not all wait until someone gets killed before we slow down.

I challenge all Spokane drivers to slow to a stop when approaching a yellow light. You might be surprised how much more enjoyable driving is when everyone is not racing through our city streets. Who knows, maybe it might help to slow down the hectic pace of our lives.

Where is everyone in such a hurry to get to anyway? Work? Please!

Why doesn’t Spokane’s finest address this critically dangerous trend? G.M. Dschaak Spokane

Service with a sneer too common

We are writing this letter to make mention of the poor service which Spokanites are forced to put up with.

We have patronized a variety of business establishments, to widen our search for good friendly service. Our conversations are like a recurring nightmare, something like this: “Gosh, doesn’t it seem like wherever we go the service is bad?” It’s as if all Spokane’s customer service workers wake up on the wrong side of the bed, each and every day.

This is not to say that good, friendly service is extinct in Spokane, but it is definitely on the endangered species list.

There was a time in Spokane’s recent history when the person behind the counter said, “Here you go, and have a nice day!(smiling)” Today, it’s more like, “Yeah…I’ll be there in a minute … can’t you see I’m on the phone!”

This is just an observation we would like to pass on to the owners of Spokane’s businesses. Mary Wagner and Dev Letendre Spokane

INCHELIUM TAVERN

Authority for action lacking

Your article “Inchelium’s only tavern is shut down” (May 31) by John Craig has caused me deep concern about the encroachment of state government into tribal reservations.

The article is a biased view of an event that probably would not have been considered newsworthy, except it happened in Indian country.

Where does Washington state derive its power to even license a tavern in Indian country? Does the state license Idaho’s liquor permits? Tribal sovereignty puts the Colville Confederated Tribe above the state and equal to, but not less than, the United States.

The encroachment of state civil law into the Colville Reservation started before the landmark 1980 case. But even in that decision, the extension of state jurisdiction is extremely limited. The thrust of the Colville Indian case was to reach non-Indians and non-Colville members, leaving the sanctity of the reservation preserved for tribal members.

States should stay the hell out of tribal business.

As to Craig’s article, I hope his journalistic approach to future events would include more fact finding. A lot of police arrived at the tavern very fast from great distances. My question is, “Who (or what block of voters) really wants the tavern closed?” Has Mr. Craig contacted tribal members for their concerns and views or is he getting hand-fed derogatory material, to ensure closure of the tavern? Does he know of a petition by the people of the tribe to keep this necessary gathering place open? Clifford J. Houlihan Inchelium, Wash.

Suspension misrepresented

I would like to make a little rebuttal to the headline, “Inchelium’s only tavern is shut down” (May 31). The Twin Lakes Tavern was not shut down! The operators’ liquor license was suspended. The operator had the option to stay open to sell food, play pool and sell pulltabs. This was not mentioned, I wonder why? Leona Seastrom Inchelium

HIGHER EDUCATION

First, deal with foolish spending

Sunday’s article, “EWU, WSU presidents live like kings,” presented the public with an interesting glimpse into the life of a university president. The story could have been titled “Dining for dollars.”

I don’t have a problem with university presidents entertaining potential donors and alumni in the search for more funds. However, since both universities are constantly whining about there lack of money, I think it’s imperative they use more discretion in their spending.

I don’s wish to sound too picky, but I think Mrs. Smith can pay for her own hot dog and beer at Nordstrom while hubby is across town attending a meeting.

Dr. Drummond pointed out that he spends up to 80 percent of his time seeking support, leaving 20 percent to manage the university. It shows. EWU recently purchased a table, costing $14,100. To admire the table, the university purchased 22 chairs costing $956 each, a grand total of $35,032. The purchase revealed not only a complete lack of sanity but the absence of any managerial control.

EWU’s faculty organization president, Jeff Corkill, upset that subscriptions at the library are being canceled while the administration continues to throw parties, said, “It’s galling to the faculty when the library has to be cut.”

Eastern could solve most of it’s financial problems if the faculty would get off its collective ego and do some work. Eastern is graduating almost 25 percent fewer students per full-time faculty member than either Central Washington University or Western Washington University. That is galling! Tom McArthur Spokane

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION

Group’s clout skews any tally

I thought your National Rifle Association article on Sunday (June 11) was fair.

I am responding because I want the word out that the responses you get from various sources favoring the NRA position don’t represent the majority opinion.

The NRA directs a block vote of its members, many of whom don’t believe the organization’s black-and-white view. They’re motivated, as a group, to vote one way. The NRA has so much control over members that their opinion distorts any kind of survey. The general public has no such motivation to express an opinion. Most people don’t have an organization telling them to vote a certain way or to express a certain belief.

Does limiting gun use by law to hunting or self-defense constitute a foot in the door to limiting all guns? Many things are limited by legislation. For example, political contributions. No one believes that they will be prohibited. I am in favor of limiting gun use. Bob Grant Spokane

Facts didn’t get in way of story

I am an active member of the National Rifle Association and find it odd, but consistent with your point of view, that The Spokesman-Review poll showing more than three-fourths of respondents supportive of the NRA, could generate an article that is more than threequarters against the NRA.

How important is the right to keep and bear arms? It was so important that the founding fathers made it the Second Amendment, knowing full well that an armed citizenry was the only way to ensure protection from an irresponsible government.

The NRA is fighting for a freedom guaranteed by our Constitution. It is the one freedom that ensures our government can’t take away any of our other freedoms. John Hader Mead

Danger is in potential, tendencies

I’m responding to Ted Shepherd’s comment in last Sunday’s story (“NRA sticks to its guns”) about how nobody is trying to take his single-shots, .22, bolt action .22 or pump action shotgun.

Obviously, this man has not been keeping up with what’s been going on. The government is not just trying to take away AK-47s or M-16 copies, it is also trying to include items such as semiautomatic shotguns and semiautomatic pistols. It seems anything semiautomatic is going to be targeted soon.

If you give the government an inch, it’s going to take a foot. We shouldn’t let it do that.

I’m with most people on outlawing AK-47s and similar items. I’m in favor of getting away from those guns. But once you let it do that, the government is going to come after the rest of the semiautos and anything similar.

Semiautomatic shotguns are widely used in sport shooting because of low report. It gives youngsters a chance to start a great sport. It gives low-profile women of slender build, who can’t handle the report of a pump or an over-and-under shotgun, a weapon they can use for sporting activities. Bob Kudamatsu Cheney

Group responsible overall

I read your article on the National Rifle Association (“NRA sticks to its guns,” June 11). While I thought it was biased against the NRA, I do give you credit for running the NRA’s mission as well.

I am a life member of the NRA and my dad was a member nearly all his life. I believe that the NRA goal of protecting our rights to own and legitimately use firearms is perfectly valid. I believe if it were not for the NRA, we would have lost those rights years ago.

The truth is, the government, in the form of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, has behaved badly in a number of instances in its zeal to enforce firearms laws. As far as the BATF is concerned, the NRA comments are not all that far off the mark.

It was bad luck for the NRA to make comments in close proximity to the explosion at the Oklahoma City Federal Building. It’s ironic that the Oklahoma incident had no connections to the NRA, or even to the illegal use or ownership of firearms.

Your polls said that the NRA seized on this emotionally charged event in an attempt to enhance its own political agenda. I suppose that any organization can have a few extremists in it’s ranks, but my experience is that NRA members are thoughtful, responsible citizens who are concerned about their rights. Bob Heimann Coeur d’Alene

RESCUE IN BOSNIA

O’Grady truly is a hero

Col. W. L. Brooks said in his June 14 letter that Capt. Scott O’Grady is no hero. Ironically, one of the few who would agree with him is O’Grady himself. He has already said he is no hero, that the real heroes are the men who rescued him.

The colonel seems to have little respect for anyone. He makes references such as “junior officer,” “buck sergeant” and O’Grady’s “screw-up.” He is still bitter that he received no recognition for being shot down three times in Vietnam.

We all know of many examples of people who were not credited for their bravery, in that war as well as in every other war. These are some of the continuing inequities of those conflicts - all the more reason to recognize O’Grady’s heroics.

Capt. O’Grady is a true hero. The media have it right this time and the country can’t get enough of him. He could have thrown up his arms and immediately surrendered. He might have ignored his training and been captured or killed.

No, Scott O’Grady is a true hero. He ultimately gives all the credit to God and none to himself.

Ronald D. Sanders Spokane

Consider the source of carping

Geez! Who befouled Col. W.L. Brook’s mess kit? If it’s true that he was shot down three times in Vietnam and he accuses Capt. Scott O’Grady of being a screw-up, Brooks must be a triple screw-up.

He certainly didn’t get shot down three times over North Vietnam. Few of us who flew 100-mission tours over the North were ever rescued once, let alone thrice. And the environment for USAF missions down South was so permissive that training losses exceeded combat losses. Guys did get shot off bar stools, however.

O’Grady isn’t claiming to be a hero. It takes a pretty small man to denigrate him for the events of the past week - not an attribute of the qualities that should be present in senior officers.

Apparently, nobody cared if Brooks really was shot down three times. I wouldn’t want my family to know I was so unskilled as to be two shoot-downs away from making “reverse ace,” either. Ron Strack Nine Mile Falls