Wrong about abortion

Regarding two recent letters, how many times must I reiterate the opposition of the pro-life stance is pro-abortion (Nancy Clardy, Aug. 27)? A fetus is a child, not a choice, and a woman has no dominion over her body; nor do I have dominion over my body as a man. Yet, she says it is an honorable and noble endeavor to protect the life of every fetus, but believes a woman may have her child destroyed in her womb by abortion?

Also, Dorothy Carter’s Aug. 19 letter, “Contraception prevents abortion,” captures my thoughts. Contraception certainly doesn’t prevent abortion when such methods fail. Preventing and destroying life was never intended by God, who had in mind the continuance of the human race. The Catholic Church definitely will not encourage such a practice to stop another evil practice.

I have been a Catholic all of my life. And I invite Carter back to the church she has admired for years to obtain information on natural family planning and abstinence outside of marriage.

Patrick Kirlin

Spokane Valley

Pull plug on Avista

Upon opening my monthly Avista bill, I noticed a “notice of request for rate increase.” It appears that Avista wants an increase for electricity, gas and the basic hookup charges. I see that we are actually being charged twice for billing, meter-reading and service drops: once for electric and another basic for gas. I believe the same well-paid reader reads both meters when he walks by. The same well-paid biller prints the gas and electric bill on the same piece of paper.

This double charge is being increased from $6 to $10 per month, or $20 for both gas and electric. Added to the 6.3 percent general increase on electric rates and 6.9 percent increase on gas rates. This seems like an unwarranted attack on my family by an extremely greedy local company.

These continual requests will stop only when we as customers form our own public utility district. As a PUD, we can keep our same quality services and employees without the need of multimillionaire chief executive officers, assistants and shareholders. We as consumers have the right to gather signatures and bring this issue to the ballot.

Duane Statler

Spokane Valley

Install bus alarm

Regarding the tragic New York bus accident involving an emergency exit, a simple solution would be to have an alarm system that would go off with a loud noise whenever an emergency exit is tampered with. This would alert everyone in the vicinity that something is wrong.

Charles J. Johnson

Spokane