Letters for Oct. 28, 2024

Read initiatives, make up your mind

I see on every TV channel, streaming channels, running 24/7 and mail-out ads an appeal to vote “no” on all four initiatives in Washington . Whoa, I start to think, what deep pockets can afford to pay this monstrous bill to run all these ads? What are they trying to hide? Please read the initiatives in the voter pamphlets and make up your own mind.

James Fry

Pullman

Christ celebrated differences

Once again, Spokane’s Catholic Bishop Thomas Daly has demonstrated a flawed understanding of the essential message of the Christian Gospels and has chosen to ignore and even abuse the needs of his “flock” to instead promote the flawed mandates of the American Conference of Catholic Bishops (“Local bishop says hospitals ‘violating’ their mission,” Oct. 22). By condemning Catholic hospitals for providing gender-affirming care to all patients, Daly again shows a sad lack of compassion and understanding of the genuine needs of his constituents and the essence of Christ’s message to the world.

As a practicing Catholic, I am offended by Daly’s insistence that a group of clerics’ antiquated interpretations of God’s will is superior to contemporary medical and biological evidence that gender is not necessarily assigned at conception. Talking with and listening to medical and genetic science experts and others actually familiar with the issues surrounding identity would serve all better than attempting to intimidate those who provide necessary medical, emotional and even spiritual care to those who are struggling with identity.

Daly’s position is not Christian. It is hypocritical, exactly the kind of thinking Christ rejected in his time on earth. Christ accepted and even celebrated differences and had love and compassion especially for those ostracized by the church leaders of his day. If Daly and other American bishops would emulate the spirit of Christ’s teachings and not slavishly devote themselves to the letter of Catholic theology perhaps Catholic churches might fill up again, but, sadly, that’s not likely.

Steve Blewett

Spokane

Upthegrove is easy choice

Dave Upthegrove is a former Washington Conservation Voters “Legislator of the Year.” He understands how to accomplish legislation by leading allies to produce effective legislation. Using common sense, he knows we can provide jobs and protect our valuable legacy forests, still providing clean water and clean air.

Upthegrove is supported by Washington State Council of Firefighters, Washington State Education Association, Washington State Labor Council and the Sierra Club. His knowledge, experience, leadership and track record show he is committed to protecting our public economic interests while also protecting the environment.

The League of Conservation Voters rates his opponent giving a 14% lifetime voting record while in Congress. Voting against environmental protections while supporting industry demands appears to be her default position. She has the support of the timber industry for this election.

She may have spent too much time in the “other” Washington. When the choice becomes “profits over people and environment,” we lose. This is never a good sign.

We can provide jobs, create recreational opportunities, and protect the environment as his record shows. He knows we can do both. Upthegrove is an easy choice for the Commissioner of Public Lands.

William Burns

Tacoma

It’s not easy being mayor

Born and raised in Spokane, I have seen the increase in homelessness (or should I say laziness) in the population. And what is being done to lessen the problem? We tried the “camp” and that did not work. We tried to offer help to those that needed it, and they refused to follow the rules in shelters provided for them necessary to improve their lives. What’s next? Who knows? But I do know friends and family are steering clear of our city just to avoid confrontations. We, as law-abiding citizens, have earned the right to enjoy every day without worrying about being accosted in every parking lot, every county or city park, or even crossing the street. But the problems just seem to continue with no result.

It’s not easy being mayor, Lisa Brown, but it has to start with you. You can’t just wish it away – hoping things will improve. What’s the solution? I hope you find it and make it work for all. We need our once beautiful city back.

Sharon Ohland

Spokane Valley

French kept contamination secret

Commissioner Al French, who sat on Spokane International Airport’s (SIA) Board in 2017, should have made sure his West Plains constituents knew of the PFAS contamination in their wells. As shown by emails disclosed by French himself to this newspaper, the SIA discovered that three of four of SIA’s wells were contaminated and disclosed this information to KREM reporter Whitney Ward in 2017. The fact that KREM did not report on this contamination (for unknown reasons) does not excuse French of the legal and moral duty he owed to his constituents to notify them of their severe health risks should they continue to drink their well water.

The fact that French is now hiding behind the legal advice of one attorney, to keep executive session discussions confidential at the expense of the health and safety of his constituents, is egregious. There is no indication that he sought a second opinion from any other experienced attorney well versed in municipal law. He clearly had a conflict of interest. He wanted to shield the airport from liability and increase the tax base by protecting potential commercial development, but he owed a higher duty to his constituents. Quite simply, French took the advice of one counsel so he could keep the contamination a secret, deceiving those drinking the water of their imminent danger. French continues to put business profits over his constituents’ health.

We have a chance to vote him out Nov. 5. Let’s do it.

Mary Ellen Gaffney-Brown

Spokane

Don’t be bullied into submission; vote ‘yes’

You’ve seen the ads with kindly Bill Nye, the Science Guy, telling you to vote “no” on 2117. He warns against being manipulated by megamillionaires. Then the fine print says the ad was paid for by Steve Ballmer, Bill Gates and Microsoft. So some of the richest people and companies on the planet are better than megamillionaires? The lack of honesty and integrity is staggering. Bill Nye must be the “hypocrisy guy.”

As parent of a child with asthma, I researched 2117. All the benefits they are listing by rejecting 2117 are the result of high taxes and nothing more. Parks, roads and everything else listed in the ads is money the legislature can allocate as they choose.

Gates and Ballmer have their private jets, but they assuage guilt by backing a carbon tax that hits the middle- and lower-income citizens the most. They want working people to pay for roads, for parks, for all the benefits government can provide while Tesla and electric vehicles of the elites get a free ride.

I started looking at 2117 to protect my asthmatic child and myself, I now know that we must pass I-2117 and not let the megabillionaires bully us into submission.

Norman Lewis Judd

Spokane