Letters to the Editor Feb. 17, 2010
REBUTTAL: Don't belittle Benewah
First I would like to state that cross-deputization don't mean squat to me. I don't care one way or the other. That's not the issue I have with you, Ms. Wood and Sen. Jorgenson. The issue is that I am very offended by the comments you made about Benewah County.
Both of you made comments to the effect that Benewah County is a very unsafe place to live. You made statements that make Benewah County sound like a den of thieves with indiscriminate gang activities, and a safe haven for drug lords and child molesters. I have to agree we do get some of the runover from the Coeur d'Alene area of Kootenai County, but you don't see crosses burned in yards, swastikas painted on cars and buildings, you don't see drunken brawls with shootings on main avenues and I guarantee you drug traffic, violent crime, child molestation and murder is not anywhere near the proportion it is in your back yard!
I suggest that you take the time to look up the real stats and not rely on a very biased source. Then you might see where the crime center of North Idaho really is and redirect your focus to a real problem.
My opinion is you are trying to get the stigma off Kootenai County's back and are looking for a scapegoat. You are in an area that does not affect you in any way, shape or form, except perhaps for the perks you get from big money lobbyists.
It really upsets me that public servants would lower themselves to bottom feeders just to get publicity, promote their own agenda and cater to big money. I suggest you both read Matt. 7:3. This verse seemed to fit both of you very well.
HARRY J. GRUBHAM
St. Maries
CORRECTION
Due to a typing error, a statistic in Cecil Kelly's letter, published Sunday, was inadvertently changed. Mr. Kelly's original letter said 40,000 American businesses are going out of business each month. While typing the letter into the computer system, The Press editor wrote 40 million. He apologizes to Mr. Kelly and any astute readers who noticed the glaring error.
NATION: Fox, GOP, Big Business at fault
It was uplifting to read the item "Policies bring ironic justice" by Mr. Pappas. The title should have been something like "The Idiots Just Don't Get It."
Big Business IS running our government by financing the powers to be and influencing policy. To remove corporate regulations and instilling corporate interests by lobbying Congress and the Republican Party is allowing that agenda to be pillars of their party.
Those people who believe Big Business is the answer are ignorant of history - true American history, not what's being rewritten by FOX news. Remember "W" said, "I want to run the country as a company." Well, that sounds like he wanted to be dictator with the power of a CEO to hire and fire at will or to drive the country into a financial quagmire. Oh, he did.
Mr. Pappas stated that the Republican Party is a subsidiary of Big Business. I agree wholeheartedly and that Fox news, the drugster Limbaugh and the like are the purveyors of misinformation and half-truths as the fat mouthpieces of corporate interests that tell you how and what to think. It's marketing to the public.
All of what we hear from the "Just Say No Party" is rhetoric based on the defeat of the president and any Democratic issue even though it may have been first proposed by the "Grand Obstructionist Party" (GOP) like the Pay As You Go legislation by Sen. McCain to balance the budget and then not voting for it to gain the upper hand at the next elections by saying the Democrats failed on passing legislation. Or by defeating the president because he's half black or because Glen Beck still says the president wasn't born in the United States. Feeding the birthers.
We hear people say they don't want the government between them and their doctors, but they fail to recognize that a for-profit, mega-million dollar insurance company is already meddling in their personal medical matters. The Republicans yell they don't want socialized care. But they don't know what socialized care is. Socialized care would be the government owning and operating all hospitals and managing the caregivers. Come to think of it, there are hospitals owned and operated by for-profit corporations that restrict care depending on for-profit insurance company coverage. "Socialized-care-by-corporation."
We have fantastic socialized care through our Veterans Administration. The government funds the VA, the hospitals are government owned and controlled, and VA caregivers are employees of the VA. The VA performs a wonderful service for our vets, but remember, before Sept. 11, 2001, "W" was working on slashing away at the VA and veteran entitlements. Remember, after Sept. 11, 2001, socialized care was the best way for our Vets.
Those same people always give examples of government inefficiency and cite the United States Postal Service as their prime example. They don't understand that the post office is not funded by the government and relies on postage for operating costs. Not sure if it's still the policy, but it's mandated that all profits are rolled back to the Treasury. That is why the USPS can never show a profit but zeros out if they can.
As Americans, we need to be smarter than FOX News and even Sarah Palin. It's not hard.
MICHAEL MARTENS
Coeur d'Alene
RELIGION: Why Christianity is right
I have a few thoughts regarding Thom Pace's letter from Feb. 10. To answer your question, "why does one part overshadow another?" The answer is a long one and I sense you really are not interested. Allow me to remind you though, the Jews concentrate on the Old Testament but Christians enjoy both.
We see the Old Testament as a road map leading to Jesus by way of hundreds of fulfilled prophesies. God speaks to believers directly through his word. No other "religion" can make this claim and back it up with prophesy, archeology and secular history. It is also a book of God's grace, mercy and judgment. It explains how we and the universe came to be.
The Koran infallible? There is no comparison. The Muslim faith began at the end of a sword. Convert or die. If nothing else they are consistent. Their "book" says give the Jew or Christian one chance to convert; if they refuse then kill them. Hardly a religion of peace. The examples you gave of wars such as in Northern Ireland are an illustration of two groups not following Jesus' teaching. He did say to pray for your enemies, and he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword.
Regarding the Crusades you left out an important detail. At the time Muslims were spreading through Europe their "faith." They slaughtered many "infidels" and ultimately the Catholics rose up and fought back. It seems you are justifying their present day endless slaughter because "They're getting back at us for the Crusades." The bottom line is if a Christian murders someone he is not following "his" rule book. If a Muslim does the same, he is right in line with his religion's marching orders!
Mr. Pace I can counter each and every statement in your letter, but it may fall on deaf ears. I feel compelled to remind you that accusing "Man" of being arrogant for proclaiming the truth of the Bible is not really our fault. Jesus did say in JOHN 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life, NO ONE comes to the Father but by me."
Is your eternity worth gambling that the Bible and Jesus could be wrong?
MARTIN COON
Hayden Lake
SNAKES: Thanks for telling their side
I greatly thank The Press for publishing articles that show the other side of the Python Ban that will affect many reptile owners and taxpaying Americans. Keep up the good work and the unbiased journalism that is not always easy to find these days.
JAMES HOOTON
Owner, Geckophoria.com
EVENT: Thanks, we had a ball!
I had the pleasure, along with my wife and some friends of attending the Sweetheart Ball at the Greyhound Park Event Center on Saturday. What a wonderful evening! Music was provided by the always great Tuxedo Junction and we danced to great tunes from 7-10 p.m. It will definitely be on our regular February calendar in the future.
Kudos to the Post Falls Volunteer Committee for putting on such a great event for the seventh year. It was refreshing to see young people from about 10 to 80 enjoying themselves.
KENT SETTY
Coeur d'Alene
COMP PLAN: Wait for what, exactly?
When will the proposed county comprehensive plan be approved by the Board of County Commissioners? It has been nine months since the commissioners received the draft plan from the planning commission and held public hearings.
Now the commissioners are going through the draft word by word and not facing the plan's central issue: How to deal with development so it does not ruin Kootenai County. At the only deliberation held this month, they were squarely faced with a critical decision: What development densities should be allowed in rural areas?
Chairman Rick Currie said, "We'll deal with densities later." When?
The commissioners then returned to tinkering and wordsmithing. They can do better than this. As stated in the Kezziah Watkins report and public testimony before the planning commission, people want "the County to find a way to deal with growth that makes growth conform to the character of this community rather than the other way around." This message is clear.
It appears the commissioners are consciously putting off making critical decisions until after the spring primary elections so voters will not know what the commissioners intend to do. Not tackling important issues prior to the primaries is as bad as choosing the wrong development densities.
The deliberations have lasted too long and represent indecisive leadership. After nine months of deliberations, county citizens are entitled to know what direction the county will take. We need to protect rural communities from development sprawl. We need to preserve natural and scenic landscapes. We need to modernize the 37-year-old zoning ordinance.
The County Commissioners meet again on March 3. They need to show commitment to the people of Kootenai County through strong and progressive leadership.
WES HANSON
Coeur d'Alene
FINANCIAL CRISIS: Government is to blame
Listen: Do you know the guilty ones? The guilty ones of what? The financial crisis of course.
Actually you should not have any problem with that because of widespread information identifying those culprits. There is the family father who buys a bigger home than he can afford, the contemptible spender who overmaxes his credit cards, the greedy investor in mutual funds, the naive who believes in promises, the Greek government and so on.
Confused? Good, that is the idea. It will divert your attention from the real causes. A stealthy, ruthless ever-increasing motion to control the world through money.
If we forgo to identify the prime source of this endeavor, we will find a very willing partner: The U.S. government.
It has been several years since it became apparent that something was wrong with the financial system. It was a dilemma for the administration and they tried to squash it with a massive infusion of tax money. Unfortunately due to secrecy, cover name privacy, installed by the financial universe itself and including public money, substantial operations are shielded from scrutiny and control was and remains lost. There are still no serious efforts to establish oversight and without such financial transparency it is obvious all other attempts are naturally condemned to fail from the very beginning.
The present administration used this situation very cunningly to promise changes. Grievously, absolutely nothing has changed and many feel betrayed. Unless you think the diversion of more than $1 trillion into the pocket of the felonious ones is trivial, it must appear unreal that none of the oversight agencies has even been cited and none of the private companies has been accused of anything.
Official responses try to camouflage the enormity of the present situation as a minor dip in the road and attempt to demonstrate a fictitious normalcy.
Let's face it, our representatives as a group are sorry examples of monetary mercenaries. It must be clear to everybody that actual changes using present methods are non-existing. What does this mean? We are sliding inevitably into third world status. Possible solutions being ridiculed or silenced to death.
Fasten your seat belt.
GUNTER MILOW
Coeur d'Alene
Hear ye, hear ye!
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