10/05/08 Letters to the Editor

POSTED ON Saturday, October 04, 2008 AT 11:15PM

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Karen Troianello
Yakima Herald-Republic

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If the next meeting again proves to be unsatisfactory, will another verbal threat result in a re-reconvened meeting? The vacillating hearing examiner has found a convenient way to avoid making a decision that the taxpayers expect to be made. That is, to have the developer comply with the written applicable code requirements. Perhaps it would be helpful at the next meeting to have Mr. Cook of the city planning department explain his rationale for issuing a preliminary approval of the project knowing it seeks numerous variances.

MICHAEL GUNDERSON

Yakima

Help a child read

To the editor -- I was shocked and saddened to read in your Sept. 20 edition that three of our city's schools are failing. Several years ago (after retirement), I volunteered several afternoons each week in the reading program at Wide Hollow Elementary in Betty Fortin's third grade. Some students were reading first-grade readers, so I would take them individually to the hall where we would practice the assigned page.

Sometimes I would spend 15 minutes with the child, other times he or she would receive the whole hour. Reading is so important. The class had three computers and a test for each library book finished. How proud these children were when they finished the questions and could have a star after their name. When I would enter the classroom, the children would call out, "take me, take me, teacher." It was a challenge, and I loved those children and enjoyed seeing them progress. All of the teachers I met were doing a wonderful job. Science and math are important too, but reading is more important; without it, nothing else can be learned.

We have lots of retirees with time on their hands. What better way to spend some time. It is so enjoyable to see what you can achieve.

YVONNE DANIELS

Yakima

The truth about oil

To the editor -- Are we really "addicted to oil" and would it be bad if we were? I recommend citizens search the Internet for the book "The Energy Non-Crisis" by Lindsey Williams, a chaplain on the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline in the early 1970s. The information is disturbing. His most significant points are:

* There's as much oil in the area north of Brooks Range in Alaska as there is in Saudi Arabia. If the oil companies were allowed to tap those pools, the United States could be totally energy independent and could produce enough in exports to balance the federal debt.

* There's at least 200 years worth of natural gas in the Prudhoe Bay oil fields.

* The oil "shortages" in the 1970s were artificially produced. If the government can control energy, they then can control industry, every individual and all business. Oil is power. High fuel costs help localize populations and reduce their movement, i.e. control.

Our ever-growing government has every reason not to be honest about the real availability of oil. Scarcity serves their purposes.

Do the ultrarich in government really give a rip about the environment? Environmentalism is just a tool. Don't be fooled.

The truth is out there.

KEVIN KISSEL

Yakima

Police, judge do jobs

To the editor -- Re: The Sept. 20 article, "No deal, judge says -- 20 years for shooter," about a 2005 incident in which Jared Gollehon repeatedly shot at a Union Gap Police officer who was attempting to detain Gollehon. After being found guilty, Gollehon was seeking a plea deal for a less than minimum sentence, with the assistance of deputy prosecutor Duane Knittle and defense attorney Alex Hernandez. Judge Mike McCarthy denied the plea deal and imposed the 20-year minimum sentence.

Two heroes emerge from this story. The first, Officer Greg Cobb, who put his own life in danger by pursuing Gollehon when Gollehon fled from his order to stop and began shooting at him. Cobb did not return fire, because in the darkness he could not be sure of his bullets' destination. Cobb remained in the line of fire while calling for backup from other officers, who ultimately detained Gollehon.

The second hero is Judge McCarthy, who felt he could not grant the plea-deal sentence request from a career criminal.

I hope that those who are so persistent in criticizing and second-guessing our police officers and judges will stop to think about the life-endangering work that these fine men perform for us every day. They deserve our support.

CAROL ALEXANDER

Naches

Inappropriate slur

To the editor -- I was astonished to read the Sept. 11 article about Ron Gamache's use of the term, "jewed down." The Yakima Herald-Republic diplomatically referred to this as an "ethnic stereotype." It is also an offensive ethnic slur. The Urban Dictionary defines "jewed" (down): "to screw over or cheat someone." Webster's New World Dictionary, 1994 edition, references use of the term, as "vulgar and offensive usage, even when not consciously expressing an anti-Semitic attitude." Gamache's explanation that the use of the term referenced Jews' "supposed business savvy" suggests a limited world view and life experience. And, by excusing the language as "farm talk," I'm wondering what other pejorative remarks are in common use "down on the farm?"

Often with bigotry, the person using the slur cares or knows little about the target. Stereotypes are dangerous and divide us. They oversimplify human complexity and are a lazy substitute for knowledge of an individual or group of people. All of us, particularly public officials who purportedly represent us, can benefit from ongoing diversity training that builds a greater respect and value for the individual and his/her unique contribution to the world.

PEGGY LUDWICK

Yakima

Show a sense of humor

To the editor -- The Sept. 11 article about "ethnic stereotypes" and subsequent letter to this column entitled "Aroma of farm talk" (Letters, Sept. 25) got me thinking about other "ethnic stereotypes."

I'd imagine many of us have used the term "going Dutch" to lunch. Good thing the Dutch have a sense of humor about being called cheap. And using the term "paddy wagon" for a police car was originally a slam at the Irish as being public drunks.

Many of us have used the term "Welsh on a bet" (you thought it was "welch"?) And how many (Jews included) have played golf in a "Scotch Ball" format? Obviously implies that Scots are too cheap to play with the right number of golf balls.

I guess we're just lucky that the Dutch, Irish, Welsh and Scots have a good enough sense of humor not to have their own "anti-defamation league" for the Herald-Republic to call. Ditto for blondes.

NEAL R. COFFEY

Yakima

Needless loss of life

To the editor -- Re: The Sept. 10 article about the death of Gail Kindness at the Yakima County jail. I find it extremely difficult to justify incompetence and indifference, especially Department of Corrections Director Steve Robertson's perception as to what happened.

I believe this senseless death was a result of poorly trained and indifferent staff. It baffles me how officials can state all of the medical reasons that should have answered all of their questions about why they should have responded appropriately but instead he offers up lame excuses about why they didn't act. His logic in attempting to explain away this tragic loss of life as being not due to his neglect is unacceptable. He must not be allowed to dismiss this death as an accident.

The fact is, this was a human being and Robertson's staff showed very little, if any, compassion. Because of their incompetence and indifference, this person died in an institution where staff must have forgotten morals and ethics. Each of them must be held accountable for their lack of action, all excuses aside.

EARL S. LEE

Yakima

Less is Morrier

To the editor -- Re: The Sept. 21 article about Joe Morrier. The answer is simple, Joe Morrier is an opportunist. Why should he pay for something when the city will, for no valid reason and with no benefit to citizens? Of course he gets preferential treatment, anyone with half a brain knows that. Joe's cheerleaders --Dick Zais and Kathy Coffey -- do everything they can to deflect criticism and objections to his self-centered plans, thereby shielding him from being compelled to publicly justify his requests.

Joe also has "friends in high places" who serve to implicitly intimidate anyone in a position to oppose him. Joe "saved" the Yakima Mall by paying off approximately 10 cents on the dollar of an Small Business Administration loan, the rest of which was written off, and the mall died anyway.

Some clarifications here: SBA loans are funded by the taxpayers. The $3.56 million Housing and Urban Development loan to Joe was funded by taxpayers, and if he doesn't pay it back, we taxpayers get to pay a total of $7.12 million. And Mr. Mayor, it is not solely your downtown, it is our downtown.

I don't begrudge him his money, I begrudge him our money.

CANDIE TURNER

Yakima

Helpful assistance

To the editor -- On Sept. 20, our grandson was riding his motorcycle near Selah when he had a bad accident. A couple driving by on Speyers Road saw the accident and came to his aid.

They called 9-1-1 and stayed with him until the ambulance arrived. Our grandson and our entire family would like to say thank you so much for helping him. It's hard to express how much we appreciate their help.

Thankfully, he will recover. He will have one surgery, possibly more, to repair his left heel, which is broken in four places.

Again, my wife, Pat, and I thank the couple, and also our grandson's friends, so much.

PAUL ROGERS

Yakima

10/05/08 Letters to the Editor

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