To the editor -- Re: The April 30 letter from Jack Lines, who says he doesn't believe in prayer. I'll be praying for him.
AMY RASMUSSEN
Yakima
A hidden agenda?
To the editor -- According to the May 7 article, "Gregoire lends ear to Latinos," Gov. Chris Gregoire met with Yakima Valley Latino leaders the day before during a campaign tour for re-election.
She touted her work "helping the state's immigrant population" and said "she wanted to gain some feedback and learn from the values of community and their love for family." She also "criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement" by saying "If ICE is going to come in here and do their job, they've got to do it in a way that respects families, family values, compassionate."
The article said "A day before her meeting ... Gregoire's election campaign alerted Spanish-language media ... Her campaign office did not call the mainstream media."
This is the first time I have heard of a politician running for election who did not inform mainstream English-language media of a campaign stop. I wonder if the campaign stop was conducted solely in a language mainstream English-speaking media did not understand. If not, it appears as if the governor was sneaking into town -- I wonder why!
Vote wisely!
CHRIS CAVIEZEL
Easton
Endless money holes
To the editor -- The U.S. national debt has risen by $617 billion over the past 12 months, and we face imminent economic disaster. Two deviant rates of consumption are major causes of the malady: We spend ridiculous amounts on gasoline and health care.
Using figures from federal agencies and the World Health Organization, I find we spend 53 percent more per capita on health care than the second highest spending country on Earth, Switzerland. If we reduced our annual $7,026 cost per man, woman and child, to Switzerland's $4,592 per capita, we'd save $727 billion/year. If we reduced our expenditures to that of 13 competing industrialized countries, like Sweden, Denmark, Britain and Japan, at $2,927 per year, we'd save $1.225 trillion/year. We are no healthier than these nations' people.
Using information from Wikipedia and other sources, I find we drive more than any industrialized nation, and our cars average 17 mpg, the worst on Earth. If we increased mileage to 27 mpg, daily U.S. gasoline purchases would decrease by 160,000,000 gallons or 16,000 tanker trucks, saving $525 million/day we send to our friends, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Russia.
We need to fix these problems -- now. Alternatively, we can keep writing blank checks to the health care industry and for oil. We can borrow trillions from China and Europe and we can pray we keep our "friends."
JEFF LOUDON
Yakima
Poor incident handling
To the editor -- I am very disappointed with how the West Valley School District recently handled a gun incident at my child's school. Students were told and a letter was sent home to parents asking them to "help in controlling the rumor, gossip and innuendo that is often prevalent in a junior high school." It went on to say "much of the disruptions caused this week were the result of overblown rumor and student gossip." Really?
We later hear that police went to a student's house, found weapons, and the MySpace.com conversation containing explicit threats. A $100,000 bail after an arrest is hardly a rumor. A more appropriate letter would read: "I want to applaud all of the students who were brave enough to bring to our attention, and help prevent what could have been a horrible situation. You are always safe to tell your school official or parent if something concerns you."
Union Gap district is looking into a method for students to text school officials of potential threats while West Valley is telling their students to stop talking. I choose communication over silencing kids. A rumor is a small price to assure my child feels safe to talk! Way to go kids!
VIENNA HAMIL
Yakima
She's not qualified
To the editor -- I guess Jim Espinosa (Letters, May 5) is enamored with the Clinton name as many who are naive to the Clinton game of politics. Hillary, though a remarkable woman, flip-flops on all the issues; she even admitted at one point in the campaign that she panders to voters.
Mr. Espinosa fails to see that the only experience Clinton has as an elected official is senator of New York for eight years as a carpetbagger who was born in Illinois. First lady does not qualify her for experience as an elected official. It amazes me how many voters fall for her nonsense.
JIM PALOS
Yakima
There is no conflict
To the editor -- A letter-writer's May 3 criticism of a recent book on creation/evolution says it wants to escape the "troublesome concept of ... a Sovereign Creator." He references "Absolute Truth," implying life is either the work of one or the other.
There is an alternative. Consider the fact that objects are made of atoms. We don't argue objects vs. atoms because we know, at different levels of understanding, they are both, realized and source.
"Sovereign Creation" is at the source level, like atoms. The principle of evolution is at the realized level, like objects. It describes how created forms have altered through time. There's no more need to argue than atoms vs. objects.
Clay can be formed into objects. Are ceramics made of clay (source) or by an artist (realized)? Isn't it both? Which level are you understanding?
Creationism and evolution conflict only if we suppose there is but one level of understanding. This is like "atomists" denying existence of "objects" or geologists disputing existence of artists.
The numinous Creator sources existence and life. The manifest forms evolved and keep evolving. We are alive: growing and changing. There is no conflict, but there are different levels of understanding.
ANDREW D. WHITMONT
Yakima
Remember the law
To the editor -- May Day has been identified or designated as Immigration Rights Day in Yakima.
There is no question that the total number of all immigrants in this country include many who are here illegally.
However, for the rest of our nation, it is also Law Day.
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