Online only letters

State spending

Every Baird, Dicks and Murray

Editor, The Times:

Columnist Jerry Large has cemented his liberal position by saying he had only a "twinge of disappointment" ["This pork is tough to stomach," Times, Local News, Oct. 18] when he learned that Washington Democratic Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and Reps. Brian Baird, D-Vancouver, and Norm Dicks, D-Bremerton, authorized $4.5 million to support an Edmonds firm to produce a boat that the Navy didn't want or need.

Never mind that the firm had made political contributions to each of their reelection campaigns. The Navy did not need the boat and certainly did not need three more. Large's position is that since everyone else in Washington, D.C., is doing it, it's OK for our elected officials to play the same game.

I wonder what his opinion would have been had a conservative Republican had been exposed in similar circumstances. He is most critical of the "bridge to nowhere" but not to the "boat that nobody wants"!

— Jack Green, Federal Way

The great auditor

So I see one of the audits our state Legislature requested was released ["State audit proposes adding tolls, lanes," Local News, Oct. 11].

Seems like our officials spent $1.7 million to have someone — a group from Portland, no less — tell them our traffic is messed up. We need to add more lanes and tolls, plus 18 or so other recommendations.

Whoever thought up the idea of spending that kind of money to have some well-meaning group tell us that our traffic needs fixing should have their heads examined! You don't have to live here for 56 years like I have to know that it needs fixing.

Why not ask the people who actually drive on the roads around here what they think should be done? Who is better to ask? The Times could post a survey or questionnaire and let the people have their say.

I hope the next time our Legislature wants an audit performed the officials give me a call. I could have saved the state many, many dollars on this traffic audit.

For that kind of money, I could have purchased a Prius and driven to every house in Seattle, asking the residents how they'd fix our traffic. Maybe next time.

— Steve Drake, Seattle

November affair

Hey, Mr. Robinson

As Redmond's most critical election in 16 years approaches, I am endorsing Redmond City Councilmember Jim Robinson to be our next mayor.

I serve with both candidates on the City Council and Robinson is my choice. His integrity and depth of educational, financial and civic experience are unmatched. Robinson is a creative problem-solver whose 16 years on the City Council will serve Redmond well.

More importantly, Robinson values Redmond as a great hometown. He understands our values, not just the value of our land to those who wish to develop here. Robinson knows that throwing open the doors to the permit center is not the way to grow a quality community. It takes careful planning.

Redmond public safety is strained by the thousands of people who are employed here daily. Robinson believes the residents shouldn't shoulder that alone — the business community should pay its fair share. Opponent John Marchione led the council to raise your property taxes instead. Maybe that's why Robinson is also the choice of the Redmond Police Association.

The Sierra Club, Cascade Bicycle Club, Washington Conservation Voters have endorsed Robinson; they know he will be the best steward of our quality of life. That's very important to me as someone who calls Redmond home.

— Kimberly Allen, Redmond

We're through

First we get Idaho Sen. Larry Craig's "broad stance" and now we get King County Councilwoman Jane Hague's "broad interpretation" of almost having a college degree. One hid out until he got "exposed"; come to think of it, so did the other. Crafty they both are, yes!

Embellishment, interpretation and description take on a whole new meaning when defined by the actions of these two. We don't need public servants like these; they need to go away.

They also need to stand up to the truth!

— Wayne Gomes, Seattle

A shot in the dark

Blind stupid

A 13-year-old boy is shot ["Seattle police name officer who shot boy," Local News, Oct. 17]. Outside. In the middle of the night. And folks are calling in the race factor? How about calling in the "stupid" factor?

What in the world was the boy doing out there in the middle of the night? Per one report, when asked if he had any weapons, the boy lifts up his shirt and goes for his waistband. And according to another report, he is agitated, upset, and doesn't follow the officer's directions. There are always two sides to every story, but so far, from what I have read, the facts are not in this teenager's favor.

If his family and friends are looking for the "wow, that's really sad," they aren't going to get it from me. The police have to make split-second decisions; it's either the alleged perpetrator, or the officer.

And what if the police officer had been any race but Caucasian? Would you have called in the race factor or not? Methinks not. That child is lucky he wasn't killed, and had he been, I would have said "that's very, very sad." But I would have also said "he was very, very stupid."

I would have expected no less from a police officer if the teenager had been white, black or purple.

— Karen Kilian, Seattle

The second "A" in NAACP

Good grief! Is the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) kidding me? Where were this child's parents or guardians? Why were any of these kids out at this hour doing what they admitted to doing? Where is their own personal responsibility for putting themselves into this situation?

It's not as if they were leaving a late-night church service or concert. The officer acted appropriately toward kids who were acting suspiciously and have admitted to questionable behavior at 3 a.m. The NAACP needs to redirect itself in this case and educate these two juveniles on how to achieve the second "A" in the organization's name. I don't think late-night tagging or untagging is the means used by most successful individuals.

Take some personal responsibility, will ya?

— Carl Wilson, Seattle

National matters

Oh, Boy!

Someone in Philadelphia might think that charging the Boy Scouts an extra $200,000 for the use of public buildings ["Boy Scouts' rent boosted by $199,999 a year," News, Oct. 19] would sanction the national nonprofit into reconsidering its policy banning participation by open homosexuals, but those in the know know better.

In many Boy Scout councils, especially in the West, the majority of troops are sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). This church teaches that homosexuality is an unacceptable perversion — not a lifestyle choice for those who feel inclined to same-gender relations — and has supported "protection of marriage" nationwide.

Besides the influence of church leaders in the Boy Scouts of America National Council, the Scouts receive millions from LDS fundraisers and fees from LDS-sponsored troops. No doubt the Boy Scouts' reliance on these funds overshadows a rent raise in Philly.

Philadelphia officials may hope to send the Cradle of Liberty Council looking for cheaper rent, but that would require finding headquarters at less-than-fair-market value.

The question of the LDS Church's rights in this case isn't worth challenging. Loss of church support could cripple the Boy Scouts, making rent in Philadelphia irrelevant.

— Jason Dayley, Bremerton

Flip it over

I am constantly struck by the irony and self-projection involved in so much of what comes out of President George Bush and his administration.

It seems, if you want to know what they are doing, you have to take what they say and reverse the meaning; to understand the state of our nation under their leadership, you must take their criticism of other countries and project it upon yourself.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's recent criticisms of Russia under the leadership of Putin were a classic example. ["Time for Bush to look again in Putin's eyes?," News, Oct. 14.]

The article states: "Rice warned that the Kremlin under Putin has amassed so much central authority that the power-grab may undermine the government's commitment to democracy. 'In any country, if you don't have countervailing institutions, the power of any one president is problematic for democratic development,' Rice told reporters...

"The U.S. State Department's most recent human-rights report on Russia notes continuing centralization of power in the Kremlin, a compliant legislature, political pressure on the judiciary, intolerance of ethnic minorities, corruption and selectivity in enforcement of the law, and media restrictions and self-censorship."

Sound familiar?

— Dick Schwartz, Bellevue

O brother, where art thou?

Regarding "Obama and Cheney are distant cousins" [News, Oct. 17]: Hasn't Vice President Dick Cheney suffered enough?

First, we learn that he has a lesbian daughter despite his adamant objection to homosexual lifestyle. Then, those ungrateful Iraqis failed to embrace their American liberators as instructed.

Later, Cheney endured immense hardship when his friend instigated him to accidentally shoot him in the face. Furthermore, the insurgency unexpectedly decided not to be on its last throes.

And now he's related to an African-American Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama.

Conservative radio-show host Rush Limbaugh may have been right all along: Obama "isn't really black"!

What else can the vice president endure? Poor children demanding health-care coverage?

— Matt Jorat, Dublin, Ohio