Online only letters to the editor

Editor, The Times:

Immigration

As an American, I am tired of being labeled as an immigrant. I am only 26 years old. I was born here, my mother was born here and my father was born here. Their parents were born here. Those who came here as immigrants many centuries ago turned into conquerors of an originally borderless land and made it what it is today.

I'm not an immigrant to this country — this is my country. I welcome those who go through the paces and walk the walk to become legal immigrants. To those folks — welcome to your new home.

But how can those who are here illegally sneak over our borders in clear defiance of our laws, then turn around and seek protection under them? How can they spit on our rights as citizens and then expect to be welcomed?

Send them all home and make them jump through the same hoops our legal immigrants had to! Make those who cross illegally and those who hire them criminals!

There is no argument here and no question about what is right. Illegal immigrants are not an asset and those who hire them only serve to lower the standard that hard-working American citizens like myself have worked so hard to set.

Here's an idea. Instead of sneaking over here and "working hard," why don't you work hard to make your own country a better place?

—Jason Harris, Seattle

My grandfather was an illegal immigrant from Ireland who settled in Seattle. He was Caucasian so he blended in. His four boys served the U.S. valiantly in the Marines, Air Force and Army during World War II, and the Korean conflict. Their children have served in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.

My grandfather held menial jobs and was afraid to apply for U.S. citizenship until late in his life because he loved this country and didn't want to return to Ireland.

At this moment, there are non-citizens fighting in Iraq, and everywhere else the United States has military presence, for an opportunity to call themselves Americans. Illegal immigrants are picking the crops that provide food for our table; pruning our trees; cutting our grass and delivering our papers; cleaning our toilets; and every conceivable menial job, for a chance, just like my grandfather, to help their families survive. I am acquainted with one illegal immigrants with a master's degree in Education who works the midnight shift in the circulation department of a major U.S. newspaper. Another is a doctor who picks strawberries.

My grandfather's descendents — children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren — serve or have served in all branches of the military. Others serve our country as nurses, doctors, stockmen in grocery stores, bankers, lawyers, judges, truck drivers, politicians, educators, businessmen, newspaper reporters and editors, scientists, truck drivers, etc. My illegal immigrant ancestor made America stronger and most of those illegal immigrants currently work in the same types of jobs my grandfather did.

I am ashamed of our government AND and the people of this nation who will not give the immigrants currently in our country illegally, the opportunity that their ancestors got in much the same way.

My voice is a very small one, but if many of you look closely, you'll find a similar story in your family. I am not a terrorist and resent the use of the tragedy of Sept. 11 9/11 as an excuse to close our borders.

—Jerry Entrop

Politics

It's so obvious that George Bush and Dick Cheney have no regard for the United States or the American taxpayer. Even though U.S. taxpayers write their enormous paychecks, pay their health care, and pay their hefty pensions until they die — they're not working for us — they're working for corporations (oil, pharmaceutical, health care, etc.). They haven't made one competent decision that helps Americans in the six years they have been in office.

The truth of the matter is Bush and Cheney have put their own greed and cronyism above the American people's best interest with every decision they've made. They've sold this country and our future to the highest bidders.

And neither of them accepts that they (and all government officials) work for us. They have stated over and over that they don't need to tell us what they do — that it is all top secret and classified.

What the president and vice president do (waging war based on lies, wiretapping Americans, torture) is our business because they do it in the name of America and with our money — that's why we have the right to know about it.

Impeachment is a congressional duty for our country's future at this point.

—Gayle Lemieux, Bellingham

The Sonics

Time to negotiate with the Subparsonics?

Here's what I'd offer:

1) You get to play in KeyArena through 2010, per the existing lease.

2) You may not play there after 2010.

3) If you want to play in Seattle after that, you'll need to buy KeyArena or build your own arena with your own money. Period.

Sports teams yearly threaten to leave their fans. The NBA's product is worsening. I think it's time for an NBA city to call their bluff.

—Dave Miller, Normandy Park

After reading the article about the Sonics trying to hardball us into using our tax dollars to pay for a facility for a for-profit company, I am really getting tired of this same old song and dance from the local sports teams.

The only real money our community ever sees from these teams is the fines the players pay for another DUI.

I feel that the only tax dollars we should use for these teams is for a nice new set of luggage.

—Paul Kitwin, Seattle

Regarding "Sonics want a deal this month" (Local News, April 19), I was appalled by the Sonics' team president Wally Walker's comment that the team would offer "not less than" $18.3 million toward a $220 million arena project. Woo-hoo! This "offer" is a little over eight percent of the total cost.

Walker says the terms of the industry-standard lease would let the Sonics take over management of KeyArena and keep all the revenue generated by events there.

In return for this extreme largesse, he says "the Sonics and Storm would sign a 20-year lease and pay rent of at least $1 million a year."

So, if that lease weren't broken beforehand (for some even fancier arena in the future, perhaps?), Walker and Co. over 20 years might end up paying for less than a fifth of the project costs.

Swish! No wonder he's singing that old My Way or the Highway fight song to pressure the Seattle City Council.

Kudos to Council President Nick Licata, "who has opposed tax subsidies for the Sonics." If that's the way they want to play, it's time to call this bluff and tell the Sonics to dribble out of here.

How silly is this? The Sonics can't sell their suites but want new ones? The Sonics can't sell out but want more seats in the Key. The Sonics want us to forgive a $50 million note. But they will kick in $18 million to a new stadium.

The Sonics want us to build it, but they want the revenue for the concessions and all other events that come to the Key. The Sonics want a $40 million stadium and want to pay $1 million a year in rent.

That is the same as living in a million-dollar Capitol Hill home and paying $163 a month in rent. A million dollars is less than they pay a rookie to ride the bench.

The Basketball Club of Seattle wants to make money on the taxpayers, have their investment increase in value and get applause for being saviors for the local economy.

This is the most flagrant uncalled foul in NBA history. What's in it for the city? Sonic pride?

Let them leave, Go Huskies!

—D.B. Levine

I am looking forward to the day when I walk outside to get my newspaper, and see that the Sonics have laced up their very expensive tennis shoes and taken a hike out of town.

At this point, I am not even interested in finding out where they have hiked to. Their offer to share(and I use the term loosely) in the renovation of the KeyArena is barely worth the newsprint we read it on. Their expectations are beyond imagination, much like a spoiled, overindulged adolescent.

Yes, it will be good day. I might even go down to Tully's for a cup of coffee to celebrate.

—Lynn Greene, Seattle

Given, according to past Times reporting, that the Sonics are losing many millions each year, can't cover the base facility debt payments, have the worst lease contract in the league and now require a quarter-billion-dollar package to survive, they have no equity in KeyArena.

While their equity position remains meaningful via broadcast contracts, marketing and merchandise agreements, and its NBA imprimatur, it is difficult to assert they have meaningful equity in their leasehold interest. And, this claim seems to run counter to their other public pleas.

What about the $94 million in improvements? Every long-term-space lease tenant makes revisions to their space over time to enhance its effectiveness. The more complex the property, the more adaptations should be expected by the lessee.

The Sonics did not make the improvements out of the goodness of their hearts, but in a decision to benefit their internal economics.

Unless the agreement with Seattle specifically provides for recognizing such unilateral contributions (which would be exceedingly rare), the team cannot as lessee expect reimbursement or credit.

Work it out, Seattle. Don't saddle the Eastside with the next generation of debt.

—Tom Holliday, Sammamish