Letters to the Editor

by Inlander Readers


More Moore -- Regarding the review "Love of Country" and interview "Moore to the Story," (6/24/04) about Michael Moore and his new film Fahrenheit 9/11, I hope to eventually see his movie. What I saw of the trailers looked to be particularly amusing.


If, in fact, Moore were a charlatan, then the facts would expose him. So why the hysteria? But then, we all know the answer, don't we? Moore's film has come out in an election year. Moore is a longtime critic of the Bush Administration. He is, however, only one of many critics of the Bush Administration. I saw on C-Span a fellow who authored "Tyranny and Terrorism," but didn't catch his name. But he could have been reading from Moore's script on a lot of what he found wrong with the Bush Administration -- and in particular, how the Bush Administration has handled (or mishandled) the war on terror. Even if Moore could be factually disputed, there are plenty of other critics who do come armed with compelling arguments. The FBI came out with "beware of terrorists who can be known by carrying world almanacs." Who might not travel with a world almanac? (Tourists, for example.) The Transportation Safety Administration was dumbfounded by a 20-year-old who smuggled classic tools of terrorism onboard airplanes, then told the TSA all about it. If the TSA couldn't handle a 20-year-old who easily created such security breaches, how well would they handle real terrorists?


Moore could have asked that question. Instead, it was a bearded and gray-haired fellow who was talking to a youth group about it. Moore is supported by facts, which is why radical Republicans are scared by his movie. And a note to hysterical anti-Moore radicals: Criticizing the President is not the same thing as hating this country. The president isn't the country. Besides, plenty of presidents have been criticized long before Bush ever came into office. If Bush can't handle being criticized, he shouldn't even be in office. And if the pro-Bush types can't handle Bush being criticized, they shouldn't retain power. Perhaps you'll be surprised to hear that I'm a Republican. But I'm one of many: Like many other Republicans, I don't have any use for Bush.





Joan E. Harman


Dalton Gardens, Idaho





Year of the Movies -- As a Christian, a film historian, veteran of the Hollywood film industry for over 25 years and the author of America the Beautiful: A Novel on the 40-Year Cover-up of the JFK Assassination, I profess to you that God does exist!


Not only can you find him if you seek him out in your church of faith but you can also find him in the two most powerful and controversial films of our time, both of which were released this year: Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ and Fahrenheit 9/11. Let me be very blunt. All of us sheep need to wake up and repent. I advise you not to walk but to run to your nearest theater and see Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11.


If there would had been a Part Two of my book, this is it. I believe that Abraham Lincoln said it best: "You may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time; but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."





John A. Gaetano


Spokane, Wash.





Hard-Headed -- The people of the City of Spokane have somehow done some incredible things in the past. I say "somehow" because, in the opinion of the Spokane City Council, all citizens of Spokane are too stupid and incompetent to go about their daily activities without the divine intervention of said council. This was shown recently by an ordinance which forces all who use wheeled transportation to wear helmets (of course under penalty of a monetary punishment).


The previous city council often acted like children in public. The new council has altered that behavior and has decided to treat the public like children. Surgeons who perform delicate lifesaving operations have now been adjudged to be incapable of riding a bicycle without veering onto the freeway in a drunken like manner (thus suffering brain damage). Local university professors, PhD's and researchers in the higher sciences cannot be trusted to avoid rushing headlong into the nearest brick wall (thus suffering brain damage), so say the council of such bike riders. Parents, who successfully spend nearly two decades raising another human through thousands of trials and tribulations into responsible adulthood, must certainly fall off of a bike, skateboard, or pair of roller-skates in a repeated Keystone Kops manner (thus suffering brain damage) says our wise council.


Upon reflection however, this is a wise decision by a very concerned council. This is not government cowering before a few screaming crybabies. Nor is this government showing its all-too-common power-hungry and arrogant side. And I will not believe the majority who claim that this is just another lazy way to grab money from the public. I for one wish to stand up now and thank you, SPOKANE CITY COUNCIL, for saving the people of the City of Spokane from such Wheels of Mass Destruction as bicycles, skateboards, roller-skates, riding lawn mowers, wheelbarrows, shopping carts, and the most deadly of all-the baby stroller. You condescending boneheads were just kidding, weren't you? You will rescind this example of power-hunger as soon as possible, right?





Chris Fairchild


Spokane, Wash.





Rennie Unhappy -- Next year how about sending a less uptight reporter to the Renaissance festival ("Kissed by a Rennie," 7/1/04), who will forget about the pepper spray and just go with the flow -- I thought it was great fun! Tickles too!





Nancy Sanchez


Spokane, Wash.





Free at Last -- Cara Gardner's article, "Quitting Your Job," about Ann Colford (7/1/04), couldn't have been timelier. I didn't quit my job, nor was I fired, but due to reorganization, this is the first day I've been unemployed in five years.


My job was far more than what I did; it was who I am and I loved it. But my job didn't make me who I am. I was who I am long before I took the job. That's what got me the job and that's what made me exceptionally good at it. Sure it's disconcerting, but Colford's story has reminded me that losing my job also means regaining freedoms that I didn't even realize I'd lost. I don't know that I would ever have resigned, but since I've been freed from the rat race (where, even if you win, you're still a rat), I'm glad for the opportunity to move on to something better!





Donna L. McKereghan


Spokane, Wash.





The Time is Now -- Thank you for Cara Gardner's informative article, "Time for a Change," on the Take Back Your Time movement (7/1/04). Like founder John De Graaf, I remember hearing predictions in the 1950s that the biggest social challenge of the future would be to help people use their abundant leisure time productively. De Graaf, as quoted in the article, seems to place all the blame for our time crunch on employees' desire for more stuff. They want more stuff and are willing to work extra long hours to get it. But surely some of the blame rests with corporations; for years we have been reading about corporations downsizing and expecting the remaining employees to pick up the slack. Two of our children are mid-level managers, on salary, no overtime, and 12-hour workdays are the norm for them.


How can we join the Take Back Your Time movement? How can we support their agenda?





Patricia Cain


Spokane, Wash.





Publication date: 07/15/04