Seattle Press on Line - Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

Nov 30, 2000 -- Faris Column Brings Back Memories

To Mr. Roger Faris:

Respected Sir: I very much enjoyed reading your reference to "Epambanondus," the mischievous boy who, according to his mother, "doesn't have the sense he was born with" ["A Brand New Basement--Can You Dig It?" November 1].

Over 70 years ago, my father would read to me from a book of stories featuring Epambanondus' doings and misdoings. I am 77 years old now, though I resent like hell the label "old," preferring to regard myself as having achieved "chronological superiority"!

I was born in England, where our hero was portrayed as a black child, and his mother's constant accusation was printed as, "You ain't got the sense you wuz born with"--the [spelling], I guess, being the British conception of "Afro" dialect in those less sensitive, dim and distant days. (Plus the unthinkable rule violation, taught as early as grade school, that a preposition is the wrong thing to end a sentence with!)

It was a delight to have Epambanondus resurface after lo these many years, a happy reminder of the bonding and affection between my dad and his only son.

Thank you for the memory!

J. Roger Bullock

P.S. My hearty congratulations to your own good parents for their faultless taste in choosing your distinguished first name!

Coast Guard Kudos

To the Editor:

On behalf of the Coast Guard Public Affairs program, I would like to thank you and commend you for an excellent article ["Green Lake Seaman Charts Course for Antarctic," November 15]. Not only was the article accurate, but the exposure assists the Coast Guard in getting the word out on the many missions we perform every day.

Personally, I am a Ballard resident and have never seen your publication before, but I will definitely keep an eye out for it. Keep up the good work.

Respectfully,
Robert K. Lanier
U.S. Coast Guard
13th District Public Affairs - Seattle, WA

Schell's Pro-Labor Gesture is Empty Posturing

Dear Editor:

On the anniversary of Seattle's WTO disaster, Seattle Times editors are right to scold Mayor Paul Schell's political posturing in support of the Northwest Newspaper Guild labor strike.

Isn't this another case of a politician jumping on the labor bandwagon when he thinks it may benefit his career, even [as he] consistently ignores labor's concerns when they get in the way of progress? Let us not forget the march of 40,000 labor supporters during last year's WTO protests. If Mayor Schell had truly been sensitive to labor's concerns, he would never have pushed for such an ambitious and offensive event in a region with such a proud labor tradition, deeply rooted in the Northwest's social history.

The fact that a person seeking information from a public official is not a member of a labor union is irrelevant. The fact that a politician may want to play politics with a labor dispute must not be allowed to interfere with the free flow of information. Politicians should never withhold information, to which we all have a right, for any reason, but most certainly not to gain points in a political game.

Incidentally, I noticed quotes from the mayor's office and other city departments in all kinds of non-unionized papers. Does this mean that the mayor supports labor only when battle is raging? At the same time, maybe we should acknowledge his courage in taking on the self-anointed newspaper of record in this town, which has, incidentally, recently become a Republican mouthpiece.

Let's keep things in perspective and be cautious of hypocritical and meaningless sound bites from politicians who are thinking about the next election (assuming we ever get through this one).

Patricia Stambor

Safety First on Ballard Bike Route

To the Editor:

Great picture! ["It's Not Easy to Get from 11th Ave. NW to Golden Gardens by Bicycle," November 15, page 17]. The photograph of the young mother wheeling her baby carriage down a working railroad line, bumping over ties and switches, goes in my Darwin File, under the heading "Natural Selection at Work."

Davidya Kasperzyk of Friends of the Burke-Gilman Trail practices the Big Lie, saying nonsense. Because he says so, cyclists and others can proceed "all the way to Puget Sound," while dodging cement trucks, gravel trucks, tanker trucks, oversize boat trailer trucks, and a 100-ton locomotive towing six loaded boxcars. Kasperzyk prefers this scenario because it will accommodate business needs, and be "safe and simple."

I don't think so. Shilshole Avenue, and Lower Ballard [in general], is a busy place. Why would a bicyclist want to play chicken with a train, or try to beat a left-turning cement truck? To get to Puget Sound? To get to the other side?

The Ballard railroad serves several customers along its route. It also serves the community by considerably reducing the number of trucks on the streets. And technically, the railroad owns the property along its rails. You may walk or drive across the rails, of course (as long as a train's not coming), but do not lie down on them.

So, trail enthusiasts, don't be so greedy. You have a lot of property in this county already. The industrial heart of Ballard is thriving, and very busy. We do not need slot-car-racing bicyclists and suicidal perambulators in the mix. As every Ballard shipyard worker and forklift driver already knows, "Think Safety!"

Dan Grinstead

WTO Claims to be Filed En Masse December 1

To the Editor:

December 1 is the day citizens have chosen to march to the Municipal Building to file claims against the city for police misconduct during the 1999 WTO conference. Anyone grieving or hurting--or just seething--as a result of rights violated still has a chance to redress grievances. During the WTO conference numerous demonstrators and bystanders were prevented from conducting business, going where they wanted, speaking freely or gathering with others. We were gassed, pepper-sprayed, assaulted and shot with rubber bullets. A year later many people continue to suffer from what was done to them, but now, under the auspices of Community Action Network, we are joining together for a mass filing of claims.

Many citizens whose rights were violated last year have filed lawsuits against the City of Seattle, and some have already been settled, for a total of $57,000 so far. But organizing to file claims en masse isn't just about money. It's about police and city officials being held accountable for violating citizens' rights. The mass action will let them know that citizens expect action, not just city council meetings and reports.

Making a claim is a lot simpler than filing a lawsuit. All that's necessary is to fill out a one-page form telling what happened and then to hand it in to the City Clerk's office. People who aren't sure if they have a legitimate claim can attend a free clinic for legal advice. A clinic will be held on Wednesday, November 29 at 6 p.m., at Seattle University's Piggot Auditorium, room 103.

For more information or to download the claims form, visit www.seattlecan.org/can, e-mail can@drizzle.com or call 632-1656.

Ginny Nicarthy

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