Letters to the Editor

The following are letters to the editor that appeared in the July 8 print edition of The Peninsula Gateway. To submit a letter, e-mail gatewayeditor@gateline.com. Please keep letters submissions to 250 words.

Paper should print local letters, not ones from special interests

I was more than a little disappointed when I read the Letters to the Editor in The Peninsula Gateway last week to see that my local newspaper chose to publish two letters from folks in Seattle opposing Referendum 71.

I thought that curious. Letters from people in Seattle in the Gateway?

I didn’t much care about Referendum 71. You see, I figured that if our state Legislature — the folks we elect and send to Olympia to represent us — decided this year to give gay and lesbian partners all the rights of married couples, then each of them must have had a “majority” mandate from the people they represent.

So, then, what chance does a referendum from the people have of overturning the newly enacted law, if it is, in fact, the will of the majority?

And then it hit me.

Laws are almost never the will of the majority. They are mostly the will of government and special interest groups who rely on the fact that, if they move slow and steady to implement their agenda (whatever it is), the “people” won’t get too mad too fast, and their agenda will become law and the norm.

It’s not that our representatives don’t listen to us — the problem is, we never say anything to them! They exist in the vacuum of Olympia politics and special interests!

I expect and understand all of that, but what I won’t tolerate is some special interest group from Seattle using my local newspaper — with the help of my local newspaper editor — to try and impose or infer their community values are representative of my community.

My family and I don’t live in Seattle, and I don’t much care what the people in Seattle think about anything. I don’t subscribe to the Seattle Times — I subscribe to the Gateway to know what my friends and neighbors are doing and thinking.

Shame on the Gateway for using the “power of the press” in such an overtly underhanded manner.

Randy Boss, Gig Harbor

Park supporters should ignore talk of $5 contribution being a ‘tax’

In January, we learned that 13 state parks, including Kopachuck and Joemma Beach, would close or transfer. We formed a non-partisan, grassroots group to save them.

And then Rep. Jan Angel wrote in the Peninsula Gateway on Feb. 18, 2008: “I am committed to ... finding viable solutions that will keep Kopachuck State Park open.”

We sent a delegation to her office in Olympia and received similar assurances. We sent copies of petitions with thousands of local park supporters’ signatures. Hundreds of people e-mailed her on behalf of our state parks.

We were modestly concerned that she did not attend the informational meetings that the State Parks Commission held. We were mildly upset that she did not attend our rainy-day rally in Kopachuck on March 1, even though it attracted hundreds of diehard park-goers. We noticed that she failed to hold a town hall meeting to listen to the concerns of her constituents.

As weeks passed, the budget deficit deepened, and 27 more parks hit the closure list. We readily saw the need for a new, statewide source of revenue.

We and others proposed the Montana plan. It revamps our existing $5 contribution on vehicle and drivers’ licenses from an active to a passive form.

When the Legislature voted, Rep. Angel voted nay. It passed anyway, but we are disappointed in her nonetheless.

Next, though, in The Peninsula Gateway on May 20, Rep. Angel disparaged the parks’ donation, misrepresenting it as a “tax.”

I hope all park supporters will ignore that irresponsible statement and donate to keep parks open.

Joan Baldwin, Gig Harbor

President Bush held strong when others wanted to pull out troops

Sometimes being right isn’t enough. There are circumstances under which, if one is on the side of correctness, both patience and tenacity are also required.

The combination of these three things, given ample time, bring about a clearer picture and societal advancement.

Conversely, while expedient and often popular, yielding to the “easy” solution often sets into play a cascade of events which, as they unfold, tangle among themselves, germinating new issues for those in the future to wrestle with.

What sets a statesman apart from a politician is, primarily, the vision to see a path which will stand society in good stead, over the long term, and the will to then stand firm as opponents offer up pandering, quick and incomplete “solutions.”

During the 2008 election season, almost all on the left side of the isle wanted to “pull out of Iraq now.” Thank you, George W. Bush, for not yielding.

Because of your commitments to freedom, protecting our country, its interests and simply doing the right thing, our troops are now beginning the process of coming home — heads held high in accomplishment.

Americans invested a lot of blood and treasure in the Middle East. After paying such a high price, what a tragedy it would have been to change course and have pulled out too soon.

Sadly, our current administration will not put politics and self interests aside and simply say: Thank you, President Bush. Had you not done your part, we couldn’t now do ours.

Michael Hays, Longbranch

On a holiday weekend, man goes above and beyond call of duty

On July 2, as we unloaded our parrots at our cabin in Grapeview for the long weekend, one of them — wife’s favorite, naturally — got out of his carrier a bit prematurely and headed for the tallest tree he could see.

At Pirates Cove No. 2, across from Stretch Island in Grapeview, that was in a 150-foot-tall fir tree.

We tried all those things the “book” says to do, and by Friday afternoon, we had called a tree service.

Our first climber balked at a 200- to 250-foot fir, but he contacted a man named Kurt Hall, who said he’d rescued everything else, so he’d give this a try.

But “rescuing” a bird from a tree may be just a tad different than rescuing a cat.

Long story short, at 10:30 p.m. Saturday night, we were taking our bird to an animal emergency hospital in Tacoma.

This tireless man climbed Friday and all day Saturday by moonlight in 200-foot trees to save our pet. And woulda thunk anyone could get a bird out of a tree? By hand?

And unhurt, except for the bruises left by an owl who was gonna get him if Kurt hadn’t that night.

When my wife, in total meltdown, offered to pay Kurt his pre-arranged fee Saturday afternoon, he was incredulous, saying, “I haven’t got your bird yet. I won’t take your money.” And it was a very substantial sum he was given (double the original sum).

In light of his hardships, like anyone else in a single-person commercial business in these times, he could have taken the check and bailed, but he refused to do so.

Kurt does all things involving trees, from excavation to rescuing cats, dogs, lizards — and now birds. He’s at Pioneer Contracting in Olalla, and he can be reached by calling 360-731-8698.

Bob Gray, Port Orchard

Youngest cancer victims should receive best treatment first

The fight against childhood cancer, “My Sister’s Keeper,” which was adapted from a bestselling book, recently opened in theaters. I hope it’s very successful, because the public needs to see what these kids endure. But I’m not going to see it. I’ve seen too much of it in reality.

Like many other families, I don’t need to see a movie about childhood cancer. My niece was diagnosed with Burkitts Lymphoma the weekend before she graduated eighth grade.

She endured harsh chemotherapy treatments for the five months that she survived following her diagnosis. She endured pain that could not always be controlled, mouth sores, vomiting, the ability to walk for her last months and the loss of her beautiful blonde hair, just to name a few.

Anyone who has gone through chemo knows the awful side-effects, but to watch a child go through it and not be able to help or even have any other option is not OK.

Here are some facts about childhood cancer in the United States:

Cancer is the No. 1 cause of death by disease for children, killing more than asthma, diabetes, pediatric AIDS, congenital anomalies and cystic fibrosis combined.

One in 300 children will be diagnosed with cancer before age 20.

Forty-six children are diagnosed with cancer every day.

Each year, 3,000 children die of cancer. One in 5 children with cancer will die.

Every year, 35,000-40,000 children are in treatment for cancer.

Less than 3 percent of all cancer research money goes to childhood cancer.

Two-thirds of those who do survive face at least one chronic health condition. One-quarter of survivors face a late-effect from treatment that is classified as severe or life-threatening. Late effects of treatment for children can include heart damage, second cancers or lung damage.

What can you do?

Donate blood.

Register to become a bone marrow donor.

Wear a gold ribbon in September to support Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Consider making a donation to CureSearch, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, St. Baldricks or another organization that focuses solely on childhood cancer research that will help save the lives of children.

Write your member of Congress to ask them to support Childhood Cancer Funding, and join the newly formed Pediatric Cancer Caucus.

No parent should hear “there is nothing we can do to help your child.” No parent should have to answer “mom/dad, what is hospice?”

Our youngest victims should have the cure first, don’t you think?

Kathi Clarke, Olympia