Our Readers' Views, March 29

The Columbian was not seeking the truth or trying to protect the public when it focused on Art Curtis as an elected official at his daughter's wedding. The focus should be on the Clark County Sheriff's Office and its handling of residents' complaints.

The internal investigation of Sgt. Steve Shea was secret and confidential. The protocol and process are also confidential. It's been editorialized that police departments should review and revise confidential investigations of police officers to prevent abuses to and by police officers. In those cases, The Columbian has advocated for public scrutiny.

The Columbian is applying a double standard by accepting as fact the confidential Multnomah County internal investigation findings that Shea was cleared. The Columbian picks and chooses its facts to support its agenda.

There was no questioning of sheriff's office policy regarding enforcement of noise complaints. If there's no official policy, deputies can do what they want, and you must obey and say, "Yes, sir!"

Sheila Homchick
Brush Prairie

Reading the March 22 story, "Attorney, deputy dispute incident," I think Prosecuting Attorney Art Curtis is arrogant. When one invokes a position title, one does it to impress or intimidate whoever one is talking to. I suspect Curtis intimidated the deputy but a sergeant, who was not impressed or intimated, returned to correct the original problem of too loud of music.

It seems to me the one who created this problem was Curtis. It shows how elitist he thinks he is to mention how many important people were attending the party.

Now he's waiting for a apology from Sgt. Steve Shea. Please. I'm not surprised Curtis didn't want this to go public.

Curtis should apologize to the deputies, the sheriff's office, the public and his daughter and her husband.

Walt Vanderhoef
Vancouver

The people of Washington and other states should note that the reason often given from legislators for supporting merit pay is how effective it is used in the business environment.

However, before imposing this on any of the public servants of Washington, we should examine carefully some of the merit pay practices used by Enron, AIG, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other companies.

Some of these employees received large merit pay bonuses for legal and often-approved destructive behavior towards the company for whom they worked.

Michael L Carmichael
Camas

There is a growing protest to demand that Congress, the president and his Cabinet listen to us, the American citizens. Government works for us.

On April 1, Americans are asked to send a tea bag to Washington, D.C. No note is necessary, just send a tea bag to The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. 20500. By sending in your tea bag, you can become part of one loud voice that will be heard from every city, town, suburb and home in America to silently protest against the runaway federal spending.

Also, taxpayers are striking back by holding "New American Tea Parties." Plan to participate in Vancouver's Tea Party, which will be held on April 18 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Clark County Courthouse lawn.

Please attend if you are fearful of the fallout from the reckless spending of billions of dollars for bailouts, as well as "stimulus" spending without accountability and responsibility.

Ruthie Westlund
Vancouver

I was more than a little dismayed to read Alfred J. Orr's March 15 letter claiming, "Hanford cleanup is pork," and that it's pouring money down a "rat hole." Back in the 1950s, when I first learned that nuclear waste has a half-life of 10,000 years, I thought somewhere in the future people would forget what was stored there or think it didn't matter. I'm only 80, but I just didn't think it would be so soon.

The "rat hole" is full of nuclear waste. A lot has been spent trying to clean it up without success. I'm relieved that Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell have secured funding to continue the work. They must do whatever it takes to prevent the contamination from spreading into the groundwater and the Columbia River. And they should do it now. Or I guess we can put it off for 10,000 years and let everything just glow in the dark.

Janice Evans
Washougal

The Columbian published a Seattle Times story March 11, "Soldier faces charges in death at Fort Lewis," about a 16-year-old girl found dead in the barracks. It said she died "taking Alprazolam, an anti-depression drug marketed as Xanax, and Oxymorphone."

Xanax is not an anti-depressant; it is an anti-anxiety medication, and Oxymorphone is a pain medication. Both are potentially habit-forming and not medications we want our teenagers taking.

However, the misinformation about Xanax being an anti-depressant is most unfortunate.

Many adolescents are struggling with the pain of depression and anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy, healthy changes in diet, exercise, sleep and the right anti-depressant when needed gives the best treatment.

Without help to balance their brain chemistry, they may try to self-medicate with street drugs or seek another desperate way out of their pain.

Let's be mindful of misinformation that undermines trust from our young people and may put them at risk of not accepting help.

Pat Edmundson
Camas

Gary Hobbs, in his March 23 letter, "Reasonable Republicans fight back," laments Rush Limbaugh's ugly way of communicating distorted views.

All of these comments are from that same letter: "rotund Rush," "drug-addicted entertainer," "Steele was licking the boots," "Right Wing Nuts," "Laura Ingraham, another radio screamer," "the Creature of Darkness, Ann Coulter," and finally, "Laura the Loud."

Now that's some ugly communicating of distorted views. It's sad that many people are so blinded by hatred and ideology that they can't see their own hypocrisy.

Kevin Williams
Battle Ground

What an impressive advocacy for one's position put forth by Gary Hobbs in the March 23 letter, "Reasonable Republicans fight back."

So adult, so classy, so telling.

Bob Robertson
Vancouver