Pause to reflect community’s loss
Two giants are missing. I feel as if two solid redwoods of men are no longer in our midst. They, to me, epitomize the positive aspects of our area.
Tom Koenninger was a moral compass. Under his tutelage, The Columbian became a vital institution in the community. His voice would direct us to be better, whether he meant politicians, business leaders or individuals. He could be frustrating in his opinions because he held citizens and politicians to the same standard — to do better.
Another giant is missing, Bill Fromhold, a man with vast talents, knowledge and curiosity. A former teacher, administrator, politician, humanitarian, business leader, Fromhold was more then the sum of all parts. He was deeply involved with the homeless and explored better ways to educate youth. He worked tirelessly with Democrats and Republicans during his short time in Olympia to understand the financial process better than anyone. Fromhold was involved positively in the community of Vancouver, the state of Washington and beyond because he knew one person can make a difference.
It would be nice to have a moment of silence for these giants of men, who were committed to the betterment of us all. We will miss them both.
Jim G. Martin
Vancouver
No motivation to ride light rail
I have commuted between Clark County and Portland for the past 12 years, mostly using the C-Tran express bus. On average, after driving to the Salmon Creek park-and-ride, it takes about 35 minutes on the bus to downtown Portland. The afternoon commute averages 15 minutes more.
After the Expo Center light rail was built, C-Tran offered a discount on the monthly pass for those who wanted to use the bus/train combination. For me it would take 20 minutes longer to do that. I will not do it because my time is too valuable.
With the new Interstate 5 Bridge proposal and the light rail, we are being asked to use three modes of transportation to get to work, make the commute last longer and make taxpayers pay hundreds of millions of dollars in addition to possible tolls. The only way any commuters with brains would want to do that is if they would provide express bus (rapid transit with separate lanes) and express train service with only one or two stops between Vancouver and downtown Portland. Even then, the commute may only be a few minutes shorter than now.
If we do not get express service, I believe voters will again reject the light-rail proposal if on a ballot.
Helena Abernathy
Yacolt
Temper objectionable, not unethical
Vancouver city councilor Jeanne Harris’ breach of manners, loss of temper and expression of pure human frustration with community activists was simply rudeness, not a lack of ethics. But the self-appointed “psychologists” who exaggerated her normal human failings into suggestions of any personality disorder attempted to stigmatize her. This is indeed unethical and I believe Harris would be well within her legal rights to protest.
Such tactics are immoral, unethical and unprecedented.
The Columbia River Crossing, the issue that caused the council meeting uproar, is important. The unsafe and unsound structure of the Columbia River bridge could collapse and cause innumerable deaths and maiming. Those people who value a toll-free bridge over the potential loss of human life and limb might do well to re-examine their own ethics and values.
Barbara Adams
Vancouver
Protect services that we need most
The Oct. 1 Columbian story reported “Social services cuts hit poor, elderly.” It seems our tax dollars go a lot to foreign aid, but when do the dollars start helping our own country?
The story mentioned that 30 beds were being cut from Western State Hospital, so where do the very mentally ill folks go? Usually to jail. This has been my experience with a family member who has been arrested several times for criminal trespassing. He has spent a considerable amount of time in jail, but the end result is that he is released and sent back on the street with nowhere to live, so he trespasses again. He is gravely disabled, but I am told the hospital has no room and because of budget cuts, he’s unable to get the mental health treatment he needs.
I realize our economy is bad, but why cut services to those who do not have the ability to stand up for themselves? It is always the poor who seem to be the first to go without.
I will not be voting for anyone who constantly cuts services to the poorest of our community.
Barbra Arionus
la Center
Learn from the Crusades
Two hundred years of war, the Crusades between Europe and the Middle East, the “crescent and the cross,” ended in a stalemate. The Middle East ran out of weapons and the European armies ran out of food.
So they agreed to lay down their arms and go home. In about the year 1250, it was so.
The Sept. 26 broadcast of “60 Minutes” showed the war being waged on the borders of Pakistan and Afghanistan. It was very sad to see our soldiers fighting so bravely with very little assistance. In World War II, the Sea Bees went in first and prepared the way for our soldiers. In this depiction on “60 Minutes,” there’s not even a decent road, no air strip, no protection for our men; it looked as if they were “sitting ducks” for the enemy. At least that’s the way it looked on this and other war segments shown on TV.
These soldiers are fighting for a desert piece of land and for villagers they cannot trust not to kill them.
The American people should stop this insanity before it goes on for 200 years and ends the same way.
Ann U. Harris
Vancouver
Fox News’ origin is hardly ‘balanced’
As a former Vancouver resident, I still read The Columbian. I’m writing regarding the outstanding letter from Shelby Kenoyer on Oct. 7, “Stalling and blocking are GOP tactics.” I’d like to add that there are essentially three types of voters who vote exclusively or almost exclusively for Republican candidates: Multi-millionaires, billionaires and dupes — those who get most of their news from Fox News.
Fox News is not a news channel. It’s a propaganda channel. Fox News is not unbiased. It is not intended to be.
Rupert Murdoch hired Roger Ailes to create Fox News Channel. Ailes had been the media director of the presidential campaigns of Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. Prior to creating Fox News, Ailes had a 23-year career as a media consultant to Corporate America and their spokespeople.
Fox News is the exact opposite of its slogan: fair and balanced.
Kirk Muse
Mesa, Ariz.
