Letters to the editor

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Rites of passage

Same traits in any other than gay student would be cultivated

Editor, The Times:

What a shame Ferndale's spiritual and civic leaders buy into the stereotype that gays and lesbians typify the evils of big cities ("Ferndale gets jolt at prom: His royal highness is an open lesbian," Times, May 20). It's a further shame that Father Tim Sauer of St. Joseph's Catholic Church takes his pride and prejudice a step further by maligning the entire city of Seattle.

Ferndale City Councilman Albert Lavine wouldn't want one of his children to be gay or lesbian? God help them if they are. God help them hop the first bus out of town.

And that's the really sad part. In Ferndale, the community has a young person, Krystal Bennett, with intelligence, self-worth and fortitude. Any other student with these traits would be supported, nurtured and pushed toward further excellence. Instead, Krystal gets pushed to the door because she's an out lesbian. In the long run, Ferndale ends up the big loser because it loses the sons and daughters who are different and who can make a difference.

The capper in this story is the young man who said the prom was lame, "too small" with "gay music." His friends clarify for the reporter that they don't intend to be derogatory: "It just means dumb, stupid." Maybe instead of reforming the prom, Ferndale officials should look at reforming their language arts classes and harassment rules.

-- Sally Clark, Columbia City

Love thy neighbor

Good for you, Ferndale High School! Way to elect a lesbian as prom king; it shows me that there are some open thinkers in Small Town, USA. Or are there? The comments made by your townsfolk left me with a feeling of uneasiness and disappointment.

I know it is difficult to embrace things that are unexplainable, or out of the ordinary. But to make comments that exude hate, even when you justify your hate by saying you would gladly help them change in a loving way - isn't that an oxymoron? Are we talking about conditional love here? Isn't that what Jesus didn't want?

Before we condemn the world and cast the first stone, let's take that beam out of our own eye. Please, no more hate, no more violence, no more judging, no more kids committing suicide because their parents hate the sin, but love the sinner.

-- Julie Blessum, Arlington

Lest ye be judged

The Rev. Sauer makes the statement, "One would hardly say that a metropolis like Seattle is, shall we say, deeply imbued with a Christian message."

I would say Rev. Sauer shows his hand as not being deeply imbued with a Christian message. Ours is a city with people who have a wide range of experience, values and viewpoints, and a wide experience of God. Unlike this judgmental cleric from Ferndale.

There are many hard-working Christians in this city who live out the Gospel life. His statement is an affront to all of us.

The issue is not who is "king in Ferndale," rather it is who is the king in the hearts of the "Christian clergy" in Ferndale?

-- Brother John Ryan, O.C.P., Community of the Paraclete, Seattle

Ferndale freezes over

Thank you, Father Tim Sauer of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Ferndale, for confessing Seattle's sins. Should I ever get to Ferndale - obviously on a cold day - I appreciate that I'll be on hallowed ground.

-- Nicholas Canaday, Seattle

Vive la differénce

Now, let me see if I understand this correctly. The prom king elected at Ferndale High School's senior prom is a lesbian. Freely elected. By those in attendance. For whatever reason. And those opposed to this outcome, and thus the voting process, are spending time and energy changing the rules to prevent this from ever happening again. As if it would be a regular occurrence in a town the size of Ferndale.

But, in reality, all they are doing is proving that Krystal Bennett's supporters were right, that Ferndale needs to re-evaluate itself and its system of alleged Christian values.

It seems to me Ferndale's bullies of the pulpit have their concerns and priorities a bit skewed. Their economic future is in ruin. The energy crisis has forced a long-term "temporary" shutdown of the area's largest employer, an aluminum plant. Hundreds have been laid off. Unemployment reigns. Property values will suffer. Small businesses will die. Hunger hovers over the other end of the table. Poverty is knocking at the door. Hope is fading.

But, instead, some citizens of Ferndale have chosen to bash, harass, to bully an individual who has the courage to be herself, to fight for her rights in an environment where, apparently, that is not allowed.

So, tell me again, Ferndale, why should I care about your economic woes?

Vive le Roi! Long live the King!

-- Tom Williams, Seattle

Running on empty

Lead the way

It is popular to blame the SUVs for our energy crisis ("SUVs get to keep guzzling: Energy plans leave loophole for gas hogs," Times, May 21). While I hear a lot of whining about them, I see a large percentage of these vehicles on our freeways.

If getting rid of SUVs is the solution to our problem, maybe the complainers in Seattle should be the first to discard them or voluntarily pay a tax to the government. Until then, keep on trucking.

President Bush's plan is addressing the real, long-term needs of our country. His approach is refreshing and responsible. It is leagues ahead of anything we have seen in the past eight years. Conservation has allowed us to get where we are today. But with the increase in population and advancements in technology, we must increase our energy supply. Any additional supply that we find at home decreases our dependency upon the Middle East.

Bush's plan is good for America.

If we experience blackouts this winter, it is because Gov. Gary Locke is spending too much time worrying about unnecessary things such as bullies.

-- Arthur Whitten, Redmond

Stretch the mileage

In England, where gasoline costs about $4.50 a gallon, I read your editorial about the Bush/Cheney energy policy ("Bush's energy plan: Giddy but salvageable," Times, May 20). I have also read many of your readers' letters about the spiraling cost of gasoline in the U.S.

The one thing that has been consistently missing from the administration's energy approach has been the lack of any real attention to the very thing that would do the most for energy conservation (and which would likely result in a lowering or stabilization of gas prices): vehicles that get better than 10-15 mpg - perhaps as high as 35-40 mpg.

Until those who whine about the cost of driving gas-guzzling SUVs give them up and/or Detroit begins producing really efficient replacements, the nation is doomed to continued dependence upon foreign oil, whether or not we sacrifice our wild lands in the frantic search for more hydrocarbons.

In Europe, they do not whine about high gas prices; they just pay them. Americans have been pampered by low gas prices and until prices begin to approach the $3 level, I believe they have absolutely no basis for any complaint.

-- Earl Bell, Felixstowe, England and Seattle

Liberal dose

Defining terms

The liberals are ranting about "big oil" and "big business." I am a little confused. Do you mean the big business like the HMO that healed your sick child, or the insurance company that paid for it, or maybe it's that "big business" your wife works for? Then there is the dastardly "big oil." Is that the same "big oil" that you fill up your three cars with on the weekend? Or that heats your house in the middle of winter?

-- Terry Pratt, Seattle