Letters to the editor

CULTURE OF DENIAL

Infection at top level caused deterioration ending in Brame tragedy

Editor, The Times:

It won't be over in Tacoma until the city and its "leaders" come to grips with the reality that (deceased Chief of Police) David Brame was not an "exception" — nor is the ugly, fetid mess that has erupted the result of a toxic culture that existed only during Brame's tenure as chief ("It's not over in Tacoma," Times editorial, Nov. 18, and see "Brame inquiry: Poor judgment but no charges," Local News, Nov. 18).

This spectacle is the outgrowth of a two-decade-or-more-old culture that nurtured, protected, and elevated David Brame and others like him, all the way up to the highest levels of the department.

This culture infected the Tacoma Police Department, the union and city government. It required otherwise good people to turn a blind eye to all kinds of sordid activities by a minority of city police officers — or face retaliation. It continues with the granting of Assistant Police Chief Catherine Woodard's pension (when was the last time a retired police officer on the disability board voted against granting disability?) and the state of deep denial some City Council members are still living in (are they ready to admit, even now, that it was right to fire former City Manager Ray Corpuz Jr.?).

The infection extends beyond Tacoma — it has tainted an entire region. The only cure for this kind of cancer is some very major surgery.

Having said that, not everyone is infected, and if the city wants to see this rooted out, it is best to have local people stay in charge. Both (acting City Manager) Jim Walton and (Assistant Chief) Don Ramsdell appear to have resisted this culture through their careers, and would have a better knowledge of where to dig than any outsider would. Let them do their jobs. But elected leaders must give them a clear charge to follow this cancer wherever it leads, and destroy it.
Jim King, Tacoma

Pathology of resistance

Well, here we go again! The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) has done it once more! Three boys in a foster home (supposedly supervised by DSHS) beat and kicked Said Aba Sheikh so badly that he was (permanently brain-damaged), and it will cost about $20 million to sustain him for the rest of his life ("Jury faults DSHS for attack by foster kids," Times, page one, Nov. 18). The caregiver had asked DSHS for help, and to remove the three troublemakers from her care. However, that request was ignored by DSHS. Instead, it placed another "troublesome" youth with her.

Then, last week, Miguel Pierre, one of the attackers, appeared in court, and when asked why Sheikh had been attacked, his reply was, "Nothing else to do, I guess" ("Foster boys beat teen into coma; should DSHS pay for their crime?" Local News, Nov. 12).

It seems that DSHS is continually bungling us into these huge problems, basically because DSHS doesn't function as it should, or the employees of DSHS don't function as they should. Whichever is the problem, it must be straightened out immediately lest we have some more $20 million problems.
John Carr, Seattle

CURRENT WISDOM

A light goes on

I think the citizens of Seattle should be very grateful for the presence of a rational, sane Tim Eyman in our community. As mentioned in "Ruling on streetlight tax darkens city's outlook on filling budget gap" (page one, Nov. 14), the retired City Light engineer, Rud Okeson, provides a really sensible solution to the no-government-at-any-cost Eyman.

I am referring to the decision by the state Supreme Court to rule as unconstitutional the illegal practice of charging ratepayers for the cost of street lighting. To me, this exhibits civic responsibility in its finest hour. Would that more of us would seize the moment and take positive action.

On the down side, however, being a Seattle occupant since l920, I can remember the woeful conditions of our street lighting in my early years. I am not too sure that I will not see a rerun of those days if the leadership at City Light chooses to turn down the wattage of our street lamps and replace them with the old 40-watt bulbs.

In the meantime, I watch and wait. If only we had more sensible watchdogs to replace that out-of-control salesman of watches from Mukliteo. Doggone it, Rud, where have you been all these years?
Arthur Holstad, Seattle

AMERICAN DRAMA

Method from the madness

As our president visits the United Kingdom you will see endless news coverage of the leftist anti-war protesters ("Blair — and protesters — to greet Bush in London," News, Nov. 18). If they could only direct their enthusiasm to celebrating the liberation of 25 million people, rather than demanding coalition forces go home, this war would be over by Christmas.

Peace is not something you negotiate. It is not gained by backing down to the enemy and pulling our troops out, and it is not gained by visualizing all of humanity singing "Kumbaya" in unison in some one-world utopia.

Peace can only come to a free people, and people are made free by being victorious over those who want to oppress them. It comes through strength, it comes through determination, it comes through patience. It comes with a price, one that can be measured in dollars, and by one that can never be measured, through the spilled blood of those who believed that all have the right to be free.
David Glenn, Renton

Revise the dialogue

It seems to me that most of the criticism of George Bush is uncalled for. It is excessive, over-done and mindless harping on minutia. It's more like repetitive propaganda, unfounded in fact.

Furthermore, it is hateful. While George Bush has been trying to set a new tone in Washington, his enemies are justifying their hatred of our president and encouraging others to hate him as well. It seems to me they are mean-spirited. Seems that we need a more civil, more courteous dialogue in our political and public discourse these days.

I think our president, in time of war, deserves better treatment than he has been receiving. I think it would be good for the country.
Loren Nelson, Seattle

C*L*A*S*H

I had a wartime movie nightmare the other night. In one trench, I saw the Republicans with (pundit) Ann Coulter playing Major Hot Lips Houlihan, the feisty and robotically inflexible surgical nurse who follows standard operating procedures without question; and Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly all playing the role of Frank Burns, the arrogant, self-righteous, petty, picayunish, rude, never-wrong, close-minded, God-invoking, patriotic to a fault, liberal hating, hawkish and bureaucratic major.

In another trench, opposing them, I saw (documentarian) Michael Moore playing Hawkeye Pierce, the irreverent, poverty impassioned, politically incorrect, dreamy-eyed, humble, intellectually superior, sensitive, caring, accepting, loving, conservative converting, unapologetic, fun-loving, peacenik captain.

I woke up screaming "Where are all the Democrats?" I guess the Republicans must have won the war!
Jerry Taylor, Montesano