Copyright 2000 The Seattle Times Company
The
Seattle Times
July 16, 2000, Sunday Final Edition
SECTION: ROP ZONE; OPINION; Pg. C3; NORTHWEST VOICES
LENGTH: 2007 words
HEADLINE:
ALASKA AIRLINES
Reporter appears intent on ruining reputation for unknown
purposes
BODY:
Alaska Airlines
Reporter appears intent on ruining reputation for unknown purpose
Editor, The Times: I was surprised to find an excerpt of my private
personal correspondence to Alaska Airlines President Bill Ayer and Alaska
Airlines vice presidents in your July 2 article "Did Alaska Airlines 'can-do'
ethic go too far?" How Byron Acohido came into possession of my letter is not as
immediately compelling as how The Times can purport to serve the public interest
with their series of inaccurate and misleading articles. Furthermore, Acohido
never contacted me to verify that I was the author. If Acohido finds my private
correspondence candid, he should take to bed with him not only his Pulitzer
aspirations, but the certain knowledge that the organization bestowing that
honor will be similarly apprised of his many misrepresentations and errors of
fact. I have been reading The Times' articles on Alaska with growing concern.
That concern has evolved to skepticism, and finally, outright cynicism, not
because of the sensitive nature of what is being reported, but rather the
impressions the reader is left with given The Times' editorial bias. Journalism,
not unlike commercial aviation, assumes an extraordinary degree of public trust.
Both, we hope, embrace commitments to integrity and factual representations. The
Times errors are numerous and egregious. I should like the opportunity to rebut
them all in print, but this venue prevents doing so. As evidence, I offer a
glaring example of Acohido's recklessness in his July 2 article wherein he
reports an MD-80 (a two-engine aircraft) was ferried back to Seattle from
Spokane with an inoperative engine. That a pilot would attempt such a feat is
ludicrous. Yet, it is printed as fact. Your entire series of articles is
littered with similar falsehoods. I might otherwise dismiss this falsity as a
random misstep, but in light of The Times' refusal to print articles with due
regard to the principles of fairness and balance, I can hardly cast a blind eye
to the indiscretion. With regard to my letter to company executives: Yes, our
culture is one that permits vigorous debate. I believe it is indicative of the
regard our employees hold for their customers and our place in the community. I
may have criticisms about my company, but I can assure you our culture is
neither swashbuckling nor "scornful of rules by distant bureaucrats," as Acohido
suggests. Far from it. My livelihood and very survival in some of the most
demanding flying environments in the industry rests squarely upon a corporate
culture whose cornerstone is the practical application of safety and service.
The question I have to ask myself about the willful exclusion of rebuttals to
Acohido's assertions and erroneous representations by The Times and others is
best framed by the question Daniel Schorr posed of the Watergate leaks: "Why
now, and who benefits?" Does the battle for readership have anything to do with
damning headlines now that The Seattle Times is competing with the
Post-Intelligencer for morning circulation? And what of Acohido, his incipient
journalism and questionable ethics? Surely he knows about relevant issues
concerning some former FAA inspectors and their assertions. Surely other
Pulitzer-winning journalists would present relevant facts concerning those
disputes. What agenda supports such virulent and reckless reporting? I resent
The Seattle Times and Byron Acohido exploiting my private correspondence. It
appears you are intent on ruining the reputation of Alaska Airlines and its
employees for a purpose I cannot comprehend.
Capt. Michael August,
Alaska Airlines Seattle
Estate tax
It's one of the
fairest; raise estate standard
How could The Seattle Times use those
words "death tax" in an editorial headline? It's not the death tax, it's the
estate tax. And if it works a hardship on family farms and small businesses, why
not simply raise the size of the minimum estate subject to the tax? Here's why
the estate tax is one of the very fairest taxes there is: Most people who
inherit estates have not done anything to earn the wealth they inherit. They
were simply lucky enough to be born to wealthy people. Most of us aren't so
lucky.
Ann Irish, Vashon
Hate crimes
Man,
brother faced white supremacists
The hate crime committed against Minh
Duc Hong and his brother on July 4 at Ocean Shores was hate crime number...?
There have been too many racially motivated crimes committed in this country to
even count; and the numbers are growing. Minh Duc Hong acted to defend himself
and his brother when faced with a group of white supremacists hurling a barrage
of racial epithets and threatening violence ("Ocean Shores death: claim of
self-defense," July 8). Such neo-Nazi types have been proven time and again to
kill on the basis of race.
I call on the rest of the Asian community,
other communities of color, and all who oppose bigotry to support Hong and
demand that the city of Ocean Shores hold a meeting about the very real dangers
posed by neo-fascist violence.
Constance Daruthayan, Seattle
Religion
Militarism has caused the most suffering
It's so nice to see pictures of little girls in fatigues, read about
Humvees, dog tags and "camo" netting and "this Bible school tour of duty"
("Bible-school recruits in 'God's army' now," July 9). I don't consider it
fortunate in the least that we have organizations like the Bayview Baptist
Church or people like Susie Gillikin. "It shows church in a fun, positive,
relaxed way... Sometimes church can seem a bit stodgy or stiff." This
militaristic indoctrination of "religion" or any indoctrination for that matter,
is what has caused, by far, the most violent human suffering for centuries, and
it goes on all over the world every day. The article's tone was all wrong and it
should have been on the front page. I'm scared; but thanks for the update.
Daniel Shields, Seattle
Education
We can save
both boys and girls in school
I agree wholeheartedly with John Leo that
the public-school system needs to re-examine it's treatment of boys ("It's tough
being a boy in America's schools," John Leo, syndicated columnist, July 11).
However, I do not believe that these beliefs negate a focus on the treatment of
girls. Citing his specifics about boys, Leo appears to be saying that the true
problem lies with the treatment of boys, and that there is no problem with the
treatment of girls. To suggest that girls are not ill-treated is blatantly
socially ignorant. Leo also spits out "feminist" as if it were a dirty word.
Feminists strive for the equality of people, not one gender. Equality can only
be attained when problems and the fact of inequality are discussed and
recognized. To ignore the plight of women is not only sexist, it is ignorant.
I'm for "saving the boys" but please, Leo, save the women. We can do both at
once.
Bryna Koch, Bothell
Parental influence is key
As a teacher working to fight gender stereotypes, I must respond to John
Leo's column concerning boys. Leo overlooks several factors regarding the
disparities of classroom experience. Most importantly: Most parents encourage
girls to be calm, reward them for obeying rules and dress them up so that
vigorous play is not as easy as it is for boys. These same parents reward boys
for boisterous behavior. Whether they like seeing their boys being boys or they
try to punish them for it, the boys still end up with more attention. This
contributes directly to their behavior in school. Leo seems to think it is
threatening to ask boys to respect females. Truthfully, no child should be
teased, ridiculed, or have their bodies made fun of - a zero-tolerance policy is
perfectly appropriate Until there is less socialization for girls and boys, we
will continue to see the problems Leo complains about (although he blames the
wrong systems).
Emily Anderson, Seattle
Vehicle impound
Tougher ordinance might have saved life
If ever there was a
clear example of the reason needed for full enforcement of the city's
automobile-impound ordinance and expansion of its protections beyond the city
boundary, the death of Richard King, 26, of Seattle is it. As related in the
King County Superior Court trial and sentencing of Estelle Martinez, 22, she
killed him by driving onto a sidewalk while trying to rid herself of cigar ash
that she had flicked out the window but which came back onto her ("Driver who
killed man on sidewalk gets 18 months," July 8). No amount of blame-shifting by
Martinez' attorney could dissuade the judge from sentencing her to jail time,
albeit a short term of only 18 months. In fact, she deserved much more for the
crime of vehicular homicide. Martinez has never had a driver's license. In the
opinion of many reasonable people, this is about as close to totally
irresponsible driving behavior as one can get. The Seattle council members who
resisted the temptation to gut the Seattle ordinance deserve our recognition.
Earl Bell, Seattle
Public transportation
Voters
need to stand up for Monorail plan
I am a student at the University of
Washington who is becoming increasingly incensed by the manner in which our city
is dealing with issues of public transportation ("Hearing planned on Monorail
proposals," July 11). The Monorail initiative passed last year and yet nothing
has happened to promote the completion of the project. Meanwhile, the City
Council is clearly trying to destroy the plan by suggesting other alternatives
that do not provide a proper substitute for the original concept. By letting the
council undermine the wishes of the voters, we are losing the power that was
promised to us as a democracy. The Seattle Times needs to promote the monorail
project. It is important for communities to come together and increase the
versatility of our city.
Robert White, Seattle
David
John Walker
Case not about race, but crime, protection
I am
mystified as to why there would even be an inquiry into the police shooting of
David John Walker ("Inquest into shooting begins," July 11). There seems to be
some question about how the police defended themselves and the public against an
armed thief simply because of the color of his skin. Is anyone suggesting that
if a white man had stolen goods from a store, shot at unarmed citizens and
wielded a knife at the police that the same results would not have occurred?
It's absurd. Next, we are told that the inquest cannot be fair because there are
no blacks on the jury. Isn't the object of an inquiry to arrive at the facts in
the case based upon physical evidence and eyewitness testimony? Are the
protesters suggesting that white men are prejudiced and only black men are
objective? The very idea is itself extremely prejudicial. This case is not about
race. It's about crime and the protection of innocent lives. Thank you, Seattle
Police Department, for doing your job. Well done.
Marshall Dunlap, Kent
Prescription drugs
We'll see if lobbies will keep Gorton
in office
I applaud the senior citizens who confronted old Sen. Slade
Gorton for his lack of support for Medicare-covered prescription drugs. His
resistance to vote with seniors is ridiculous. Gorton's opposition to providing
health-care benefits that include contraceptive coverage also
shows his lack of interest in decreasing unintended pregnancies and his lack of
support for women in general. His support from the pharmaceutical and insurance
industries must be huge if he can turn his back on the two largest blocks of
voters: seniors and women. I guess we'll see in November if pharmaceutical and
insurance companies are enough to retain him in office. I don't think so.
Maria Carter, Seattle
GRAPHIC: ILLUSTRATION
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE:
August 26, 2000 
