Letters for Dec. 8, 2022

Brain vs. mind

The article on the COVID pandemic “maturing” the brains of some children (“Study: Pandemic stress prematurely aged teens’ brains,” Dec. 2) goes well with new research showing the brains of only children are different from those with siblings.

While teaching college-level sociology of the family classes for 16 years, I read widely in the history and the anthropology of the family and it was obvious that in most societies there are clear expectations that a child will understand cause and effect by age 6, becoming morally responsible. Their “brains” respond to these expectations with “maturity.”

I grew up getting up early to feed animals and we who worked around dangerous animals and dangerous machinery “developed mature brains.”

Bused from the boondocks to North Central, I had many very mature classmates who chose factory jobs and marriage at age 16. They were not pathological. They were mature and ready for adult life. When teaching in the Columbia Basin, I saw Hispanic families that started when the parents were 14 to 16. They were mature and responsible people.

Let’s hope we are passing through the era of excusing every form of teen behavior because their brains are “not mature.” Instead, teens are not mature because we don’t expect them to be.

Craig Mason

Spokane

Bad decision

In the Dec. 4 paper, you really tried to squelch a priority story. Why? Did you lose your spine?

When a past and currently running for president (Donald Trump) says in writing that we need to suspend parts of the Constitution and all the Bill of Rights, don’t you think that it’s a very important story? He showed his cards. He’s running a fascist campaign. Didn’t he vow to “support and defend the Constitution” when he was president?

But no. You didn’t run your article on page A3 (Nation and World); you buried the article on the Nation page at the bottom of page A13. I guess what Secretary Lloyd Austin says is more important than Trump’s seditious statement.

He’s running for president again. Maybe you can reflect on your priorities and come to the realization of what’s more important in the future.

Jason Ernsting

Nine Mile Falls

World culture in Spokane

Imagine the holiday season at a Spokane office where three men from Afghanistan are smiling and sharing their experiences in Pashto; a Congolese father translates with his 6-year-old daughter; a Ukrainian family member enjoys donning a winter coat; a Latter-day Saints woman from Idaho drops off 100 new pillows; and a couple from a Colbert church donates four hand-sewn quilts for the newcomers to this country.

All of this international activity is right here in Spokane at the World Relief, where trained staff and volunteers like me help newcomers find jobs, find living quarters, fill out documents, arrange host families and search for answers to unite families from across the world and yes, to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee offered with conversation in their native languages in the Friendship Center next to the main office. World Relief staff members are knowledgeable, well traveled and compassionate toward people from many countries and help them resettle as they encounter a new country, new culture and different languages.

In addition, Feast World Kitchen offers food prepared by chefs from various countries and sponsors social events, while Global Neighborhood Thrift Store employs refugees and is a great place to shop.

It is not necessary to board a plane to partake of world culture. What a blessing to have all of these activities and varied people in our midst. This holiday season we can feel fortunate that Spokane offers such opportunities to learn and contribute to world peace, friendships and understanding.

Nancy Street

Cheney

Plowed in again

Twice in one day, my city government’s snowplows plowed our driveway shut with hundreds of pounds of heavy, slushy snow. My wife and I are “seniors.” I’m almost 76, with chronic shortness of breath and a hip implant. If that berm turned to ice overnight, we could be trapped. I just came in from clearing it with a shovel. Our snow blower doesn’t have the power to move such heavy slush.

We’ve heard mayors (all Republicans, which I used to be) brag for years about the installation of gates on the snowplow fleet, including our current mayor just recently. Where are they being deployed? Not in my Democratic Party-supporting neighborhood.

Jay Leipham

Spokane

Your Cathy, not mine

Business leaders and economists agreed that a national rail strike would be disastrous for the American economy, which is why Cathy McMorris Rodgers voted against the bill forcing rail workers back to work. Cathy promises to fight for us, but who knew Cathy fights for economic destruction? If you choose to believe that she voted against the bill out of sympathy for the rail workers, she also voted against another bill giving those workers more sick leave. CMR’s true colors, shining through … Cathy fights against empathy, too!

Bruce Market

Spokane