Letters to the editor for July 9

Do this because of love for your neighbor

Another 4th of July arrived celebrating the ratification of the Declaration of Independence. Certainly, this is worthy of pageantry and official celebration.

Unfortunately, the need for individuals in my neighborhood to commemorate the 4th by blowing up things for 3 days in a row has made my dog a nervous wreck unable to relieve herself outdoors. This time of year is even worse for many pet lovers and their pets. Of the many dogs and cats that run away on the 4th, only 30% to 40% return home.

Many well-maintained neighborhoods are littered with spent fireworks. Apparently, residents expect the wind or rain to clean up after their celebrations. Pesticides may be restricted, but little consideration is given for the toxicity and carcinogenicity of the heavy metals used in fireworks.

Children and adults are maimed each 4th of July. Damage to hearing can occur after a single M-80 blast.

This year one of the green spaces in my neighborhood was torched. According to the National Fire Protection Association, 19,500 fires are started each year by fireworks. Sometimes one home is lost, sometimes much more.

Fireworks are banned in my neighborhood, but the sheriff has no way of enforcing the ban. We do not need more laws. What we need is for neighbors to agree to take their children to a sponsored display on the 4th of July. We need to do this because we love our children, love our pets, love our neighbors, and love our hands and our fingers.

Dave Little, Olympia

Distracted driving should trump speeding

I applaud Gov. Inslee’s desire to reduce traffic fatalities. After dropping steadily for years, deaths from traffic accidents have risen dramatically in recent years.

But Gov. Inslee seems to believe this is from excessive speeds and wants to combat this by installing speed cameras along highways throughout the state. While this will surely increase state revenues, I’m not sure it will stop fatal accidents from increasing.

Speeding has always been an issue with driving and should not have mysteriously increased dramatically in recent years. What has increased dramatically, though, is the access to distractive devices while driving. Cell phones were the first item, and we now have laws against their use by drivers.

But now we also have dashboard video screens. These visual displays require drivers to look away from the roadway and inside the vehicle. And because the smooth screen has only visual cues to engage it, you need to look directly with your eyes to place your finger. That’s distracted driving on steroids.

Rather than increase the regulatory focus on speeding, I would concentrate instead on distracted driving. First, people caught using their cell phones while driving should not just get a ticket, but also have their phone confiscated on the spot (to be returned later). And second, make dashboard screens “Braille friendly” so they can be managed by touch without vision.

Also do some science to see what’s going on. Measure how many fatal wrecks involve modern vehicles with dashboard screens compared to older vehicles without them.

Steve Shanewise, Olympia

Miranda rights versus gut instincts

Former President Donald J. Trump has been indicted for withholding classified documents containing national security secrets. Under the indictment, Trump has the right to remain silent and anything he says can and will be used against him in a court of law.

Trump has the right to remain silent, but he doesn’t have the capability. The self-proclaimed stable genius’ gut instincts tell him to blab away without fear or favor — and often.

By his own instincts and mouth, Trump’s fate awaits.

David Cahill, Olympia

This story was originally published July 9, 2023 at 5:00 AM.