The human spirit

To the editor -- What an outstanding act of sportsmanship, indeed, by Mallory Holtman and Liz Wallace of the Central Washington Wildcats fastpitch team.

As I read the May 1 article, I was filled with pride and hope for all young athletes in America. It goes without saying that there are too many professional athletes these days who are setting such poor examples for young people, so it was extremely refreshing to read about this simple, yet almost profound act by these two outstanding young scholar athletes.

My daughters are 4 and 2, but I hope that what Mallory and Liz did will start a chain reaction of more kind acts that will last long after my daughters are at the age in which they pay attention to what professional athletes do. Miss Holtman and Miss Wallace, thank you for exuding the kinder, and often absent, side of the human spirit.

JUNIOR JACKSON

Yakima

Words & weeding

To the editor -- Ah, the power of words, the joy of reading, trust me, even newspapers.

Of note, the May 1 sports article and picture highlighting two Central Washington University fastpitch players carrying an injured opponent around the bases, and Randal Sumner's "Trout Bums" column, recounting how his brother, Gary, at age 7, started performing elaborate funerals for his departed turtles, only to become, 13 years later, Oregon's youngest licensed funeral director.

All it takes is a bit of weeding to get to the flowers.

RITA FISHER

West Valley

Prove it

To the editor -- Drug tests and proof of citizenship should be required from anyone applying for public assistance.

Some legal American citizens who work and pay taxes are required to take these tests. Why not the people who collect from these taxes?

ESTHER EISENZIMMER

Union Gap

Religion's power

To the editor -- One big problem organized religions face is that people, usually men, often exert unopposed and unaccountable power over them. Such a concentration of power creates a climate where maniacs can and sometimes do subject followers to harmful perverted behavior. Jim Jones, David Koresh, and more recently Fundamental Church of Latter Day Saints in West Texas attest this phenomenon, all good reasons for Big Brother's sometimes clumsy and tragic intervention. Protecting people, sometimes even from themselves, is an honorable pursuit.

It's one thing to believe in God and try to live spiritually. Most people do this without coercion. But who has a monopoly on God? When delusional fanatics consider themselves appointed, qualified and justified to enforce their belief system (however flawed), people suffer. America is a democracy, not a religious cult. We are also a society of laws that are supposed to apply to all.

We are at a point in history where the religious right is forcing us to choose between democracy and theocracy. Churches are given tax-exempt status, a huge financial benefit that makes them quite powerful compared to the average Joe who has to pay taxes. Should that power be allowed further into politics? Let's be fair and balanced. You decide.

BRYAN BARNHART

Yakima