Letters to the editor

Benchmark

Coughenour's sentence sets a fine precedent for the president

Editor, The Times:

Federal District Judge John Coughenour spoke for many Americans when he sentenced convicted terrorist Ahmed Ressam. As the judge said, Ressam's fate was decided in a public trail, without undisclosed and indefinite detention, denial of access to a lawyer, or secret hearings ["Ressam judge decries U.S. tactics," Times page one, and "Maverick who speaks his mind," News, July 28].

If we sent troops to Afghanistan and Iraq to show that we believe in freedom and our system of justice, what do our secret detentions show? Judge Coughenour reminds us that the American judicial system is strong enough to deal with whatever challenges our country might face. If only our president had that much faith in our system.

Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, has been a federal judge for more than 20 years. He knows — and believes in — the Constitution. Maybe he should be the nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court.

— Jon Jensen, College Place

Striking a balance

Judge John Coughenour used his sentencing of Ahmed Ressam to append a little political speech concerning the judicial management of terrorists.

His comments indicate that he does not understand the not-so-subtle distinction between the actions of Ressam — which violated U.S. law on U.S. soil, and for which he should be tried in a U.S. court — and the actions of thousands of jihadists, which are not so much breaches of law as they are acts of combat against the U.S. and its interests. They are countered by imposition of death or capture in combat and detention by the armed forces, which protect U.S. citizens from their depredations.

The jihadists are not violators of U.S. law on U.S. soil and there is no mandatory place for U.S. courts, or for Judge Coughenour's politics, in their management.

— Robert Condon, Clyde Hill

A slap to the rest

I almost choked when I read that the judge in the Ressam case dared to compare the administration's handling of war criminals and terrorists to that joke of a sentence given to a man who admitted he planned to kill innocent travelers by the score.

Does this judge really seriously think that this light sentence in any way matched the crime that Ahmed Ressam would surely have committed had he been given the chance? Does he really think this sentence sends a signal to other would-be terrorists that will deter them from further violence?

Judge Coughenour has handed down a sentence for Ressam that could have him out of prison in about 14 years. To put that into personal perspective, it's just in time to bomb my daughter's high-school graduation. Until such time, he is free to do his best to preach his messages of hate and enlist other prisoners to his cause. I don't find any of that particularly comforting.

On the other hand, if the administration has its way, the would-be terrorists in Gitmo will likely still be safe, secure, unable to harm anyone or preach their poison to other prisoners ever. The only way they stand a chance of getting out of the cages they are in will be by trading away information that will save American lives and put other terrorists in jail — which is something Ressam has failed to do in at least two significant cases.

Terrorists around the world are probably already using Coughenour's recent judgment in their recruiting pitch.

— John Williams, Issaquah

We uphold these truths

I would like to thank U.S. District Judge John Coughenour for upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States. At a time when members of the administration in the other Washington are openly attempting to subvert that document, Judge Coughenour makes me proud to live in this Washington.

— Andrew Hummel-Schluger, Brier

Dwelling on trust

Lender provides points

"Smart overhauls of Fannie and Freddie" [editorial, July 25], on the reforms of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac currently being considered by Congress, got it half right.

We support legislation that enhances the oversight, transparency and enforcement of our operations, which provide stability and security to the financial markets as well as enable Freddie Mac to continue to supply the continuous, low-cost capital necessary to fuel the housing market and promote homeownership. However, two factual errors skew your commentary.

First, at no point did our accounting irregularities cost taxpayers any money. In fact, never in our 35-year history has Freddie Mac received a dime of taxpayers' money.

Second, Freddie Mac is not a bank; we are a Government Sponsored Enterprise (GSE), a federally chartered but publicly traded institution. As such, we do not enjoy many of the benefits banks receive. Also, as a GSE, our mission is to make homeownership possible for minorities and low- and moderate-income individuals.

Freddie Mac's commitment to our housing mission helped expand the ranks of homeownership by more than 44 million families — including innovative programs that make homeownership more accessible for people at every economic level.

It is this very distinction between GSEs and banks that make it so critical to preserve a well-functioning secondary mortgage market that can continue to support America's housing system and the millions of Americans who would like to become homeowners.

— David R. Palombi, senior vice president, Corporate & Marketing Communications, Freddie Mac, McLean, Va.

Fit to be tied

Knit one, hurl one

"M's hit one out of park with a night for knitters" [page one, July 29] left me nauseous. An organized event between the Mariners and knitters was a bad idea from the start. Knitting and baseball don't go together. The only things to be stitched at a ballgame are the baseballs themselves and an occasional elbow from Tommy John surgery.

"Baseball doesn't require 100 percent attention," says Beryl Hiatt, a "devotee of both knitting and baseball." Maybe not, but it does require 90 percent attention while the rest of your cognitive resources should be focused squarely on your beer and frank.

The Craft Yarn Council of America, a well-known front organization for browbeating, older women, has been trying to push baseball out as "America's Pastime" for years. This event at Safeco Field was simply a full-frontal assault on Major League Baseball from an organization that devours competing hobbies. Just ask our friends at the National Quilting Association: as an area hobby shop noted, "skeins of yarn have elbowed out quilting materials for shelf space."

Let's drop the double-pointed needles and start to appreciate the 1-6-3 double play.

Play ball!

— Mike Wilson, Redmond