“Mr. Ridgway, there are people here who hate you. I’m not one of them. I forgive you for what you’ve done. You’ve made it difficult to live up to what I believe, and that is what God says to do, and that is forgive, and he doesn’t say to forgive just certain people, he says forgive all. So you are forgiven… She did things I may not have been proud of, but she was still a little girl. She was still my daughter.”
—Robert Rule, father of Green River victim Linda Rule
“Even if you may say you’re sorry, Mr. Ridgway, it won’t bring back Opal. You have held us in bondage all these years because we have hated you — we wanted to see you die — but it’s all going to be over now. That is, provided we can forgive you. Gary Leon Ridgway, I forgive you. I forgive you. You can’t hold me anymore. …
—Kathy Mills, mother of Green River victim Opal Mills
“There will always be a sense of loss because of her untimely death, and wishes for her to be an aunt, a mother, a sister … and confidant. Wishes are part of being human, and I wish for you peace.”
—Letter read for the family of Green River victim Kimi-Kai Pitsor
“Mr. Ridgway, maybe you will remember my daughter Cindy when the door slams in your face in prison.”
—Joan Mackie, mother of Cindy Smith
“Gisele was only 17 years old. She was murdered by that animal sitting over there who we have to call a man. He does not deserve to live, or breathe. But he doesn’t deserve to die. Dying would be too easy for him.”
—Michelle Blair, sister of Green River victim Gisele Lovvorn
“Gary Ridgway is an evil creature who I would condemn to many, many long years of anguish and despair. He doesn’t deserve a quick, painless, humane death.”
—Nancy Gabbert, mother of Green River victim Sandra Gabbert
Debra “had just turned 15 years old, and she was just an immature teenager trying to find her way in life before it was snuffed out by Gary Ridgway. I will never forgive him for that. He’s destroyed my life, he’s destroyed my daughter’s life. There isn’t any life for me anymore. … He’s going to go to hell, and that’s where he belongs.”
—Carol Estes, mother of Green River victim Debra Estes
“I can only hope that someday, someone gets the opportunity to choke you unconscious 48 times, so you can live through the horror that you put our daughters, our sisters, our mothers through. … May God have no mercy on your soul.”
—Tim Meehan, brother of Green River victim Mary Meehan “He’s an animal. I don’t wish for him to die. I wish for him to have a long, suffering, cruel death.”
—Vicky Ware, sister of Green River victim Kelly Ware
“Somebody is going to have the glory to take you out in prison. You are a loser. You are a coward. You are an animal. You are a nobody. … If I could do what I want to do right now, you’d be gone right now. … I’m angry; I will always be angry. I will never have my sister in my life.”
—Jose Malvar Jr., brother of Green River victim Marie Malvar
Relatives of victims had varied reactions to their messages to Green River killer Gary Ridgway at his sentencing hearing last week. I admire those who were willing to express forgiveness. I wish that if I were ever in their position, I could forgive.
Make the train worthwhile
The beginning of Sounder commuter-rail service between Everett and Seattle is good news, but it will be meaningful only if it leads to more complete service.
Trains from Everett and Edmonds run only for people who want to get to to Seattle at a little before 8 a.m., and they run north only for people who need to leave Seattle at a little after 5 p.m..
But, we know that many people need to ride at other times. For those people, Sound Transit promises more trains. We need more, but Sound Transit needs to provide service for people who will travel north.
Scale back sports
Last week the University of Washington fired its softball coach, following a scandal over a team doctor who gave medicine illegally to players. A few months earlier, University officials fired the head football coaches because he had lied about betting on the NCAA basketball tournament. A year ago, the University suspended an assistant basketball coach for recruiting violations. It’s time not just to clean up the system, but to change it.
Sports at the university should be activities for students, not sources of entertainment for the community.
First, that means holding potential student-athletes to the same standards as other students. If the average University freshman comes to college with a composite SAT score of 1200, no athlete should get in without a 1000 score, Now, they can play as long as they meet the NCAA minimum of 700. A few years ago, the state eliminated preferential treatment for minorities; it’s time to eliminate them for athletes.
Let’s also create more opportunities for students to participate. That means more junior varsity teams and teams in more sports.
Next, the University should evaluate and pay coaches on scales comparable to other University employees. A head coach should get pay, benefits and protections like faculty members and other professionals. Before Rick Neuheisel was fired as football coach, he was the state’s highest paid employee. Should a coach earn more than the dean of the medical school? A head coach could be paid on the scale of a senior professor, their assistants like associate or assistant professors.
Would all of this hurt the level of play? Probably. If so, so be it. Harvard, Yale and the University of Chicago no longer play at the level they once did, but they provide good sporting experiences for their students. That should happen at state universities.
We’d like to know what you think. If you have a comment send it to
The Enterprise
P.O. Box 977
Lynnwood, Wash. 98036
E-mail: entopinion@.com
Fax: 425-774-8622
Evan Smith is the Enterprise Forum editor.
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