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Letters to the editor: What to do with Miles Field I passed Miles Field on my way home last night and wondered why the people who owned it (Harry & David's?), sold it to Wal Mart when Wal Mart is abandoning the huge building they flopped down over wetlands and fields in Talent. Now what to do with that building is a dilemma. I suggest "The Huge Second Hand Store" but I suppose there will be those who wish to turn it into some sort of detention center for the local terrorists. For those who don't accept a done deal until it is truly done, how about Mondays at noon showing up with signs that say "It's still here. Don't let Wal Mart pave it over." Do you remember, "If you build it, they will come?" How about all of our young people coming into age? Perhaps they would like to be baseball players instead of hash slingers or King Midas flunkies. Hang on to your heritage and your community, people! If you think this is a good idea, please call 535-9827. Jill A. Iles, Talent Diversity's rewards are numerous The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled on affirmative action at the University of Michigan. The more diverse a system is the higher the survival rate. Diversity is what makes a civilization or cultural system resilient and adaptive. It is how it manages change. The creation of new perspectives generates more answers to difficult problems. Research has demonstrated increased critical thinking skills from a diverse population. Judge Patrick Duggan, (U.S. District Judge, Michigan, 2000) found that students in the most ethnically diverse classrooms showed the greatest growth in motivation, intellectual and academic skills. They were best at understanding multiple perspectives and dealing with conflicts, and they successfully resisted group think, an organizational situation in which group members mindlessly conform. If you tell a student from a diverse classroom education that something or someone is a threat, the response is "What do you mean by threat?" or "A threat to who?" in other words they just don't buy it. Diversity is protection against tyranny. The atmosphere essential to education is widely believed to be promoted by diverse student body. Deborah Coleman, Ashland Girl defends her daycare I am a 9-year-old girl. I have been going to Ruth's daycare since I was 5 months old. Ruth has been like another mother to me and Gregory is like a big brother to me. Now since she is closed down, my dad can't work because there is no good daycare for me to go to � well, none like Ruth's anyway. I've had nightmare's ever since you wrote that mean article that made Ruth's daycare close down. I trust Greg and so does my mom and dad. That was very cruel to tell people that he's done something wrong in the front page of the newspaper. Zena Coffman, With permission from her mother Debra Thornton Guest forum: Issue is about more than a flag By Jo Fries Ashland I was appalled when I read the front page story in the July 10 Daily Tidings regarding objections to flying the flag of the United States at the Willow Wind Community Learning Center. Regardless of the opinions of parents and administrators, it is incredible to me that they are apparently advocating that laws should be ignored if some disagree with them. I was dismayed that some parents believe that the parents of the students should vote on whether the law should be obeyed. It seems as if, by their example, they are teaching students to flaunt laws if they don't agree with them. Since this is being done right here in Ashland, which is considered to be an educationally and culturally rich community, it is not surprising that our juvenile detention facilities are full with teenage law breakers. The editorial in the July 11 Tidings expresses well many of my views. I love our country and can't understand how Tracy Bungay can believe that our flag "represents dominance, greed, �and not freedom." How can we be called "greedy" when U.S. citizens contribute more to charities than those in any other country? And what country gives as much financial and humanitarian aid to other needy countries as our own government does? How can Mrs. Bungay say that we don't have freedom? In many countries she could be arrested, imprisoned and/or tortured if she expressed the ideas she did in denouncing our country. I was horrified to read that a "learning center" using our school district's property is teaching hatred of America. And I resent that my taxes and those of other patriotic tax payers are supporting the brain washing of students in this way at this facility, especially when the school district is forced to lay off teachers and cut days of school for law abiding, patriotic students. I congratulate Jesse Stanton, not only on his remarkable achievement in winning the national essay contest, but also on his courage and strength of character to stand for his beliefs as one of the minority among his peers. He has brought honor to Ashland. I suggest that his parents transfer him to Ashland's first class public schools. In that environment, with other high achieving students, state champions in many endeavors, he would probably receive more positive recognition and be more conformable with others sharing his values. I also suggest that, since they passionately hate America, the Bungay, Bedford, and other families who agree with them move to another country where they would not be subjected to our "greed," "commercial imperialism," and belief in law and order. Immigrant proud of flag, country Haydee Pavia Laguna Woods, Calif I am Hispanic, I came to the U.S. as a LEGAL immigrant at age 18 and I am a proud U.S. citizen. Since age 10, I have been aware of what a wonderful country the U.S. is. When I would see the U.S. flag flying at the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in my native country, I thought it was the most beautiful flag in the world. As a U.S. citizen now, I proudly wear it over my heart in the form of a beautiful pin. On our holidays, I fly Old Glory over my door and I display it on my car. When I became a U.S. citizen, I cried as I took the oath of loyalty to this wonderful nation. I have tears in my eyes now as I read what Tracy Bungay and others like her say about our flag. My husband is a veteran and he fought in W.W.II to make sure fools like Bungay have the freedom to scorn the symbol of this great nation. As long as American citizens pay for her child's education, Bungay will have to endure looking at our flag. If she wants her child to be a "citizen of the world," I suggest she and her child move to some third world hellhole. In less than a year, she would be back to kiss U.S. ground and be glad to see the Stars and Stripes again. As a citizen of this wonderful country, I respect our First Amendment and thus I must defend Bungay's right to insult the flag for which other Americans gave their lives. Anger from Arizona Sandra Miller Phoenix After reading the WorldNetDaily article telling of Ashland parents like Tracy Bungay who want to raise their children to be "citizens of the world," I'm so thankful that I moved to Arizona rather than Oregon nine years ago. M. Kim Lewis' statements of sanity were refreshing and reminded that a few "nut cases" don't represent Ashland, and that Jesse Stanton was recognized as he should be. His parents are justified in being proud of him. Tracy Bungay belongs up in Washington State with another dimwit, Senator "Burkha Patty" Murray. Ms. Bungay, if you're ashamed to be a citizen of the United States, I suggest you go to Afghanistan or any African country to live. You'll have no difficulty finding people there willing to trade places with you. Julie Bedford's "I think everyone in our community at Willow Wind should have a say in this. One person does not have the right to go above everyone's heads. It's completely the opposite of democracy" demonstrates the ignorance she perpetuates by homeschooling her children. "Everyone" had their say, Ms. Bedford, when the Oregon legislature enacted the law requiring the US flag at every public school building. The Oregon legislature isn't "one person" Ms. Bedord. And, Ms. Bedford, the U.S. isn't a democracy, it's a republic. We operate by democratic principles, but "democracy" is just another name for "mob rule." I'm a firm supporter of homeschooling, andBedford and Bungay are "poster parents" who personify every "lunatic fringe" notion cited by homeschooling opponents. Bedford and Bungay need to remember Will Rogers' admonition - "better to keep your mouth shut and let people suspect you're a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -