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Letters to the Editor: Disturbed by flag-burning I am disturbed by the actions of the small group who burned an American flag on the Plaza in Ashland on Saturday, February 15. I have taken part in several anti-war protests and I am very much opposed to the war in Iraq. I also take issue with the bullying, arrogant tactics of our president and his Cabinet against France and Germany. However, if citizens burn the flag in protest, an action which people find very offensive, maybe the behavior of those drivers who made obscene gestures as we walked toward Medford on Saturday's anti-war march is justified. Offensiveness breeds offensiveness. We are all entitled to our own views but, please, let us be courteous to those who do not share them. Sarah Paul, Ashland The flag is only a symbol It's not easy to grasp the depth of shallowness exhibited in recent letters regarding the flag-burning incident in Ashland. These writers' misdirected outrage amounts to an orgy of sense-burning. Why does it not occur to them that their venerated flag is a mere symbol? That burning it, boiling it, shredding it, stamping on it, or eating it - none of these matter, none of these acts does any harm to the reality behind the symbol? The reality our flag stands for is liberty and justice for all. Let us focus on these realities, and on working to attain them for this nation - and ignore the children playing with matches. Isaac Walker, Ashland Police provided us safe passage I would like to thank the Ashland Police Department, the Talent Police Department and the Jackson County Sheriffs Department for actively protecting our right to protest during the February 15th 12-mile walk to Medford. The APD and Talent Police provided a protected lane on Hwy. 99 for the marchers to walk safely. Officers carefully guided us across numerous crosswalks on Hwy. 99. The officers were friendly, courteous and respectful. The intent of our 12-mile walk to Medford was to express our opinions and to be in solidarity with others all over the world for peace. It was never our intent to endanger ourselves or others. I would like to thank those drivers of cars who, as the shoulder of 99 evaporated and the walkers were precariously placed, moved into the left lane. The Medford police had an abundance of officers to meet us at the Veteran's Memorial, but were unable to provide assistance while we walked on this narrow stretch of 99. Bicyclists who were with us tried to provide a buffer between the cars and the walkers but were told by the Medford police that in Medford, "the road is for vehicular traffic only." I am very grateful to those who helped create a safe passage for us, including the motorists who graciously shared the road. Linda Richards, Ashland Guest forum: Flag burner steps forward and defends the act By Joseph Powell Ashland Here I am! Since I burned the Flag last Friday, there have been many assumptions as to who I am, where I come from and why I did it. I am an American, a historian, a tree-faller and a resister to fascism. I come from a long line of resisters to fascism. I am a descendant of Benjamin Franklin from my mother's side. My grandfather was in Pearl Harbor and fought as a gunman for the Navy throughout World War II. On my fathers side, my great-grandfather dodged the draft in Germany during World War I and fled the rule of the Kaiser. He then went to Klamath Falls and started a farm. His son worked with the U.S. Postal Service for 37 years. Both my parents instilled a strong sense of pride for the working class people of this country. I am proud to be one of them. I have always spoken out against the ways the elite few have used to dupe my fellow Americans into submission. Currently our "selected" officials use the symbol of our freedom and values to rally support around national policies that no longer uphold the values the flag once stood for. I will not allow a symbol of our values to replace the real thing, nor will I accept the idea that giving up any freedom will make us more secure. People that give up their freedom for security deserve neither freedom nor security. I believe it is a myth that any amount of war will secure our freedom. It is up to all good Americans in this day and age to exercise our freedoms and promote our values. I burned the flag for two reasons. First as a distress signal to America, "Where have our values gone?" And second to bring to the surface issues that people have been afraid to address. In this I have exercised my freedom as an American as guaranteed by the Constitution of The United States of America. Please question those who wrap themselves in the flag yet burn the Constitution. Good news on school funding - for (some) change By Carol Coye Benson and Marilyn Schreiber Ashland School funding is a topic that is in our headlines, in our conversations and in our hearts. Our resources for the education of our children have been drastically diminished. In the case of Ashland, falling state revenues combine with dropping enrollment to produce a "double whammy." Sadly, there is no immediate prospect for structural "fixes" to the crisis in education funding which we are facing. We can hope for (and work for) legislative and administrative actions to fix the state funding problems, and affordable housing options to fix the Ashland enrollment problem. But these will take time. So what's the good news? The good news is that there is something that we can do to help. We can contribute to the Ashland Schools Foundation. These contributions will go directly to support the students and teachers in Ashland schools. Last year, the community raised over $430,000 to support our children and their teachers. Elementary schools have additional teachers, assistants and reading specialists. The middle school has more and smaller "Encore" classes, a counselor, and a peer mediation program. The high school has extra sessions in six courses, a college counselor, and the continuation of a critical health program. All schools continue to benefit by the many Signature and Impact Grants sponsored by the foundation. Both the money and the spirit shown by the donations demonstrate in the clearest possible way that Ashland is a special community, with a special concern for and support of its students. We've heard some people say that they won't donate this year because they are angry about the situation in the schools. To these people we say: "Tell it to the Legislature!" or "Tell it to the School Board!" But please - tell our students that you care about them and will continue to support their education through the kinds of programs that the Ashland Schools Foundation makes possible. Last month, an overwhelming majority of Ashland voters (7,447 ) voted "yes" to Measure 28. We hope that each and every one of you who did so will vote "yes" a second time - by making a contribution to the foundation. These are tough times with bad news everywhere. Let's make some good news for our community. Soon, you will get letters, or phone calls, from volunteers working on the Ashland Schools Foundation annual campaign. We ask that you reach into your hearts - and into your wallets - and show our students how much you care. Carol Coye Benson and Marilyn Schreiber are co-chairs ofthe Ashland Schools Foundatoin and parents of students at Lincoln, Briscoe, Ashland Middle School and Ashland High School. 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