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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Local Scene Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us February 17, 2006 WEB LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (Web letters do not appear in the print version of the Tidings but are placed here as a courtesy to our readers and as an opportunity for greater and more frequent dialogue. Web letters follow the same rules of polite speech as letters appearing in our paper, but receive a lesser degree of editing. The Tidings editors reserve the right to remove or discontinue any thread in this forum that oversteps the boundaries of polite discourse.) Bipolar President? The bumper sticker that says it all reads, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.” Has anyone begun to question the sanity of our chief executive? My feelings have evolved from outrage to horror as I observe our president’s psychosis. Witness the following facts and statements: Did I say I was a uniter? What I meant to say is that I will build a wall along the aisle of Congress that will clearly divide the righteous and the heathens, the red and the blue. Did I say that Kerry, a lifelong Catholic, was a flip-flopper? What I meant to say is that I have changed religions three times. Did I say that I would grow the economy? What I meant to say is that I will turn the greatest surplus in American history into the greatest deficit in American history. Did I say that we were going to Iraq to find WMD’s? What I meant to say is that Saddam is a bad guy. Did I proclaim victory dressed in my unused fly jacket on an aircraft carrier? What I meant to say is that blood sacrifice is hard work and we are about to offer up more than 2,000 American children (and countless Iraqis) in the name of democracy at the point of a gun. Did I say that I would defend states rights? What I meant to say is that I will defend the ones I agree with. Did I say I was improving Medicare? What I meant to say is that I will make it so complex that the elderly will never be able to use it. Did I say don’t leave any child behind? What I meant to say is that I will drastically cut funding for education and student loans leaving them all behind. Did I say that Harriet Myers was the most sterling nominee for the Supreme Court? What I meant to say is that Justice Alito would be the best choice. Did I say I would dismiss any crony implicated in wrongdoing? What I meant to say is that I would fire anyone who committed a crime. Did I say that I don’t know Jack Abramoff? What I meant to say is that we are not intimate. Did I say America is addicted to oil? What I meant to say is that we need to spend 4 billion drilling for more in the Arctic. Did I swear that I would uphold all the laws of this great nation? What I meant to say is that I will uphold the laws that don’t limit my power. Did I say that terrorism is the greatest threat to Americans? What I meant to say is that I am the greatest threat to democracy and global stability in modern history. Did I say that I am worried about the sanity of our President? What I meant to say is that I am terrified about being led by a man who is incapable of saying what he means or meaning what he says. Are we suffering from psychosis or duplicity? Are we paying enough attention to be outraged? Or will we pay too dearly for what we are ignoring? Louis Pierott Ashland Legal advice is ‘anarchy’? The Mail Tribune editor, accused two of the Jackson County Commissioners, Jack Walker and C.W. Smith, of unlawful conduct and encouraged residents to disregard the law, declaring that a state of anarchy exists. These extraordinary and irresponsible pronouncements, extreme under any circumstances, were uttered not because the commissioners had engaged in some form of mayhem or egregious conduct, but because the commissioners had the audacity to defer a decision on a herd district application until they could obtain legal advice regarding applicable law. When did the decision of an elected official to seek legal advice become unlawful conduct or anarchy? The Op Ed highlights the knee-jerk bias and hysteria that seems to increasingly surround any discussion involving cattle grazing. There is a spreading bandwagon mentality, espoused largely by individuals who have no idea what they are talking about, to consider all things related to cows to be evil and anti-environment. Wake up people. Does it not concern you that an entire way of life is being systematically exterminated? Does it not concern you that a large economic base for your community, which has existed for more then 100 years, is being eliminated for no legitimate reason? Does it not concern you that the animals that reduce the fuel that feed wildfires are being removed and as a result your homes and businesses may be jeopardized? Does it not concern you that, contrary to widespread but unfounded propaganda, the evidence indicates that cattle grazing promotes the environment rather than harming it? After all, cattle have been grazing for more than 100 years in the Soda Mountain area, the area recently declared to be a Monument because it is “home to a spectacular variety of rare and beautiful species.” Rare and beautiful species that thrived in conjunction with and perhaps because of cattle grazing. Do you really think that the forces promoting the elimination of cattle grazing will stop there and not devote its attention next to your livelihood or lifestyle? But let’s focus on the law that the editor accused the Commissioners of violating. In directing his scathing diatribe against the Commissioners, the editor failed to mention that statutes were cited to the Commissioners by representatives of the cattle industry at the herd district hearing, indicating that the Commissioners are prohibited from granting the petition that had been presented to them. The referenced statutes were recently enacted by the Oregon Legislature and set forth the public policy for the State. The public policy declared by the Legislature states that farming (defined to include commercial livestock grazing) and forestry practices are critical to the economic welfare of the State and that those interests must be protected from expanding residential and urban uses. The public policy statement provides that persons who locate near areas utilized for farming or forestry purposes must accept the conditions commonly associated with living in that setting. The Legislature then passed a law that specifically prohibits actions by local governments that declares any farming or forestry practice to be a nuisance or trespass, which is the underlying purpose of the petition that was submitted to the Commissioners. The editor should refrain from commenting on legal issues about which he is not fully informed. If he insists on commenting, he should at least provide an unbiased summary of ALL of the relevant laws, not just those that suit his subjective political agenda. And the editor should refrain at all times from scandalously accusing elected officials of wrongdoing when the worst they can be accused of is seeking legal input...conduct for which they should be applauded, not castigated. Bruce & Jaci Buckmaster Ashland To soothe the controversy Those cartoons and the resulting riots — what an uproar! But why were we so surprised? “THE VIOLENCE MUST STOP!” says President Bush. “MUSLIMS DON’T UNDERSTAND FREEDOM OF THE PRESS,” say editorials. Such superficial comments land us nowhere. Let’s dig deeper. That Danish paper had the right, the freedom to print such stuff. However, it by-passed one crucial consideration, that is, the powerful “R” word. “RESPONSIBILITY.” Because, hand-in-hand, freedom and responsibility go together, like horse-and-carriage, eggs-and-bacon, and (remember them?) Mutt and Jeff. By ducking freedom’s inseparable partner, that journal inflamed passions, insulted the Islam religion by trashing it’s most revered prophet, Mohammed. Violence is never a solution, One can understand, however, the anger and horror reaction to those tacky cartoons. It’s time to imagine “freedom with responsibility,” as in these examples: 1. With freedom to enjoy a cigarette, you are responsible to keep your fumes away from others. 2. With freedom to gamble, you are responsible for safeguarding your family’s finances. 3. With freedom to love, you are responsible to truly love — not rape your spouse. And, 4. Remember Mi Lai, of the Vietnam War? Obeying orders from his superior, Lt. Calley shot dead countless women and children. Having the freedom to do so, but no sense of responsibility, he lacked the guts to refuse compliance. That newspaper owes an apology to millions of Muslims, worldwide. It has not learned (what we all should have learned at our parent’s knee — that freedom together with responsibility must be the ultimate guide in all our decisions. Let us cherish the freedoms we enjoy. But, mind you, Mr. or Ms. Danish editor — freedom cannot stand alone. There is no such thing as FREEDOM AT ANY PRICE! Nancy Littell Fox Port Leyden, NY If the kids are OK, where's the problem? About the ruckus over the downtown panhandlers: Yes, there is a family of professional beggars in Ashland. The mother and youngest baby are usually out aggressively begging for money and they probably support the family that way. The father appears to be emotionally unstable at times and given to ranting at his wife, with friends or alone but in public. But, the children seem cared for. This professional begging and abusing the welfare system is a case for social service. It should be established if there is any child abuse, if the children are going to school, and they have safe warm place to sleep at night. Other than that it is none of our business any more than it is their business if the stocks we own support pollution, slave labor, arms sales, or worse, under such reassuring names as General Electric. I hope the uproar is about concern for the children rather than the inconvenience of seeing a mother and child beg on our Rodeo Drive shop filled streets. There are many agencies able to help beggars out, and we have the choice not to give money after we ask if the mother is in crisis or if begging with children is her chosen way to make a living. Some of the kids who panhandle have no home other than the streets, no one to care about them other than street kids, no one to love them but their dogs. How long would we last in those circumstances? Judge not lest we all be judged. Great wealth creates great poverty; beggars are a symptom of our, not their, corruption and indifference. Since Ashland is no longer a real town, but a rich people’s paradise, we have to be careful not to sweep the problems of the growing disparity between rich and poor into the police car. The rich are richer and the poor are poorer than they were a hundred and fifty years ago. That’s how far we’ve progressed in a century and a half. Is this London in the 1880’s or Ashland in the new millennium? Do we provide for our less fortunate, many of whom are veterans our government is not taking care of, and our children from abusive homes Social Services is not funded to care for? Does the real price of our hefty tax return offend our senses when we see the actual cost on the streets with those who are not using begging but begging because they were badly used? You can’t have such rich people on the hill and not have such poor people on the boulevard. Get a grip Ashland, life is not such a great thing for everyone, and our government keeps generating more street people every year. If merchants get irritated because the riff-raff sullies up their store fronts, perhaps they could start an organization to care for the rag-tags. It is the end result of greed. Let’s hope it is not ours. Leah Ireland Ashland Not all fats are bad The studies published this week indicating that a low-fat diet has negligible effect on the risk of chronic diseases validate what leading health authorities have been saying for the past decade: It’s not just fat — it’s the saturated fat in meat, eggs and dairy products. The studies found that those women who cut down on saturated fat had a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and colon cancer. A wealth of other studies over the past three decades confirm that consumption of saturated fats raises substantially the risk of contracting these diseases. The “all-fat-is-bad” crusade probably dates back to the U.S. Senate’s 1977 “Dietary Goals for the United States,” which originally recommended that Americans reduce their meat consumption. The outraged meat industry forced the Senate to recommend reduced fat consumption instead. Consumers who find the message of health authorities confusing have been listening to the wrong messenger. The national nutritional consensus, supported by the 2005 “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” and leading health advocacy organizations, has been simple, direct, and unwavering: Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, unsaturated fats — good; saturated fats and cholesterol (present only in animal products), trans fats, sugar, salt — bad. Camilla Kendall Grants Pass Web letters are submissions that did not appear in the print edition. Web letters are edited only to ensure they do not contain personal attacks, inflammatory or obscene language. Web letters may be longer in length than the 250-word limit placed on letters appearing in the print version of the Tidings. However, we suggest a polite 600-word maximum limit on web letters. To submit letters for the print version please follow the guidelines below: The Tidings gives priority to letters on local and regional topics of current interest. 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