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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels November 29, 2004 Council positions don't reflect the wants of majority In case anyone is wondering why the Democrats continue to lose on the values and cultural issues in our elections, one need look no further than the sorry performance by three of our city councilors (two of whom I endorsed) including our future mayor, over the resolution to condemn the recent vandalism on Veterans Day. Instead of doing the "right thing" and voting for a simple and reasonable resolution that would have been supported by the vast majority of both their constituents and the constituents of any "blue" or "red" state, they chose to do the opposite. They chose to espouse a silly, narrow and elitist point of view and nit-pick the resolution to death. Their views are completely out of the mainstream; both in this city and the country. Instead of using just a modicum of common sense, they chose to fight a battle that should have never been fought. And, if this is what we have to look forward to, the citizens of Ashland are in for a long term of endless verbal nonsense and gridlock from our leaders. Unless they can appreciate why they were elected in the first place and try to reflect their constituents' views, instead of a radical and isolated few, they are unworthy of their elected office and the citizens of Ashland will be poorly served in the future by such a shameful performance. Bill Greenstein Ashland Paper receipts are necessary for voting machines Let's see, I get a paper receipt when I shop at the store, when I buy gas, when I get a driver's license and a pack of gum. Why not after I vote? A vital democracy cannot exist when tens of thousands of Diebold electronic voting machines, in nearly 40 states, produce no paper trail. None. Bupkis. Zippo. Nada. And given that there is no way to verify or double check that the votes cast were accurately counted, there is absolutely no way to identify the winner of any election. None! How can a secretary of state certify an election when they can't even look or re-look at the actual ballots cast? There is no way, none! I remember my math teachers imploring me to "show your work�" so they knew I knew what I was doing (and wasn't cheating!). This is called accountability. Vital democracies work this way. Accountability is the key to a vital democracy. Anything less than accurate, repeatable, verifiable free and fair elections open the door to corruption, cronyism and despotism. Paper trail, please! Accountability, please. Vital democracy, please! Ken Becker Ashland Clearing up my statement on the flag resolution The excerpt of my statement of opposition to council member Don Laws resolution ("Council excoriates Veterans Day flag vandals," Nov. 17) does not fully represent my views. What I said was: "The American flag is associated in history and at this moment, consciously and unconsciously, and usually intentionally with American wars. It's always ambiguous whether display of the flag is for honoring soldiers for bravery and sacrifice - on command - or for approval of any war the U.S. government engages in for whatever purpose. ... We as citizens should not allow our respect for American soldiers, who are not responsible for the country's military policy, to be confused with approval of its war crimes in Iraq or elsewhere." As the article states, the council did approve the resolution after making a futile amendment, deleting the word "humiliation," thus decreeing that the perpetrators of the anti-flag-waving incident should only feel "shame" over their inferred unpatriotism. Our expiring council was certainly not at its best Tuesday night. Hal Jamison Ashland Don't assume the vandals had greater purpose The Ashland Council resolution condemning the vandalism to flag holders assumes that it was an act of civil disobedience. Councilor Laws was right though when he pointed out that we don't know what the motivation was for the vandalism. It may have been nothing more than an act of senseless vandalism or a distractive prank. He was right when he said that "by taking this action we may dignify that action." Mark Everett Medford Voters knew what to expect from four more years I want very much to agree with guest writer Anne Stein, (Guest Forum, Nov. 17) and her belief that "most people (did not) know what they were voting for" when they elected George W. Bush to his second term in office. However, I can't. Unfortunately, I think they knew exactly what they were voting for, and they agreed with it. We will not lose our rights to some invading army, we will give them away at the polls. Ms. Stein quoted Ghandi, I shall counter with Walt Kelly's Pogo: "We have seen the enemy, and he is us." Doug Mitchell Ashland DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams