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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor, March 4 Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Mar. 4, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 4, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Learn to relax In responding to Herb Rothschild's call for responses to his assertions in his Tidings column, I commend him for the comment on war, that "those who advocate war should have to convince us that their end is indisputably moral, that it is achievable, that there is no other way to achieve it, and that the war they propose won't cause at least as much harm as it aims to prevent." He allows that absolute pacifism may not be the simple answer to all international discord. That, in turn, opens the conversation to considering a greater range of actions. In regard to ISIS, he discusses the bigger issue of the U.S. policing the world. I wholeheartedly agree that this is a role whose time has come and gone. Too many of us have never questioned our self-appointed status as the champion of goodness, but in this age of unprecedented communications, it should be clear that only the power brokers in Washington can continue to hold this ego-driven opinion. Moral behavior in an increasingly complex world is not a simple matter of where and how to apply force. So what happens if we refuse to apply any more force to oppose ISIS? I can't say I understand what's going on there well enough to venture a guess, but I can say that other actors on the Mideast stage will step in to fill the void we leave. Given our track record since the Bush administration, it's hard to see how this would result in anything more calamitous than what is currently going on. What's at issue here is America's need to control the world's natural resources, coupled with the fear that leads us to maintain a larger arsenal of military goods than the rest of the world's powers combined. The irony is that the more force we exert (in the mistaken mindset that we are protecting ourselves) the more antagonism we engender in others. What's called for, in my opinion, is a deeper understanding of human nature. When we model the behavior we profess to want, we tend to evoke a like behavior in others. Not to say that there is no true evil in the world, but we are an imitative animal, and in the overall sense, becoming the right behavior does exert a positive force in the world. Change toward peaceful cooperation, whether it be focused on peacefully living together or on reigning in global warming, will only happen when individuals in leadership positions evolve to understand this and begin to act from other than their fear. There are enough resources, there is enough food. Let's learn to relax! Avram Chetron, Ashland Trends and causes I was delighted to read Vickie Aldous' thoughtful article addressing climate change in Sunday's Mail Tribune. A welcome departure from the business-as-usual reporting of local weather patterns based on historical averages, Aldous got to the core of trends and causes and helped readers connect the dots to the larger picture. Kudos to the editors for featuring the article on the front page, which alerts the public to the facts about climate change and what part humans may play in it. Grassroots organizations like Southern Oregon Climate Action Now (socan.info) and others work diligently to keep the conversation going and look to the press to do its part. A well-informed public is a well-prepared public in the face of what may become the single most important issue of this century. None of us, no matter our wealth or station in life, can avoid the impacts severe weather changes will cause globally based on the predictions of most scientists. I'm glad Jackson County is actively addressing the issues of drought, fires, and water. We also need leadership to address what we can do as individuals. I look forward to more articles like Aldous's. Diana O'Farrell, Ashland DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Mar. 4, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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