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Letters to the Editor: American Indian not offended by name of road It seems every few years someone new to the area is offended by the "Dead Indian" in Dead Indian Memorial Road. Letters to the editor in local papers start to appear and debates begin concerning changing the name of the road, mostly because some people feel the term "Dead Indian" just isn't politically correct enough in a broad-minded town like Ashland. I don't think it would be a stretch to say that some people want to change the name in a misguided attempt to assuage guilty consciences for improprieties committed against American Indians generations ago. To these people I would like to say, please learn how the road was named in the first place before you start criticizing and calling for change. Read the historical marker placed at the intersection of Dead Indian and Highway 66 or speak with the historians at the Southern Oregon Historical Society. The name of the road was never meant as an insult nor is it in any way a racial slur. Being an American Indian (Assiniboine) myself, and also a resident of Dead Indian Road, I can honestly say that I have never been offended at the name of the road, nor have any of my relatives back on my reservation who see my address every time I write them. I am proud to live on Dead Indian Memorial Road and do not feel at all slighted by a few words on a signpost. I hope I am not the only person in our community who realizes that ignoring the historical significance of Dead Indian Memorial Road by changing its name would be the real slight to American Indians. Jackie Hassell, Ashland Who is hiding what from whom, and why? Following Colin Powell's presentation to the United Nations, and after watching Jim Lehrer's News Hour on PBS that evening, it seemed to me that the current status of the Iraq matter could be summed up in the answers to a few simple questions: What information is it that Mr. Bush is withholding from the inspectors, and why doesn't he reveal it? What is the game that Saddam is really playing, and what does he hope to gain from it? Why are Russia and China together in seeking to avoid war, given their grievous records in humanitarian matters? Why are France and Germany, enemies of long standing, now joined together in strong resistance to Mr. Bush's rhetoric? Given that Mr. Powell has personally participated in war on several occasions over many years, and given that Mr. Bush carefully avoided exposure to the one war of his time, how come Powell is the dove and Bush is the hawk on the Iraq issue? If all of these guys would just be open and honest with each other maybe we could just set Saddam aside, and get on with the business of creating the biggest national debt in history, which is obviously where we are headed in any case. Quit the dancing, boys. John Gardner, Talent Guest forum: Let inspections work - war must be the last resort By Rob Hirschboeck Ashland I believe we are at a crossroads today as to how we will resolve conflicts between nation states and achieve just solutions in a world of diverse cultures and values. The U.S., because of it's predominant power position is espousing a foreign and military policy which is increasingly arrogant, and unilateralist. The new national security pronouncement which envisions and justifies the use of preemptory strikes; is a policy which even Dwight Eisenhower would have recognized as, and termed, "aggression." An attack on Iraq, lacking sound evidence, imminent danger or multilateral international consensus, betrays our national values while likely putting our own security at greater risk. It creates precedent for a more chaotic and dangerous international environment. It enflames the passions of those in the world who suffer poverty, disenfranchisement, and injustice and propels them in the direction of zealots and terrorist recruiters. In short it is a policy that can neither be just nor effective. Warfare represents human failure, and should be embarked upon only when it has an overwhelmingly just cause and when all other possibilities have been exhausted in the face of compelling injustice and imminent danger. As things stand now with Iraq, the pain, devastation and loss of life on all sides cannot be justified. An international process to investigate and disarm Iraq is now under way; it must be allowed to work. The horror of the last century's wars, even those fought reluctantly and with just cause, have seeded the globe for continued and more catastrophic conflicts. As citizens of this earth it is time to find better, more humane and successful ways focused on justice, equity, human rights, international consensus and diplomacy. We must insist that our President stand by his commitments to our Congress to prosecute war only as a last resort, to work within the United Nations structure, and to Let the Inspections Work. Warfare and bombing are terrors to those who experience them; unless and until we have no other choice we must not inflict them on other innocent peoples. We know from 9/11 exactly what those people will feel; we must distinguish ourselves from the perpetrators of that horror. We must not become them. 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