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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us November 26, 2004 Homeless need help, carefully I applaud Mayor DeBoer for taking the personal initiative to try and help the homeless situation here in Ashland. I believe the government should certainly do all it can to help those who can't find a job, or who have a job and can't afford housing here in Ashland. I am a bit upset, however, about the attitude of the homeless person you quoted, Mr. Bennett Tanner. I will admit that I was fortunately enough to have born into a situation without much true hardship and have no idea what it is like to be truly homeless. However, I work long hours, under continuous stress, to live in the house I live in. I do not do this so that someone who readily admits to being able to get a job but refuses to do so so that he can "fulfill myself and actualize my potential and self-expression" can sit around living off my tax money without doing anything. If he wants to fulfill himself, that is fine, it is his choice, and he has to face the consequences. I have the same choice, but instead choose to work hard so that I can live in a house. Let me restate, a person who can't get a job, either because none are available or due to disabilities, or a person with a job who can't make ends meet should have the government's help, but someone who simply wants to live a homeless lifestyle and not take the job available to him does so by choice and does not need or deserve our help. Matt Warshawsky Ashland Good intention, wrong plan Kudos to Jon Darling for his balanced, engaging article outlining the two sides of the homeless debate presently on the table in Ashland. Our mayor's contention is well meant but ill-conceived and unrealistic. Your reporter makes the argument clear: Three million dollars for eight apartments in high density southern Ashland, seeking compensation through the profits of a first floor thrift shop. We propose a "sweat equity" homeless village housing fifty people. Self created, structured, peaceful and prosperous. An experiment in social design, sustainable building practices and alternative energy use, reclaiming hopelessness with promise. Costing the city only land which sits unused. It is only our thinking that this can't be done which has made it impossible before. We only need to think it can be done. Randy Dolinger Director Ashland Homeless Alliance Bush acting like King George What can we say we've learned about the use of military force from the time of King George of England to President George of the USA? Apparently not enough! King George hired mercenaries to be used against us and now President George has hired out our military as peacekeepers to the United Nations. When King George decided to quell the rebellion in the colonies, he alone made the decision to use force. When President George wanted to attack Iraq, he alone was allowed to make the decision. The beleaguered recipients of King George's wrath, while writing our Constitution, wrote that the decision to commit our military could not be made by one person. They were trying to prevent our government from following the footsteps of kings and tyrants throughout history of committing armies to war. James Madison, the father of our Constitution, wrote: "Those who conduct a war cannot in the nature of things, be proper or safe judges, whether a war ought to commenced, continued or concluded. They are barred from the latter functions by a great principle in free government, analogous that that which separates the sword from the purse, or the power of executing from the power of enacting laws." Ask yourself this: "If our government is allowed to ignore constitutional limitations about the use of our military what is there to stop our government from ignoring constitutional limitations about anything?" Wrong is wrong whether done by a Democratic or a Republican president. Henry Stevens Medford Help during the holidays As the holidays approach, the Ashland Emergency Food Bank is reminded once again of how thankful we are to have the support of our faith-based groups, area businesses and the community at large. For over 30 years, this continued support has allowed AEFB to provide emergency food supplies to people in the communities of Ashland and Talent. As winter approaches, we want to remind everyone that the food bank is available to both families and individuals in need on a monthly basis. Our volunteers work diligently to see that food requests are handling in a timely manner and each client is treated with respect. The Ashland Emergency Food Bank is located at 144 N. Second St. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. until noon and from 1 to 3 p.m. Nicki Stroo Board President, Ashland Emergency Food Bank DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Isotoner Slippers Dsw Shoes Ceramic Piggy Banks Fanny Mae Eloans Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weight Loss Programs Citibank Student Loans Acs Loan Matchmaking & Dating Scripts Adventure Travel Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation helzberg diamonds Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams