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March 12. 2015 12:01AM Letters to the Editor, March 12 Protect human rights SB 442-3 is a bill sponsored by Beaverton’s Elizabeth Steiner Hayward which seeks to abolish all philosophical and religious vaccine exemptions for Oregon’s children. If passed in its current form, kids who are not fully vaccinated according to the government-recommended schedule, even if they missed just one dose, will be barred from public schools, private schools, and “children’s facilities” starting in September. Regardless of how you feel about vaccines, this legislation is much broader: It affects a family’s freedom to make their own health care decisions. It is a direct threat to our human and civil rights. Our country was founded on the ideals of religious and civil freedom. This bill is un-American; the freedom-loving people of Oregon do not want their children’s medical decisions dictated by state legislators! If you are concerned about this issue please write and call our state lawmakers, especially the Senate Health Care Committee and Sen. Alan Bates, and tell them how you feel, and why.  Liz Schmidt, Ashland Showing we care It’s encouraging that more and more Americans are appreciating that the weird weather we are experiencing is a consequence of human-induced global warming and our emissions of greenhouse gases. And, there’s no good reason for inaction. We know that the taxes each of us pays to the federal government are relatively inconsequential when measured against the total national budget. But this does not absolve us from the moral and legal responsibility to pay our share. Some are not paying their share, but that doesn’t change our own responsibilities. It’s the same with greenhouse gas emissions. Each of us should do whatever we can to reduce their impact on the future. This means individually and collectively. Just because Oregon’s contribution to the global problem is small, doesn’t mean Oregon should do nothing to reduce emissions. While every effort to minimize greenhouse gas emissions is valuable, probably the most effective would be to place a fee on all greenhouse gas polluting fossil fuels through a statewide carbon fee or cap-and-trade mechanism. Either of these approaches could make a real dent in our emissions and show the nation that we do, indeed, care about future generations. Ken Deveney, Ashland No leg to stand on In the March 7 Tidings, I laughed at the outrage of poor Ms. Rondeau. She played every card in the book: her safety, fire, threatened, property value, etc. Sorry, but she hasn't a legal leg to stand on. Despite "her" photinia being there, on TID property, no less, the canal very much predated it, and is an easement in her deed. She should build a fence, and plant her hedge further into her property. Mark Osborne, Ashland The power of dialogue “It [the assumption that people in dialogue are trying to help us] takes us to mutual care, which must be added to mutual respect if we are to build a healthy community.”   — Herb Rothschild Jr., March 7 Ashland Daily Tidings Herb Rothschild Jr. speaks with grace, eloquence, insight and benevolence. I benefit from each of the rich “relocating” perspectives he shares. Dr. Margaret Wheatley wrote a deep consideration about the power of dialogue — what she calls “turning to one another.” She teaches that real dialogue — truly listening, with respect for the other, and co-creating mutual understanding — is an end, not a means. We are persons, who are capable of understanding and who crave to be understood. Dialogue provides the framework for reciprocal sharing, increased understanding, and (as Mr. Rothschild notes) caring. We grow in our humanity through earnest dialogue. And Dr. Wheatley cautions us about the pitfalls of not reflecting, of not creating what Mr. Rothschild calls “considered judgments” through conversation. “Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.” Our community is better because Herb Rothschild raises his sane, kind and informing voice. I look forward to witnessing how Mr. Rothschild’s invitation to us to be in dialogue with him (and each other) will enrich us all by bringing together the manifold dimensions of the important topics he explores. Daniel Murphy, Ashland Say no to TPP TPP is class warfare on steroids. Our middle class and our working class (remember them?) have suffered loss of ground under increased corporate rule for four decades. TPP will cede even more ground to the largest corporations, granting them near total ascendance over the middle class and the working class. It is imperative that you be a true Democrat now more than ever. Say no to Fast Track, and no to TPP. Jerry Nutter, Ashland http://www.dailytidings.com/article/20150312/Opinion/150319957 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->