Document text
May 14 , 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels December 31, 2003 Tourism editorial is short-sighted In a recent Tidings editorial opinion, you propose that tourism is the answer to everything, Jobs, Money, pots of gold at the end of the rainbow. If you believe that a tourism based economy can deliver Family Wage jobs, you are sadly mistaken. You need not look any further than Bend to see how flawed that concept is. Tourism based economies are notorious for low paying jobs with no benefits. Bend has produced a huge class of working poor, hardly ANY middle class, (as truly defined) and an elite rich with a lack of affordable housing. Hmm, come to think of it, that pretty well describes Ashland, and Jacksonville these days. The Editorial Column of the Daily Tidings cannot have it both ways. You cannot keep crying out for something to be done to improve the Family Wage situation, and then turn around and endorse an idea that will only exacerbate the situation. While I do agree that our Air Quality cannot be compromised, I absolutely know from first hand experience that Tourism is NOT the answer for ALL our problems. We are already seeing that the Tourism and Service jobs that have come to the area, cannot replace the Family Wage jobs that were lost with the demise of the Timber Industry, and Industrial jobs. While Industrial and Production jobs are being sent overseas faster than you can say Washington D.C., there is no good reason that we cannot do something to restore Timber Industry jobs in this area that DO provide Family Wage jobs, AND as a double benefit restore funding for Schools, and Government Services. Does this mean that we cut down all the Trees, or shove roads into Wilderness? No. But, Timber Industry jobs can be restored without doing either. It is high time to consider restoring the Timber Industry as a major provider of jobs to this area. If we fail to do so, it would be like a Man crying of thirst, while a stream flows right next to him. There can be a way to have use of our Natural Resources, and provide safeguards to prevent overuse and exploitation. Greg Roberts Medford Tidings tells a biased story of Israeli attack RE: the 12/23/03 headline and story: Israeli raid on refugee camp kills eight Palestinians Why did the Tidings print only part of the story. Yes eight Palestinians were killed. But under what circumstances? Do you think Israeli generals were sitting around celebrating Hanukkah when one of them said, "Let's go kill some Palestinians?" Coverage of the event by other newspapers provided proper context. The Israeli forces were looking for and found a tunnel into Egypt. The purpose of the tunnel (and others already destroyed) was to smuggle weapons. The Tidings story did not mention the purpose of Israel's forces in Rafah. That is terrible reporting - unless the Tidings is deliberately trying to put Israel into a bad light. I have no problem with the Palestinians smuggling weapons. That's war. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WHEN ISRAEL KILLS PALESTINIAN FIGHTERS. That's war. I have a big problem with any media outlet that portrays Israelis as mindless killers. The Tidings headline and story did just that. Gerry Mandell Ashland P.S. Please see internet editions of the N.Y. Times and Jerusalem Post and others for proper context and balance. Peace House director bids farewell to city So long, farewell, peace and goodbye to the State of Jefferson - It has been a huge couple of years for all, and Peace House was no exception - along with two U.S. invasions and the Patriot Act was the task of putting Peace House back together again after a period of inactivity. Antiwar marches, helping to launch other community groups, new systems, fundraising, nonmilitary recruitment efforts, and Molly Ivins(!) have all added to the health and rebirth of Ashland's Peace House. My job is, therefore, done. I had hoped to stay until February for leisurely goodbyes, but health issues have finally caught up. And it's time to go back to my communities in Eugene. For those of you I didn't see, consider yourselves hugged! And remember that it takes work for change, not just wishes. Blessings, Justine Cooper Retired executive director of Peace House 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 Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams