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June 19, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels May 26, 2004 A spirit of community I would like to offer the following recognition, as the facilities coordinator for the Oregon Society of American Foresters (OSAF) planning committee, to the staff of the Southern Oregon University where our 2004 convention was held on May 5 to 7. We very much appreciated the fine facilities of the Stevenson Union Building, the gracious hosting by Katherine Iverson, scheduling supervisor, and her staff to make our convention such a success. We also want to thank Joey Ngan, head of campus security, and his staff who handled the additional security concerns in a very professional manner due to threats against an individual who had been invited to speak at our convention. Finally, our appreciation to professors, Dr. Joseph Graf, Dr. Eric Dittmer, Dr. Mark Shibley and under-graduate student Tristan Ragsdale for arranging the opportunity for one of OSAF's guest speakers, Mark Rey, under secretary for natural resources and environment of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in charge of the US Forest Service, to meet with SOU environmental students and Ashland citizens. It was a civil, productive meeting where Mr. Rey was able to respond to the deep concern that students and local citizens have over the management of national forests. Before the convention, two meetings between professional foresters and the environmental community provided a model for open, civil dialogue that is needed in a democratic country. Both Dr. John Sessions and Mr. Rey appreciated the opportunity to clarify their positions. Prior to our OSAF meeting we met with campus security, the Ashland police and federal agents to discuss threats to invited speakers and potential demonstrations at our meeting. SOU has a good policy to allow honest and open demonstrations to take place. We acknowledged their policy and accepted the right of protest. What we do not accept is blocking passage, swearing at and threats to the well-being of our speakers, the menacing and swearing at security personal who were attempting to provide protection and the vandalism to SOU property. Action of this type does not build community but tends to allow each side to demonize the others from a self-righteous position. It is not the way to build a community spirit! It adds to the fear and distrust which is rampant in our country. We do not feel a small minority should set the atmosphere for our community or for our meeting. Weighing all that happened, we conclude we had a very successful 2004 OSAF meeting and again want to thank the staff of SOU for their wonderful hospitality. Howard Heiner International Forester 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 Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams