Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Ashland Creek Park opens Principal Zundel looks to next challenge The seven wonders of southwest Oregon Welcome Center plans can proceed Sharing time with the Ashland Cohousing Community Education Principal Zundel looks to next challenge Youth Activities and Academics Levy rolls in early returns It takes a village to raise a child Ashland High's Michelle Zundel heading to Medford district John Muir students need help producing eighth-grade yearbook Environment Demonstrators hope to save tree Documentary 'When Giants Fall' tells tragic story of elephant poaching Mt. Ashland Ski Area proposes summer adventure center Long drought, big storm make for a dirty Bear Creek Jackson County declares drought disaster Business Makeover brings new look to old clinic Cars We Remember: 1955 and 1956 Plymouth memories Ashland's CD Or Not CD will carry on Sawyer Paddles sues manufacturer, alleging breach of contract Ashland seminars focus on employment law Politics and elections Welcome Center plans can proceed Ashland council to consider water rate surcharge, Welcome Center agreement Jackson County district election turnout under 17 percent Arthur I. Cyr: Camp David summit will not help Mideast stability City of Ashland to consider making recorder position appointive, not elective State News Oregon's snowpack at just 11 percent of average Lack of snow nixes ski portion of popular Central Oregon race Bill under debate in Oregon would limit livestock antibiotics Nation - World Uh oh .... Apple Watch demand is weak There's a $10 million precious stone hidden in plain sight at Grand Central Obituaries Death Notices Death Notices Patricia Carole-Mae Perrin Alpha W. Crews Brian Erskine Fletcher Shareable Check out top import and export for every U.S. state Patriots fan sets up GoFundMe page to help pay for team's Deflategate fine Sports Latest Stories Grizzlies push defending 6A champs but fall in extras O'Brien goes for rare four-peat AHS decathlete Thompson-Siporen overcomes knee surgery to shine at districts George Barnes: We need to help free Tom Brady O'Brien, Kim claim MWL doubles title High school Grizzlies push defending 6A champs but fall in extras O'Brien goes for rare four-peat AHS decathlete Thompson-Siporen overcomes knee surgery to shine at districts O'Brien, Kim claim MWL doubles title Thompson-Siporen earns three MWL titles in first day of district meet Southern Oregon University O'Brien, Kim claim MWL doubles title Ashland heads to Eugene for MWL district meet Raiders Maguin, Parks, Sanders highlight first day of CCC track meet SOU lands two on all-CCC softball team See you in August Voices Latest Stories Granlund cartoon: Hillary and the press Landgren cartoon: College loans and graduation Robert DeWitt: WWII veterans are pieces of living history Our View: AHS loses a leader Letters to the Editor Editorial Our View: AHS loses a leader Other Views: Vaccine rate improves Our View: Focus on the basics Our View: Elected or appointed? Our View: Change is brewing Letters Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, May 19 Letters to the Editor, May 14 (No heading) Letters to the editor: Tuesday, May 12 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: A day in the life of ScienceWorks Guest Opinion: Ambrose spins a conservative fantasy Guest Opinion: Restoring the Plaza's sense of place Guest Opinion: Making conservation a game Guest Opinion: A good day to act Columns Council Corner: Citizens on the move Guest Opinion: A day in the life of ScienceWorks Council Corner: Please help me with my list George Barnes: We need to help free Tom Brady Chris Honoré: The journey of the African elephant Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Ashland Calendar, Thursday, May 14 4 Things To Do This Weekend Movie listings: May 15-21 Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum at The Mountain House Steve Poltz, Grant-Lee Phillips at Old Ashland Armory Theater Ticket Availability Ashland-originated plays to tour throughout country Ticket Availability Ticket availability Ticket Availability Music Interview: Country mainstay T. Graham Brown reflects on career The Farr Side: Contest open for singer-songwriters The Farr Side: Mumford & Sons’ latest is full-on rock Interview: Country singer Suzy Bogguss enjoying life on the road The Farr Side: CMAs do it right, in many ways Visual Art Movies Movie review: Cast keeps laughs coming in ‘Pitch Perfect 2’ Documentary 'When Giants Fall' tells tragic story of elephant poaching Movie review: ‘Mad Max’ is a fresh, fantastic approach to a classic idea Your A-to-Z guide to the ‘Mad Max’ franchise Movie listings: May 15-21 Food and Drink Taqueria Picaro takes over Tabu space Owner of Mix and Amuse to bring Flip burger joint to Ashland Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories The seven wonders of southwest Oregon Study finds family rules about screen time, eating seem to work Gift of time: Instead of presents, share experiences with kids Reading can keep young minds fresh over summer break Linda Cobb: Time to make a list of spring garden chores Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Mocha Musings Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW The seven wonders of southwest Oregon ... Ticket Availability ... Welcome Center plans can proceed ... The seven wonders of southwest Oregon ... Ticket Availability ... Welcome Center plans can proceed ... COMMENTARY Jeffrey Gillespie: Shame on the high seas Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted May. 15, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted May. 15, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News In 2012, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 60th anniversary on the throne with, among other things, a Jubilee flotilla down the River Thames. In all, 670 boats took part in what many people considered to be a bloated and archaic display of imperial power that did not correlate with contemporary mores. That particular display of colonialist pomposity (one of many that happen in England and the rest of Western Europe on a disturbingly regular basis) cost some $16 million. It was "privately funded" through individual donations, a distinction the palace was keen to make, as though this fact could justify so vulgar an exercise. Now, compare that crusty worldview to the reality currently on display when casting your eye southeast, toward the Mediterranean Sea. For many years, and at ever-increasing rates, tens of thousands of refugees from war-torn and impoverished nations in North Africa and the Middle East have been attempting the dangerous, near-impossible feat of crossing the ocean from Libya, Egypt, Jordan and, most recently, Syria, in search of a better life. Italy alone has suggested that nearly 25,000 people have entered the country irregularly since the beginning of this year, up from 20,000 in 2014. Those are just the lucky few who survived the trip. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that as many as 220,000 people tried to cross in 2014 and failed. Some turned back. Some were denied entry. Many simply drowned. While it might be puzzling for the American reader to grasp why anyone would make such a perilous journey, it's not hard for someone living in a war zone to make the jump. Risking your life by hopping a leaky barge to bluer waters is barely a problem when you're living with the dangers that plague contemporary Damascus and Tripoli every day. While many of the military operations in such places were underwritten by Europe, most of the southern countries in the EU such as Italy, Greece and Spain are unwilling to extend a helping hand to the refugees, arguing rather coldbloodedly that any such arrangement would only encourage another wave of alien invaders, emboldened from afar by stories of success. There are now 8 million displaced people in Syria alone, 4 million of whom have left the country. When you correlate this diaspora with the fact that several of the countries of southern Europe are hanging onto their economies by a thread (imperiled by the very real possibility of a breakaway from the Eurozone) it’s not hard to recognize the potential for one of the most dangerous and volatile situations in the history of modern geopolitics. Italian, Spanish and Greek officials have dealt with this unprecedented human tragedy by turning a blind eye to the boat people arriving on their shores, and then watching them leave through the front door for more prosperous climes to the North, such as France and Germany. A high-stakes game of pass-the-parcel, to be sure. But there's another problem that many observers are even more concerned about. There is every likelihood that a viable portion of the arriving migrants are militant jihadists, linked to the Islamic State and hiding in plain view. In our attempt to squelch ISIS in Syria, the United States and its allies have created a potential conveyor belt for the beast of terrorism to enter and strike at the belly of Old Europe. Osama bin Laden himself could not have dreamed up a more impeccable scenario for the proliferation of radical Islam. As things currently stand, there appear to be no strategic scenarios that do not lead us back into a maze of bad options. Increased instability can be expected in Europe; additional bloodshed will probably follow. The West must develop a new paradigm for peace, and eliminate old displays of empire. It's time for fresh ideas. Jeffrey Gillespie's writing has appeared in the Santa Fean and Art Collector magazines, the Portland Mercury and Willamette Week. He lives in Ashland. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted May. 15, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501