Document text
Pacifists finding unusual outlets By Myles Murphy Ashland Daily Tidings Some write peace missives in the letters section of local newspapers, others scrawl their beliefs in eight-foot letters on a city water tower. As anti-war sentiment grows in Ashland, pacifists are seeking diverse outlets for their statements, including peace marches, tree-sittings, student protests, silent vigils, a flag burning - and vandalism. "We've had quite a bit of vandalism recently, not including the water tower," Public Works Superintendent Mike Morrison said. The city-owned reservoir - a water tank above Strawberry Lane - was reported vandalized Sunday. The words "No War!" were painted in huge, white letters on the side of the tank, which is surrounded by a high barbed-wire fence. The damage was limited to the cost of repainting the tower - about $200, according to Morrison. More costly is the suddenly endangered red octagonal Ashland stop signs, many of which have been altered by vandals adding the word of their choice under the existing "STOP." "We've lost about 30 stop signs to "Stop War," "Stop Bush," and "Stop Driving," Morrison said. "We've had so many of them hit that we're out." The city has 50 new signs on order, and they cost about $50 each, according to Morrison. That's about the extent of the serious problems in Ashland, not counting the countless smaller anti-war slogans written in black marker that turn up constantly around town, and the more colorful chalk messages which have at times covered the quad at Ashland High School, the Plaza and the sidewalk in front of the Ashland Chamber of Commerce. Such vandalism has bypassed Talent so far, according to Talent Police Department officials, but a recent incident in Phoenix shows the problem is not limited to Ashland. "They stickered one of our fire trucks and one of our patrol cars while we were at a call," Phoenix Police Chief Bob Kershaw said this morning. While responding to an emergency call Monday, an unknown person managed to slap bumper stickers on the Phoenix vehicles calling for the United States not to bomb Iraq. The stickers were quickly removed, but the vandal was not found. "I can understand a lot of people not wanting to see us go to war, but we won't know if Saddam has a bomb until he uses it, and then it will be too late," Kershaw said. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -