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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 22, 2004 Why Bush is still popular The public TV Show, "Frontline," on April 29 made clear to me why George W. Bush continues to maintain a high level of popularity. The American culture puts a premium on ease and simplicity, and Bush fits the "good leader" mold. After all he is a "born again" Christian, because he accepted Jesus Christ into his heart at one stirring moment in his life. The show pointed out that 40 percent of Americans endorsed this evangelical point of view. That is a lot of built in popularity. To digress and in contrast to this immediate, quick fix, born again idea, I would suggest with no theological training that one attains the "kingdom of God" by a gradual process. Through day-by-day mindfulness, and trying to see the divine in all people and mundane circumstances, one might find heaven. Again Bush's popularity is high despite a costly war in Iraq. He has managed to touch the ease and simplicity button of success. He can give tax cuts and run up a huge deficit, because that is the way most Americans would handle it. Individual households in this country have high personal debts, and they evidently do not feel guilt in passing on the country's debt to the next generation. Again Bush taps into the American psyche. In this present day American culture with the large built in pro-Bush voting bloc, he will likely serve another four years. Robert Ray Scott Ashland Calling on GOP leaders to lead How is it that Oregonians, who have a proud history of responsible and ethical Republican representation, are now being subjected to the Bush Administration's campaign strategy to hold on to the White House? The orchestration from Texas of the latest smear campaign against John Kerry is part of a long history of dirty tricks instigated by the political heirs of Chuck Colson, and Lee Atwater; and it follows on the heels of a pathetic video-arcade style campaign ad that has played interminably in our local media market over that last few weeks. Unfortunately, slander is the technique of choice with this bunch. Remember the hate ads against Michael Dukakis during Bush senior's campaign? Where is the Republican party that gave us Tom McCall and Mark Hatfield? John Kerry is a legislator of the same quality as these two men. Anyone who looks at the historical record rather than campaign Web sites knows that. Just as President Teddy Roosevelt united Republicans and Democrats alike to reform the political scene at the turn of the 20th century, we now need John Kerry to lead the fight to return our government to the service of all its citizens. Amidst the attacks that are airing now, it is worth noting the large number of thoughtful and accurate books by Republicans criticizing this administration are on the best seller lists. Read them and join us in voting for John Kerry for President. Nan and Dick Trout Ashland Abuse is abuse, even of animals The abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers bears a striking parallel with our abuse of animals in factory farms and slaughterhouses. In fact, this morning's Washington Post notes that some of the photos showed a cow being skinned and gutted and soldiers posing with its severed head. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5623-2004May5.html) The abuse of Iraqi prisoners is merely a manifestation of our culture of violence and insensitivity to the suffering of those we view as "the others." It matters not whether these are are Iraqi prisoners, Vietnamese villagers, or animals raised for food. It's a culture that gives otherwise kind and gentle farmers a license to keep dairy calves, pregnant sows, and laying hens in cramped cages, drugged, and deprived of natural food and sunshine. It's a culture that leads otherwise normal slaughterhouse workers to skin, dismember, and disembowel cows and pigs while they are still conscious. Punishing a dozen soldiers and apologizing to the Arab world merely places a band-aid on this cultural scourge that will rear its ugly head again and again, whenever otherwise normal people feel that they have the license to unleash their violent and insensitive leanings. The only effective long-term solution is to instill in our children the notions of kindness and sensitivity to all suffering. A good time to start is when they first ask where hamburgers come from. Ted Cantfield Ashland 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