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Letters: Thoughts on safety operations I don't have a problem with the "Pedestrian Safety Operation" program, and if drivers are so unaware that they don't notice the rather large signs that announce the "sting" as well as people standing around with video cameras, then they probably deserve to be cited. I do however have the following questions and comments: Chief Walsh states that "pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk". I agree (as does Oregon law), but would also ask, do pedestrians have theright of way in the middle of a block when there are two clearly marked crosswalks at each end? My biggest gripe is that pedestrians seem to think it's not necessary to actually use a marked crosswalk, that they can just cross wherever they please (usually in the middle of the block) regardless of any automotive traffic. Perhaps in an effort to increase pedestrian awareness, we could conduct another "Pedestrian Safety Operation," only this time we should cite pedestrians who flagrantly "jaywalk" as they dart out from behind a parked car rather than walk an extra 20 feet to the intersection with the marked crosswalk. William Machado, Ashland Media is covering for real terrorists Last night, like many of your readers, I cried as I watched children who survived the bus bombing in Israel pulled out of the wreckage covered in blood. Within hours both Islamic Jihad and Hamaas proudly claimed responsibility for the murder of twenty people. After studying the middle east conflict for many years the thoughts and images that terrify me were not of the bombing but of what I know to be the reaction of the majority of the Palestinian people and a large section of the Islamic world. Today in Palestine many families will be celebrating this murder as part of the Jihad (holy war). Someone will print posters of the murderers that they call shahid (suicide martyr) to hang in Palestinian homes. Clerics who hold sermons on Palestinian TV every Friday will write their speeches praising this act of violence. Children's shows on Palestinian TV will also make their plans to sing praises of the murderers. Anyone who doubts my claims need only to watch Palestinian TV. The media has sheltered us from this side of the conflict, with the belief that it incites hatred towards Arabs. Not willing to credit their viewers or readers with enough intelligence to discriminate between the beliefs of some and an entire race of people with many beliefs. In our attempt to eliminate bias, the press has even gone as far as to call Islamic Jihad and Hamaas members militants instead of terrorists and murderers. This change in language is despicable and helps legitimize these organizations whose self proclaimed purpose is the annihilation of Jews. Last week PM Abbas and many in the UN were pressuring Israel to negotiate with these TERRORIST groups. Yesterday these murderers showed their true colors again and Abbas changed his tune about negotiating with Hamaas and Islamic Jihad. Will the American media also change its tune and start calling these terrorist and murders by their real identity or will it continue to legitimize these organizations by it's choice of words? Emily Folmar, Ashland LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | 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 -