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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels July 21, 2004 Far too political during parade I attended the parade this year for the first time in 25 years of being an Oregon resident. It will also be the last time. I was appalled at the "extreme" theme of politics in a family event: People tossing around a life-size doll of our president and all the negative connotations. It's crystal clear that Ashland is very anti-Bush, but a family parade with children present was not the venue to air opinions. Furthermore, the excess of trash left behind on our beautiful new boulevard was disgusting. I'm sure the tourists left with was an opinion that Ashland is full of political pigs who don't care about the true beauty Ashland represents. The trash still lined the streets at 6 p.m. the night after the parade. Can you say, "Volunteer Clean-up Crew"? Kelly Pegoda Ashland Streaker most unwelcome My letter is in response to the unwelcome, selfish and rude streaker, who chose to make a public appearance just before the start of the Ashland City Band's July 4 concert, at the Lithia Park Band Shell. A major reason for my nine years of membership in the Ashland City Band is because our summer concert series is a great way for families (including small children) to enjoy their summer evenings together. At first, I thought this was a once-only streaker. However, the July 4 Mail Tribune printed a small article on the Nudes Opposing Repressive Mentalities and Legislation (NORMAL) group, and their protesting of Ashland's new ordinance against public nudity, which goes into effect July 15. I hope that, for our remaining concerts, some police will be nearby, to prevent another appearance from this "not normal streaking group." Susan Potts Grants Pass Story a disservice to mentally ill Your June 16 account on a newly opened secure treatment program in Ashland described six of the Jackson House residents as "criminals judged insane." Such language in reference to individuals who suffered from untreated mental disorders prior to committing their crimes is both inflammatory and misleading. Furthermore, your article included disclosure of public records concerning crimes committed by each person identified by their names. It did not seem to matter that they committed these crimes many years ago and had been treated in the psychiatric hospital for a long time until they became eligible for conditional release. Nor did it seem to matter that they were moved to a locked home in Ashland, where they are going to receive treatment and supervision. What clearly mattered was the right of the public to know who would be their next door neighbor. The mentally ill are generally unwanted and feared wherever they go, especially if they have troubling pasts, and Ashland is no exception. Therefore, I am not surprised that in our liberal and open-mined community, I have not heard any objection to your gross intrusion on the privacy of the mentally ill residents of Jackson House. Andrew Axer Ashland Opinion page too one-sided At a time when our country and indeed the world are increasingly polarized and shrouded by a cloud of negativity, we need a newspaper that promotes unity and optimism. One that offers balanced constructive commentaries and editorials from a variety of sources and viewpoints that reflect the perspective of this very unique heterogeneous city. By allowing your editorial pages to be dominated regularly by letters from a select few demagogues who in their guise as historians put a hateful spin on the same topic weekly if not daily, you are silently promoting their agenda. We need some constructive unifying voices to give us some well thought out options to lift us out of this quagmire. Hate and condemnation only promote the same. We hope this letter inspires you to bring a more positive and constructive tone befitting to this city and your newspaper. Rudy Greene (Ashland), Patrick Honsinger, Leanne Heydon, Harvey Rupp, Mark Mihaljevich Eds. note: We publish almost all of the letters that are submitted to us under the guidelines. We encourage readers from all backgrounds to present their ideas. The "tone" of the editorial page is largely a result of the tone our letter writers set. The page is, after all, the space for readers to have their say. 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