Document text
Understand what you oppose Intelligent opposition requires understanding what you are opposing. Dennis Sinclair’s Feb. 16 letter needs much work to demonstrate this. If a scientific theory appears to work well and has been confirmed as valid from a number of qualified sources, this leads to acceptance of the theory as a valid way of regarding the system under question until refuted. This is science. Sinclair needs to look up scientific consensus along with China and India’s global warming and pollution history. Socialism, especially the democratic kind, is not totalitarianism any more than Sweden and Norway are Venezuela and North Korea. Southern Oregon Climate Action Now has the goal of presenting scientifically based information on climate change to promote understanding and awareness of the problem and how we can address it. Anyone can learn more by visiting http://socan.eco and benefit from the myriad activities that include monthly meetings with speakers from different areas of expertise to different activities and projects. Alan Journet, a co-facilitator, is, among others, an accomplished and gifted educator who scrupulously adheres to scientific thinking and data. Failure to understand you oppose can lead to absurdly false statements and unethical malignment of excellent character rather than reasonable critique. Chuck Rhine Medford Pioneer statue is tarnished In Buffy Pollock’s article March 2, Mrs. Rybolt stated the towing company had them sign over the title to their “home” in order to retrieve their personal possessions. Is this legal? An industry standard? The towing company will then auction off the RV “home” to satisfy the exhorbant towing fees. And they are still responsible for their tickets/fines. Has the Oregon spirit of pioneers died with the 160th anniversary of our statehood? Also, most recently the Tribune has printed several articles on repurposing school buses to accommodate mobile living. This article demonstrates the potential pitfalls of RVs as homes, especially for those with little money or resources. A 30-day stay at a hotel for $45 per night amounts to $1,350. The now homeless Rybolts could have been helped by a new battery, $150; gas, for which they were provided funds; and assistance with a safe place to park while they garnered funds for tags and insurance for their home. Now they are more dependent on the “system” than when they set off westward from Missouri. The statue atop our state Capitol looks a little more tarnished today. Bob Shand Medford