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November 04. 2014 12:01AM Letters to the Editor, Nov. 4 Friends support libraries Oct. 19-25 was “National Friends of Libraries” week. Jackson County Library Services is fortunate to have Friends of the Library groups throughout Jackson County. The Friends groups at each branch contribute their time and expertise to significantly enhance library services. Through book sales, membership dues, and other fundraisers, these groups sponsor free lectures, professional storytellers, programs for all ages, film showings, career workshops, author visits, and summer reading program activities and prizes. Their donations also enrich our collections, funding the purchase of additional DVDs, databases, and other materials. Through our Friends’ support, the libraries are able to provide you with more library resources. Jackson County’s libraries are a valuable resource for our communities. Our Friends groups are a valuable resource as well. Please join us in thanking the Friends groups, and find out how you can join. Visit your local library for more information. Kim Wolfe, Medford Flags were grungy While strolling through the beautifully maintained Veterans Memorial Park in Medford, I was struck by the fact that the solemn and patriotic feeling was somewhat marred by the rather tattered and grungy condition of the flags flying on the various flagpoles. This seems like a perfect project for some Boy Scout or Veterans group to remedy. Perhaps a new flag every six months or so. I feel that the country has seemed somewhat tattered and grungy for the last few years and a bright and proud American flag flying in the breeze just might make your day. It always works for me. Tom Brussat, Jacksonville Cemetery friends say thanks The Friends of Jacksonville's Historic Cemetery would like to thank everyone for their continued support and for attending this year's Meet the Pioneers Program on Oct. 10 and 11. This annual event would not be possible without the dedication and hard work of all of our wonderful volunteers who make it happen. A special thank you to the following businesses and organizations for their continued support of this event: Jacksonville Chamber and Visitor Center, the Jacksonville Review, City of Jacksonville, Pioneer Village of Jacksonville, Southern Oregon Historical Society, Jackson County Genealogy Library, OSF Costume Rental, Renaissance Rose, the Fourth Wednesday String Band, and the Oregon Old Time Fiddlers. Thank you to the following individuals: Bill and Debbie Miller, Ron Moore and our cemetery neighbors. We sincerely appreciate our loyal audience, volunteers and supporters for making this Jacksonville event so popular and successful. Dirk J. Siedlecki, president, Friends of Jacksonville's Historic Cemetery Not front page news Is it really front page news that consumers picked a particular flavor of potato chip over three competing flavors? At best, the story of Oct. 22 belonged on the business page, as the report of a clever marketing strategy that enticed over a million consumers to purchase four bags of potato chips instead of one. At worst, it was free advertising masquerading as news for junk masquerading as food. Or maybe someone can assure me it was social satire directed at the corporate suffocation of culture. Tell me I missed the irony. Molly Tinsley, Ashland Our responsibility The Ashland City Council voted unanimously to ask the boards of Oregon’s Local Government Investment Pool and Public Employees Retirement System to review and consider divestment from fossil fuels. The origin of this resolution was a grass-roots effort by local Southern Oregon Climate Action Now volunteers. Councilors Morris and Lemhouse pointed out that this act alone was insufficient; more work is needed to reduce our carbon footprint. Councilor Marsh reminded us that clean energy and climate change are goals to be addressed by Ashland. Reasons to divest include exerting pressure on companies and institutions to change the way they do business, reduction of Oregon’s exposure to a collapse of the carbon bubble,and encouraging Oregon to invest in multiple climate solutions and according to Oregonians’ conscience and values. Going fossil-free is socially responsible financing. We are responsible for caring and using the Earth. We must not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The policies and choices the state makes on investing taxpayer money represent our values. What bold steps will we together take to make a difference? Join Southern Oregon Climate Action Now (socan.info) to take action and make your voice heard. Louise Shawkat, Ashland Find a place I have noticed the news reports that mothers are afraid to take their children to the expensively renovated Hawthorne Park. This appears to be a very expensive place for the homeless to take over. It seems that if the city wants Hawthorne Park to be used as designed, it would behoove the city to find a safe place for the homeless to congregate. I have seen on TV where in some areas the police go and wake the homeless around 4 a.m. to move on. These are people who had a life at some point that got lost. It doesn’t make them less than human. There must be somewhere in our area where the homeless will be safe and people can feel safe in the park. Seattle had tent cities; they worked well for the homeless, but the citizens made them move every 90 days. Karen Revell, Medford White tigers bred for money I was disappointed the Mail Tribune did a feature on the white tiger cubs born at Great Cats World in Cave Junction (Oct. 24, page B1). I thought this was a rescue facility, but no reputable rescue group would breed tigers. While tigers are severely endangered in the wild, there are many thousands of tigers in the U.S. bred for the pet and entertainment industries. Traveler Hawk is quoted as saying, “We’re absolutely excited about a new generation of these very endangered cats ...” Dr. Ron Tilson, conservation director of the Minnesota Zoo, said, “The tiger Species Survival Plan (of the American Zoo Association) has condemned breeding white tigers because ... they serve no conservation purpose.” Breeders of white tigers do not contribute to any tiger species’ captive breeding survival plan. They are breeding for money. The gene for white coat often causes severe physical and immune defects in the inbred cubs. Great Cats was lucky both cubs appear to be normal, but all white tigers have optic nerves wired to the wrong sides of the brain, so even if their eyes look normal, they have impaired vision. Correct information is available at: www.bigcatrescue.org/abuse-issues/issues/white-tigers/. Janice Koler-Matznick, Central Point http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20141104/OPINION/141109964 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->