Document text
Letters to the Editor: Dec. 21 Wednesday Dec 21, 2016 at 12:01 AM Congratulations on Hope Village Jackson Care Connect congratulates the city of Medford on an extraordinary accomplishment: the groundbreaking of Hope Village. It will focus on housing first, placing this fundamental need as a steppingstone to life changes. As a mission-driven health plan, individual health and well-being is a top priority for Jackson Care Connect. As a neighbor, we're also concerned with the whole community. Housing and health go hand in hand. Jackson County Access reports that $127 million is spent annually on health care for people without stable housing. According to a Providence Health & Services study, people in stable housing spend 12 percent less on medical services. Homelessness also creates a cycle of unintended crime. Minor infractions (activities illegal because they take place outdoors) lead to warrants lost because there's no address, leading ultimately to jail time. Homelessness costs the justice and law enforcement system over $4 million a year. Communities all over Oregon have proved that micro-shelter neighborhoods like Hope Village improve life for participants and reduce costs for all. We at Jackson Care Connect applaud our community and city for their foresight, vision and compassion. Together, we're proving that this is a wonderful place to live, work and care for our neighbors. Jennifer Lind, CEO Jackson Care Connect Words reflect character I would suggest the basic quality of a person to be evaluated is his character. I believe this is the flaw with Donald Trump. Jesus said,"For by your words you will be acquitted and by your words condemned." (Matthew 12:37) The language of Donald Trump reflects his inner being. There must be a change in his character, reflected in his words, if our new president is to be a competent leader. Character still counts. Clark McCall Medford Liberals' outrageous ideas Once upon a time, the elite liberal blockheads of America said, "Let's think of the most outrageous ideas and get the deplorables to believe them. For example, we'll get a big hairy guy and throw him in the ladies' restroom. We'll yell and scream and call them names if they won't believe he is the same. "Next, we'll install a Tampon dispenser in the men's restroom and again call them names if they won't believe the ladies are just like men. We'll get rid of those pesky pronouns — no more 'him' or 'her,' we the people will be known as 'X.' " In other words, knock down all major beliefs the deplorables have, like marriage, babies and religion. We will be known as the loving, caring party and Hillary will be swept into the White House. Marilyn Hermant Gold Hill