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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Half-acre Applegate grass fire followed explosion ... Bybee Creek fire jumps into Crater Lake caldera ... Fire damages White City mobile home ... Half-acre Applegate grass fire followed explosion ... Bybee Creek fire jumps into Crater Lake caldera ... Fire damages White City mobile home ... LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor, Aug. 1 Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News It's our choice It certainly an understatement to say these are very challenging times. But, the German philosopher Johann Wolfgang Goethe is correct when he said, "Humans have an infinite capacity for good or evil." So, the two choices each day are to become increasingly identified with materiality to the point of greed, or we can choose to be joyful, kind and compassionate to every person we meet. Our minds are like a tape recorder often replaying the same negative thoughts. This has been referred to as the conditioned mind because 95 percent of our thinking is habitual. Today, there appears to be a preoccupation with negative stereotypes — like, politicians are greedy, self-serving and have little concern for the public welfare. One excellent application to practice love I read on the internet. "I scroll or pass right on by any negative or degrading posts, bumper stickers or slogans on shirts or cars. I am not responsible for changing anyone's mind." Aldous Huxley, a very well-educated deceased author, put it simply, "If we could just be a little kinder to one another each day." Yes, we do have an infinite capacity to love by practicing it each day. Jim Hawes Medford Back up and punt I'm tired of people who contend our country was not founded on Judeo-Christian values. Mr. Schlapfer tells us our country was actually founded on "Enlightenment values" (whatever they are). Perhaps he should back up 10 and punt. He quoted the Declaration correctly: "We hold these truths ...", but failed to add, "... All men are created equal, endowed by their Creator ... ." He then named three of the founding fathers as being advocates of his "Enlightenment values." Not so! In various writings, Ben Franklin wrote: "I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men ..."; Thomas Jefferson wrote: "... The doctrines of Jesus are simple ..."; James Madison wrote: "... The belief in a God all powerful wise and good is so essential to the moral order of the world ..." Our Declaration of Independence has its base in common law going back to the Magna Carta (1215) but the most immediate common law inspiration was the 1765 "Commentaries on the Laws of England," by William Blackstone, which contained "... The law of nature ... dictated by God himself ... Upon these two foundations, the law of nature and the law of revelation depend all human law ..." Murray LaHue Medford Thanks to OCF The Rogue River School District would like to extend a sincere thank you to the Oregon Community Foundation for its generous support of Rogue River’s Environmental Education program. Through funding from the Fred W. Fields Fund, the Gray Family Foundation and the Olsrud Family Fund, Rogue River has received $26,900 this past year, with more OCF funding anticipated over the next two years. These funds have allowed Rogue River students to have field experiences in the areas of water quality, forest ecosystems, fisheries, hydrology, fire science and recreation. This has been a big win for the Evans Valley riparian area, as students are providing environmental stewardship to the community, coupled with their study of the Next Generation science standards. We are truly grateful to OCF for its support of this endeavor. Kathy McCollum, retired special programs director Rogue River School District MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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