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October 26. 2014 12:01AM Letters to the Editor, Oct. 26 No truth in label I am responding to the opinion of George Sexton in the Oct.15 newspaper. Droughts and lightning strikes cannot be controlled. There will be fires at those times. The old-growth trees that he speaks of are only resilient to a point. If there are ladder fuels nearby the fire can climb up the tree. True old-growth trees get old and develop things like root rot and fall over. Like any other tree, they can be hit by lightning. Nothing is here forever. There is no “radical wing” of the timber industry, but there are radical environmentalists who have burned timber industry buildings in Glendale and Forest Service buildings in Oakridge because they don’t like the timber industry. It seems like Mr. Sexton is twisting facts and playing politics when he attacks the timber industry by calling them “the radical wing,” and there's no truth in that. Susan Long, Eagle Point Don't buy the fiction Beware, fiction is being presented as fact about Measure 92 by misleading biotech-funded commercials. The Mail Tribune says, "Measure 92 appears to be a carefully worded initiative that simply requires food manufacturers to provide consumers basic information about what's in their products. We recommend a yes vote.” The Eugene Register Guard says, "Opponents start from the fundamentally untenable position of having to make the case that consumers shouldn’t have information they want about the food they buy. But they do their best to cover that gaping hole with a flurry of skewed and unsubstantiated arguments that they hope will convince voters to reject Measure 92." Hundreds of Oregon farmers, tribes, moms, educators, health providers, food producers, scientists, nutritionists, gardeners, restaurateurs, child advocates, small-business owners and respected consumer protection and food safety organizations endorse Measure 92. Opposing Measure 92 you find out-of-state corporate contributors. Ask yourself who you believe cares about Oregonians. Irwin Chanotin, Medford Hobos are humans The recent Medford City Council ruling to allow charities to hand out food to homeless people at Railroad Park while Hawthorne Park is closed for renovation is a controversial and brave decision. The Oct.15 letter to the Mail Tribune that called homeless people "hobos" expresses a view that dates back to the Great Depression. Back then, many Americans found themselves desperate for food and shelter in the wake of the Wall Street crash and economic downturn. We have not yet returned to full prosperity in the wake of the Great Recession, and many in our midst need help. It is always tempting for those who enjoy financial security to view the homeless as hobos who are less worthy of food and shelter than themselves. Perhaps a faith-based community could step forward now to offer their building as a location to pass out food to the homeless? Hobos are humans and we are all our brother's keeper. Donna Breedlove, Medford Ebola overkill I recently spent an hour at the gym on a treadmill and viewed the five-screen array of televisions there. The newscasts were all about Ebola, with Fox News using their continuous "ALERT" news header to keep viewers afraid and CNN doing their usual "Breaking News" header so no one's adrenaline would diminish for even a moment. Apparently, the ad nauseam coverage of Benghazi and Malaysian Flight 370 stories weren't keeping their viewers sufficiently transfixed. Ebola has infected scant few in this country. The flu seasons vary, but in the U.S. we've had yearly fatalities from 3,000 to 49,000 over the last 30 years. Now this is something to actually worry about, especially if one's health is frail. Get a flu shot! I think U.S. congressional hearings regarding Ebola are overkill, and making the tiny outbreak here in this country a national focus is primarily a way to keep everyone distracted from seeing this "do nothing" Congress as they are. James Williams, Medford Hypocrisy of the right wing  The Republicans, tea party and Americans for Prosperity loudly fill the media claiming to be the only real supporters of freedom, liberty and democracy. Yet across the country they have supported repressive voter registration requirements clearly designed to prevent legitimate citizens in ethnic or low income areas from voting. They claim these blatantly undemocratic, anti-liberty and freedom-suppressing actions are necessary to prevent widespread voter fraud. Yet there isn’t a shred of evidence supporting this claim. Voter fraud is so infrequent that it’s simply insignificant. The Republicans, tea party and Americans for Prosperity are heavily funded by out-of-state corporations and big moneyed interests which are dedicated instead to buying government at all levels. Thoughtful voters truly concerned about freedom, liberty and democracy should vote against Republicans, the tea party and Americans for Prosperity every chance get. Don Morris, Ashland Who will pay? Dave Dotterrer emphasizes three things in the Voters' Pamphlet 1) "Reduce taxes and regulations to attract and retain new and existing businesses." 2) "Make education funding a higher priority." 3) "Balance Oregon's budget without raising taxes." Candidate Dotterrer's statement doesn't tell us what parts of the state budget he would cut. Reduced taxes in one area while not raising taxes means somewhere there will have to be reductions in spending. Oregonians are going to pay. I need to know who. State highway users? Families with special needs children? Retired state employees who bargained in good faith for their retirement benefits? Current taxpayers whose jobs will be cut? Our children and grandchildren whose future is sacrificed when we put off solving today's problems? Barry Peckham, Ashland http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20141026/OPINION/141029774 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->