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1 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 C.W. Smith will run for Senate ... Death at U.S. Cellular not considered suspicious ... Bank robber on the lam from Phoenix work center ... C.W. Smith will run for Senate ... Death at U.S. Cellular not considered suspicious ... Bank robber on the lam from Phoenix work center ... LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor, March 20 Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 20, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 20, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News Crisis needs solution A crisis of housing affordability, long chronic in Ashland and Jacksonville, now affects every corner of the Rogue Valley (Mail Tribune, March 13). It's a market problem, but misplaced hope in an invisible hand will not improve housing security for an intolerably high and increasing number of working people who live on the brink of homelessness. Realistic solutions to this problem affecting our neighborhoods, schools, policing and quality of life must originate from within our own communities. Local governments should aggressively incentivize new housing construction to increase supply, reduce prices and improve accessibility. Prudent revision of zoning laws also should be on the table. The Oregon Legislature made an important stride in the right direction this month when it allowed inclusionary zoning and excise taxes to increase affordable housing. I'd like to see candidates for elected office support and advance plans to build on the momentum that our state legislators created to solve the housing crisis. The economic and social benefits of new housing construction will be enormous. Jay Lininger Talent Social injustice If justice is getting what you deserve, what is “social justice”? It is getting what you don’t deserve. What is the doctrine that trumps justice? It is the doctrine of “fairness” or, more formally, egalitarianism. Fairness demands equality of outcomes whether or not it is deserved and must use coercion to achieve its goal. Tying “social”, an adjective, to “justice,” the root word, is a subterfuge to give a patina of legitimacy to egalitarianism. The effect is to corrupt the meaning of the word justice. “Social justice” is the opposite of justice. How so? In economic terms equality of outcomes can only be achieved by coercion and intimidation such as wealth redistribution and fines for not paying for others' health care (ObamaCare). “Social justice” says, “You didn’t build that.” Justice ends when force begins. “Social justice” elevates the “rights” of the collective over the rights of the individual. “Social justice” foments division in our society, promotes victimhood, dependency, envy, and violates individual rights. It is the antithesis of the meaning of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution and liberty. “Social justice” is the gateway to a fool’s paradise. Gordon W. Dickerson Medford What it really means "Make America great again" actually means to me that some white folk are afraid of being the minority in this country. They are afraid that they will be treated the same shameful way that whites have treated minorities in this country for centuries. Word up, this country is moving forward;it is not going back to a time when "white was right." Lindsay Earl Paulk White City Denial isn't right Until I read the article "Backlog Blues" in last Sunday's paper, I didn't realize that gun dealers could refuse to sell a gun to a prospective buyer if his or her background check takes more than the legally proscribed time. I don't see what difference it makes whether it is the current three days, the proposed 10 days or any other length of time if a gun dealer can refuse to sell the gun regardless of the length of time it takes. This just isn't right! Art McKinney Medford Is it Trump? So is Donald Trump the anti-Christ that we’ve all been told is living among us on earth right now, deceptively seducing the masses to follow him into the grand conflict of the end times? Christine Kelly Ashland MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 20, 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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