Letters, letters, letters

The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday.

To the Editor:

Sometime ago, an ambitious realtor assured me, "You'll like Sisters -- people here have their cups full."

Although I'm admittedly a few fries short of a Happy Meal, I did want to appear reasonably intelligent, so I nodded in agreement and then looked at another house we'd never be able to afford.

Several years later, I think I finally get it!

In August, I missed a meeting and ended up as the chair of the current Sisters Schools Local Option renewal campaign. My first thought was "great, how am I -- political neophyte and not among the sharpest tools in the shed -- going to handle this responsibility? Besides, I'm so angry about the way Oregon funds education, I can hardly see straight."

Then the magic of Sisters struck me. A team of hundreds of local volunteers mobilized and united for a common vision. Most incredibly, compassionate individuals and families, in increments from $1 on up donated every dime necessary to fund an awareness campaign.

More than once in the past week, I've had to hold back a chuckle or two when I've overheard it suggested that the Local Option campaign is being waged by some "high-priced PR firm."

Nope, we're just a group of citizens -- ranging from flat-broke to flat fortunate -- that understand our cups are full-of blessings. Blessings we must share with the children of Sisters.

After all, we can't afford to allow Oregon's lousy educational funding strategies to become a first grader's problem. Until we can find a better way, I hope you'll share from your cup of blessings on November 2.

Mike Gould

* * *

To the Editor:

Dear Tollgate residents: We are being railroaded and bamboozled again. Another vote (regarding a pedestrian path) on yet another issue that has been defeated again and again.

I urge you to vote. Vote your will and vote your choice but please vote. I have repeatedly tried to hang signs on our public notice board by the mailboxes only to have them taken down time after time. This is a violation of my right, and the law which grants me the right, to lobby against the upcoming ballot proposal.

Please note that the changes to the proposed path have been done to decrease the number of households that will vote no. Please note that whether this path goes through your property or mine, we will all be impacted by the disruption that will occur from increased traffic nearer our homes our families and our pets.

Please note that it is just another ploy to increase our dues again, as it will require additional labor and maintenance once completed.

Control is the main issue here, please vote to keep what little control we have left and please vote no to be considerate to the neighbors that are affected. Thank you.

KL Webb

* * *

To the Editor:

I think it's time to give credit where credit is due. Due to the unsavory effect Presidential elections tend to have on our citizenry, The Nugget has recently drawn considerable criticism.

Essentially, the critical letters seem to say "you don't represent my opinion enough and that is unfair." Well, boo hoo.

Bottom line is, the Sisters community should be grateful for this newspaper. It is truly what a newspaper should be. It focuses on news that is of direct relevance to this community: It has tons of school and youth activity coverage, which should be appreciated in a where there is such strong school support. It provides great coverage of the politics and civic activities for the area.

It regularly features pieces on local business and services, helping to keep the local economy sustainable.

Secondarily, the paper provides bits of state and national news that impact our area. Fortunately, there is no coverage of Britney Spears, the Dallas Cowboys, the weather in Italy, the status of Wal-Mart's expansion into China, or other nonsense that has no relevance in Sisters.

Last, but not least, the paper provides us an opportunity to express our own opinions. I'm grateful for the editorials and political cartoons found in The Nugget. Not because they express my opinion, but because open and plentiful dialogue makes a community strong and viable. Write to express your opinions, but try doing it without complaining about the forum providing you the opportunity to express them.

Brad Smith

* * *

To the Editor:

Regarding Jim Anderson's guest column ("Honoring the dead," The Nugget, October 6, page 2): No news source is entirely free of bias. If you are comfortable with getting all your news from a single source, fine, but how would you know if they're telling the truth?

Pravda readers thought its news was the truth.

I wish I lived in a world where everybody was truthful and reasonable, but I live in a world where people have their individual agendas. So I must accept the burden of searching for as much information as I can find before making up my mind on issues. To that end, I watch programs that present both sides of issues: "Meet the Press," "Hannity and Colmes" (one conservative vs. one liberal), "The O'Reilly Factor" as well as PBS, CNBC, "Hardball."

Secondly, regarding the "abomination" Jim refers to: It is not that there are civilians in Iraq waiting to get their heads cut off. The abomination is that an al-Qaida terrorist/animal named Abu Musab al-Zarqawi cuts off their heads. Blame the criminal, not the victim.

Whether or not you agree with our going to Iraq, the fact is that we are actually doing a lot of good things there: millions are free from a brutal dictator, schools are open, hospitals are staffed, voting for their own future will soon take place. We have a long way to go, but it is undeniable that progress is being made.

I didn't hear that on PBS -- I have military friends who have been there. Sad thing is, most of the media delight in giving us all the bad news but little of the good news.

Finally, how dare Jim disrespect an American hero like Dan Rather by implying that he is too stupid to screw up on his own? Rather certainly doesn't need the Republicans to lead him astray.

John Gailey

* * *

To the Editor:

Thank you, Jim Anderson and Eric Dolson for saying what many of us feel. Long live Free Speech!

Gus Johnson

* * *

To the Editor

For Jim Anderson,(re: "Honoring the dead," The Nugget, October 6, page 2).

Thank you.

With Love and Tears, too

Elayne Clarke

* * *

To the Editor:

We've probably heard enough about John Kerry's flip flops regarding the war in Iraq. No matter what the topic Kerry seems to have several positions on the subject. For example, on April 22, 2004 at an Earth Day rally in Houston he told his supporters he dislikes gas guzzling SUVs because they are poor for the environment.

On the same day during a conference call when asked if he owned a Chevrolet Suburban he said, "I don't own an SUV... the family has it. I don't have it."

On October 25, 2001 he voted for the Patriot Act. On December 1, 2003 in a speech at Iowa State University he said, "We are a nation of laws and liberties not a knock in the night. So it is time to end the era of John Ashcroft. That starts with replacing the Patriot Act..."

On March 24, 1993 he twice voted against tax breaks for Ethanol. On November 24, 2003 in a debate during the Democrat primary he said, "I'm for Ethanol...a very important partial ingredient of the overall mix..."

He denied throwing his medals over the fence but during an appearance on ABC's Good Morning America on April 26, 2004 Charles Gibson said, "Senator, I was there 33 years ago and I saw you throw the medals over the fence."

I suppose his supporters will say that things will change over time and so will support or opposition. But most if not all of the issues on which he has taken positions on both sides are not conditions that change. Think about it.

Sincerely,

John S. Berry

* * *

To the Editor:

Dear Sisters, Oregon, thank you for helping me to my success of life.

My name is James Orlando and I was a Sisters man in the mid-'80s. You might say I was heading down every wrong road you can think of and when I moved from Sisters I was homeless, no money and had no life to brag about.

You see a lot of people didn't know that in the course of my life I have been in 295 foster homes.

The beginning of my life my biological mother tried to kill me twice and I lived in her closet when I was a child without food to eat for 10 days. At times I was eating bugs that would crawl under the door.

That's a little part of my life but in my book that I'm writing, you will be amazed what I went through so the reason that I'm writing this letter is to say thank you to the people that did help me and that I will never forget the times in Sisters, Oregon.

Love always,

James Orlando