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Supports Van Orman
In this last spring’s primary election the Democratic Party chose a
candidate to run for state representative for District 52. Suzanne Van
Orman ran unopposed, so it is likely that many people in this area may
not be familiar with her name or her record. It is now time for
Republicans, Independents, and Democrats alike to come to know about
her.
This dynamic lady, with great organizational and leadership skills,
has championed the Head Start progam in our area. She has a passion
for educational improvement. Those associated with her during this
period know of her exemplary role.
During the weeks and months ahead, as she runs against incumbent Patti
Smith, you will learn much about Suzanne from those of us who
enthusiastically support her. There will be letters in the newspaper
from her advocates and pamphlets in the mail. I hope you will read
them thoughtfully. Many of you may have the opportunity to meet her.
Also, you may go to Suzanne’s Web site:
www.voteVanOrman.com, for additional information.
Carroll Davis
Hood River
Humans cause death
In response to the article “Community bids loving goodbye to Marc
Lee”:
The death of a soldier is a terrible thing; especially so when
that soldier was as honorable and noble as Marc Lee. It’s only
human nature that when terrible things happen, people look for
complicated answers. I suppose that’s why those protesters from
Topeka (Kan.) connected homosexuality and military deaths in a
bizarre chain of unreason — and traveled all those miles to add
uncertainty and chaos to a terrible tragedy.
Was Marc Lee’s death divine retribution for a group of people
existing?
There are a number of arguments that can be made that refute that
claim, however they would be unnecessary; as the protesters
asserted their claims without evidence. Thus they can be dismissed
without evidence; and dismissed they were.
There is another more obvious possibility regarding the reason
behind death in wartime: there are people, as in human beings who
seek to kill our soldiers, and this time they succeeded. No divine
influence, no magic or supernatural agendas need to be invented to
explain why people are killed while fighting an enemy who would
rather die than see us live.
My point being that it is time we accepted horrible, regrettable
events as natural things. That the fault has nothing to do with
fate or God. Rather, the problem lies in ourselves. In humanity.
One doesn’t even have to ignore their faith to acknowledge such.
For the sake of argument, let’s say there is a God. Wouldn’t it
make sense for that God to lift those who lift themselves?
Carson Wright
Hood River
Tax unnecessary
Following is a quote from your Sept. 2 front page article about
the proposed city business license fee: “They (city council) felt
it would provide an avenue to more closely monitor home-based
businesses using hazardous materials, or provide emergency
responders with easy access to contact numbers if a fire or crime
occurred on the property.”
It is surprising to me that the city council seems to be unaware
that each year businesses that have used hazardous materials are
required to file an “Oregon State Fire Marshal Hazardous Substance
Information Survey” that keeps track of all the potential
hazardous products on the premises of these businesses. This
information is already in the database of the State Fire Marshal,
and I am sure it is easily accessible to firefighters in Hood
River.
The survey also has emergency contact phone numbers for business
owners and is updated annually (or within 30 days, if a big change
occurs). I would be happy to show my 2006 form to city council
members if they are unfamiliar with it. For more information about
this program, check out the following link on the Oregon State
Fire Marshal Web site
http://egov.oregon.gov/OOHS/SFM/CR2K.shtml.
Implementing another level of bureaucracy in the name of safety
will not only cause confusion, it also seems to be just another
way for the city of Hood River to tax its citizens. This tax will
start off as a small fee, but after a few years, we all know it
will creep up.
Brian Carlstrom
Hood River
No civil war?
The Saturday Oregonian newspaper announced in a front-page
headline: “Pentagon Issues Grim Iraq Report.” The article went on
to print a subheading which declared that “preventing a civil war
is the priority for U.S. troops, an analysis for Congress says.”
If there hasn’t been a “civil war” going on over there ever since
we illegally invaded the country, then exactly how does the
Pentagon describe the daily little unpleasantnesses which have
killed thousands of Iraqis and U.S. troops?
At least the Pentagon should have the guts to admit there is
already a raging civil war in Iraq. Our troops have not prevented
it so far – what makes anyone think they can start now?
When the United States illegally kicked that hornet’s nest, a lot
of people were bound to be stung. It’s tragic that so many of them
have been innocent Iraqi civilians and the flower of our own
youth.
Wendy Best
Parkdale
Thanks, Doppio
Doppio ... What a great community-minded business! Many thanks to
Mike and his staff for supporting the Fiza Henna fund-raising
event at September’s First Friday. We succeeded in raising some
serious money toward our costs to join the Hood River Valley High
School Music Department’s Wind Ensemble/Chamber Singers upcoming
trip to England and Scotland. We couldn’t have done it without
you.
Team Fiza (Madeline Gobbo,
Mackenzie Baxter, Erin Bryan,
Jordan Zanmiller, Caley Melton)
Hood River
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