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Who is destructive?
The arrogance of the human race gets bigger every day. Someone finally
writes that Mother Nature or perhaps God, depending on what you
believe, knows more than we do about managing the forests. Immediately
people write that adding more wilderness areas is a horrifically bad
idea or sarcastically state “lock Snidely Whiplash the evil logger
out,” — which, by the way, is not a bad idea — beating their drum
comparing Mother Nature’s and/or God’s incompetence to various human
diseases and holocausts.
WRONG — we, the human race for the most part, are the ones that
destroy like a spreading cancer all in the name of greed? taxes? OK,
whatever, and the pursuit of the almighty buck.
Want proof? Just take a drive to Rainy Lake from Dee Flat, Kingsley,
Huskey Road, Fir Mountain, or countless other places and you will see
huge destructive rapes of forest lands. In the case of the newest
Rainy Lake rape, which must be over a 10-square-mile area, a large
American flag is displayed proclaiming to all: “Come see what we have
done and we are proud of it! We destroy more habitat than most nature
caused fires could ever hope to.”
The main justification of our actions is that wood is a renewable
resource. That is only true if we renew it by replanting, which for
the most part, we do not. There are clear cuts that are 12 to 20 years
old that are not replanted due to causing an economic hardship on
Snidely Whiplash, the evil logger; therefore, it never gets replanted.
So, who is the most destructive? Mother Nature and/or God took care of
the forest long before we got here, the forest was thriving before we
came, and there are some very old trees out there proving they did a
good job — oops, I forgot — we cut them all down.
If you do not believe me, do your own homework: Take a drive; it will
not take you long to see it for yourself. We are not smarter or better
than Mother Nature and/or God.
Of course there is the other scam going on as well. Snidely Whiplash
cuts down the trees and purposefully does not replant; realtors and
developers are involved in land swaps, make bundles of money, give
large contributions to those that make it happen all in the name of
free enterprise, and we lose our beautiful forest, leaving nothing to
our children and grandchildren. Wonder what is going to happen when
they run out of land to swap?
P.S. Kudos to Michael Patmas of West Linn for his article, “Fires can
be helpful.”
Wendell Ellis
Mosier
Help Helping Hands
I would like to personally thank Jan and Phil Swartz, Diana
Beterbide, Margaret Marshall, the people of Riverside Community
Church and the people of this community for graciously and
generously supporting my recent fund-raiser for Helping Hands
Against Violence.
It was a privilege to sing and perform classical music for you on
Aug. 18. Reiner Stelzner, my accompanist from Germany, and I
sincerely thank you for the opportunity to share arias and Lieder
with you on that lovely summer evening.
Helping Hands Against Violence is an organization that provides
many important resources to victims of psychological, emotional,
spiritual, and physical violence in the Gorge. It is estimated
that one in three women will be victims of domestic violence in
her lifetime. Some estimates are higher because most victims are
too frightened to report abuse.
Our local organization served 1,235 crisis calls on its hotline
and provided 3,200 nights of safe shelter to victims of domestic
violence last year alone. Please remember this important
organization when you or anyone you know needs psychological or
physical safety from an abusive situation.
To Helping Hands Against Violence, and to the people of this
community: It was an honor to serve you in this way.
Maren Euwer
Parkdale
Development safety
A short time ago I wrote concerning the housing development next
to Hood River Middle School.
I have been informed that many of my concerns have become true.
Recently I drove through this enclave. I found cars parked on both
sides of the street. I seriously doubt that a fire truck could
negotiate this area. I have also been informed that there are
continual problems with cars parked on neighboring business
properties.
I thought that there was a requirement that properties had to have
space for two cars to park off-street. Obviously there are
exceptions. If these spaces are usable, why are they not being
used?
I understand that there is a movement to construct another enclave
like this one on other property in Hood River. I cannot understand
why our building department would approve any such plan. There is
absolutely no place for children to play. If this is being sold as
low-income housing, then there has to be provisions for the
offspring of these people. Otherwise all you are constructing is a
ghetto.
I also understand that there is a clause that prohibits buyers
from reselling to anyone except the original sellers for a period
of two years. This is a guarantee that if there is an increase in
price the original seller will be the one benefiting. I doubt that
there is even a guarantee of at least the original sales price.
I think that our building department should return to some of our
original restrictions and quit allowing exceptions that hurt
adjoining property owners.
Leonard Hickman
Hood River
Back VanOrman
We don’t often have the good fortune to have a candidate with the
preparation, the experience, the convictions, and the integrity of
Suzanne VanOrman, who is running for State Representative in the
52nd district.
I think voters would be well-advised to look carefully at what she
has done and what she proposes to do. Some examples:
She has 22 years of experience as Director of the Mid-Columbia
Children’s Council (Head Start program), giving her an up-close
knowledge of community support networks and their importance to
the quality of education and life in Oregon.
She knows that increased spending on education needs to be a prime
objective for Oregon and Oregonians to be able to compete
economically.
She cares deeply about state government, and has precise ideas on
how to make it more effective and equitable.
She is dedicated to better health insurance protection, especially
for children.
These are but some of what she offers. I recommend that voters in
the 52nd district take a good look at her as the election
approaches. She will represent us well on many issues that concern
us all today.
Thomas Penchoen
Hood River
Users should pay
It’s interesting that only recently has the Waterfront Park
committee discovered that there will be a hefty maintenance fee.
This park will be used chiefly by the recreationist community —
who else will go down for a summer picnic in 15-30 mile winds?
I feel that the users should pay for the maintenance. I would not
vote for its upkeep but would vote for upkeep of ball fields. So I
hope these issues will be on separate ballots.
Ruth Turner
Hood River
Pay close attention
Why is it when people get in a position of power they think they
should start fixing things for others? Even things that are not
broken.
Example: Hood River City Council thinks they should take care of
businesses with a license/tax because they can’t take care of
themselves. Oh, excuse me, it’s not really a tax; I forgot. This
is what it really is:
An excuse to obtain information on citizens. Can you trust that
this information won’t be used at a later date for further rules
and regulations and exercisers of power? I don’t think so.
It is a tax-tax-tax period. It gives a “foot in the door” for more
tax-tax-tax.
Guess who these taxes will be passed on to? You — John Q. Public.
Everybody living in this Hood River Valley is going to pay.
It’s another little chip on freedom in the guise that “It’s only
in your best interests.”
All city and county businesses and all citizens better pay close
attention and raise your voices at the upcoming city council
meeting or this method of taxation is going to be slipped to us
and it won’t even hurt — until later.
Ben Joplin
Parkdale
Military tragedy
Lately the Hood River News has published a lot of stories about
military tragedies hitting close to home, but the military tragedy
not reported in this paper but announced last week by the
Associated Press is that last year more than 80 military
recruiters were found guilty of sexual misconduct towards young
women.
Girls were raped on recruiter’s couches and in government cars.
Most of these girls were students.
I am the mother of a 14-year-old high school student and as she
and I walked through the Hood River Valley High School campus
together this Tuesday, a campus that is by law open to military
recruiters, I kept thinking about that report and the two others
that have just been revealed by the Department of Defense.
When she was five, I worried about strange men offering her candy
from their cars. When she was 12, I worried about strange men
offering her their “friendship” through Internet chat rooms. Now I
am much more afraid of the very real strange men who will be
meeting her on her high school campus: The military recruiters.
What kind of supervision do these guys get at our high school?
Does the high school do background checks on them? How can I
prevent them from contacting her without my knowledge when that is
the whole point of them being there?
Last week after police issued the arrest warrant for a Marine
recruiter who had sex with a 16-year-old high school student, the
military recruiters were allowed back on campus the next day.
Our young men and women dying overseas in Iraq is tragic, and my
Navy family has seen its share of tragedy from other wars. But a
young life torn apart by a military recruiter is a military
tragedy I will not accept for my daughter.
Pat Pierce
Hood River
Doggy Paddle thanks
A big thanks to Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation for their
generous support to PROD (Promoting Responsible Ownership of Dogs)
in the Doggy Paddle held every year at this time. Not only do they
open the pools for participation by the dogs, but the staff is on
hand to help in any way to assist the dogs, their owners and PROD
volunteers.
At least 70 dogs enjoyed the diving, swimming, ball-chasing and
general pandemonium that ensued during the 90-minute event.
Thanks again to Parks and Recreation; we look forward to the event
next year.
Maryanne Csizmazia
PROD volunteer
City
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