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Help plan a garden
Another Pearl Harbor Day has passed; I am eager to share with the
folks in the Gorge a unique plan to pay tribute to the loyal local
Japanese immigrants, and their children, who suffered internment
during World War II. Less publicized is the discrimination and
acrimony they faced from some of their neighbors and friends upon
returning to the valley. Hopefully, this will be a further step to
help all of us heal from the longtime wounds that that conflict
perpetrated on those families.
The Central Gorge Master Gardener Association, currently developing a
Learning Garden at the Oregon State University Extension Center
grounds, is in the planning stages for a small Japanese Garden at that
site. Our initial consultation will be with Toru Tanaka of Portland
Landscape Design, on Dec. 22 at mid-day, when he will visit our
proposed site to share his expertise in the development of a Japanese
Learning Garden.
We are excited to be adding such a distinctive feature to the
community, blending art, gardening and culture and we welcome
participation from community members who are interested.
Please contact me if you would like to be a part of the planning
process. I can be reached at rsaling@saw.net. Shirley Chrisman
(386-2865) will also take calls.
Rita Saling, project chair
Hood River
Exit strategy?
Many seasoned foot soldiers develop a sense of when they are being
led into ambush. Some may claim psychic premonitions of a hiding
enemy, but it is more likely that what they sense are the
conflicted psychic dynamics of their leaders. On the battlefield,
a superior’s orders to attack an enemy position are influenced
more often than not by his mental and physical state, his level of
frustration, and even his desire for promotion. A foot soldier can
often sense this, even as he loyally resigns himself to a
disastrous outcome.
This old soldier is sensing this right now — sending that al-Qaeda
has set an ambush for us in Baghdad, and waiting until we send in
more troops for a “final push.” Al-Qaeda knows better than we that
we haven’t the stomach to leave Iraq to the bloodbath of an
all-out civil war.
They understand that our leadership would prefer, at least at a
subconscious level, the honor of a disastrous “high noon” showdown
to a disgraced, Vietnam-type phased withdrawal.
Al-Qaeda also understands that we need a “cover” in order to
leave, and that the best cover would be the massive shedding of
American blood in a “good cause.”
Oblivious to this dynamic, we seem to be playing into the hands of
al-Qaeda and the insurgents in the same way that Custer played
into the hands of the ambushing Sioux at Little Bighorn.
Many “primitive” tribes have practiced, even celebrated, this
grisly ritual. Intentionally or not, a great loss of life is
inflicted on an enemy, then a sense of guilt and dread settles
over the vanquisher. Expiation is achieved by sacrificing either a
young virgin, or offering up the lives of their best young men in
battle, a kind of ritual quid pro quo.
Might this ancient dynamic shed light on why we seem to be
allowing ourselves to be led into ambush by al-Qaeda? And — is
this to be our “exit strategy”?
David C. Duncombe
White Salmon
Letter meant as tip
My letter that was printed last Wednesday, regarding placing
affordable housing on County property was not supposed to be
printed. I sent a note to the paper, under the tips section, with
the intention to inform them of what was occurring and expecting
them to gather facts.
To correct the earlier letter, the project that is being
considered is to develop the county parking lot on State Street to
a mixed-unit housing project of affordable and market value units.
The property is zoned commercial and does not require parking on
the property. However, the county has asked the developers to
respond to accommodate as much parking as possible.
The parking solutions will most likely be limited, forcing unit
owners to use some street parking. The development project is in
its initial stages and many people are working diligently on
finding the best solution.
If I offended any of the people working on the commission or
county representative, I apologize. Your dedication and hard work
to support affordable housing in the community is respected and
appreciated.
That being said, I do hope that the evaluation process slows down,
so that the community has input. Solving one problem that only
causes another isn’t necessarily the best solution.
Deanne Woodring
Hood River
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