We want to thank the county and city road crews for doing a great job on the roads.

You make our drive to Hood River safer. We especially want to thank the unknown guy who went down Dee Highway, saw me shoveling, turned around and when I asked, “How much do you charge?“ he said, “I don’t charge” and plowed out our driveway.

You made our day.

Find common good

I am wondering why Cliff Mansfield (Our Readers Write, Jan. 30) has such a need to see “environmentalists” and their motives as evil?

His tirades give me pause, when I think of my own ranting about the “neo-cons” and their destruction of all that I hold dear. We must read the opposite sides of every issue and amass our arguments, but the emotional rage spills over any logical framework we try to hold together.

Is it the shadow side of my own heart that I must listen to, before I will be able to contribute to the public conversation in a useful way?

I am grateful that Cliff thinks that conservation efforts are the right thing to do.

I agree that all fear mongering must be recognized for what it is.

Then we should be able to sort out true threats from manipulation, and act together, as Earth’s creation, for the common good of our beloved home planet.

Complex issue

Kristy Athens’ letter (“Attitude adjustment,” Jan. 30) was an insult to the fruit growers in the Hood River Valley. One must conclude that she is ignorant to the facts regarding the farm labor housing rule issue.

Oregon farm labor housing has been under the jurisdiction of OR-OSHA for over 30 years. Under these rules, local farmers have upgraded or built new housing to meet these state standards and provide safe and clean housing to migrant workers.

OR-OSHA acknowledges the quality of the labor housing in this area. This past year, growers were advised that there are federal labor housing standards in addition to the state. In some areas, the federal specifications exceed the state specifications, so the state must change their standards so they are not in conflict with the federal rules.

Understand, these different specifications do not translate into better or safer housing than the existing state rules. Some of these rules, however, have a slightly different specification which may make our current housing non-compliant, such as slight differences in window size requirements.

Cherry growers in The Dalles may be required to provide heaters in their housing units, even though they are only occupied at the hottest time of the year when the heaters would not be in use. There are many other examples which would cost thousands, yet not improve the housing.

Readers should understand growers are not demanding exemption from the federal rules, but are merely trying to work with the state to have a reasonable amount of time to make these changes, keeping our housing compliant in the meantime.

Election politics

It was with little surprise I learned that the House had passed a temporary continuance for the right of federal government to wiretap and dip into our private lives.

Despite huge questions about human rights and the right to privacy, we are reminded how our government works during times leading up to elections. It is much more convenient for politicians to backpedal on their statements and votes after they have secured their place in office.

Convenience politics has been with us for a long time. We saw it when we armed Iraq to protect us from Iran in the 1980s. We saw it when we armed the Taliban to fight off the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. We see it in Africa where genocide goes on barely noticed or reported by our “liberal” media who claim to be so big on human rights issues and the truth. They seem to be more intent on leading our emotions and interests where they would have us go.

It is no wonder someone like Barack Obama can come out of relative obscurity to gain tremendous support when he says it is time for a change in the way government does things. The Democrats railed about the current administration for quite some time leading up to the last vote which tipped the balance in the House and Senate.

Unfortunately, those newly elected officials seem to be willing to cast votes right alongside those whom they were previously so intent on teaching the right way to do things in government.

Fortunately for these politicians, many Americans have extremely short memories and are quite forgiving and short-sighted. Convenient to politicians, terms in office are quite long. It allows elected officials time to clean up their acts to prepare for re-election.

It would certainly be interesting to limit terms to two years and see what could be accomplished when you had to vote on the hot seat each time.

Study school needs

It was with interest that I responded to the school district’s “survey” regarding the bond measure and local option proposals.

I am curious how much we had to spend for me to receive 10 minutes of advertising for both measures disguised badly as survey questions.

Although I have not determined where my support falls regarding both proposals, I question spending district funds on what was obviously geared to assure me that my taxes will not go up because of either measure. We should not judge the measures because “our taxes will not increase,” but rather on the basis of whether we think that the funds are necessary to operate our schools effectively at an increasingly high level.

We should be proud of the schools we have and the teachers that staff them. Our students have opportunities to learn at a competitive level if they so choose. I would ask all those in the community to look at the proposals and evaluate them on their merits. Our students deserve a chance to succeed and we have an obligation to provide that opportunity, so please ask questions when you have them and be involved in the process. If not, it makes it hard to comment after the fact.

What a party

Thank you to all that were able to attend my surprise 70th birthday party. The employees at the bank certainly worked hard to put this all together and to keep it a secret. What a sight to look around to see so many friends in one place!

A good time was had by all and we’ll do it again in another 70 years — well, maybe we’ll rethink that one.

Thanks for really making this a very special day.

Enough is enough

When will we say enough is enough? When will we say that, yes, although we allow of some legal vices in our society, they are to be controlled and not easily accessible. We condone drinking but not in public and with strict age limits; we condone prostitution but only in Nevada, and, we condone gambling but it now appears that we condone gambling almost everywhere, with some gambling taking place at casinos located on Indian lands, without state or federal oversight.

I guess some vices need less supervision than others. So when will we say that enough is enough? That we are tired of dealing with the aftermaths of gambling vice and that the price to society and our communities is too high?

According to the National Indian Gaming Commission (as reported in The Christian Science Monitor, Friday, Jan. 18, 2008, “Californians set to vote on massive expansion of Indian casinos”, an article by Daniel B. Wood, also quoted below). There are 336 tribal casinos in 29 states.

Oklahoma has 68; California has 58; Washington 28; Arizona 25; Minnesota 19; Michigan 18; Wisconsin 18; New Mexico 17; Montana 10; and, Oregon 10. This, of course, does not include the non-Indian casinos. Together Washington and Oregon have 38 casinos!

Is anyone as appalled as I am at this horrific number! What are our legislators and casino proponents thinking? That this is easy money? That no one is hurt by gambling? That there aren’t consequences to communities, families, society, our economies?

Or are they even thinking? Maybe the easy money rolling in is blinding them to the realities of “no guaranteed minimum wages, reduced safety standards (because the tribes are ruled by less-stringent federal laws), that the money people spend on gambling is diverted from purchases that support retail and other businesses that pay sales taxes” — which tribal casinos don’t pay, etc., etc.

Do our legislators and gambling proponents ever think about the numerous negative impacts of casinos? Increased crime rates, increased gambling and other addictions, prostitution, more personal bankruptcies, increased domestic abuse, more abuse of children — the most vulnerable, and they don’t get to vote on this issue!

These are but a few of the multitude of negative impacts from casinos, no matter whose casinos they are. When will we say enough is enough?

Now today I say ‘No!’ to the proposed off-reservation casino in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, our home and our community. We don’t want any more casinos, nowhere, no how, in Washington and Oregon.

We all have to stand up and fight for our communities and our public welfare. Won’t you stand up and be counted and tell our legislators and gambling proponents that enough is enough? Tell them “No more casinos!”