Letters to the Editor
Thank our parents for providing ‘drugs’
From Alice Schaffer
Cave Junction
This was sent to me by someone else (the author is unknown) and I thought others would appreciate it:
Someone at a store in our town read that a methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county, and he asked me a rhetorical question, “Why didn’t we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?”
I replied that I had a drug problem when I was young, as did most of my friends.
I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.
I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I also was drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with
respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn’t put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profane four-letter word. I was drug out to pull weeds in mom’s garden and flower beds, and cockleburs out of dad’s fields.
I was drug to the homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair a clothesline, or chop firewood. If my mother ever knew that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.
Those drugs are still in my veins -- they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin. And if today’s children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.
They recommend Neighborhood Watch
From Robert B. Engle and Rod Walker
It seems that the major topic in town is the comment of our Josephine County Sheriff that he does not have enough deputies to patrol Cave Junction. Further comments, from others, such as our citizens may have to arm themselves for protection because deputies will only respond to calls for help when the situation could be life threatening. One sarcastic comment we heard was the council should post a sign inviting criminals into our city and invited to help themselves as nothing will happen to them. However, it seems that the Grants Pass newspaper has already told criminals that in their articles.
A one man police force is only a little better than nothing. If the man worked 40 hours a week, that still leaves 128 hours without local protection every week.
I was the coordinator for Neighborhood Watch in a part of Cumberland County Tennessee. We were often told that tornados do not hit in that part of Tennessee but one did and killed four of our neighbors and did millions of dollars in damage. As a result, our chapter took on the challenge of buying a system of warning sirens. The phone company donated power poles and donations were raised at a time when the city council said they did not have the money.
The public can and will help until the Oregon legislature finally has the political guts to find a permanent solution to our statewide fiscal problems. We would like to suggest that the council ask the sheriff to donate a surplus vehicle with their Sheriff and Volunteer signs in place and include two-way communication equipment. If the radio equipment was not available, volunteers could use cell phones. Our local Neighborhood Watch chairman has said that he would ask for volunteers to provide drivers and essentially improve communications with the Sheriff’s department for all of the Cave Junction area. We should also ask that other neighborhoods purchase the Neighborhood Watch signs and participate in the program. It works!
The Sheriff has already said that he will do what he can to help this situation. The public should be aware that the Neighborhood Watch members do not carry firearms. They call for help when help is needed. Perhaps a special public meeting could be held to invite public participation in this time of need.
