Letters to the Editor
From our weekly issue dated January 23, 2008
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Correction
A letter from Ray H. Brewer in last week’s issue contained a typographical error. In the second paragraph, “height” was mistakenly used rather than the correct “weight.” The reference was to restrictions at a commercial airport in Boise.
‘Marks’ and Sabbath
From John Bazen
Cave Junction
“Mark of the Beast, or the seal of God?” Yes, much has been and shall yet be written on this topic; sadly it seems, without much consultation to the only source given to men, the Bible.
Most have heard or read about tattoos, embedded chips and brandings, but all both “signs” mean is, “Whose words do you accept and live by?” (Whose knowledge is within your forehead?”)
Most people know that Jesus, born of a Jewish woman, grew to adulthood as a Jew, worshipped in the temples with other Jews, in fact taught in them. The Jewish people since Adam held their weekly worships on the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week (Genesis 2:1-3), and this included Christ Himself.
People contend that no day was named, so many feel that each can choose their own day for worship. They even quote the Bible, (Mark 2:27), and think that with this verse, man can make any common day into a Holy Day, but man, nor men, are able to make nothing holy, not even water.
So where did our measurements of weeks come from?
The year is from Earth’s annual rotations around the sun; months come from the moon’s cycles; and the days from Earth’s rotations on its axis, so there’s nothing in our solar system, that gives man the weeks. Weeks came to humans from Gen. 1 and 2, “God made the heavens and the earth, in six days and rested on the Seventh Day, and said it was good, and “Sanctified it,” meaning He made it Holy. Man can’t “unholy” anything or any day.
Therefore, no matter if you have “The Mark (whom do you serve/believe/follow) or the Seal of God” these “signs” shall be very visible to all. They’re shown by the very day upon which you chose to worship God, the Sabbath, from Friday’s sunset to Saturday’s sunset, or as most of Christianity, Sunday, the day of the sun worship from the days of the pagans.
Yes, most say we worship the Son, Christ Jesus, for He rose from the grave on a Sunday night, right?
There is not one single verse that tells man The Sabbath Day has been changed, nor was it so for all the Disciples, who wrote the inspired words for the New Testament, some 25 to 30 years after Jesus’ return to His and our, Father’s side. In fact Sabbath worship remained until 321 A.D., then Constantine changed it by law.
Why the change? Traditions of men because in Daniel 7:25’s (+/- 600 years before 321 A.D.) … “and think to change times and laws ...” we find the answers. Men sought this change, even used tortures and burnings at the stakes to enforce this law of men.
That which was, shall be again. (Luke 17:26-29) “Chose Ye this day, whom Ye shall serve” -- man, Satan or God through Jesus Christ.
Mackin looks good
From Roger Brandt
Cave Junction
I recently visited with Harry Mackin, the person running for Jim Raffenburg’s county commissioner position this spring, to discuss his election plans. I thought people might like to know what I found.
Mackin has a son who is a police officer in Anchorage; and a daughter who teaches at Grants Pass High School. His granddaughter is into gymnastics, dance and ice skating.
His wife, Sue, has a real love of plants and, for that reason, every room of the house has three to five large potted plants. She is well versed in county political issues.
I learn a lot about people by seeing what they read. In this household I found Discovery magazine, National Geographic, Sunset, and home improvement journals. They have a room dedicated for their library, much of which is on history, reference books, garden books, do-it-yourself books, and classics.
I also learn a lot about people by the way their pets react to them: Both cats wanted to be close to Harry, and one followed us everywhere. I understand that they feed a lot of strays dumped in their neighborhood.
In two rooms of the house there were binoculars kept handy next to the windows for bird and wildlife watching.
Harry Mackin has a long history of community involvement including being president of the GP Growers Market, president of the Boys & Girls Club, president of Grants Pass Rotary Club, chairman of the GP Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Three Rivers School District Board, and other similar positions.
Mackin and his wife are outdoor-oriented people, and their landscaping projects reflect an interest in enriching the time they spend outside. They have no problem getting their hands into the dirt to get the job done.
We visited for some two hours. Although this generally isn’t enough time to draw firm conclusions about a person, the impressions were good. There is nothing like hope to put a little sunshine in the future.
Presidential science debate
From Beth Williams
Selma
While listening to NPR on Jan. 11, I learned of a proposed call for a science debate among the presidential candidates. I have signed on to support the debate and submitted a question for consideration (aging-out water/sewer infrastructure across the country). For more information, people can visit: www.sciencedebate2008.com.
Clear-cuts linked to service
From Barry Snitkin
Cave Junction
Regarding county government, do we want to rely on, or wish we could rely, prosecution of criminals, animal control services, jailing of local criminals, libraries, inspection of restaurants, county roads, juvenile shelters for troubled youth, and juvenile detention for juvenile offenders?
How about property surveying, building codes, land-use control and regulation, sheriff’s patrols, public health, parks, and more?
Josephine County services are at a critical crossroads. If we aren’t going to rely on clear-cutting forests to fund county services, how will we pay for them otherwise? But perhaps as importantly, how will those county services be managed?
If there isn’t effective management, services will never receive the public support they must have.
Why is it that Josephine County can never get a tax passed, yet, nearly 40 percent of the county population in Grants Pass strongly supports all local services on a constant basis? What is it about GP government and Josephine County that creates such different levels of voter confidence?
The answer may be management. Grants Pass has one professional manager who runs the city day-to-day. The city council governs, but no matter how raucous the council gets (which it has been of late), everyday management is accomplished by a professional manager.
Despite plenty of political turmoil on the council, GP still enjoys strong tax support from its citizens.
Outside the city limits of GP in Josephine County it’s a whole different and unique world. Rather than one professional manager, three politicians with no experience necessary manage the daily business. Everyday management decisions are made in public sessions with media and plenty of political rhetoric for all. The result is a management nightmare.
Commissioner Dave Toler believes that Josephine County should eliminate the three politicians from every-day management. He says, “Cut our pay in half, and save more than $150,000; and hire a professional county administrative officer.” The result will be competent, and more efficient management that will gain the confidence of citizens much like the confidence so thoroughly enjoyed by the city of Grants Pass.
But he can’t do it alone. For those who realize that these county services are critical to our quality of life and our local economy, Toler is asking them to write letters to the editor supporting sane county government. Those who believe that local government is all we can really control are urged by Toler to get involved to assure that county government provides services we can depend on without clear-cutting our forests to do so.
County needs administrator
From Pamela Tennity
Selma
Josephine County needs to hire an administrative officer to carry out the day-to-day business of running the county. The current management system is unacceptable and allows politicians (who do not necessarily have the skills) to make decisions about roads, parks and other county services.
Being politicians, they listen to the few who get them elected, not the larger public who has to live with their decisions.
I support Dave Toler’s recommendation that we cut the commissioners’ time and salary and hire a professional (supervised by the commissioners) to give us the level of services we deserve.
Child molestation news
From Wally Hardie
Selma
A woman recently wrote a newspaper, inquiring why people don’t cease and desist on bringing up cases of child molestation committed by the Catholic Church. She seems to think that this was something long since gone, and is no longer happening: Not so. Each month in the newspaper “F.F.R.F.” in Madison Wis., a part is dedicated to each child molestation case in the United States.
Not only Catholic, but all the denominations, that commit these heinous crimes of child molestation. Crimes that last a lifetime in the minds of children, and these children suffer a lifetime, because they put their trust in a man of religion.
The woman also should know that the fundamentalists, and all denominations are listed as well. It just so happens that the Catholics commit the most and have the most money and the awards are that much higher.
Each event is listed by the state, town and the name of the town paper in which it occurred and the date. No proof is lacking. The paper also follows each case through the courts and the eventual dispensation.
The reason religious organizations and others, such as the Boy Scouts, are at the top is because that is where the deviates go, and the public believes the leaders can be trusted. Nothing could be further from the truth. Any more than believing that religion and morality go hand-in-hand.
‘Divided We Fail’
From Sandy Ahlers
Cave Junction
Are others as fed up as I am about our political “leaders” failing to lead? Are others tired of letting Washington gridlock through partisanship stand in the way of all Americans having quality, affordable health care and lifetime financial security?
By uniting we can work for a common cause. There’s a movement, Divided We Fail, which represents all political persuasions, people of all faiths, union workers, retirees, big business and small. It’s Americans of all kinds and from every state in the union joining together to be heard. The Website is at www.dividedwefail.org.
In this election year we need to make our voices heard and each do our part.
Dislikes Bush a lot
From William Schneider
Cave Junction
“In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of constitution.” That’s a quote from Thomas Jefferson.
I would not by any means consider George Bush’s meddling with our liberties mischievous. I would and most certainly do consider them criminal, treasonous and incredibly dangerous to what is left of our democracy.
If ever in our history there was a time for indictment, impeachment and incarceration of a sitting president, it is now. Yesterday. Git ’er done.
Any employer with the slightest amount of intelligence would instinctively know to fire the employee who was on a constant basis and downright hurting the business.
There is no better example of miscreant employees than George W. Bush and Associates in the Senate and Congress and immediate administration including smiling little Condi, the liar-in-chief on 9/11/01.
The point being, it’s a new year. Do we have to put up with this scat for another year, and then replace these jerks with more of their own kind? Or is it time to stand up and take what is rightfully ours that is being stolen from us as I write? That being, the inalienable rights of a free nation as depicted in the Constitution of the United States of America.
That is up to us. The rest is up to Almighty God. But I don’t think for a minute that God is going to do anything about it without our help.
Unite valley community
From Guenter Ambron
Cave Junction
Illinois Valley during the past six years has had a growing history of land developers, real estate enterprises, and companies (mining and construction) trying to establish a foothold here and turn a big profit.
Plans to develop housing tracts and businesses are often half-baked and employ little or no vision.
The city of Cave Junction and the county government are, I feel, very vulnerable to the growing legacy of private interests. Not that they are often ill-intended, but we don’t have a comprehensive plan that is adhered to or enforced to any real degree. I feel that the current state of the governing agencies is bloated and lacks many checks-and-balances.
Our communities’ concerns are often down-played, and the substantial approval of a matter by people often ignored. We have the legacy of some of the old-growth logging companies and their fringe activities. Deception and covert practices are too often “just part and parcel of doing business” and unchallenged.
Of course, the demographic structure has many more variables. They include the O&C funding fall-out, county and city cutbacks, and the lack of support by people to fund their own services due to improper education that I feel keeps us dependent on subsidies. Plus those entities that would exploit the land (they who pay the piper call the tune). Plus, law enforcement, libraries, schools, farm land, forests, sensible economics, all expendable, and the list continues to increase.
The Social Justice Alliance, Siskiyou Project, Deer Creek Association; Takilma, CJ and Selma people; concerned businesses, I.V. Sierra Club, STRIVE (Save the Illinois Rural Environment, a neighbors unit to confront illegal mining on farm land), the Selma Community & Education Center, CME Center, and several other organizations have been chipping away making inroads to create awareness of some of the issues facing us. But we do not have a comprehensive outreach campaign or process, nor one that unites us on common issues.
Can we unite our efforts into a democratizing process inclusive to all? A place where people (mostly acting out in corporations) can’t just get away with murder (defining it as: Reckless indifference to the welfare of others, the local economy and the environment.)
My thought is to connect with a number of our activist groups and people in Illinois Valley and consider a workshop to focus on what we can do together. I can be reached at cmec@cavenet.com.
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