From our weekly issue dated August 20, 2008

(Editor's Note: Views and commentary, including statements made as fact, are strictly those of the letter-writers.)

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What if . ..?
From Larrick Jones,
chairman, Illinois Valley Fire District Board of Directors

On an average it takes five minutes for firefighters to reach their station to respond to a call. Five minutes isn’t a very long time. But, what if:

You or a loved one were hanging upside-down in an overturned vehicle? You are fully conscious and aware. Every bone and muscle in your body hurts. Would five minutes make a difference to you?

Or you wake up and find your home filled with smoke, and you can hear the horrible roar of a rapidly advancing fire. As of right now the fire is confined to the kitchen and washroom. How about it -- would five minutes make a difference here?

How about this, you find your young child gasping for breath. There is still some air getting through her partially blocked airway, but you can clearly see she is choking. You rush to the phone and phone 911. Would five minutes count here?

Even if Ballot Measure 17-21 to staff our fire stations full time doesn’t pass, you still can count on our dedicated firefighters responding to your call. They always will do the best they can. This is what they do.

But, what if you are the one they are coming to help -- would five minutes matter? Most of us may never need to phone 911 to report an emergency involving ourselves or someone we love.

But what if ...?

Think about this when voting on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Brown Barn questions
From Linda S. Tedder
Cave Junction

Regarding the letter from Scott Hicks (lllinois Valley News, Aug. 6) about the closure of  Judy’s Brown Barn Laundry in Cave Junction, there are so many questions left unanswered as to just why the laundry equipment was taken.

How did something like that take place in the wee hours of the morning and no one heard a sound? Moving  so many commercial appliances like that isn’t easy, and no one heard a thing. Even the best commercial movers make noise.

There are two sides to every story, and so far we’ve only seen or heard of one. There is more to this than meets the eye.

Mayor Tony Paulson was asked about this, and he didn’t care, as Hicks claims? Oh really, just what was he supposed to do? Call out the militia? If Hicks had ever lived in small towns he should know that this is just how these things are handled.

Paulson doesn’t have a vendetta against the homeless, but he does want Cave Junction to attract people like Hicks and his family to move here. We do, or did have, the Cave Junction Citizens Patrol. Where were they when this was happening?

Yes, we do have a policeman, but he is only on for 40 hours. Perhaps Hicks should come to city council meetings and find out just what the mayor does, and is and isn’t allowed to do. In fact, Paulson does all he can; and as I see it, the job is not so rewarding. It can be very frustrating. 

And Paulson is giving up the seat of mayor, so maybe Hicks would care to run. Keep in mind that this is an unpaid position. We need new blood on the council and any other positions open in running the city of Cave Junction.

What’s wrong with this picture? Eventually the whole true story regarding the Brown Barn will come to light. And yes, it was one of the best commercial laundries around. Paulson does care: He’s done the best he can with what he has to work with.

‘Hero jailed’
From Bill Pfohl
Kerby

U.S. Army Pfc. Jim Burmeister is an Oregon soldier who gave his all for his country. While recuperating in Germany from an Iraqi roadside bomb, he decided that the war was run by people of dishonor who kill others with major disregard for Iraqi life, and voted with his feet to move to Canada.

Burmeister was sentenced to six months in military jail for being a hero by not going along with the dishonorable orders from his very dishonorable government. Maybe others should consider not joining this type of military that cannot control itself. Sadly I voted for Bush, but never voted for his willingness to turn our military into a water-boarding, killing-without-regard machine.

It seems that Burmeister left due to the illegal activity that our government was making him perform with its so-called “Small Kill Teams.” This activity was under orders from the top levels in our government.

He was sent to set up a sting to kill people who need to steal. A harsh job for any enlisted man probably trying to get a free ride in a good college through the GI Bill. It is apparent that he was told to plant military items of value and hide in a nearby spot and kill the people like dogs as they stole the items. He apparently followed orders for awhile, and without a doubt felt it was not good for his soul, rightly so.

I believe he realized he was killing starving civilians who were just trying to survive and feed their families. Is this what President Bush would call the olive branch of “I want to help kill your country with my Gestapo?”

We should consider that this country is stressed, and still without electricity for the most part and basic services, even with all our so-called help during all these years.

What are we doing there with this judge-and-jury attitude with a trigger finger within an empty-headed soldier, who has been ordered to have an empty head or we will put him in our military jail?

Our government is out of control. We can write to complain to our president, and then maybe Pfc. Jim Burmeister could be given an honorable discharge with back pay because he was ordered to do a continuing illegal, dishonorable activity.

Jefferson and Washington would say it’s time for the true patriots to stand and be counted.