Letters to the Editor
From our weekly issue dated September 17, 2008
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‘Personal crusade, attack’
From Sheriff Gil Gilbertson
Josephine County
Normally, I do not respond to despots making negative and misleading
statements for their own purposes. A recent letter-writer and I know the true reasons behind their agenda.
However, I cannot allow the letter (from Carol Dickson, I.V. News, Sept. 10) to go unchallenged when it comes to attacking the sheriff’s office with misleading statements only to further a personal crusade.
To imply that the sheriff’s office in any way, shape or form was responsible for the investigation, conclusions, or information presented by the Grants Pass Daily Courier is false. Also, that the S.O. influenced the Courier reports to garner public support is a self-serving and mean-spirited comment designed to inflame public emotion. If someone has a beef with the
Courier they should take it up with that newspaper, not the sheriff’s office.
To suggest that Illinois Valley gets less service than the rest of the county is also an inaccurate statement, and the letter-writer knows that. The person also knows that the S.O. did not eliminate patrol, as has been the past practice when budgets become an issue or we are required to lay off employees.
We are a service-oriented organization and will always continue to provide our very best, regardless of what we have to work with. I agree that crimes occur throughout our county; evidenced by the recent string of arsons, homicides, dogs killed from the animal shelter (none of which occurred in Illinois Valley), thefts, burglaries, drunk drivers, drug violations, etc.
My wife and I have purchased property in Illinois Valley and plan to build a home. I.V. is a beautiful part of this county filled with good people, and we look forward to living there.
Sheriff’s office staffing
From Herbert Carter
Grants Pass
A recently produced video depicting Sheriff Gil Gilbertson’s situation with regard to protecting Josephine County residents has been posted by Ron Dowell (www.grantspassnow.com).
People should take time to view this informative video and read the comments, especially one dated Sept. 9. The numbers given are “scary.” I never knew how dangerously understaffed our sheriff’s office is.
Personally, I don’t see how Gilbertson manages to give us as much as he does.
A couple Christmases back, my parent’s home was broken into while all our family was in Eugene. Mom and Dad returned and found their place ransacked and a lifetime of valuables stolen: jewelry, coins, family heirlooms, guns. The house was a mess, just like on TV.
When called, the sheriff’s office was there within 30 minutes and offered my elderly parents considerable comfort and compassion. Thankfully, not only were those responsible for turning my parents lives upside-down identified, but most of the items stolen were recovered.
Sunday Mass situation
From Jean Cooper
Cave Junction
Following is a letter I sent to our archbishop about restoring a Sunday Holy Mass at St. Patrick’s, as it was taken away from us for political reasons. As of this week, I have had no response. Here is my letter:
Enclosed you will find my petition to restore a Sunday Mass. I circulated it around my parish at St. Patrick of the Forest Catholic Church in Cave Junction. As you see, I received 73 parishioner names.
It is important for you to know that Father Harry Howell did not have any knowledge of my doing this. I have been a member of St. Patrick’s since 1975. I spent several years as a journalist in my community after a career as a military nurse.
There are number of senior citizens, myself having just turned 78, who have had a most-difficult time during the past 16 months or so, having had our Sunday Mass taken away from us by Msgr. Moys. Last winter was indeed difficult, and many of us had to miss Mass. For many here in Cave Junction, the drive to Grants Pass is an 80-mile round-trip drive, and often in winter it is a difficult and dangerous trip.
I know many families involved in work-related activities on Saturdays, who cannot attend the Vigil on Saturdays. Many younger people have their own activities on Saturday evenings. I know two restaurant owners who have been unable to attend Mass for nearly 18 months. I thought of the petition after hearing some comments from my fellow parishioners.
Virtually all the parishioners I have spoken to see no sense in not allowing Father Harry to offer Sunday Mass when he is so willing to do so. The apparent reason is that a small minority feel differently. He currently offers Mass Tuesdays and Thursdays, and in my opinion is humiliated to be restricted to concelebrating the Saturday Vigil Mass with Msgr. Moys or a priest from Grants Pass; his only practical option to fulfill his own Sunday obligation.
I am not an expert in Church Rules, but a few years ago a sacred pastor made me aware of Canon Law 212/2: “The Christian faithful are free to make known to the pastors of the Church their needs, especially spiritual ones, and their desires.” A Canon lawyer recently pointed to me Canon Law 223/1: “In exercising their rights, the Christian faithful, as individuals and gathered in associations, must take into account the common good of the Church, the rights of others, and their own duties toward others.”
Myself, and the individuals who gathered with me in this petition addressed to you (the Most Rev. John G. Vlazny), Msgr. Moys and Father Patrick Brennan, pray that you will notice our rights and the duty we have toward each other and to Father Harry Howell.
We have been evangelizing at the Cave Junction Post office several times during the years; having booths at the famous Blackberry Festival in Cave Junction for the past three years; as well as three days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at the Illinois Valley Lions Club Labor Day weekend festival, which is always well-attended.
Cave Junction is a small town, and Father Harry always joined us at these events. He is well-respected in the community; many people are aware that there is something very wrong at St. Patrick of the Forest Catholic Church. Several of our parishioners who wanted to sign this petition did not, simply out of fear of reprisals.
I believe with all my heart and soul that by doing this petition we have taken into account the common good of the Church of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
‘Most vulnerable?’
From Jeff Wolf
Grants Pass
In our current political debate, a lot is said about how some of the most financially vulnerable among us may lose homes if taxes are increased to fund public safety. I see this concern as commendable, although it leaves out a lot of people at risk in other ways in the absence of a functional sheriff.
The elderly, children, victims of domestic abuse, the mentally ill or emotionally unstable, and those innocently threatened by drunk drivers, all deserve to be considered in our decision on who should be protected. These are not easy decisions. More than one definition of vulnerable is valid.
Consider the relative harm to any of these. The loss of a home is crushing, but the effect on these other groups can be far more devastating, including the loss of life. Consider the number of people in Josephine County you might include in any of these groups. Many of the most financially vulnerable probably fall into one or more of these other groups too, and may suffer consequences regardless of what we decide on the sheriff’s districts.
There may be no comfortable answer on this level. Logic would seem to say support the greatest good for the largest number of people. As we let our consciences decide, let’s take all of the weakest into our thoughts.
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