Illinois Valley News Vol. 72 No. 48 Dated: February 10, 2010

Letters to the Editor

From our weekly issue dated February 10, 2010

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

Typed, double-spaced letters are considered for publication. Hand-written letters that are double-spaced and legible also can be considered. “Thank you” submissions are not accepted as letters.

“Check the record“
From Ken Stern
Cave Junction

I would like to address something I read in a letter to the editor by author Steve Shepherd, (Illinois Valley News, Jan. 27, 2010).

The author is entitled to his opinion, but I fail to see his point when he writes, “Their excuse for passing over Cassanelli was that she might not be able to handle meetings. Can anyone forget Toler summoning sheriff“s deputies to the commission meeting to protect him from his constituents“ Now, that“s controlling a meeting, and a really great use of taxpayer resources.“

I find the claim that Commissioner Toler summoned deputies to “protect him from his constituents“ remarkable, having attended what I believe is the meeting in question. There is no information in the author“s letter that indicates which commission meeting he refers to.

However, I did attend a meeting where Toler summoned law enforcement, and write this under the assumption that the meeting in question is the weekly business session of April 30, 2008 during “Requests from Citizens.“

The meeting I am referring to was not videotaped, and the audio recording is curiously absent from the county“s website. However, you can read the written transcription by logging on to www.co.josephine.or.us/, and then use the menus to select “Departments,“ “Board of County Commissioners,“ and select under “Archive of Minutes“ the weekly business session dated April 30, 2008. Scroll to “Requests from Citizens“ and read what transpired during the first request.

What I witnessed that day was someone refusing to sit down and relinquish the floor after their allotted time to speak (three minutes) had elapsed. The speaker became argumentative and refused. Toler as chairman repeatedly requested that the speaker step down, and the speaker kept arguing and demanding more time.

Another member of the audience offered their time, and the speaker was given three additional minutes. Once three more minutes had elapsed, the speaker was told by Toler that he needed to stop. The speaker then began arguing again with Toler. After several minutes of arguing, and finally when confronted with being physically removed from the meeting, the speaker did vacate the podium and sit back down.

In my opinion, and those of others who attended the meeting with me, Toler gave this speaker every opportunity to relinquish the podium and sit down, and was finally left with no option but to summon deputies to remove him.

The irony is that if Toler hadn“t enforced the “rule of law,“ he would have been derelict in his duty to uphold the bylaws of the county. This, of course, would have led to criticism that he couldn“t control meetings, and therefore not fit to be the board chairman. Yet the author of the letter uses this to back up his assertion that Toler is a “control freak.“

As for Commissioner Ellis being Toler“s “lap dog,“ that too is something I dispute, since in the meetings I have attended they have often adopted opposite views and voted accordingly.

People can check into their voting records, and decide for themselves.

“Who do you believe““
From John Bazen
Cave Junction

Would anyone agree with this statement that I hear from individuals: “This can“t go on, we are nearing some kind of end!“

Yes, history is filled with lawlessness of mankind, but there seems to be a convergence of Nature“s upheavals, and humanity“s inhumanity toward their neighbors. Is this just my understanding, or does it strike others also, that these actions began to grow, and still are growing, since Darwin“s ideas became a “Proven Fact“ for some with letters after their names“

Some might ask, “Why is this important““

Simply, because the evolutionists have removed God from their equation with their faith and belief that “dead stuff can bring life,“ and, no Creator is needed. Man then, can answer only to self, and to man“s law. Today, people attending any church are in the minority even though polls tell that 70-plus percent believe in God.

Would it surprise anyone to learn that this topic was written of in 750 B.C.“

Amos 8:11. “Behold [look/pay attention] the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, not a thirst of water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.“

Even many of those who attend services are misled by false teachings. How can this be possible in any educated society“

They are Scripturally unlearned. Thus, as long as the teachings sound holy and godly, most know no better. Case in point: How many have been taught, “The dead go either straight to Heaven, or to Hell““ So who can explain Ecclesiastes 9:5“ (Plus John 11:11-14; Job 14:21; Isa. 63:16; Job 7:8-10; Isa. 26:14).

So Heaven is for those who know not anything, and are “brain dead““ People can read Gen. 2:17 and 3:4, and know vs. 17 is God“s word, and vs. 4 is Satan speaking; who should be believed — God or Man or Satan“ We need to answer with wisdom, for our eternity“s sake — life, or death, both shall be eternal.