Illinois Valley News

(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.

Larry Ragsdale update
From McKenzie Yeoman
Corvallis

Larry Ragsdale remains in the Good Samaritan Hospital in the ICU in Corvallis. There are small actions that each one of us can take that will help his situation.

Become a member of the “Support Larry Ragsdale“ Facebook page where you can see photos of Larry, write to him, and check for updates on his condition. Buy an “Everybody Loves Larry“ wristband for $2 at the high school, middle school, or elementary school in CJ.

Donations also are gladly accepted at all three locations. For those who can, attend the Papa“s Pizza fund-raiser for Larry on Thursday, May 13 in Corvallis: 50 percent of sales that day will aid Larry“s medical bills.

A donation account has been established at U.S. Bank. Lastly, we need people to be positive and send those positive thoughts Larry“s way. I.V. High School will be collecting positive thoughts and good memories of Larry so that we can read them to him as he endures the painful recovery process.

For more information on ways to help, and for more updates on Larry see the “Support Larry Ragsdale“ Facebook page.

(Editor“s Note: Ragsdale, 20, formerly of O“Brien, and a graduate of IVHS, was injured March 10 in a head-on collision caused by a drunken driver near Corvallis).

Hare economic concerns
From Arlene Pence
Grants Pass

I cannot believe the aggressive rhetoric and character assassination directed at Simon Hare, candidate for Josephine County commissioner. I guess he is considered the greatest threat to the other candidates.

I“ve attended many “meet-and-greets“ and other meetings where he has been thoroughly grilled about his positions and philosophy, and was most impressed with his straightforward, intelligent responses.

Our current county board of commissioners seems unable to take the necessary steps to address issues that threaten our economic success and the very survival of our county. We need leaders who will make pragmatic choices that address those basic issues.

I see Simon Hare filling that role. He has the strength of character, the intelligence, the energy and motivation, not to mention a good understanding of the problems we face and the tenacity to do what it takes to work through these problems. His ability to think outside the box will bring new ideas to the table.

I had a great teacher in grammar school who taught me that, in order to keep our country and our freedom, we must be vigilant and avoid becoming apathetic to the political movements of our country. She emphasized that the consequence of apathy in any society will surely be its downfall, and history has proven that to be true.

With only a 26 percent turnout in the last election, it seems clear that many people are falling into apathy; perhaps, thinking that their single vote won“t make a difference.

We all need to protect our way of life by voting.

“Where“s the community““
From Douglas Yarbrough
Cave Junction

Where has our community gone“ My father, Howard L. Yarbrough, plus Mike Wells, Lew Krauss (Sr.), Johnny Wilber, and many other valley old-timers would not be very proud of the way we have let Illinois Valley get so run down.

I have many of my family “ Dad, Mom, uncles, aunts, nephews and friends “buried at Laurel Cemetery. I cannot believe that there is still no water for the flowers and plants I have put on my Mom“s grave. People need to get the lead out.

I am willing to contribute some money and time to get that done. When are we going to upgrade Jubilee Park so the kids have somewhere fun“

I know the economy is bad, but when I hear about the Great Depression, when people came together to help one another, I cringe at how we treat one another today.

Let“s get a second grocery store, hospital, mall out here. I“m tired of excuses. Why don“t we have these things“ Start talking to one another. Plan for the future. Let“s re-do all of Downtown Cave Junction and get some new businesses besides Radio Shack and Home Valley Bank.

The little things are what really make a difference.

Simon Hare won“t give up
From John Firth
Grants Pass

No one I know expects a “return to logging levels of the 1980s.“ But Dave Toler cleverly marginalizes his critics with this misleading accusation.

While others move forward, it seems to be in Toler“s interest to keep alive those “timber wars“ to distract the public from his active opposition to modern forest management.

Toler“s campaign ad points out: “Federal timber harvest took a serious decline in about 1992,“ but fails to mention his own uncompromising environmental activism that promoted that outcome. Toler“s long-held dislike of federal timber harvest is clear, and his “all or nothing“ paradigm presents a false choice. Economic diversity is essential, but it is unnecessary and foolish to abandon the huge opportunity in forestry in our backyard.

Toler opposed the BLM forest plan that decreased harvest by 44 percent from the 1980s, preserved 55 percent of the forest acreage, and harvested only 42 percent of annual growth. This would have provided $8 to $9 million to Josephine County each year “ not counting 10,000 additional jobs, or similar contributions from U.S. Forest Service land.

Fortunately, just as our Congressional delegation is finally unifying in its support of healthy forests and communities, and a steady federal timber harvest, we have a commissioner candidate, Simon Hare, who detects that shift. With his national experience and fresh ability to see possibilities for success, Hare recognizes this critical moment for county leaders to validate and advance the work of our delegation.

As a “timber war“ veteran myself, I suspect that Dave Toler and I suffer from the same ailment “ the inability to anticipate success in forest policy. It“s time we both step aside and let fresh ideas and approaches advance. Simon Hare can do that.

Political views
From Joe Armstrong
O“Brien

I feel compelled to respond to an editorial page advertisement in the Wednesday, April 28 issue of Illinois Valley News. As is happening in our country as a whole, many in Josephine County are reverting to narrow-minded attacks, simple-minded generalities, ugly mud-slinging, and mindless characterizations.

First, the writer who paid for the ad tries to denigrate Dave Toler by quoting a letter that someone wrote distasteful remarks about car mechanics and bus drivers. Has Mr. Toler been heard denigrating car mechanics, bus drivers or anyone else“ He then goes on with general untruths, sweeping negatives, and then tries to equate Jack Brown with God and Dave Toler with Communism.

The ad progresses from the ridiculous to the sublimely ridiculous, praising Jack Brown for loving his home and family, and portraying everyone else as Godless Communists.

To say that this country started the final slide into socialism in November 2008 reveals even more. Is it because we elected a Black man as our president“ And how does he measure up compared to that prime example of whiteness that he followed “ George Bush, the man who brought us the trading of personal freedoms for security, illegal wiretapping, torturing of prisoners, the growing of government, the widening gap between the rich and the poor, shifting from budget surplus to huge deficits, and other negatives too numerous to mention.

In reality, President Obama is actually slightly left of center in his policies in spite of the attempt to demonize him with caricatures of him as Hitler or a socialist monster. When you form your beliefs by watching Fox News, with its many clones spewing hatred and prejudice, and repeating untruths often enough to try to make you believe that night is day or black is white, you do not contribute well to a productive dialog.

Come on Tea Party people, Glenn Beck“ There“re too many important things that you are trying to address to waste your energy following such an obvious fraud. He and some others are co-opting and diluting your legitimate and important voices.

If you want real information, try reading Jim Hightower, who is a Texas libertarian, not a leftist or right-winger, who actually tells the truth and is very well-informed; or perhaps Bill Moyers, another astute voice and speaker of truth.

If you are really serious about defending the Constitution, do you realize that right-wing activist judges on the Supreme Court have recently ruled that corporations have a right to 1st Amendment protections “ and that domestic and foreign corporations spending of vast amounts of money to get voted out of office anyone who doesn“t support their interests, and voted in those who do “amounts to protected speech.

I don“t try to defend many of the national politicians, as money has completely corrupted the entire system, and much of what you hear from them is political spin, but don“t tell me that Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh or anyone at Fox News are champions of truth and right, or that God prefers one candidate over another.

We object to the Taliban or other fundamentalists forcing their form of religion onto the people of their culture, but what about our own fundamentalists, many of whom are also spreading hatred and intolerance.

So much more unites us, the common people, than divides us. Can“t we start focusing our activism on the really important issues that our country and world faces, start letting go of all prejudices, and quit letting the ruling class manipulate us“

(Editor“s note: a fee was paid for the preceding letter due to its length).

Pull together behind Hare
From Steve Lyons
Cave Junction

I am a Conservative, working, tax-paying citizen. I“m not a radical, nutcase or fringe element. I live within my means.

I think that government is out of touch and control. I do not feel represented by either major party. I have attended the most-recent two Tea Party demonstrations and found the people there to be well-behaved (unlike Left-wing gatherings).

I agree with the stance outlined in the full-page ad last week in the Grants Pass newspaper. I believe in the Constitution of the United States. I do not support Jack Brown. Anyone who has lived here for the past 10 years and reads the Daily Courier has heard of and read letters from Paul Walter. In my view, he is a whiny, sniveling obstructionist. He appears to be a major backer of Jack Brown.

Almost every other candidate has some good ideas, but this large field fractures any attempt to unseat Dave Toler. We should pull together and get behind one candidate. I will vote for Simon Hare, who will listen to all sides, is considerate and polite, is a concerned conservative and has the energy to do the job.

He is the one the Toler and Brown camps are most afraid of. I think it wrong for the other commissioners to back one candidate over another. Again, anyone who has been here awhile may remember an article in which Toler and another fellow started the Illinois Valley branch of the “Social Justice Alliance.“ The stated purpose was to keep the Christian Voters Guide from being distributed at churches.

This interesting publication shows how our elected officials voted on items of interest. What were they afraid of“ When Dave was asked if he was a member of the Siskiyou Project (some say a radical enviro-terrorist group) he said “No,“ but he has been active with the Siskiyou Field Institute and/or the Siskiyou Regional Education Project.

Guess what“ Same players! Dave may be a capable manager, but ideology can influence decisions. I don“t care if you vote Republican or Democrat, Green or Constitution. Let“s just vote out all incumbents. Let“s take back America.

These are my views; not those of any organization or employer I am involved with.

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