LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register-Guard

U.S. should work with U.N.

The capture of Saddam Hussein was a good thing. He caused immense suffering in Iraq, Iran and Kuwait. For the sake of humanity, it's good that he's being brought to justice. But we should support the United Nation's acting in cases of massive human rights abuse, not unilateral action by the United States.

The United States should never support tyrants like Saddam Hussein. But the Reagan and Bush Sr. Administrations supported him during the Iran-Iraq war politically and financially. American companies provided components that Saddam may have used to make chemical weapons. Then special envoy Donald Rumsfeld expressed his support for Saddam Hussein's by publicly meeting with him December 20, 1983, even though it was clear that he was doing terrible things to the Kurds, Iranians and his own people. Rumsfeld looked the other way - it was deemed to be in U.S. interests to support him.

Now Saddam is the Bush administration's enemy number one.

As President Bush celebrated the capture of Saddam on Sunday, an American soldier and 25 Iraqis died. His jailing will not end the violence. People upset at the U.S. occupation will continue to strike out, and Americans and Iraqis will continue to die.

The only way to stop the suffering is to commit ourselves immediately to work with the United Nations and return Iraq to its people.

MICHAEL CARRIGAN

Eugene

Crucifixion was violent

I am always amazed when people write off an epic film before extending to it the courtesy of a fair, unbiased trial. For months now, Mel Gibson has been taken to task in the media for daring to present in "The Passion of the Christ" the scriptural account of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Why? Maybe it's an attempt to debunk the message by destroying the messenger?

A Dec. 22 Register Guard story is headlined "Passion: A violent version of events." This suggests that there is a more palatable account of the crucifixion available. Sorry! Violent it was, and if you don't believe it, do some research on crucifixion as it was practiced in all its horror, even before the time of Christ. It is not a pretty picture, nor does it become more attractive by the futile attempt to re-write history.

Gibson states, "I had to make this film; I couldn't not make it." These words sum up the collision that takes place on the heart of man when the full meaning of the cross breaks through. This is also the "violent" event that brings full meaning to the Christmas season.

HELEN KINTNER

Eugene

Israel isn't a 'racist' state

Nadia Sindi (letters, Dec. 21) calls Israel "racist", but she neither understands the meaning of "racist," nor does she know anything about Israel. Racist is what you call people who hate, expel or kill those of another race or cultural group. Just for being who they are or because you need a scapegoat to blame for your own problems. That's what the Nazis did, what Saudi Arabia does to its Shiite minority, what the Serbs did to the Kosovars. What did these victims do to justify this? Nothing.

The Palestinians, on the other hand, have been committing terrorist acts on the Israelis since 1948. For years Israel has initiated peace plans that would lead to Palestinian acceptance of Israel's right to exist and Israeli acceptance of a Palestinian state. The Palestinians have violated all these agreements and continued their terrorist activities. People can debate the wisdom of Israel's policies, but most of them are defensive. The Palestinians have one policy, and that is to kill as many Israelis as possible.

As for racism, which Middle East country treats its minorities as well as Israel does? Which Middle East country treats women as equals and guarantees the voting rights of all its minorities? To which Middle Eastern country do Muslim gay men go, to avoid being murdered for their sexual orientation? Which Middle East country protects the holy sites of all its religions? In which Middle East country can you openly criticize the government without being carted off to prison? The answer is obvious.

MIRIAM REINHART

Junction City 

He could have been stopped

So, for over 65 years, Essie Washington-Williams never came forward "out of respect" for Sen. Strom Thurmond to say that she was his half-black daughter. How could this woman respect a man who statutorily raped her 16-year-old mother? He was a man who was a symbol of the racist mentality of the South that terrorized and killed black people.

During the years of her silence, this bigot move up through the ranks of Senate seniority, spewing his hatred while blacks were being lynched, bombed, and pistol whipped for exercising their democratic rights. She could have stopped him in his tracks, and maybe the civil rights movement would have progressed much more rapidly. I have no respect for the plantation mentality of Washington-Williams.

JERRY HARRIS

Eugene

Americans should study history

My appreciation to Register-Guard editors for publishing Noam Chomsky's "Change of course doctrine at work" (Commentary, Dec. 21). Chomsky's sobering text presented realistic assessment of our government's shifting and opportunistic place in international relations.

How many Americans are willing to make an effort to study the lessons of the past? How many will accept that government policies and actions are repeated over and over? The names of countries and conquests change, but high level greed and arrogance follow the same patterns in every generation.

The study of history, whether traditional or alternative is hard work! But few Americans, it seems, have the intellectual stamina to inform themselves or are willing to accept the shortcomings and hypocrisies of their leaders. Otherwise why would we have another Bush, with his choices - Donald Rumsfeld, John Ashcroft, Paul Wolfowitz, Condoleeza Rice and Dick Cheney - calling the shots, commandeering our tax dollars and committing our youth to the flames of military service?

Worse than all of that, in the long run, is the presumption that government leaders can tell us how to think.

PATRICIA WILMOT CHRISTGAU

Eugene

Totem poles sacred to some

In Jeff Bryce's Dec. 18 letter on totem poles, he appears to be as guilty as Nick Wing (letters, Dec. 15) in "not doing his research."

While it seems to be true that coastal tribes (believed to have created totem poles) were not religious, some inland tribes' totems were very religious in nature.

For those tribes, totem poles had profound religious significance, representing the great spirits and supernatural beings. Totem animals were regarded as sacred, spirit helpers, and serving as guardian spirits.

The National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys refers to totem poles as "a religious symbol."

Bryce is also wrong in saying Christians "worshipped" the cross. The cross is merely a symbol of Christ's death to atone for our sins. To worship it would be idolatry.

Personally, I enjoy the beauty and the history of totem poles and would like to see them stay. I do see, however, a double standard when government chooses which religious symbols to celebrate and which to ban.

BOB MOORE

Eugene

Commentary is the first section of The Register-Guard that I read on Sundays. Cheers for the Dec. 21 section, which featured the informative, well-researched article by Tom Lininger (`Conservatives make best use of initiative'). Lininger is an excellent writer and we hope to hear more from him.

Also appreciated is the newspaper's three-part series (Dec. 21, 22 and 23) on campaign financing in Eugene and Lane County. The articles disclosed information all of us need to know. On that subject, it seems full and timely disclosure of contributions is the simplest, most effective way to achieve reform.

Keep up the investigative approach!

PHYLLIS PEARA

Eugene

Public employee will remember

When Gov. Ted Kulongoski took action to deny the retirement benefits due public employees, I assumed that he planned to be a one-term governor. Some may forgive the governor for not supporting us, but we will not forget. When it comes time to vote for the next governor, I will not support Kulongoski. My hope is that other public employees will do the same.

GERRY MERRITT

Eugene

A dilemma for conservatives

I look on this Rush Limbaugh soap opera with amusement and it portends an interesting dilemma for conservatives. For the most part, many conservatives feel that liberals take certain drugs to get high, and conservatives only take those same drugs to alleviate a medical condition. Externally supplied euphoria is frowned upon (alcohol excluded).

I agree with Limbaugh that the government does not have the right to subpoena his medical records. But I believe the reason he does not want that to happen is that prosecutors will show his alleged back condition did not warrant the huge amount of prescription drugs he wanted and therefore purchased "on the street."

In other words, Limbaugh, a conservative, actually wanted to - and enjoyed - getting high. Limbaugh, the man who constantly reminds his listeners of his unsurpassed integrity, would do a great favor to them to admit to this.

I will close with a quote from Ecclesiastes: "Dead flies cause the precious oil of the apothecary to become stinking and foaming; so doth a little folly him that is valued for wisdom and honor"

KEN CONDON

Eugene

State raises are outrageous

"Legislative workers get pay raises, bonuses," (Register-Guard, Sept. 24) should have appeared on the front page.

This outrageous action by top Republican lawmakers is an affront to the people of Oregon. Five percent pay raises and bonuses up to $5,500, while public services are being cut? How dare they?

This action is unconscionable and must be rescinded. Phone, write, communicate with your Republican legislators - now. I, for one, will immediately change my voter registration as a Republican.

GEORGE TOWE

Eugene

LETTERS LOG

Letters received in past week: 149

Letters published: 51

What's on readers' minds: Iraq was once again the hottest Mailbag topic during the past week. We received 23 letters on the Bush administration's Iraq policy, the majority of them focusing on on the capture of Saddam Hussein by U.S. troops. We also received 10 letters on the upcoming vote on the Oregon Legislature's $800 million tax increase; five each on abortion, plans by the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians to build a casino just east of Florence and a proposed surcharge on sales of dog and cat food in Lane County, and four on state Rep. Jeff Kruse's recent move to a neighboring legislative district.