LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Grieving for families of fallen

I appreciated Friday's two-page spread showing the photos, names, and personal details of the 570 soldiers who have been killed in Iraq. I am so sorry for the loss and grief their families are undoubtedly experiencing.

I am also very angry over our government's stance on the supposed reasons for going to war in Iraq, perfectly exemplified by Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz's statement in the same paper: "When somebody tells you their best estimate of a situation and it turns out to be wrong, that's life."

Tell that to the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters of the 570 deceased: It was all just a "mistake," and that's life. And tell that to the thousands more who are still in Iraq, putting their lives on the line every day while our government slashes their veterans benefits to subsidize tax cuts for the wealthy.

I hope we as a citizenry will remember this when it comes time to vote.

LEANN McARTHUR

Eugene

Soldiers are all our children

During a recent conversation, my grandfather indicated that he would reconsider his military service were it an option for him now. He said, "At 20, when someone said jump, I said, how high. Now at 73, I'd say, you go first!" We both concluded that if wars were fought by people over 50, (the average age of those who have the power and position to wage war), peaceful solutions would be readily considered.

To the beautiful young cut away each day, this is no comfort. They are all our children. How best may we look out for them?

LARA FLOREZ

Cottage Grove 

Never forget the price of war

What a gift The Register-Guard gave us Friday morning. It was painful, even excruciating, but a blessing in that it didn't let me forget the price of war. I took a deep breath and began to read the names and states of each of our sons and daughters who were honored by the editorial page presentation. Then I made it a point to look carefully and thoughtfully into the eyes of each one.

The tears flowed freely because they all are our children. My tears were for each of their lost futures, and for their families and the loss of their talents to our society.

For those blocks which showed the stars of our flag, it was a bitter juxtaposition, because that flag is an unworthy symbol in much of the world. The only thing harder than looking into the soldiers' eyes Friday morning was looking into the eyes of the children in Nicaragua without arms or legs - or both - because they had gone to gather firewood and stepped on one of our land mines.

Or the eyes of the children in Guatemala, who had seen heads stuck on top of posts or their mothers eviscerated. Accountability? This was made possible by our dollar-based foreign policies and the training we give at the School of the Americas.

The responsibility lies with us. Forgive us, sons and daughters. We will remember to walk carefully with respect for all people and the Earth in your memory.

GORDIE ALBI

Eugene

Tears fell seeing cost of war

I opened Friday morning's paper to the editorial page and did not immediately comprehend what I saw there.

I read the words. I gazed at each face and flag. The tears welled and fell again and again as I beheld the terrible cost of war.

MARY LOU BENNETT

Eugene

Adoption is always an option

In response to Fred Felter, M.D. (letters, March 11):

Felter was wondering if Dr. T. A. Kerns had offered to care for the children of women who have been raped. Kerns doesn't have to, as there are many couples that would love to have a family of their own by adopting those babies.

Seventy years ago, my husband's birth was the result of a woman's rape. She chose adoption, maybe because she had to, but I do know it did her heart good when my husband found her when she was 56 years old. He thanked her for not aborting him.

Interestingly, her father had an M.D. behind his name, and he was the doctor who delivered her baby.

I'm glad that he was a medical doctor like Kerns and not the other way around.

ROSELLA ANDREASON

Eugene

Siporin's critique missed mark

In Alan Siporin's March 9 guest column, I have seen the most lame reason to date for discrediting "The Passion of the Christ." He tries to rebut Mel Gibson's premise that we are all responsible for Christ's death by condemning the fact that there are no Scots, Germans or Australians depicted in the movie, only Jews and Romans.

It seems too obvious to have to state this, but in ancient Israel at the time of Christ, there were no Scots, Germans or Australians (or Americans for that matter). And even if there were any, they did not (according to the gospels on which Mel Gibson based the movie) play a significant part in the final 12 hours of Christ's life. Only Jews and Romans did.

But what was accomplished through Christ's suffering and death transcended that moment and benefited all believers past, present and future. Siporin's premise would be the rough equivalent of discrediting a movie depicting the civil rights struggles of the 1960s by saying there were only African-Americans depicted (and no other minority groups that ultimately benefited from those struggles).

I would like to see the same type of resistance to run-of-the-mill violent movies (which likely inspire more crime of all types) that has been shown to "The Passion of the Christ." That would have a far greater positive impact on crime than hand-wringing over the possibility of an unlikely isolated hate crime incident (as tragic as that would be) inspired by "The Passion of the Christ."

JIM TARVIN

Eugene

Bush pulls bait and switch 

George Bush said, in a debate with Al Gore in 2000, "I believe they've (the Clintons) moved that sign `The buck stops here' from the Oval Office desk to ... the Lincoln Bedroom, and that's not good for the country."

Bush's persona, as presented by Bush and his handlers, is one of a man who has religious values such as fidelity and integrity. He won't say one thing and do another for dubious gains, and he won't sully the presidency with the indecency that our crippled culture is so awash in.

Recently, I read that at least 270 people, including friends who double as campaign contributors, have stayed at the White House, sometimes in the Lincoln Bedroom, since the Bushes moved in. Since June 2002, at least nine of Bush's biggest fund-raisers appear on the latest list of White House overnight guests.

That Bush shows inconsistency isn't the rub. It's the relentless bait and switch that keeps happening with the Bush administration that perplexes me. Other examples: nation building, dishonesty about weapons of mass destruction, the White House attempt to smear Joseph Wilson by exposing his wife's role as a CIA agent. This isn't the behavior of decent people. Decency isn't limited to sexual fidelity.

KAREN SJOLUND

Eugene

Gay marriage is meaningless

If we called an apple an orange 500 times, it would not change into an orange, even if the Supreme Court said it was. Entering into a supposedly permanent homosexual relationship that, by its nature, cannot produce children and excludes the opposite sex, is a choice not to marry. Co-opting the title of marriage doesn't make a homosexual union into a marital union any more than calling himself Loretta makes a man into a woman.

Same-sex couples are free to play make believe between themselves, but using the force of law to make society join the pretense is oppressive.

It is tyranny to use legal fiction to leapfrog over voters and legislators and hijack benefits that were intended to nourish marital unions essential to the well-being of society without showing whether any nonmarital unions serve society as well.

Government officials who disregard the limits of their authority and impose their own agenda by reinventing federal or state constitutions or flouting laws or legal intent are being dictators. They cancel out the will of voters, legislators and constitution makers.

CAROLE ELLIOTT

Springfield

Keep Oregon jobs in Oregon

I believe we all know, if only subconsciously, that the United States helps foreign countries through gifts and loans. The countries run from Afghanistan to Venezuela. The amount runs from $3,000,000,000 - yes, billion - for Israel to $50,000 for Mauritius, based on 1998 figures. Toward the top is India. This comes out of our taxes.

But did you know the state of Oregon is also aiding India? Have you heard of outsourcing? If you want a state job, you could find yourself competing with people from India. When the jobs we pay for with our state taxes are done in India, we are paying at least four times. First with our taxes and then with the job you cannot get working for the state. Then you cannot get help if your unemployment runs out. Then the state does not get taxes from the job you do not have, so we are in greater economic trouble.

I think we should insist that Oregon jobs go to Oregonians. What do you think? Tell your state legislator. You also pay that person with your taxes.

BILL BEALS

Reedsport