LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Change the thinking in City Hall

Some of us aren't too surprised with Assistant City Manager Jim Carlson's e-mail slamming Councilor Bonny Bettman. One just has to watch one City Council meeting and recognize Bettman's detailed study of local issues.

She takes time to be well informed, and items of importance to her constituents don't slide by. What is important to constituents is not always the same as what is important to city staff, and this is where the conflicts and bad attitudes begin.

The problem is the present system, where our elected city councilors are not allowed to talk or work with City Hall staff. Staff under City Manager Dennis Taylor prepare projects and bring them to the council for approval with little or no interaction with the elected officials. It does not seem to be a very democratic system when there is little or no direct contact with elected counselors.

I urge voters to elect City Council candidates who will support a system where their vote really counts. I believe Alan Zelenka in Ward 3 and Rich Cunningham in Ward 6 will want more democracy at City Hall and less unfortunate slamming.

RUTH DUEMLER

Eugene

UO diversity plan a diversion

Carla Moser's March 25 letter about the latest University of Oregon's diversity plan really hit a nerve.

Recently, there has been discussion in the state Board of Higher Education of closing or selling one of several public campuses that are in danger of financial failure.

Meanwhile, the UO is about to embark on a radical expansion of its diversity program of group preferences, sensitivity training, special group-based scholarships and faculty hiring. Already, many UO job listings post loyalty to "diversity goals" as a qualification for employment.

This plan surely will cost millions of dollars per year. What will the UO have to sacrifice from its academic offerings to pay for this? Or is the university loaded with extra money? It certainly seems to be raking in funds for its ultra-politically correct College of Education, which trains our future teachers.

Perhaps the Legislature should take a look at whether the state allocation for the UO could be better spent on other urgent public needs - among them, ensuring that all of our public campuses remain available to the people of Oregon without regard to race, creed, color or politically correct attitudes. The millions used to promote so-called diversity would be better used to shelter the homeless, feed the poor and protect people from domestic violence.

I am a UO graduate, and I do support my alma mater. However, this new agenda makes me question the purpose of financially supporting the UO.

STEPHANIE SKEIE

Eugene

Nothing excuses child abuse

I was appalled to read a quote from Depoe Bay Mayor Jim White in the April 2 Register-Guard.

The article, about the impact of diminishing salmon populations and a possible federal decision to prohibit commercial fishing in 2006, discussed the primary and secondary effects on Oregon fishermen and the communities in which they live when they are unable to fish.

According to the article, White, at a governor's summit on the issue, explained, "We only have eight commercial fishermen in Depoe Bay, and we're looking at over a million dollars with just those fishermen. When this happens, child abuse incidents go up; domestic disturbances go up."

While White's point is not completely lost on me, I am deeply disappointed that in a society that is now so tuned in to the ills of child abuse and domestic violence, we should depend on a man's ability to earn a living fishing for salmon to protect the health and welfare of our children. I am sure the children of fishermen in Depoe Bay will appreciate their mayor viewing any abuse or neglect they receive at the hands of their fathers as an economic issue.

Elected officials and society as a whole must make conscious decisions and take consistent actions that reflect that we will not tolerate child abuse, no matter the excuse.

In the meantime, I hope that Depoe Bay fishermen (and others) get to fish for salmon this season so that their kids don't get beat up.

LAURA S. SADOWSKI

Eugene

Prayer can arise from kindness

A recent study has shown no effect of prayer on the health progress of heart patients.

In the April 1 edition of The Register-Guard, an editor opines on "The efficacy of prayer," discounting the scientific finding in defense of traditional religion. Perhaps this was meant as an April Fools' joke, for why would an editor deign to trump scientists and theologians?

I am a behavioral scientist who has done careful thinking on definitions of God and research on religious beliefs. Fully 50 percent of several hundred Americans I have studied, including many churchgoers, agree that the concept of God can be well-defined simply as the human spirit of kindness and love.

This definition has interesting implications. By this definition, God is not a supernatural being responsible for either natural disasters or for miracle cures of disease. Impersonal weather causes hurricanes. People contribute to global warming.

And people are cured of disease or eased through illness and death not by a supernatural being but by other people, united in a spirit of kindness and love. Such people also can rebuild communities damaged by hurricanes and do something about global warming. People motivated by selfishness cannot.

Personally, I will be very comforted if I know people are praying for me on my deathbed, motivated only by a spirit of human kindness and love, even if this has not one whit of effect on the natural disease process that is ending my happy days with them.

WILLIAM A. McCONOCHIE

Eugene

Demand for natural foods rising

Once upon a time, the natural foods industry embraced a holistic orientation and philosophy that included the general belief that spiritually and economically, there is enough to go around.

This does not seem to be incorporated in the local sentiment of the natural foods business in relation to Whole Foods. What is being expressed and circulated seems to me to relate more to an orientation of fear and the limitations of too many hands in the pie.

The natural foods industry is growing nationwide as more and more people are being drawn to health concerns as well as to high-quality, good-tasting food. I believe that Whole Foods has the potential of drawing more people into the arena of natural foods, which would help to increase the size of the pie rather than divide it.

My experience of Whole Foods is that it is much more than a health food store. It seems to represent more of an upscale environment of spe- cialty, gourmet and ready-to-eat foods. If anyone should feel threatened by this, I would think it might be national grocery chains or various fast food restaurants.

The days of natural foods appealing to a minority culture are dwindling. What is good for the few is also good for the many. Trust that Eugene residents will be loyal to the businesses that truly serve their needs.

KAREN E. KIPP 

Eugene

Mulligan best Ward 3 candidate

I am writing in support of Bruce Mulligan, who is a candidate for the Ward 3 position on the Eugene City Council.

For the past two years, Mulligan was chairman of the Eugene Budget Committee, which is composed of the eight members of the City Council and eight citizen members. As a citizen member of the Budget Committee during that period, I have had a first-hand opportunity to observe Mulligan at work as a participant in the budget process and as the leader of the Budget Committee.

I like his style of participation and of leadership. He listens well, has excellent insight into the problems of our city, demonstrates a quiet sense of humor and is respectful of persons of varying opinions.

During a trying period of limited resources, he led the Budget Committee to unanimously adopt budgets the last two years. I consider him to be well qualified to represent our ward on the City Council.

BOB PETERS

Eugene

Bethel students need levy

I love my school district. When I first attended school meetings, I had no clue what went on.

Wow, did I learn a lot. You know the thing I learned the most? These are some good, hardworking people who are really straining at the oars to give our kids the best in our state.

What else did I learn? They need our help.

Bethel teachers have been cut year by year. Class sizes are now at the point where some of my kids' previous or present elementary teachers had 32 kids each! Kindergarten, too.

Music and art have been shrinking. Health insurance costs keep skyrocketing. And the state has been giving school districts steadily less for 15 years.

But in the May 16 election, Measure 20-109 will appear on your ballot. It's a five-year levy just for Bethel, and will gain us an additional $230,000 grant of state matching money.

It's only $1 per $1,000 of property valuation (about $10 a month for my household). To pass, it needs 50 percent of all voters to show up, and then 50 percent of those to vote yes.

What will it be used for? The new Bethel Math Project, which is modeled after their nationally renowned, hugely successful Bethel Reading Project. You want basics? These are basics - reading and math. Also, it is earmarked to replace worn-out textbooks and a backlog of obsolete or long-dead computers. Just basics.

I invite Bethel residents to join me in voting Yes on Measure 20-109. Basic needs. For kids. For Bethel.

BILL NORTHRUP

Eugene