LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Hatred is the most deadly WMD 

Make no mistake about it. Not only have Republicans finally found a weapon of mass destruction, they've promoted it. That weapon is hatred, and there's a whole lot more of it directed at our country than before the Bush administration squandered all the potential international solidarity of Sept. 11 and ran off to bomb the unrelated country of Iraq.

Billions of mostly unaccounted for dollars and thousands of human lives later, are we safer? Only if we don't carry any water or hand lotion on airplanes, and only if we don't live in any coastal areas with ports or hurricanes, and only if Britain is on the job to protect us. It's apparently not Washington's job. Washington's job is to spend money policing other countries.

Meanwhile, Vice President Dick Cheney and White House spokesman Tony Snow are out there accusing Connecticut voters of supporting terrorism by democratically voting. What part of elementary school social studies did they miss?

Hatred is the most dangerous weapon of mass destruction, and Osama bin Laden (Remember him? Guess what - he's still loose) could not have asked for better recruiters than President Bush and Vice President Cheney, nor could he have envisioned a more effective response to Sept. 11 for his purposes than the policies and actions of this Republican administration.

DAWN LESLEY

Eugene

Use existing tax funds wisely

Matt Cooper's article on public safety (Register-Guard, Aug. 13) details exactly the reason that I will vote against the proposed local income tax. I am sure - based on the rest of the article - that was not his intent. However, consider the Ron Alt quote that, "Overall, the amount of revenue the governments are taking from the citizens to provide services is around the national average."

A few paragraphs later Steve Lee points out that Lane County has the lowest ratio of law enforcement personnel to residents of 32 of Oregon's counties, and Oregon has the lowest ratio of any state nationwide. He further observes that Lane County has a higher rate of property crime than 82 percent of similar counties nation- wide.

From this and many other sources of data, I gather that we are paying enough taxes but our representatives are poorly using them. The reason the first basic societies were formed was to protect their members. Protection of the society's individuals by laws and the associated system is still one of the primary components.

Our current government has allowed this basic service to deteriorate. There are now a tremendous number of other functions that have inappropriately reduced the funding of our protection system. This should be corrected instead of asking for more and more money from our productive members.

WALTER MORGAN 

Junction City 

Motorists often rude to cyclists

My children and I run errands almost daily on our bicycles. Before each bike ride, I tell my children to ride as if the drivers of the cars can't see you.

We put our safety first - we wear helmets, use lights and follow the rules of the road. We ride on the bike paths and take the streets with bike lanes as much as possible. On almost every ride we are harassed by motorists, usually having to endure obscenities being shouted at us from passing cars.

Eugene was given a "Gold Medal" rating on the Bicycle Friendly Communities Web site, and it is great to have the many miles of bike lanes and paths. I would argue that the attitudes of the motorists of Eugene also give an indication of our bicycle friendliness, and my experiences have not been gold medal standard. It doesn't seem friendly or safe to ride when a 6-year-old child, riding on a Burley Piccolo behind her mother, and an 11-year-old riding carefully behind must endure having obscenities screamed at them from passing motorists.

We ride for fun and exercise, to get one more car off the road and to teach my children that they need to live their lives as free of dependence on a car as possible. We will continue to safely ride our bikes on our errands, and we will keep on laughing at the motorists who shout at us, as they look and sound so stupid. Maybe they just need some exercise.

JILL GIDDENS

Eugene

Cash and school kits both vital

It was with concern that we read Kirsten Haugen's Aug. 14 letter regarding school kits vs. cash contributions for Darfur. There is an urgent need for both.

Cash donations are essential, but there is also a need for tangible and direct contact between gift and giver. The center of that is participation - people filling a kit and learning more about the Darfur situation. Young and old, child and parent, each participating in an act of compassion.

Many others gave time and material toward making the bags. Merchants gave supplies at cost. The Eugene Public Library and Market of Choice granted permission to set up stands. Churches have welcomed and supported us. Bob Welch gave us a start not to be forgotten.

The project has not been wasteful. Administrative overhead is minimal due to wide use of volunteers. The agency we work through is on site in the camps. Mennonite Central Committee is an old and respected relief organization with worldwide experience. It provides a range of services coordinating with other agencies.

MCC has established 11 schools in Darfur to provide some normalcy for children. Their request to us was for school kits. MCC will send our kits along with their bulk shipments of other goods at no required cost to us.

We have seen community at its best in this project. There are many ways to give, each with its own value. There is a place for all of them.

NANCY TELLIS DIZNEY

HENRY DIZNEY

Lane County Darfur Coalition

Eugene

School kits special to children

In response to Kirsten Haugen's Aug. 14 letter, I respectfully support her commitment to donate to reputable humanitarian agencies on behalf of those suffering in Darfur. But she has missed the value, importance and unique opportunity of also reaching children in the refugee camps with school kits.

For children who have no possessions, the gift of a colorful, sturdy bag filled with supplies is an encouragement to think, dream and know that somebody in the world cares about them.

This is not a substitute for cash gifts, but it offers so much more to the individual child.

Hundreds of bags have been sewn from donated material by people in our area. Families stopping by to fill a bag for a $5 donation have responded enthusiastically, involving their children in selecting a favorite bag while learning about children in need a world away.

Others ask about Darfur and the needs there. Many cheerfully share in this project who say they've also contributed school supplies to children in our neighborhoods and supported aid groups such as the United Nations Children's Fund or Mercy Corps.

This project is worthy of our support and fills the need for personal outreach that cash alone cannot match. Good is accomplished by enclosing a note and a picture with the check we send to a humanitarian agency.

But the colorful, handmade bags will delight a child and send an important message of caring.

JANET ADAMS

Eugene

Eugene ignores its own laws

Several years ago, an old motorhome took up residence for months on a city street near my home. I called the police and was told nothing would be done unless I made a formal complaint.

The police could have confirmed the violation readily. I did not know who owned the RV and feared it might be a dangerous drifter, or worse yet, a friendly neighbor. I chose not to file the complaint, and the RV eventually moved on.

The other day, I drove downtown via Delta Highway and West Seventh Avenue. The Register-Guard had recently run an article reporting that curbside sandwich board advertising is not legal in Eugene.

However, I counted seven curbside boards along the south side of the street between the Delta exit and the Hult Center.

I'm sure police cars routinely travel this route. This must be another situation where a citizen must file a complaint to have the law enforced.

A community where law enforcement ignores obvious violations is next to lawless. The City Council can pass a law against leaf blowers, but members are probably wasting their time.

R. CRAIG TAYLOR

Eugene

Westmoreland a lost UO asset

Westmoreland Family Housing was an asset to the University of Oregon and the community. It was a pleasant, safe, inexpensive place to live.

Kids played together and parents interacted. There were several convenient laundry rooms, a community room and even a piano practice room. Albertsons and Bi-Mart were a short walk away.

It was right on a bus route and the bike path into town. It was not within walking distance to the university, but many residents appreciated having their families outside the often chaotic pace produced by the younger university crowd.

The residences there needed repairs and upgrades, but so do dorms and other university facilities. When the University of Oregon sold out, did it really expect the new owner not to ultimately focus on his bottom line - profit?

Why would he be interested in sacrificing to help university families get through tight times? Our higher education administration should have put students' education and success above money.

MIKE HOROWITZ

Eugene