LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Here's how to honor 9/11 victims

As we mark the anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, recent reporting on Iraq, Afghanistan and al-Qaeda prompts reflection on the effectiveness of the response to those terrible attacks on the U.S. six years ago.

Sixteen U.S. intelligence agencies reported in September 2006 that the U.S. war in Iraq "has become the primary recruitment vehicle for violent extremists, motivating a new generation of potential terrorists around the world." We are inspiring more terrorists than we are countering. Unilateral U.S. action and pre-emptive war have also squandered the goodwill extended to the United States after Sept. 11 by the entire international community.

It's clear that war is not the answer. Work to resolve international conflicts and to improve international law enforcement is the beginning. As the 110th Congress returns to work, its focus should be on funding the tools to peacefully resolve and prevent conflicts, and on building international understanding through people-to-people exchanges, public information and education, the United Nations, diplomacy, and economic development.

We should honor the victims of Sept. 11 by doing everything we can to prevent new attacks and preserve a plural, democratic and open society in the United States. To do this we must reorient our priorities and our government spending from war to international cooperation and peace.

Nadia Sindi

Eugene

Keep emphasis on local news

Kudos to The Register-Guard for the terrific several pages celebrating Labor Day by celebrating labor - in elegant photography, in an inclusive and insightful look at varieties of labor, and by good advertising pieces in which local employers honored their employees.

The photographs were the key to the success of the section, but all of it was well done. Then, just the next day on the front page came the beautiful picture of a young local ballerina and a fine story of determination and success.

Some readers apparently think that the paper should print, especially on the front page, only national and international news, but I appreciate the local emphasis of the paper. In the long run, determined ospreys and laborers and young people's hard work and success have much to do with what is Eugene now and always.

Bonnie Brunken

Eugene

Bush `achievements' dubious

Lloyd Mutinsky's list of President Bush's "achievements" (letters, Sept. 3) was incomplete.

But first, I must stress that anyone who has ever heard George W. Bush speak knows he is clearly illiterate, so it is doubtful he "earned" anything from Yale or Harvard - and since the evidence is glaringly abundant that he stole and cheated his way into both presidential terms, it's highly suspect he "won" those, either.

However, Bush does indeed have some impressive accomplishments which he can always look back on. These (to name but a few) he really did earn: He has invaded a foreign country under false pretenses; he has decimated the once-strong Federal Emergency Management Agency; America's infrastructure is crumbling; our national health care system is a pathetic joke; many of our conservation programs have been overturned; and he has destroyed foreign relations and our standing with the rest of the world.

As of this writing, Bush is directly responsible for the deaths of 77,393 human beings - by conservative estimates. Whew! Will 2008 ever get here?

Ron McIntyre

Springfield

Swimming Cats for Peace

Eugene's antiwar activists are pleased to announce the formation of the "Swimming Cats for Peace" movement. We trust The Register-Guard will give this development the front page coverage it so obviously deserves. We'll send in a photo later, just as soon as we find our very own swimming cat.

Lynn Porter

Eugene

Mining criticism shortsighted 

As someone who has owned mining claims on public land in the past and would like to be able to do so in the future, I am a bit perplexed by some of the apparent misconceptions floating around in the Sept. 5 Register-Guard editorial on mining law reform.

Here's how it works: As a citizen of the United States, I can prospect for minerals on the vast tracts of public land that are still open to mineral entry. Upon making a significant discovery, the valuable mineral is mine. I then go to the county courthouse and file a location notice (and pay the fee.) Next, I do my assessment work (and pay the annual fee) to determine if my discovery is going to pan out. If I strike it rich and sell my mineral, I will pay state and federal income tax, and hopefully create a few local jobs.

Over the last 30 years the federal agencies involved have been successful removing and discouraging small-time miners, a few of whom no doubt deserved it, while at the same time cooperating with and assisting big mining interests. This took place during both Republican and Democratic administrations.

To take our nation's vast remaining mineral deposits and leave them solely in the hands of multinational corporations would be shortsighted. Politics obscures the real problems and will most likely result in the loss of the rights and freedoms of the individual citizen that I, for one, would very much like to keep.

Andrew Van Atta

Eugene

White House changes subject

The attorney general has resigned in disgrace. Also gone is the White House deputy chief of staff. The White House communications director is next out the door.

The much-anticipated Pentagon benchmark announcement confirmed that only three of the 18 standards expected of the new Iraqi government have been reached, to the surprise of no one. The two-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina arrived with the realization that the worst natural disaster in our history was primarily the result of shoddy engineering by federal entities. I doubt the thousands of families who remain displaced and the survivors of the 1,200-plus dead are satisfied that their president has honored his promise to help.

So, with all this going on, what does the White House do? It leaks to Roll Call that Sen. Larry Craig was arrested for lewd conduct over three months ago, effectively changing the subject. The press has taken the bait and now its All Larry, All the Time. Who cares if he is a Republican? If they can smear homosexuality by suggesting some wacky association, then it is worth it to them.

Incidentally, Craig's untoward behavior is no more indicative of homosexual behavior than rape is of heterosexual habits. This doesn't matter. The damage is done. Fox News has the ball and is running, the American public is transfixed and the president has just quietly asked for another $50 billion for his Middle East crusade. Did somebody say impeachment?

Harper Keeler 

Eugene

Consider another crosswalk

When I was young, a new high school was built in my town in California. When it came to designing the concrete walkways, they decided to wait and watch the foot traffic in the dirt to get an idea where the students would walk.

The articles on the horrible accident on Bailey Hill Road in which the 10-year-old boy was hit and killed brought this idea back to me. The stories quoted local residents who said children weren't using the crosswalk to go from the skateboard park to the store, they were cutting directly across at a more logical place.

I live on Westleigh Street and also have seen the kids cross on this more direct route. What would it hurt to create another crosswalk to protect kids where they actually cross? This would make drivers stop and take note if someone was going to cross and also would make drivers think twice about going around a stopped car when the crosswalk is visible.

Irene Leister 

Eugene

Law threatens citizens' privacy

Members of Congress made a huge mistake before going home for their summer recess when they passed the Protect America Act.

The Protect America Act should be called the Police America Act, because it allows for massive, untargeted collection of international communications without court order or meaningful oversight by either Congress or the courts.

The Protect America Act contains virtually no protections for the U.S. end of phone calls and e-mails. Instead, it leaves decisions about the collection, mining and use of Americans' private communications up to this administration, with no accountability.

Any new legislation should make it crystal clear that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is the exclusive means of intelligence gathering in the United States. President Bush needs to adhere to the Fourth Amendment's protections against unreasonable search and seizure.

Robert Kimble

Junction City