LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Call Attorney General Ashcroft

All these books attacking President Bush, then this movie, for God's sake.

There's got to be a Patriot Act violation in there somewhere.

RICK ESTESS

Veneta

Quality of care hastens healing

The July 7 guest viewpoint describing the benefits of a peaceful, restful setting for a hospital at RiverBend overlooked a number of variables which demonstrate that it is the quality of care, not aesthetic surroundings, that hasten healing.

With today's medical technology, most operations are done on an out-patient basis. For other surgery, in-hospital time is limited.

Hear the testimony, reported recently in The New York Times, of Jennifer Moses from Baton Rouge, La., who underwent surgery for breast cancer in Glasgow, Scotland. Her room, shared with three others, "looked like something out of a gulag: stained and missing floor tiles; plaster flaking off the ceiling; filthy windows."

Yet her stay was enriched by the warm support she received from her roommates and the various nurses and aides. "The best part of the day was when the tea ladies (arrived), pushing carts filled with soggy and tasteless sandwiches ... biscuits and a few pieces of bruised fruit, and said, `Tea, love? Something to keep the meat on your wee bones?' '

Leaving the hospital, Moses was enveloped by the kindness of her old and new friends. Departing Glasglow, Moses did not harbor terrible associations, instead a loving memory of how the entire city returned her to health.

The moral of this story will save PeaceHealth time and money. It can refurbish its Hilyard center and allow Springfield to respect current zoning guidelines, preventing sprawl and protecting the riverbank environ- ment.

VINCENZA SCARPACI

Eugene

Sherman's heroism an example

Bravo for The Register-Guard's decision to publish the story of the Sherman family on July 11, and on page A1 as well! It is nice to see news of real personal heroism rise above our usual media fare.

Preparing for death is an experience that is common to everyone, and preparing a family for this event is an experience shared by countless thousands of families in our community. As a counselor I have had opportunities to work with many individuals who are preparing for death - but less often with their families. It is unfortunate that our cultural tradition often still compels individuals to "protect" their loved ones by keeping this process secret as long as possible.

A celebration of life can begin well before death and is something beautiful to share with those we love. Richard Sherman is a true local hero.

JAI DAEMION

Pleasant Hill

Moore's film isn't propaganda

Characterizing Michael Moore's film as propaganda (letters, July 10) is a simplistic way of misinterpreting the nature of a documentary film. The facts behind the film were in print several years before the film was made.

In our society, film is the only venue left for reaching the disenfranchised and uninvolved. If film information had been available to an uninvolved, self-avowed, nonreading president, we might not have invaded Iraq.

Much of the film's contents had already appeared in magazines long before it was released. Articles about the bin Laden extended family of more than 800 people (which happens to include Osama) were printed in the New Yorker immediately following the evacuation - for their own protection - of all Saudis after the fall of the twin towers. But the simple fact that the Bush family has a history with the bin Laden family is relevant and should be explored.

Congress seems unwilling to do that, and I commend Moore for calling the question.

Calling Moore a communist (letters, July 10) is a documentation of ignorance. I read Karl Marx's "Communist Manifesto" 30 years ago and concluded that communism would collapse - just as all utopian schemes before it had - due to the lack of the primary incentive, greed. I was right, but Ronald Reagan got the credit. Darn!

Some socialism, on the other hand, can be useful because it exerts a balancing influence on greed. Some folks can't discern the difference between socialism and communism. They should read more.

WAYNE L. MILLER

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