LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Bolton represents Bush well

I read the May 13 editorial in The Register-Guard about what a poor choice John Bolton would be for United Nations ambassador.

The editorial called Bolton a "menacing zealot who twists intelligence reports," and went on to say, "Bolton has repeatedly misused and suppressed intelligence to justify aggressive actions against other countries." The piece also called Bolton a "bully."

A poor choice for United Nations ambassador? Normally, I would say yes. But, at the present time, I cannot think of a more perfect candidate to represent to the United Nations, and indeed the world, exactly the way America is being run under the current administration.

RON McINTYRE

Eugene

Founders didn't write pledge

There is a debate on what place religion has in civic affairs. I can accept that. But it's not acceptable to cloud the issue with ignorance and untruth.

Jodi Jennings' May 20 letter included one of the most absurd statements I've seen to date on the issue. Perhaps any historian who willfully ignores facts will agree that the Pledge of Allegiance has anything to do with the founding of this country, much less proving approval of religion and politics. It is historical fact that the Pledge of Allegiance was first published in 1892 - which for those historically challenged historians is well over 100 years after the founding of the United States. Furthermore, the pledge did not include the phrase "under God" until the McCarthy era of the 1950s, which again, was considerably after the founding of the country.

Look it up. It isn't a state secret, and it isn't that complicated. The separation of church and state is pretty simple. You're free to worship or not. No one has the right to make you pray, or stop you from praying. The government simply isn't allowed to spend our tax dollars to promote or discourage religion.

There is ample room for debate on what this means specifically, but goofy assertions based in ignorance are a poor foundation for a sensible debate.

JEFF BOLKAN

Springfield

People kill more birds than cats

"Cats are a major threat to birds," according to Greg Norman's May 20 letter. While I agree that cats should live indoors, hopefully with access to an outdoor enclosure, Norman is incorrectly generalizing when he states that "Cats' poop carries a toxic bacterium," implying that all cats are diseased.

Cat feces are not a common source of disease for humans. Common-sense practices, such as wearing gloves and washing your hands thoroughly after gardening, offer more than sufficient protection.

All garden soil houses numerous bacteria originating from many sources, including birds. Psittacosis is found in more than 100 species of wild and domestic birds and salmonella is even more widespread, occurring in and around many birdfeeders and birdbaths.

Is Norman keeping all birds and rodents out of his yard to prevent encounters with these bacteria as well as the campylobacter bacteria? Not likely. He is far more likely to get ill handling a shopping cart at his local market than by sensible contact with his garden soil.

The destruction of avian habitats by humans is the primary reason some bird populations are in decline. Our poisoning of the environment as well as the commercial development of our remaining wild areas accounts for far more bird deaths than domestic cats could even begin to match.

Norman should stop wasting his money on cat repellents. There are dozens of animal species using his yard as a bathroom, and I doubt he wants to purchase repellents for all of them.

SUSAN McDONALD

Eugene

Bush cutting veterans' services

What does it mean to support the troops?

I just read the Sojourners e-mail newsletter and was saddened to learn that veterans, who represent only 9 percent of the U.S. population, represent 23 percent of our nation's homeless.

I was outraged, but not surprised to discover the multiple cuts President Bush has made to the veterans' health services, such as suspending health benefits to 200,000 veterans and proposing a new $250 enrollment fee to 2.2 million veterans and doubling vets' prescription drug co-pay. His budget also proposes to cut $351 million from veterans' nursing homes, and $4 million from medical and prosthetic research.

This is the man who cuts taxes for the wealthy and who speaks in public of supporting our troops, while he acts to undermine the welfare of these young men and women who have served him and his political ambitions by risking their lives and their sanity by serving in Iraq.

I sincerely hope that some of those people driving cars bearing stickers that say "Support our troops" read this letter.

SUSAN RANKIN

Springfield

Police union misrepresented

As a member of the Eugene Police Employees Association, I feel compelled to respond to The Register-Guard's May 17 editorial "Police union misfires." This editorial inaccurately states that the police union has failed to fully grasp the damage done by the criminal acts of two former employees. Nothing could be further from the truth. On a daily basis, officers are tasked with rebuilding the public trust that was broken by former officers Juan Lara and Roger Magana.

The editorial also unfairly implies that the union is opposed to any form of civilian review. This is contrary to union President Willy Edewaard's statements that we are not afraid of the right model of civilian review. A successful review model would protect employee rights just as it would ensure protection of the citizens served by officers. Such a review model would leave hiring and disciplinary decisions with the police chief, rather than allowing the possibility of politics overriding the chief's employment decisions, as has happened in other Oregon communities.

A recent study notes the positive role the Eugene Police Employees Association has played in much-needed policy changes within the Eugene Police Department. There has already been significant progress made in the way complaints are received and investigated, resulting in investigations and disciplinary actions that appear to be fair to police officers and citizens alike.

Please give the process a chance to work before delivering unfair criticism.

SCOTT DILLON

Eugene

Patriot Act has made us safer

I find it puzzling that anyone could resent the Patriot Act with its added appendages in light of the fact that our terrorist enemies have been unable to hit America with another major attack for nearly four years.

This is nothing less than a miracle - one that is directly related to increased security. As for the inconvenience of ID checks, I weighed this matter a few days ago while waiting in line at Sea-Tac airport for my flight home to Eugene and felt only gratitude that my government cared enough to protect me from the one person on that flight who might have sinister plans in mind. The process was brief, the screeners polite and the experience reassuring.

It is true that the likelihood of being targeted is slight; on the flight out of Eugene last week I noticed a suspicious man ahead of me who pulled two large suitcases behind him on a cart, and I felt some anxiety when he suddenly vanished out of sight. I was relieved when he re-emerged on the way to his station: He was our co-pilot!

Nevertheless, it is wise to err on the side of caution. Many of us are alive today thanks to the efforts of those in authority over us. Let us give credit where credit is due.

HELEN KINTNER

Eugene

Intelligent design lacks merit

Phares Gilchrist's May 19 letter claiming bias on the part of The Register-Guard relative to information on evolution seems to fit the current pattern: If information does not support your beliefs, chastise the source rather than examine the information.

The fact is that intelligent design is not a valid scientific explanation for the evolution of life forms any more than is biblical creation. Intelligent design is simply impossible to prove or disprove. The amazing complexity and intricacy of life and its processes are, by themselves, not evidence of a creator or intelligent design.

The underlying principles of evolution not only have explanatory value but also predictive value. Predictive value means that you can develop hypotheses that can be tested with objective information by you and others.

Intelligent design explains everything, even two incompatible phenomena, and therefore it explains nothing. Furthermore, it can't lead to a supported or unsupported hypothesis with replicable outcomes.

In finance there is the concept of "plug numbers," numbers that can take the place of ones we have yet to ascertain. In my view, the concept of intelligent design is a plug concept. Hold onto it if it gives you comfort and supports your beliefs, but beyond your comfort it has no value.

CLARK ANDERSON

Springfield

We must pay for public safety

I'd like to say a big fat "Amen!" to Ted Brown's May 20 letter. The Lane County district attorney's office just put out a rather sizeable list of offenses it is no longer going to prosecute. We should just put out a sign out on Interstate 5 that says "Welcome criminals and scumbags! Come on in and commit burglary, fraud and steal a car, then commit a little perjury if you do get caught - they won't prosecute you for that either!"

Wake up, people! If you're not willing to shell out a little cash, then don't come crying to the rest of us when you or your home or your family are violated and you want someone to do something about it.

SARA BOYD

Springfield

Why weren't appraisals done?

I've held an Oregon real estate license since 1984. One thing I've learned over the years is that the property with more allowable uses is not automatically the most valuable one.

I was amazed to read that the Lane County Board of Commissioners granted waivers of land use laws to two petitioners without the appraisals required by the county's Measure 37 ordinance. Are county commissioners allowed to ignore their own laws?

Measure 37 provides for either payment or waiver of rules. How can the commissioners know which is the correct choice without knowing the value involved? Even if the change in value was a no-brainer, this sets a precedent. The commissioners have said appraisals are not needed, just proof that some use would have been allowed earlier. Even if the change in value is zero, anything goes for those who have owned property a long time.

Lane County residents could be in for some unpleasant surprises now that there is no requirement to show loss of value to get rules waived.

NANCY NICHOLS

Deadwood 

LETTERS LOG

Letters received in past week: 141

Letters published: 59

What's on readers' minds: A quieter week than most as readers focused more on the coming Memorial Day weekend than on writing letters about how many paths lead to salvation. Religious issues nonetheless were uppermost in many letter writers' minds. Letters continued to address Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy's decision not to attend this year's Mayors' Prayer Breakfast. A significant subset of religious letters focused on a debate among Christians about whether there is more than one path to salvation.