LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.Byline: The Register-Guard Illegals strain social services social services Noun, pl welfare services provided by local authorities or a state agency for people with particular social needs social services npl → servicios mpl sociales I had lunch with my 62-year-old nephew Thursday. He retired two years ago from his job being in charge of a shift at the Marion County Jail. I happened to mention illegal immigrants. This set him off. He told me that each illegal immigrant in jail cost from $68 to $72.50 a day for food, shelter and medical treatment. To save money, the jail got a bus once a month and took the illegals down to Tijuana, Mexico, and dropped them off. The protesters talk about how the illegals work and pay taxes, but too many end up in jail. They also don't begin to pay enough taxes to pay for their kids in school. They overload our social services. I am sure many are good people and good workers. There is a quota for how many can immigrate im·mi·grate v. im·mi·grat·ed, im·mi·grat·ing, im·mi·grates v.intr. To enter and settle in a country or region to which one is not native. See Usage Note at migrate. v.tr. . I believe the people who set up the quotas knew what they were doing. The great masses that are illegally immigrating are causing more social problems than they are solving. GENE HARP Eugene Forgive those at The Insurgent INSURGENT. One who is concerned in an insurrection. He differs from a rebel in this, that rebel is always understood in a bad sense, or one who unjustly opposes the constituted authorities; insurgent may be one who justly opposes the tyranny of constituted authorities. The recent controversy sparked by the egregious cartoons about Jesus, recently published in the University of Oregon campus The University of Oregon campus in Eugene, Oregon has around 80 buildings and facilities, including athletics sites such as Hayward Field, which is the site for the 2008 Olympic Track and Field Trials, and McArthur Court, and off-campus sites such as nearby Autzen Stadium and the newspaper The Insurgent, is very disturbing to people who believe in the teachings of Jesus. However, Christians should not be terribly surprised, for Jesus warned his disciples, "If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you" (John 15:18). He taught us to love our enemies: "Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully de·spite·ful adj. Full of malice; spiteful. de·spite  ful·ly adv.de·spite use you, and persecute per·se·cute tr.v. per·se·cut·ed, per·se·cut·ing, per·se·cutes 1. To oppress or harass with ill-treatment, especially because of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or beliefs. 2. you" (Matthew 5:44). He told us how to pray: "Forgive us our sins Forgive us our Sins (orig. French Pardonnez nos offenses) is the title of a historical novel by Romain Sardou. Plot summary Imagine staging the end of the world and observing the effects of this apocalypse on an isolated, rural village… imagine a as we forgive those who sin against us" (Matthew 6:2). He explained that if we want God to forgive our sins, we must first forgive those who sin against us. Therefore, I would urge Christians who were insulted by the anti-Christian comments in The Insurgent to follow the example of Jesus. Even on the cross, he prayed for his enemies: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:24). HARRIET GUARDINO Eugene Universities foster free thought Alexander Kleshchev (guest viewpoint, May 19) wonders why the University of Oregon The University of Oregon is a public university located in Eugene, Oregon. The university was founded in 1876, graduating its first class two years later. The University of Oregon is one of 60 members of the Association of American Universities. has a preponderance of Democrats on its faculty. His own country's history holds the deep answer. In the 1930s, Stalin ordered purges of intellectuals in Belarus. Authoritarian and totalitarian regimes have routinely attacked universities and intellectuals. Why is obvious. Universities are havens for free thought and free inquiry, which are anathema to authoritarian governments. In our country, free thought and conservative, right-wing Republicanism don't really go hand- in-hand. As a member of the university and of this country, it's Kleshchev's right of free inquiry to study this issue. So, for the sake of argument, let's accept Kleshchev's claim of active bias in departments such as political science, women's studies and history. What he can't explain is why Democrats and liberals are overrepresented o·ver·rep·re·sent·ed adj. Represented in excessive or disproportionately large numbers: "Some groups, and most notably some races, may be overrepresented and others may be underrepresented" in apolitical a·po·lit·i·cal adj. 1. Having no interest in or association with politics. 2. Having no political relevance or importance: claimed that the President's upcoming trip was purely apolitical. fields such as biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics. I would suggest that the fundamental nature of universities is to promote free thought and free inquiry. This, not bias, is what leads to liberal domination. Sadly, it is not at all far-fetched to think that right-wing think tanks are orchestrating attacks on universities by claiming that conservatives are being denied jobs because of their political beliefs. This might well be part of a modern, more sophisticated attempt at an authoritarian purge. Karl Rove and his ilk have done worse. We can only hope they fail. LAWRENCE J. RYAN Eugene |
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