LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register Guard

Orwell's predictions come true

George Orwell wrote of an age in which the war department is dubbed the Ministry of Peace and the Ministry of Love houses torture chambers.

Somebody in the Bush administration must have read "1984." Now we have a Clean Air Act that permits increased pollution and a Forest Preservation Act that permits more timber cutting.

Not just the Republicans, though, are toying with the language. The congressional Democrats have collaborated in passing the Defense of Marriage Act, which actually restricts rather than defends. That one is like calling Jim Crow laws the Defense of Civil Rights for Whites Act.

We should not be surprised, then, at conservative pundits such as Sean Hannity who rail against judges for "legislating from the bench." Since Marbury vs. Madison in 1803, the U.S. Supreme Court has been charged with the final word on whether a legislative enactment was consistent with the Constitution. It has performed that function since Thomas Jefferson was president. States work on the same model.

The civil rights movement illustrated vividly the role of the judiciary. Legislatures enacted laws that protected segregation and oppressed African-Americans. Those laws were subject to judicial review for con- stitutionality.

When the courts found them unconstitutional, they were not legislating from the bench; they were protecting minorities from oppression by the majority. That crucial role should be protected from the Orwellian rantings of Hannity and his partners in language perversion.

DAVID O. WILSON

Eugene

Christmas traditions attacked

While listening to the news recently about various airline employees placing their own small Christmas trees by their own workplaces, I can't help but wonder why our rights in this matter are completely taken away from us.

How about the freedom to worship as we please? Why don't people grow up and learn that this is a tradition that is hundreds of years old? It's an American tradition and also one from other countries. The only difference is mainly in the language.

If this is so offensive to those immigrants or the atheists, then let them have their own little parties. But don't take our God-given rights away from us. Are we who believe in God supposed to stand back and just let our rights to express ourselves be taken away? And yet people don't stop the playing of `Feliz Navidad,' and such. What has happened to our freedom of worship?

Some blame it on the immigrants, but in the long run the blame should not be on them. It should be on our own leaders, who enforced these so-called wonderful laws.

Merry Christmas.

BARBARA ANLAUF

Cottage Grove 

Swift stood up to the military

After months of not knowing her fate, of trying to work with military and elected officials on issues of military sexual abuse and while trying to get them to acknowledge that the U.S. military fails its soldiers who have been sexually traumatized, Spc. Suzanne Swift continued to hold out for truth.

Imagine this young soldier refusing to sign on to the lies written into the documents that the military had prepared for her to sign. Yes, the military wanted her to lie about what happened to her in Iraq.

Imagine Swift sitting down in those final days of military judgment. Imagine this soldier crossing out the military's prepared documents placed in front of her. Imagine her manually writing in the truth of what happened to her at the hands of superiors while in combat in Iraq.

And imagine the importance of the moment when military commanders admitted defeat and accepted the changes she had written. I have much respect for this courageous young woman and her fight for truth and justice!

In spite of the evidence and acknowledgment that she suffered at the hands of her superiors in Iraq, the military still denied her justice and has incarcerated a brave young soldier who admirably served in Iraq, protecting fellow soldiers on the streets of Karbala.

Who protects Swift now? Who protects the thousands more who will suffer at the hands of military sexual predators?

P. ELAINE HAYES

Springfield

Iraq could end up like Vietnam

President Bush will decide next month what to do with our commitment to Iraq.

The experts have given their all. We tried to talk reason and common sense. No one was listening. In Vietnam, our supporters suffered and died when we left. Many still suffer.

Earlier this year, committed people of our city offered shelter to Montagnards desperate to leave their mountain homeland. I hope they are adjusting well. In years to come, we will be home to more desperate souls.

GIL VOSS 

Eugene

Give news space back to kids

Please return the fresh voices of our local youth to the newspaper. I looked forward to Monday's 20Below section by teens and was continually encouraged by the intelligent way they expressed their experiences, feelings and viewpoints. I especially liked the pro-con columns.

The Internet is all well and good, but it really isn't all that mobile for most people. It's difficult to access at the dinner table, and especially the bathroom. Besides, the Internet is already chock full of opinions and blogs and commentary, especially by young people.

How many times are our youth represented in the paper? Right now, it is only one column each week.

Let's give them back their whole section to be enjoyed by those who need to hear them the most - the demographic that is least likely to log on to the 20Below Web site.

MELISSA MATTICK

Eugene

Let's just forget December

Call the speech police! Call the politically correct squad of university professors! Call the ACLU!

Well, perhaps not the ACLU, as it seems to fight for free speech only if it fits its particular political agenda or religious beliefs.

It just occurred to me that "holidays," as in "happy holidays," the politically correct greeting to replace the centuries-old American tradition of "Merry Christmas," is derived from "holy days." Uh-oh! Now we must take down signs and reteach our kids in elementary school that it's off-limits to say "holidays."

Perhaps we could all just keep quiet - as the Jews and Christians around the world still have to whisper for fear of being murdered. To carry this new censorship to its logical conclusion, the shopping malls should not allow gift wrapping or people purchasing presents because some people can't afford to buy. Think of the unfairness of some shopping while others can't.

Some could be offended by the implicit message that it is C*****mas. Even the words "merry" and "happy" at this time of year might make non-Christian and depressed people feel "excluded." Therefore, let us be silent and expressionless and throw away the customs, traditions and culture that tens of millions of Americans have celebrated.

In fact, forget December altogether. It's just too offensive to our brave, new, supposedly tolerant and inclusive world. Merry censorship to all, and to all a careful, speech-acceptable, celebration-neutral good night.

CHRISTINE KELSAY

Eugene

Health care reform is moving

This next year is going to be busy for us who are trying to keep up on health care reform efforts. With the recent shift in political power, health reform suddenly becomes a reality.

We will see big changes as a result of legislative efforts. I just hope the changes are for the better. Dr. John Kitzhaber is leading a statewide citizens' movement to improve health security. A comprehensive reform bill will be introduced in the Oregon Legislature early next session. The local chapter of We Can Do Better - aka Archimedes Movement - can be contacted for information, speakers and volunteer opportunities. The e-mail address is [e-mail]. Check out the Web site (www.wecandobetter .org).

Sen. Ron Wyden has prepared a bill for the U.S. Congress next year. His bill proposes a transition to a national universal system supported by individuals and employers. Please become familiar with the details.

Be aware, too, of the national Medicare for All proposal (House Resolution 676). It will extend a single-payer, tax-supported system (Medicare) to eligible citizens in all age groups. We can do better.

FRANK N. TURNER, M.D.

Eugene

Protect mothers, protect future

I am responding to a paid advertisement in The Register-Guard on Dec. 11, regarding women and motherhood in this country.

Although I strongly disagree with many of the points the author presented, I share his or her concern about the shame that many women are made to feel when becoming mothers. Having a child should never be the source of shame. That shame hurts the children the most, makes the difficult job of motherhood exponentially more difficult, and ultimately lowers the quality of life in our communities for all of us.

Although I am pro-choice, I would hope that no woman would ever have to give up the child she wants in order to avoid having to live with social and economic punishment for her "mistake." In light of the recent 58th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I will point out Article 25.

After Section 1 asserts that everyone has the right to an adequate and dignified standard of living, Section 2 states, "Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection."

I believe that if we could truly support, respect and protect the mothers who are raising our future, we would create a better future for everyone.

EVE TERRAN

Eugene

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