LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.Byline: The Register-Guard Swap Amazon for RiverRidge Approving a proposed site for a regional hospital and acquiring land for public parks are not just neighborhood concerns - all Eugeneans take these city issues to heart and want to participate. Here's a suggestion that swiftly resolves both issues: swap Amazon Park for RiverRidge Golf Course. Converting the private golf course to a public park with wetlands and forests, jogging trails and dog parks, would be a riverfront jewel in the green-deprived North Delta area as well as satiate sa·ti·ate tr.v. sa·ti·at·ed, sa·ti·at·ing, sa·ti·ates 1. To satisfy (an appetite or desire) fully. 2. To satisfy to excess. adj. Filled to satisfaction. the city's desire to convert private land to public use. Building the new McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center at Amazon Park would result in south Eugene retaining direct access to a regional medical center, not to mention there are never any traffic snarls on the streets serving the neighborhood. There's no arguing this is the fairest solution of all those suggested. North Eugene has few parks and two hospitals, South Eugene has the most park area but no hospital. The trade should net the city the same amount of planned park space that it would lose, and it would equitably redistribute the community's access to parks and medical facilities. Just my modest proposal, let's all discuss. LEAH CARTER Eugene Intelligent design is scientific If your personal paradigm is materialism, then belief in Charles Darwin's theory of evolution becomes almost necessary as a matter of philosophy, not science. If your paradigm is vitalism vitalism (vīˑ·t  l·i·z , Darwin's
theory is not believable because of evidentiary scientific problems.
Mathematics, the most rigorous of scientific disciplines, has rejected Darwinian theory (Wistar Symposium) reported in "Mathematic Challenge to Darwin's Interpretation of Evolution," P.S. Moorehead and M.N. Kaplain, ed. 1967. Science supports adaptation within a species, and that's about all. Irreducibly complex biosystems and cellular information content are beyond Darwin's explanations unless you have a priori a priori In epistemology, knowledge that is independent of all particular experiences, as opposed to a posteriori (or empirical) knowledge, which derives from experience. tendency to believe. Contrary to the materialist point of view, intelligent design is the best scientific inference for the existence of complex life. Intelligent design is scientific. Belief in chance and random mutations as an explanation is not scientific and is based on philosophy (materialism). A mind-boggling video, "Unlocking the Mystery of Life," is available from www.illustramedia.com. It will change your life. Well over 1,000 Ph.D.s in the field of biology have declared Darwin is not the answer. Check this growing list on www.arn .org. ROBERT J. WILLIAMSON Creswell Humans are free to choose Ken Sills argues in his letter of May 12 that because of evil (assassinations, bombings and war), God's existence is most unlikely or, if God exists, God hates people. He adds that if we are created in God's image and we hate each other, God must hate us. The implication is that a caring God would not permit humans to have the freedom to choose evil or create suffering. Simultaneously, The Register-Guard reported the canonization canonization (kăn'ənĭzā`shən), in the Roman Catholic Church, process by which a person is classified as a saint. It is now performed at Rome alone, although in the Middle Ages and earlier bishops elsewhere used to canonize. of a Franciscan monk whose prayers are credited with thousands of miracle cures. Sills' revulsion at our worst treatment of each other is not only understandable, but admirable. I suspect that he and the monk would be on the same page in that regard. The difference is that the monk would believe that a good God has given us the freedom to choose and create good or evil. Josef Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Pol Pot Pol Pot, 1925–98, Cambodian political leader, originally named Saloth Sar. Paris-educated, and a Khmer Communist leader from 1960, he led Khmer Rouge guerrillas against the government of Lon Nol after 1970. and Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein (born April 28, 1937, Tikrit, Iraq—died Dec. 30, 2006, Baghdad) President of Iraq (1979–2003). He joined the Ba'th Party in 1957. Following participation in a failed attempt to assassinate Iraqi Pres. were not men of faith. They made evil choices and each was responsible for the deaths of millions. During these horrors, the monk, instead of denying God, would believe that God's grace and the heroic virtue Heroic virtue is a phrase coined by Augustine of Hippo to describe the virtue of early Christian martyrs. The Greek pagan term hero described a person with possibly superhuman abilities and great goodness, and "it connotes a degree of bravery, fame, and distinction which places a of his followers were at work doing what they could. The monk believes he is created in God's image and that he has a free will with which to choose to act Christlike - or not. Is it so hard to believe that God created a world that gives us the power to choose virtue (which is meaningless without the opportunity to choose vice), and in so doing conform ourselves to his image? DONALD A. WADDELL Eugene Actions have consequences This letter is in reference to Sarah Paul's guest viewpoint "Destroying property is not terrorism" (Register-Guard, May 11). While I might agree with that statement, I have to say that if Paul's son was an adult when he committed these crimes, then he was and is old enough to accept the consequences. Unfortunately, there are too many young adults in our country who feel that they do not need to follow the rules, do the work and leave other's property alone. During 20 years as a Naval officer NAVAL OFFICER. The name of an officer of the United States, whose duties are prescribed by various acts of congress. 2. Naval officers are appointed for the term of four years, but are removable from office at pleasure. Act of May 15, 1820, Sec. 1, 3 Story, L. and another 20 as a teacher, I have seen too many young people who feel that the laws do not apply to them. I regret that Paul's son may lose a great deal of his freedom, but shouldn't he have thought of that consequence when he committed his violence? ZALL ZALL Z. Alexander Looby Library (Nashville, TN) VILLANUEVA Eugene Rethink plans for state hospital There was an article in the May 11 New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times about the Eastern State Penitentiary The Eastern State Penitentiary is a former state prison in the United States. It is located on Fairmount Avenue between 21st and 22nd Streets in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 5 blocks north of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. in Philadelphia, built in 1829 and now a museum that 150,000 visitors paid money to see last year. They walk through the old corridors and look into the cells while listening to their audio tour guides, just like at Alcatraz. "Eastern State is just one of three dozen prisons and jails now collectively drawing millions of visitors each year around the country," according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the article. This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about in a letter to Gov. Ted Kulongoski Theodore R. "Ted" Kulongoski (born November 5 1940, in rural Missouri[1]) is an American Democratic politician. Since 2003, he has served as the Governor of Oregon. He was re-elected in 2006. back in January, when I read about the plans to build a new facility to replace the old State Hospital in Salem and, from what I've heard, to tear down to demolish violently; to pull or pluck down. - Shak. See also: Tear the latter. Weeks later I received a generic reply from the governor's office suggesting I contact my state representative. Why demolish one of the oldest, most interesting pieces of property in Salem, one with a history to match? Where is a little creative imagination? People would pay to see the inside of this place. I know I would, and I'd also love to spend the night in a room in one of the more dank-looking, foreboding wings of the building. EDWIN STUART Stuart, British royal family Stuart or Stewart, royal family that ruled Scotland and England. The Stuart lineage began in a family of hereditary stewards of Scotland, the earliest of whom was Walter (d. Eugene Limit rental of garden plots In March I wrote about Eugene's community garden plots. For the price of $60 you have all the water you need, tools on site and an opportunity to enjoy gardening here in beautiful Eugene. The 2007 lottery on March 19 was a first and a huge success, but the demand was greater than supply. History was you could rent as many plots as you wanted and many people still do. In March I called the city's Parks and Recreation Department and spoke with Chris Girard, head of the Community Garden program. I asked: 1) Why, if we needed to go to the lottery system, didn't we all agree to go to only one plot? 2) If the gardens were for personal and not commercial gain, what would a person want with several plots? He had no answers and so his boss, Kevin Finney, manager of park maintenance, called to address my concerns. I suggested sending out a letter to all renters this year that in 2008 everyone will have only one plot. A year for everyone to pick their favorite spot seemed reasonable to me. He stated he knew he needed to do something to assure equal opportunity. If you are one of the many who lost out on a garden spot, I encourage you to call Finney at 682-4809, or e-mail him at kevin.p.finney@ ci.eugene.or.us and ask him to please make it a fair lottery in 2008 - one plot per family. TERI TERI The Education Resources Institute (education financing) TERI Tata Energy Research Institute (India) TERI The Energy and Resources Institute (India) McCOMB Eugene Big box store would alter town In response to the article "Zone request: What's in store?" (Register-Guard, May 10), I ask people to envision a towering, concrete box store in the present field on the north end of Junction City Junction City, city (1990 pop. 20,604), seat of Geary co., NE Kans., at the confluence of the Republican and Smoky Hill rivers; inc. 1859. The rail, trade, and processing center of an agricultural and dairy area, it grew as the supply point for nearby Fort Riley, . How well does that vision meld into the Scandinavian theme of that small community? The proposed 20-acre site is edged with scrub oak that is teeming teem 1 v. teemed, teem·ing, teems v.intr. 1. To be full of things; abound or swarm: A drop of water teems with microorganisms. 2. with wildlife, including wild turkeys, as well as small farms raising various goats, potbelly pot·bel·ly n. A protruding abdominal region. pigs and cattle. Add that to the vision of a box store. I'd like to know just who Alan Evans Alan Evans may refer to:
n. See scandium oxide. [From scandium.] community. It is stunning to think Junction City's mayor and city administrator have been busily making plans for a year or so to fracture this community's small-town format, with little publicity. Development is inevitable, but big box stores are not. Mayor Larry Crowley and others need to keep the locals in mind, not the big corporations. Think! They are representing a Scandia community. Let's consider a graceful strip mall with cobblestones. MARTHA DACAR DACAR Damage Assessment & Casualty Report Junction City Governments are out of touch Tax levy failure equals more crime, which equals more concealed weapon concealed weapon n. a weapon, particularly a handgun, which is kept hidden on one's person, or under one's control (in a glove compartment or under a car seat). permits. Gasoline is taxed and taxed, and what is there to show for it? Squat! The city and county governments are out of touch with the people. One hundred years ago they would have been run out of town on a rail. RON LEWIS Eugene The Register-Guard welcomes letters on topics of general interest. Our length limit is 250 words; all letters are subject to condensation. Writers are limited to one letter per calendar month. Because of the volume of mail, not all letters can be printed. Letters must be signed with the writer's full name. An address and daytime telephone number are needed for verification purposes; this information will not be published or released. Mail letters to: Mailbag, P.O. Box 10188, Eugene, OR 97440-2188 Fax: 338-2828 E-mail: rgletters@guardnet.com |
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