LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register Guard

What about water shortage?

This past summer, The Register-Guard had a very in-depth article about water in the Willamette Valley and how it is in short supply. Now we have the Measure 37 claimants wanting to develop land.

How can we allow more development if water and other services are in short supply for the current residents? How do you explain to people who build that there isn't enough water for them?

When you cover farmland with subdivisions, you have taken that land out of food production. When you cover timberland with subdivisions, you take that land out of timber production.

Now what? Not enough food. Not enough water. When will the newspaper have an in-depth article on the real problem - too many people?

JANETTA OVERHOLSER

Cottage Grove 

Gravel mine affects livability

Reporter Edward Russo accurately describes the neighborhood of Santa Clara as "an eclectic mix of housing subdivisions and rural acreages and farms" (Register-Guard, Dec. 3). As a resident of Santa Clara for over 50 years, I have seen the evolution of this eclectic mix.

My neighborhood is an area still known for its beautiful valley views, quiet farms and orchards and friendly neighbors. Though they are decreasing in number, we still enjoy a variety of wildlife, including wood ducks, herons and Canada geese. Throughout the years, the neighborhood of Santa Clara has survived many changes - all the while maintaining a rural quality, neighborhood feeling and community spirit.

Delta Sand and Gravel intends to increase its profits by expanding its gravel business in a densely populated part of the Santa Clara community. The surrounding neighbors, who now have a small buffer of land and ponds separating them from the mining operation, would suffer as Delta brings an active gravel pit into their back yards, their vegetable gardens, apple trees and their homes.

I am not opposed to business, growth or change. However, the cost of Delta's plan is too high for our community to bear, and the impact too great.

CATHY STEADMAN COX

Eugene

Kilpatrick lucky to be published

James Kilpatrick, "Racism, and the shame it brings" (Register-Guard, Dec. 8), professes to regret his past as a propagandist for Southern racism in the 1950s. I remember his Richmond News-Leader's demagoguery too well from my Virginia childhood.

Finding this old segregationist's columns on language in The Register-Guard is a shock somewhat akin to discovering a food column by Joseph Goebbels: You understand why he might choose a new topic and that he is experienced with words, but you wonder why anyone would want to carry his byline. Kilpatrick should be thankful that he can work as a journalist despite his unsavory past and not insult us by using his supposed late-life remorse for racism to mock the problems of the Seattle schools.

RICHARD KRAUS

Eugene

Religious decorations vanishing

We have lived in the same Eugene neighborhood for more than 10 years. During that time, we have witnessed the virtual disappearance of home Christmas decorations with a religious theme. The decline has been rapid and steady.

It has been reported that Oregon is the least religious state, with 30 percent of the population in regular attendance at places of worship. This would account for the smaller number of religious themes on display, but it does not account for the rapid decline.

Religious themes have disappeared from public places on the grounds they are unconstitutional. Merchants have removed them lest they offend prospective customers. But why would homeowners, whose free exercise of religion is protected, remove them? Is it for fear they might offend non-Christians? Is it because there are so few people displaying religious themes that they are uncomfortable being identified as Christian?

The Bible charges Christians with the duty of proclaiming their religious beliefs. Could it be that Christianity, already in decline in western Europe, is also on the way out in this country?

R. CRAIG TAYLOR

Eugene

Stun guns need careful review

In mid-November, a troubled young man was shot to death outside his family's home by the Eugene police. This loss of a young person is a tragedy for everyone involved, especially the family and friends he left behind.

Several people, including Eugene police officials, have spoken out to say that this young man's death may have been prevented if the police department had another tool to use besides lethal force, such as Taser stun guns. If we, as a community, are to purchase such weapons for our police department, we need to be aware of the dangers these weapons pose.

Human rights groups such as Amnesty International have been critical of the use of Taser stun guns by police departments. Tasers fire 50,000 volts of electricity via two wires led by piercing darts from a distance of up to 21 feet. The number of people who have died after being shocked by these weapons has been steadily increasing every year. Because the use of stun guns has resulted in deaths and it is impossible to predict how an individual will react when hit by one, police departments have not universally employed stun guns as an alternative to deadly force.

If our police chief and civic leaders decide that the use of Taser stun guns should be part of their public safety strategy, our community must be actively involved in crafting policies that ensure they will be used only as a second-to-last resort prior to the use of deadly force.

KAREN KENNEDY

Eugene

Church, state aren't separate

A recent letter complained of gospel music at the courthouse dedication, citing "the separation of church and state, established in 1791." If the reference was to Article 1 of the Amendments to the Constitution, there is no such wording anywhere in the amendments or the Constitution. Anywhere.

What is stated there is: Congress shall make no law respecting (favoring) an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. In a public square setting, this seems entirely appropriate and a legal right.

In our Declaration of Independence, the Founders tell us that "all men are created equal" and are "endowed by their Creator." It cites the "laws of nature and of nature's God" and appeals to him as the "Supreme Judge" of the world.

Are we to continue by promoting this as a lie also?

JERRY G. HAYES

Veneta

Mitka provides a reminder

I was happy to read that Dmitry "Mitka" Vaintrob, a South Eugene High School student, won a $100,000 award in the 2006-07 Siemens competition (Register-Guard, Dec. 5). It also made me ashamed.

It was only last year when a Russian-born student was called a "Russian pig" and beaten at Jefferson Middle School, and I stayed silent. For the most part, our community did nothing to support this family as they struggled with this heinous act.

Mitka's newspaper story was filled with community support and acclaim. But if we proudly hold up a Russian-born student when he defies all odds and brings honor not only to his family but to his school and community, then our school system and community must be ready to stand with this other student and ask what we could have done to stop the prejudice, misconceptions and hostility since his abuse at Jefferson. He was singled out, and his heritage was used to degrade him.

So congratulations to Mitka. He has made Eugene proud. Now it is our turn to to make him proud by making certain that all the students are safe at school and free to live without fear of harm because of where they came from, what they believe in or how they speak.

I wish the newspaper, the community and most of all myself had taken action concerning the harassment and abuse at Jefferson. We can do better. We can go far beyond what seems possible.

Mitka has done the unimaginable. We must do no less for him and his family and the rest of our Russian-born friends.

CAROL TEN EYCK 

Eugene

Kulongoski overstates plight

I voted for Ted Kulongoski in 2002. When the governor claimed that the recent recession was the worst economic downturn since the Depression, he lost my vote for 2006.

There is absolutely no statistical or factual basis for this claim. During the early- to mid-80s, interest and unemployment rates were in the double digits, this state lost thousands of well-paying jobs, the housing market crashed and Oregon's population actually declined. As a highly paid attorney and politician, I'm sure that Ted wasn't feeling our pain.

Evidently the governor feels that if he repeats this myth, the powerful public employees' lobby will forgive him for failing to confiscate enough money from honest taxpayers to satisfy their insatiable demands for patronage.

It seems he intends to make up for lost time in his second term.

After the John Kitzhaber era and the Public Employees Retirement System debacle, this state can't afford to have another economic illiterate in the governor's office.

DOUGLAS NEWTON

Eugene

Bush should talk with Iran, Syria

I heard President Bush's speech, holding firm in refusing to talk with Iran and Syria until our conditions are met.

That's no way to gain their cooperation - you've got to open a dialogue to get progress!

I understand that some of their behavior is unacceptable to Bush, but let's address Iraq as a separate issue. There's precedent - we talked to Russia while many of their actions were hostile.

JACKIE JOHNSON 

Eugene