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Wednesday, July 13, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
LETTERS
Continued from page 18
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To the Editor:
The “Bunkhouse Chronicle” of June 29 (“The
big identity party”) is confusing. For example,
the author claims that our constitution is “the
principle aggravation” of militant Islamists who
are attacking it because it is our “military cen-
ter of gravity” (???). I have read a lot of pro-
paganda in Arabic and English from the likes of
ISIS and have found no mention of our constitu-
tion. I suspect that few of its followers have heard
of it.
In addition, when discussing the constitution
and its relationship to militant Islamists, the author
seems to equate the separation of church and state
with secularism. But they are not the same thing.
The likes of ISIS are against the separation of
church and state but not against secularism in the
sense of non-religious law. Islamic law, or the
Sharia, chiefly concerns family law (marriage,
divorce, inheritance) and religious ritual (prayer,
pilgrimage, the fast of Ramadan). Vast areas of law
(administrative, civil, etc.), which we might call
secular, lie outside it.
More importantly, if the author wishes to criti-
cize Islamic law, which version troubles him?
There is no standard corpus of Islamic law. Indeed
“Islamic law” and the “Sharia” are generic terms
for interpretations of what is religiously permis-
sible and forbidden based primarily on the Quran
and the alleged words and deeds of Muhammad.
These sources have been interpreted and rein-
terpreted for centuries. Thus the Sharia is quali-
fied by wide variations of opinion. Today the
Sunnis have four major interpretations, from lib-
eral to conservative. The Shiites have their own.
So does ISIS.
Furthermore, most Christians would be
comfortable with many, perhaps most, provi-
sions of Islamic law. For instance, it prohib-
its female infanticide, prohibits usury, prohibits
gambling, prohibits alcoholic beverages, prohib-
its adultery, prohibits pimping, requires women
to dress modestly (no mention of the veil) and
requires giving 2.5 percent of one’s income to
the poor. So, if one wishes to criticize Islamic
law, one must be specific. Which version, which
part? If not, it makes no more sense to criticize
Islamic law as a whole than, say, American civil
law.
Gary Leiser
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To the Editor:
I moved to Sisters in 1958, and believe me
there was peace and quiet. There were sirens
when there was a fire, but none from an ambu-
lance, because we did not have one. There was
no traffic except for hunting season, and when
it was over there was almost no traffic all win-
ter. There was no noise from airplanes unless
the Barclays went somewhere or the jets flew
over.
You could say I have seen many changes in the
last 58 years. I, however, am not annoyed with any
of the sounds, be it sirens every day or airplanes
going over. It means that we welcomed all you
newcomers even as it changed our lives. Maybe it
was easier for us because it was a gradual transfor-
mation. However for people to move here and then
say I don’t like the noise so you need to stop flying
airplanes is ludicrous.
I think we just need to take a deep
breath and realize that it is still the best
place in the world to live — noise or no
noise.
Diana Pepperling
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To the Editor:
I am a Washington state resident writing about
Sisters and areas nearby.
You have something special yet increasingly
rare in this hectic and noisy world.
You have astounding beauty and relative quiet.
Such a precious reality should not be taken lightly.
To be shortsighted and lose this for the profits of a
few is a travesty.
I understand the benefit and necessity of airplane
flights related to emergency services. However,
constant commercial noise pollution will keep visi-
tors away, cause relocation of residents and change
one of the best things your area has to offer.
I urge you to work together on the airport/heli-
copter issues and come up with some real solutions.
Katherine Moulton
Whidbey Island, Washington
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To the Editor:
For those creating a ruckus about the noise at
the airport, I have just a few things to remind you
of:
1. You chose to live near an airport.
2. As with the rest of Sisters Country, things
evolve and change; accept that change is the only
constant in life.
3. If you just make yourself part of the problem
by doing nothing but complaining, then you are the
problem. Our world is a mess just for this reason —
“everyone wants to tell their neighbors how to live,
but no one wants to listen to how they feel.”
The right answer in any situation is the one that
serves everyone involved.
Just because you have an issue with this doesn’t
mean you are right.
Michael Valoppi
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See letterS on page 23
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