EDITORIAL
Ballot Measure 20-01
makes good sense
Coalitions are notoriously transitory things. Often,
they are short-lived, pooling resources for just a sim
ple, one-time task.
Cooperation is the best — and most times, the only
— way to get things done. And one coalition, bringing
together such groups as Oregon Guides & Packers and
the Oregon Rivers Council, to name just a few. is doing
something right.
By cooperating, the varied interests have collec
tively put forth a county ballot measure that would
protect the McKenzie River for future generations.
Bravo.
Measure 20 01. the McKenzie River Water Quality
and Recreation ordinance, seeks to clarify some of the
vague county statutes on
developing riverfront
property. The way the law
reads now. county com
missioners have far too
much leeway on what
zoning variances they can
approve.
The McKenzie is, as
of now, a tranquil place,
good tor fishing, boating,
By setting strict
guidelines now, it
can be hoped
further
development of
the riverfront can
be controlled.
ratting or just plain sight
seeing Hut backers of the ordinance say that won't be
the case unless strict rules are set down to regulate fur
ther expansion. The McKenzie could go the way <>f oth
er Oregon rivers — damned up to a trickle, a virtual
quagmire with little aesthetic value.
The measure would prohibit development — or
clearing more vegetation than a 25 foot wide strip —
within 25 feet of the river in residential zones, and 50
feet in other places. In addition, pesticide and fertilizer
use would be restricted within 100 feet of the river.
Darns, boat docks, vehicular bridges, mining and water
quality guides also fall under the plan.
Hackers of the ordinance are acting to preserve the
quality of the McKenzie before it liecomes a problemat
ic issue. By setting strict guidelines now, it can be
hoped further development of the riverfront cun be
controlled In this way. everybody involved — the
business sector, homeowners, environmentalists and
recreational users — can all enjoy the river and get
something out of the measure.
The plan is neither to restrictive nor too lax. The
ordinance truly seeks to do what is best for the river,
and most convenient for people.
It's not often groups take the initiative and fix a
problem before it becomes one. This plan would do
just that. In the upcoming May primary, vote yes on
Measure 20-01.
Emerald
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"HALF aP5N**Y THcuQH’S"
COMMENTARY
Teachings solve human dilemma
By m a'0 ->.
I uni i) Christian, and ! like
the Buddha Hi-ri• «,u u man
who look a long look at the
human condition He would
not settle for less than an all
ou! vplorntIon of his own
identity, and fie would not buy
into the illusions of the world
Having re|ei led every rell
gious path available to Ins
pi.II e and l line (Ind la sixth
i ent u r v it ( ), lie p refer red
death to ignorance In the end.
enlightenment came to him that
resulted in a tuu( lung of non at
tuchment to the world and a
commendable ethu a I system
As a Christian, there are
many tilings I respect about
Mohammed He surveyed the
hodgepodge beliefs of his day
and dime to the realization that
Cod is a unity a being who is
perli’it and personal Armed
with this knowledge. Mohum
mod insisted upon a reform and
unification of mk ml and family
life that reflected the cohesive
and single minded w ill of AI
lull Ihe Islamic view of unity
creates a different social struc
ture than the pluralistic sm iety
Americans are used to Howes
er, I do view Islam with a qua I i
lied respect
As a follower of Jesus, 1 find
Nat is e A met it an spirituality
intriguing and at times, heroic
I'o respect nature as our com
mon and congenial sister, and
to take no more than one needs
to survive are virtues I wish to
adopt Native American humor,
art and courage are all roofed in
their world s less Idle worship
ol the spirits of nature and the
reverence paid to an all perva
xivr Creat Spirit is a structure
different from that of the Hible
Idle Native \mern an culture
adds rn hness to the total labrit
ol Ament -in sis lets
1 < mild go on and tell you
ssli.it I tell about other religions
and cultures, but by noss you
must have guessed I am going
to tell sou ss by 1 am a follower
ol !• xus mste id of ., Buddhist.
Muslim \nm ;st or any thing
else So 1 svil! get t:) the point
There is something wrong
svith life There is something
wrong with me 1 Ins planet of
beauty and wildness is being
destroyed, and the voices
Here was a man
real to the core,
passionate about
people without
doing harm, a lover
of nature and a
man who overcame
death itself.
raised in protest are still In the
small minority It has really
never tieen much different ex
i ept now we have vast powers
of tec hnology that magnify our
alienation with nature
1 tried to make tile last two
sentences as eloquent as my
poor skill would allow so that
you would regard me as a sin
cere person However, 1 am one
cd the culprits How often am 1
aide to live up to my own ideal
ism either in the wav I deal
with the world or in the ways I
treat people? Not often, so I
look for a sedation
it would be easier if I could
|ust pull the covers cd exislen
lialism. nihilism or mere apa
tliv over my head and get on
with living until I die Hut there
is something alxiul life I contitl
lie to love deeply 1 know th.it
my romantic ideals id beauty
and love and hope for c iiange
in mv own character are not. in
tiie end, impossible.
1 am not looking for a new
mythology, psyc licdogy or sc i
entitle panacea These have al
ways failed What I want is real
hope Something tells me there
is a Hod and that he is willing
to tie straight with us.
Jesus is Hod landing right on
tiie money 1 do not mean
Christianity is the answer, still
less the church It is the Jesus
of the first four books of tile
New Testament that lives out
the kind cd life that is refine ted
by a blueprint deep in my soul,
.1 potentiality lh.lt Vlas IICVIT re
ultzed Here was ,i mun real to
the coni, passionate about poo
pic without doing harm, .1 lover
oi nature and a man who over
came death itself
Look where von will, there
not another person, religion or
philosophy that goes about
solving the human dilemma the
wav Jesus did Kariier I ad
mitted I have contributed to
that dilemma That vs as not a
journalism ploy
I am no fan of debilitating
psychological guilt Unfortu
nately. there is enough real
guilt in my life and the world at
large to he .1 very great weight
What (iod did was allow Jesus
to take on that weight tiv dying
for us I cannot explain boss
that works exai tly It has some
tiling to ilo w ith the total lai k
of guilt In his own life
For many it is either non
sense or blasphemy to attribute
a perfect life and an equality
with (iod to a mere man How
ever, nothing less would really
1 (range tins world around Any
tiling short of lire life of Chris!
would not convince me my life
could retain the hope for para
dise that lies buried deep !*■
Heath the years
This week, some campus
ministries have planned events
to exjiress Jesus to the lommu
nity Tins may (*■ done witli a
mixture of eloquent thoughtful
ness and tired platitudes He
hind the words and events lives
a magnificent invisible (iod
who will he willing to talk
straight with you
Why don't vou take one of
these Christians aside and ask
some questions' Most of them I
know will lie glad to talk with
you
Richurtl Dos wick is director
11I the Restoration Campus Min
istry and touches comparative
n'lijlions purl hmc ul Northwest
Christian College
COMMENTARY POLICY
Commentaries should be between 750 and 1,000
words, legible and signed, and the identification of the
writer must be verified upon submission. The Emerald
reserves the right to edit for grammar, style and length.