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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Sometimes ye olde editor feels like the main man in the
1955 sci fi humor novel, Martians Go Home, by Fredric
Brown. At one point the principal character, “Luke
Devereaux,” decides to write his magnum opus after
consuming some substance or other, I think, that alters his
perceptions. I don’t use such material, unless you count
decaffeinated coffee or low-fat microwave popcorn.
Anyway, our boy Luke, bedeviled along with the rest of
the world population by the arrival of a billion little green,
sarcastic and mischievous men from Mars, sits for an extraor-
dinary period of time at his typewriter, pounding the keys.
After this creative marathon, he’s about ready to collapse. He
looks at the stacked pages he’s typed and eagerly picks up
the bundle to review his work. Although this is not verbatim,
the “work” begins with a fairly coherent paragraph about a
gunslinger in the Old West. The reader is told that the hero
fires his six-gun.
And on the rest of that page, and on all the 500 or so
pages after, the following word is repeated without change:
“Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang” ad infinitum. Reason I feel
like that writer? Because we all here at the News work the so-
called long hours each week, pounding the word processor
keys. We don’t write “bang, bang, bang” to the brink of insan-
ity, but sometimes it feels as though that’s where we’re
headed.
Our goal is -- always has been and always will be -- to
produce the best newspaper that we can for the Illinois Valley
community. We take some flak occasionally; we even field
some compliments here and there. You would think that after
working in this sort of endeavor for more than 40 years I’d
realize that no one can please everyone all the time.
One area that’s a constant battle is in the realm of adver-
tising. We’re still working to get out the word that consistency
with us is a key word. One or two ads here and there simply is
not the best approach. Look at the giants including Sears,
Chevron, Hershey’s and a multitude of others: They spend
millions each year to keep their names and products in our
faces. Not mention our hearts and minds.
During the 21 years that we’ve operated the News, we’ve
seen numerous efforts to do what we do each week come
and go. Well, it’s said that imitation is the sincerest form of
flattery. Also in years past we’ve seen some outfits that have
taken lots of dollars from valley merchants for ads: ads that
sometimes were never run and for which there was no refund.
So, as we like to say, we’re an equal opportunity advertis-
ing medium. You say that advertising here doesn’t work?
Here’s my standing offer: I will give any business a free ad of
any size with full color. The only caveat is that I get to choose
what product or service is offered, and how much it will cost.
Then tell me that advertising here doesn’t work.
Bang, bang, bang ...
(Editor’s Note: Views and
commentary, including state-
ments made as fact, are strictly
those of the letter-writers.)
* * *
Typed, double-spaced let-
ters written solely to this news-
paper are considered for publi-
cation. Hand-written letters that
are double-spaced and legible
also can be considered.
‘Thank you’ submissions
are not accepted as letters.
* * *
Twain, Eisenhower
cited aspects of war
From Crystal Griffin
Cave Junction
In Letters From the
Earth, Mark Twain, one of
our greatest historians,
makes the following com-
ments regarding our enter-
ing the war against the Phil-
ippines.
“I pray you to pause and
consider. Against our tradi-
tions we are now entering
upon an unjust and trivial
war, a war against a helpless
people, and for a base object
-- robbery. At first our citi-
zens spoke out against this
thing, by an impulse natural
to their training.
“Today they have
turned, and their voice is the
other way. What caused the
change? Merely a politi-
cian’s trick -- a high sound-
ing phrase, a blood-stirring
phrase which turned their
uncritical heads: Our Coun-
try right or wrong!
“An empty phrase, a
silly phrase. It was shouted
by every newspaper, it was
thundered from the pulpit,
and the superintendent of
public institution placarded
it in every schoolhouse in
the land, the War Depart-
ment inscribed it upon the
flag. And every man who
failed to shout it, or who
was silent, was proclaimed a
traitor -- none but those oth-
ers were patriots.
“To be a patriot one had
to say and keep on saying,
‘Our country right or
wrong,’ and urge on the
little war. Have you not per-
Cave Junction
Wednesday, July 18
Cloudy with chance
of showers
High--73 Low--56.
Thursday, July 19
Warmer with a few
clouds
High--83, Low--51.
Friday, July 20
Some clouds and
warm
High--91, Low--53.
Support the I.V. Lions -- Buy a Harley raffle ticket!
Available at Taylor’s Sausage and Century 21.
Phone 592-2252 or 287-0290
Illinois Valley News
www.illinois-valley-news.com
An Independent Weekly Newspaper Co-owned and published by
Robert R. (AKA Bob or El Jefe), Editor and Jan Rodriguez
Entered as second class matter June 11, 1937 at Post Office as Official Newspaper for
Josephine County and Josephine County Three Rivers School District, published at
321 S. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, OR 97523
Periodicals postage paid at Cave Junction, OR 97523
Post Office Box 1370 USPS 258-820
Telephone (541) 592-2541, FAX (541) 592-4330
Email: newsroom1@frontiernet.net or newsdesk@illinois-valley-news.com
Volume 70, No. 18
Staff: Michelle Binker, Zina Booth, Josiah Dean, Scott Jorgensen
Millie Watkins, and Tina Grow
Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
DEADLINES:
News, Classified & Display Ads, Announcements & Letters
5 P.M. THURSDAYS
(Classified ads & uncomplicated display ads can be
accepted until Noon, Fridays with an additional charge.)
POLICY ON LETTERS: ‘Illinois Valley News’ welcomes letters to the editor provided they are
of general interest, in good taste, legible and not libelous. All letters must be signed, using
complete name, and contain the writer’s address and telephone number. The latter need not
be published, but will be used to verify authenticity. The ‘News’ reserves the right to edit letters.
Generally, one letter per person per month at publishers’ discretion. Letters are used at the
discretion of the publishers. Unpublished letters are neither acknowledged nor returned. A
prepaid charge may be levied if a letter is inordinately long in the publishers’ opinion.
POLICY ON “HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE,” DISPLAY & CLASSIFIED ADS
& NOTICES: All submissions must be hand delivered, faxed or e-mailed to us for
publication. Submissions must be resubmitted weekly if the item is to run more than
one week.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One year in Josephine County - $22.80
One year in Jackson and Douglas counties - $26.40
One year in all other Oregon counties and out-of-state - $36
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to
P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction OR 97523
Saturday, July 21
Sunny and hot
High--97, Low--56.
Sunday, July 22
Some clouds with
sun
High--96, Low--57.
Monday, July 23
Again, warm and
mostly sunny
High--94, Low--51.
Tuesday, July 24
Sunny and balmy
with afternoon wind
High--96, Low--49.
Following are the high-and-
low temperatures, and rainfall,
recorded in O’Brien
by Cheryl & Harry Johnson.
Fri.,
July 6: 98 - 66
*Sat., July 7: 94 - 60
*Sun., July 8: 99 - 61
*Mon., July 9: 103 - 65
*Tue., July 10: 102 - 64, .15
*Wed., July 11: 91 - 59, .09
*Thurs., July 12: 85 - 56
Following are the high-and-
low temperatures, and rainfall,
recorded in Cave Junction at
Natural Designs Farm.
*Fri.,
July 6: 93 - 66
*Sat., July 7: 91 - 56
*Sun., July 8: 95 - 58
*Mon., July 9: 96 - 61
*Tue., July 10: 100 - 57, .01
*Wed., July 11: 90 - 57, .25
*Thurs., July 12: 84 - 55
ceived that the phrase is an
insult to the nation?”
Following is a quote
from President Eisenhower:
“Every gun that is
made, every warship
launched, every rocket fired,
signifies in a final sense a
theft from those who are
hungry and are not fed,
those who are cold and not
clothed.”
Armed population seen
as terrorist deterrent
From Raymond Ronald
Karczewski©
Cave Junction
It recently has been
brought to the attention of
the American public that in
the Ed and Elaine Brown
home imprisonment/siege
in Plainfield, New Hamp-
shire -- following a bogus
federal trial and court ver-
dict via the IRS “Law that
never was” -- that the Plain-
field government establish-
ment declared that it shall
not offer law enforcement
protection to its citizens.
Asked to return the
money paid for such protec-
tion, the government re-
fused. Has it taken the
money of the People under
false pretenses? Is not the
protection of its community
and people the primary duty
of government?
Being a retired police
sergeant from a California
police department, and a
simple man of Truth, a
Christ, a Sovereign Son of
God and man of the People,
such notion of government’s
purpose to serve and protect
the People has always been
my understanding.
Are we not being daily
told by our government
homeland security officials,
and others charged with the
protection of this nation’s
security, of their “hunches”
that a planned attack upon
the American People will
occur this summer. This is
already July.
Are we comfortable
with government’s perform-
ance in the New Orleans
disaster? That pretty much
told the American People
what to expect when disas-
ter comes to their commu-
nity. Are we prepared?
Unless I am just one
who is not getting the accu-
rate news by our major me-
dia, (that wouldn’t happen,
would it?) government so
far has been unable to pro-
duce any evidence of either
the IRS “Law that never
was,” nor has it produced
any actual Al Queda sub-
jects or evidence gained
therefrom, other than gut-
level hunches, that an attack
upon our country, our
American way of life is im-
minent?
What kind of protection
is that? For what are the
American People paying
their hard-earned money? If
the government is failing us,
why do we not understand
when told that that we are
on our own and that the
government will not protect
us? Doesn’t anyone else
understand that it means we
must protect ourselves in
time of foreign or domestic
attack by America’s ene-
mies?
The solution I offer to
the insanity of our failing
court system, terrorism and
possible martial law is sim-
ple. It is absolutely effective
when it comes to the preser-
vation of one’s life and
property, and the life and
property of
family and
one’s neighbors. But it is a
solution that cannot be or-
ganized.
How
unstable,
how insane, have we be-
come in America to be con-
stantly under the threat of
attack by our enemies, for-
eign and domestic, and told
to turn in our guns, that
we have lost our right to self
defense, and that it is a
crime for one to exercise
that Right to Life, to Liberty
with a gun.
There are forces out
there, down the street per-
haps, behind the organized
government move toward
gun confiscation. All the
while we are being told that
a terrorist attack is imminent
“by hunch.” And they have
no duty to protect us?
Here’s the solution. We
have a God-given, unalien-
able right to life, which in-
cludes the right to
self-defense and the defense
of others, our loved ones,
family and friends.
Absolutely no one can
take away that unalienable
right. No one.
From this moment for-
ward, all must take responsi-
bility for their own lives and
exercise their rights. We
must not rely upon empty
promises, unfulfilled prom-
ises made by those who
openly admit they have no
duty to protect us in our
time of need.
Those who haven’t got
what it takes to exercise a
peaceful, nonviolent, spiri-
tual act of boycott should
strap on a sidearm, and go
about their daily business.
When every able-
bodied man and woman,
thousands, perhaps millions
are seen to be walking
around America in their
homes, streets and busi-
nesses with their own
self-protection strapped onto
their hip or shoulder holster,
what enemy would be fool
enough to consider an attack
upon the American People?
This is definitely a dif-
ferent solution than the aver-
age approach to safety
which has never worked and
which will never work.
For more about the so-
lution people can visit
www.arkenterprises.com/
raysovl.jpg and www.
Arkenterprises.com/
rescind2.jpg.
Many will talk the talk,
but who will walk the walk?
Saturdays ~
Live Music 6-9 p.m.
with Wally Aiken
Special guests:
July 21 Larry & Candy
July 28 Sunny Sundstrum
Sundays ~
Open Mic 5-8 p.m.
Aug. 25 ‘Altered States’
Labor Daze - Breakfast
Sept. 14 ‘Udder Madness’
We’re “N ACHO M AMA ’ S ” but we’ll feed you anyway!!!
Open Thursdays - Mondays 11:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.
131 N. Redwood Hwy. In the heart of downtown Cave Junction
Kights Krafts
offers a wide array of items…
From Tole & Embroidery
To Wood Crafts & Antiques,
Utilitarian to Fanciful.
Something for Everyone!
Toys for the Tots &
Gifts for Dad.
2027 Deer Creek Rd., Selma
597-495 or
597-4190
For a limited time only…
The Lowest Price in America!
Limited supply of product available!
ONLY the first 5 applicants are guaranteed this
unbelievable, unbeatable, low price!
$995* per instrument
Digital Technology
INTUIS LIFE open ear digital hearing aids for hundreds less than MSRP.
You will have your hearing tested and begin wearing your new Siemans Intuis LIFE open ear
hearing aids ALL in about 1 hour at:
Grants Pass Hearing Center
315 A Caves Hwy., Cave Junction
541-474-6567
*This offer not applicable with any other offers or coupons