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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 19, 2001)
Page 2 The INDEPENDENT, December 19, 2001 & VHY CAftfUSS AiVAW »4 A UUftSf Ti SA» A frP fW — « Al* I 5AYI«/S S g L C 'M S Y '* “ Economy and weather make needs even greater As the 2001 campaign for United Way of Columbia County winds down, the need for donations has great ly increased. But, in the spirit of the season, United Way has borrowed for Clement Moore and we are pleased to present the opinion in this fashion. ‘Twas the last day of Campaigning, And all through the town, Partner agencies were worried, the pledges were down. Many had given but not enough yet, Our community’s needs would still go unmet. The children who hurt, the homeless and poor, The widow and seniors, and so many more. They all need our help, what will we do? We are their hope, the ones they turn to. But then what to our wondering eyes should appear— A generous donor about to bring cheer. He wrote out a check on this crucial last day Made payable to The United Way. Excited to know his gift meant so much, The many hearts his donation would touch. And I heard him exclaim, as the agencies cheered “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good year!” You may make a pledge and request quarterly billing or send a lump sum payment now. Whichever you choose, you are choosing to care! For more information, call United Way of Columbia County, 1-503-556-3014 We wish you a merry Christmas and a New Year filled with good health and good fien d s. Letters to the Editor AG is right to fight Oregon suicide law To the Editor: RE: With friends like this, who needs enemies? I was disappointed in your editorial of Dec. 5 regarding AG John Ashcroft and his policies concerning the state of Oregon. First of all, there was no men tion of the news it alluded to, except for an oblique mention of Doctors and Oregon law. You must have assumed that your readers had an alternate source for Oregon news. I had to go online and spend a while there to find out what he did to the state of Oregon that out raged you so. So now I know that it had to do (most likely) with the assisted-suicide laws of your state. Any controversial ground breaking law in any state will probably have to pass the test of the Supreme Court of the land. That a personal attack on the person bringing this to fruition smacks only of parti sanship. I would bring your at tention to the previous AG, Ms. Reno and her record. Federal agents murdered people on Ruby Ridge, ID and in Waco, TX. The then AG brought none of these agents to justice. Where were your protestations then? Surely this is more heinous than the current situa tion in Oregon. You are afraid of Ashcroft and, on the other side of the aisle, conservatives are afraid of a Reno. We are all losers, though, when any one of us takes sides and does not speak up when it is our guy (or gal) abusing their job. It makes no difference who is in power in DC, Republican or Democrat, these people have one thing in mind and that is absolute pow er over the 50 states, including any of their various laws. Do I disagree with the Ore gon law? You bet I do. Progress in this direction will yield similar results as to what is going on at the abortion end. Old timers, be afraid. Do I think the AG should have to consult some groups unspecified by your lambaste? Not really, he is hired only to prosecute the law. If the law does not work for us, then it may need to be changed. But, if we always skirt the law just because we do not like it, then we no longer have rule of law. If this happens, be afraid. .................................................... Do I think the AG is subject to the laws he prosecutes? Ab solutely. Show me the malfea sance and I will be there at your side. If it is just partisanship that you are talking about, no thank you, leave me out. When discussing personal politics in regard to Ronnie White, politics is power, and it is used to the utmost on either side of the aisle. We could drag up all kinds of examples every where. They are not illegal and if they agree with your politics, you would ignore them, but if not, you might be quick to dredge them up. Over half of the words in your opinion had to do with this topic. Overall, I would say that your opinion is really just parti sanship. If you have evidence of malfeasance, please bring it on. D. L. Andersen Plain, Wash. Angry with teacher’s judgement To the Editor: I am writing in response to the article written by Carol Sawyer the “Temporarily Ad- Please see page 3
