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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (April 3, 2003)
Letters to tha Editor County GOP urges support of president To the Editor: The Executive Committee of Columbia County Republicans calls upon all Oregonians and especially those of Columbia County to join us in supporting President Bush in his efforts to fight terrorism and to disarm Saddam Hussein of all weapons of mass destruction -chemical, biological or nu clear. We support our president’s decision to act on this without further delay and we support our troops as they move to rid Iraq of this dangerous tyrant and free the people of Iraq. We also call upon all Orego nians to join us in prayer for President Bush, his cabinet, and the leaders and members of the Armed Forces and all Americans who are in harms way in this struggle in defense of our nation and our freedom. Sincerely, Mike Powell, Chairman gle $12.00, Couple $18.00, and Family $24.00 per year. Our address is Vernonia Pioneer Museum, P.O. Box 26, Vernon ia, OR 97064. Please give your time and support to our muse um so we can all be proud of the achievements we are mak ing. We are interested in finding someone who will take care of the yard work. If you have a yard work business and would like the job, we would allow you to advertise with a sign at the museum, but do not have the money to pay anyone for the work.-It would be on a volun- teeer basis. We have work days, usually on a Saturday, so if you are in terested in helping, call me at 503-429-8134. We are plan- ning an open house this spring and later we will be having a yard sale. Stop in and see us. Enid Parrow, President Vernonia Pioneer Museum 111! monarchy. Apparently, you would prefer to see our citizens killed by ruthless, unmerciful terrorist at tacks, to be fought with fire fighters and law enforcement personnel, than to face this clear and present danger head on with those who are trained, prepared and equipped to meet those who have truly corrupted their power. As a nation, we need to fully support our president and our troops, otherwise we could very likely face many more days like 9/11. God help us! Robert Huntington & Family Birkenfeld Fire district needs to U Tiprove p r o c e s s e s « There is a new election and leave the room as my coworker three board positions are to be was screamed at about the ed filled. Some of the people who itorial. are running have an axe to The Independent has always grind with Chief Epler. Over the printed letters to the editor with past four years I have watched opposing viewpoints. This is the way some of the volunteers the rational way to express an have treated the Chief. Let me opposing viewpoint. All that is tell you, I would not put up with required is a signature and a that. Even on the Board, we verifiable address. have not backed him on some The Independent welcomes issues as we should have. your viewpoints. Please, collect We did not hire a Chief to sit your thoughts and be calm as up at the Fire Station and polish you share them. trucks. He should be out taking Susi Holsey classes, attending county train Vernonia ing meetings and conferences, writing grants for needed 9/11 used as excuse equipment and overseeing training in this department; not for abuse of power babysitting, sweeping floors or To the Editor: building a storage shed. This is I appreciate your editorial a waste of Fire District funds. very much. You are dead on This is why we have volun target when you describe the teers. underlying issue as power!! At some of the latest meet 9/11 became an excuse for all ings I have heard volunteers sorts of bullying tactics. Not state that if these changes hap only military budgets are blown pen, they will quit. I say, “Good out of proportion - the Home bye." There will always be land Security (new Sacred someone to take their place. Cow) becomes the receptacle I’m certainly not criticizing all for absurd allocations - to say of the volunteers; just a few, nothing of their new power to and they know who they are. invade freedoms. We have some really good Paul Nussle people on this department who Sumner, Washington understand that change is nec essary to move forward. I hope Venomous comments more district members will come to these meetings and unsupported by fact express themselves. To the Editor: We all need to work togeth I would assume having read er-board, Chief and volunteers the editorial in your March 20 alike; set some goals and quit issue that you don’t think much backstabbing each other. What of our president. I don’t have a we do now as volunteers and problem with that but when you board members will reflect on make such venomous com this district in the future. ments about his policies you Stephen Roberts ought to back them up with Vernonia some facts. I would appreciate To the Editor: My family and I moved to Vernonia after the ‘96 flood. The first person we met was Fire Chief Paul Epler. When he Thankful for resolve found out that my wife and I had firefighting experience, he Columbia county GOP ^f President Bush enlisted us as volunteers for To the Editor: the Vernonia Fire Department. “Bush is No Bully” During my six-month probation Editorial is forceful As a family, we are thankful period I had some personal is and courageous that President Bush has the sues with some of the training backbone and determination to the volunteers were receiving. To the Editor: Bless you for your coura protect our nation from a repeat Adjusting from a full time de geous editorial about Bush’s of the events that took place on partment with daily training to a war! It can’t be a popular point September 11, 2001, and to volunteer department with of view in our little part of the hold those accountable who training three times a month world, and will be even less so are responsible for the perpe was difficult. Some volunteers since he predictably went tration of these cowardly, un saw me as a threat and soon I ahead with this sordid war, but I provoked terrorist attacks was so frustrated working with them that I foolishly decided to hope your forceful arguments against our citizens. Men like Saddam Hussein leave the Volunteer Associa will lead some people to think about the shameful way this and Osama Bin Laden, who tion. have no regard for human life, At the time of the next Fire administration operates. know that the United Nations is District Board election I felt I Michael Fox powerless to stop them, will could put my experience to Banks continue their reign of terror, work for the district, ran for a until someone like President board position and was elect Museum group seeks Bush, who will not only say ed. I started to take classes and Please present views “Enough is Enough", but will attend Special Districts Associ calmly and clearly members, volunteers also take action to stop them. ation of Oregon (SDAO) con To the Editor: To the Editor: Historically, we see that ferences to become a better As an employee of The Inde We have a group of volun timidity and appeasement have board member. At these class pendent for the past three teers who are working very only resulted in increased ag- es I learned how the board and years, and as an American citi hard to get everything working gression, as can be seen clear- the district should be run. I zen, I would like to remind smoothly at the museum. We ly with Adolph Hitler. He and his have tried to bring some of that everyone that we do still live in have chosen a new name, Ver- Nazi regime took full advantage knowledge back to our Fire Dis a country which allows us to nonia Pioneer Museum Associ- of the nations that attemped to trict Board. The SDAO Confer speak (and write) our opinion, ation, and are now accepting appease him. They were quick- ences are an invaluable source as we see fit. memberships to help with costs ly trampled under foot as he of training and information. My editor did just that in the at the museum. Costs are: Sin- marched over them to conquer Over the past three months, last issue, as she does in every the next country. there have been changes going issue. She did it in a clear and Library column moved Aggression must be met with on at the Fire House that some concise manner for all to under “Between the Bookends” strength. volunteers don’t like. These stand. may be found on page Where would we be if the changes are necessary for the Whether I agree or disagree 12. It has been tem early patriots had tried to ap continued good health of the doesn’t matter. What bothered pease the King of England in district. This is a pivotal time for me was the manner in which porarily moved in order stead of opposing him? More our Fire District Board and the some with opposing views ex to allow more letters on than likely, we would be British community served by the Ver pressed those views. In one this page. subjects under the rule of a nonia Fire Protection District. particular instance, I had to some equal time to respond to some of your comments. From your second para graph ‘while he orders the killing of innocent civilians’? You can’t be serious. Having seen the first few days of the war it looks to me as if the pres ident is doing everything possi- Please see page 14 POLICY ON LETTERS The INDEPENDENT wel- comes readers’ letters and will publish as many as pos sible. All fetters must be signed, including those sent by fax, and include a verifi able address and telephone number, which will not be printed except at the writer’s request. Unsigned letters will not be published.
