Demanding Accountability

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The Real Rag?

To the Editor:

Just read your article re-Courier. For your info, years ago the Eugene college journalism dept. used the Grants Pass Daily Courier as an example of how NOT to write a newspaper. Recently, I called to ask why they were giving Larry Lacey free front page advertising when we have more important issues that should be on the front page and I told them about the college using their paper, etc. and can you believe they hung up on me?? Oh well...thanx for your insight into the real world.

Sherry McCoy
Josephine County, Oregon

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Just Full Of Wonder…

Dear Editor,

I wonder why we continue to tell our youth to stay in school so they might find decent work, while continuing to outsource all their jobs over-seas?

I wonder why employers wonder why they have such high turnover, when they can’t seem to pay a living wage?

I wonder why the levy failed---if everyone has such a great paying job to pay the additional tax?

I wonder, if any read the Courier’s police log, why so many in this community continue to drive drunk (I bet there are a minimum of two in today’s edition)?

I wonder if those Three River’s employees standing on the curbs surrounding the hospital know how unintelligent they look?

I wonder if the sheriff still thinks seeking the position was such a bright idea?

I wonder why the Courier publishes so many fag-articles, Dennis Roler’s particular orientation and why they don't change their masthead to The Daily Correction? Homosexuality is an abomination. If they endorse civil union legislation, they encourage sodomy and pedophilia. Think about it.

I wonder why Shaun Hall hasn’t been sent packing (he must be Roler’s boy)?

I wonder if all of Brady’s horses and all of Brady’s men will be able to put our county back together again??

I wonder who will hire Ulys Stapleton now (Good Riddance)?

Can’t wait to see how it all fleshes-out…priceless entertainment!

D.E. Stoner
Grants Pass, Oregon

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On the Verbal Assassin
and Living Truth

In regards to your Observer articles, I really enjoy your writing. I also appreciate you doing your part to encourage truth, justice and liberty.

I say the pledge of allegiance every day with a big heart and an ever opening mind.

You wanted suggestions. Well, it seems that common sense is becoming uncommon, did it not say it all in our Pledge? Liberty, not liberties, justice, when all we see is in injustice and an enabling of selfishness. What I suggest is that we stand as an example. Look deep and see our own wrongs first, to have a greater ability and true understanding to make allowances for others. To encourage others not to be afraid to admit their wrongs, to love by not hating. The nature of love does not require us to be lashed into the impossible agony of "making up" for all our past mistakes, but to be here now and growing, showing we really do care by sharing the understanding and not taking any sh*t, not allowing, but making the allowance for change.

I do agree 100% with your favorite quote. The truth shall set you free. That simple pal. Preachin' to the choir.

I see it as a choice, love what is right, or what we THINK is right according to how it suits our need. The inclination of a heart is what sets us apart.

My quote is from Ronald Reagan and I love it, "I'm not smart enough to lie." It implies to me what I see in myself, a love of seeing, Truth.

Memorial Day at the Cemetery

I dressed up in my blue and white slip halter dress and wore a red silk ribbon round my hair, patriotic as a holiday Barbie, but boy, you better believe that I was singing the National Anthem as loud as the 20 people there and cryin' like a baby thinking of all the men and women that have died for our freedom.

I might have been on TV as well 'cause I was shaking hands and kissin' all those vets, thanking them for fighting for our freedom.

One in particular, 96-year-old, WW2 Pearl Harbor vet, sweet as a lolly pop, he was gettin filmed, and was so eloquent and gracious. I waited until he was done out of respect and then asked for a kiss. He took his hat off:)

I think the guy was still rollin' film.

I wish I could do more.

Anyway, please and thank you, put my full name so I might live up to the expectations I have of my fellow Americans, that I would be reminded that I must practice what I preach with honor, thoughtlessly thoughtful, with love that I might be a living example and friends might say my name and remember that I love the Truth, and it has set me free.

Jesika A. Masters
Grants Pass, OR

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Most Hated Federal Agency?

On January 28, 2007, I was between Lukville and Why, Arizona, pulling a flat bed, double-axle, trailer full of cinder blocks. It was about eight o'clock at night and dark. I was about three miles from the temporary Border Patrol check station when I blew a tire on the trailer. I pulled off State Highway 85 as far as possible. Because of the poor maintenance, there are very few places to pull off the road. I was lucky just to be able to get off as far as I did. I even scratched my new truck just getting where I was. When I checked, I was about five feet over the white line on the front of the pickup and about a foot over the white line with the end of the trailer. Since I was over the white line I was legal and because of the brush and the trees it was impossible to pull off any further.

It was so dark it would have been impossible to change the tire, so I chose to drop the trailer there and come back the next morning. As I went through the border checkpoint I told the border people that I was broken down and asked that they keep an eye on my cinder block and also asked them to advise the sheriff's department of the situation and I gave them my phone number.

The next morning at ten o'clock I arrived back at the site and found a vehicle with a park ranger parked behind the trailer. I backed up to the trailer to hook on and then got out and went back to his rig. His name was K. Sommerhauser. I advised him that the cinder block was mine. He lectured me four times and was sarcastic, arrogant and rude. He went on to tell me that the speed limit on highway 85 is 65 miles per hour, but the traffic travels between 70 and 80, even 90, and because of this high speed I shouldn't have pulled off the highway there. He also told me that he had complete jurisdiction over highway 85.

The cars zoomed by paying little attention to him or me and few bowed out, which is a common courtesy for someone parked along any road. Some states mandate this if an emergency vehicle is pulled over.

He stayed parked behind me for about 45 minutes while my helper and I changed the tire. All this time he never turned on his flashing lights, nor did he seem concerned about his being pulled off the same as me. He took my driver's license and had it about 30 minutes and when I asked for its return he refused to give it to me.

I continued to ask for it as he arrogantly stood there with it in his hand, showing me who was boss. Totally no respect in any way. When I got ready to go he came halfway to my rig and stood there and made me come the rest of the way to hand me a citation which stated I was obstructing traffic. In my opinion this was the beginning of the scam.

It read $50.00 as Forfeiture Amount and $25.00 Processing Fee for a total Collateral Due of $75.00. There was no trial date or address. It appears that if you don't want to pay you have to call them and arrange for a trial date. So, I called them and they set a trial date for April 3, 2007. You realize how wrong this picture is, right? Most people pay even when the citation is wrong. It's a scam. You can either travel the 345 mile round-trip, pay for a motel room, as well as two days worth of food, costing around $150.00, or you can pay the $75.00 fine. I wanted to fight the injustice.

I arrived to the courtroom for my 9 a.m. trial. Behind the cloistered area on the plaintiff side were 5 park rangers and 2 federal prosecutors. There was a large group of people, who were all defendants, in the courtroom and we were herded into the seats on the plaintiff's side (not the defendants side) like a bunch of cattle. There was a court clerk, but no judge. The park rangers had totally taken over the courtroom.

Now, a park ranger comes out of the cloistered area and asks to see each citation. He looks at them and then proceeds to alter the documents. He does this to maybe 20 people. He then hands out a one page pink paper. In bold type across the top it reads, "Welcome to the United States District Court of Arizona (Tucson)" and just under that it states, "Central Violation Bureau Docket".

I then realized I wasn't there for my case to be heard (trial) but there for them to shake me down. A park ranger then came and took me into maybe an 8 foot by 8 foot room with 3 park rangers and a prosecutor. I was then told by the prosecutor that they would settle the citation for $37.50 and that I would have no admission of guilt and that they will take their money and run. The scam was complete. Heck, the mafia could take lessons from the federal parks department, the US District Court and the federal prosecutor's office. In my 72 years I have never seen a shakedown done as slick as this.

I had come to correct a great wrong and correct a federal employee who is totally out of control, and instead I was wronged again.

Park rangers are there to help the people enjoy our natural resources and assist people in need, not to arrogantly rip the people off.

I have talked to many people, from the Attorney General's office to Sheriff's, State and Federal employees to the general public, as well as seeing photo evidence, and have found that the U.S. Parks Department is the most hated federal agency in the United States.

Abused Citizen
Joe Dodge
Ajo, Arizona

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Corrupt Pennsylvania Commissioners?

Dear Editor,

Please publish the following in your Letters to Editor column.

Pennsylvania legislators and sportsmen alike are outraged that four commissioners who serve on the PA Game Commission (Russ Schleiden, Roxane Palone, Dan Hill and Gregory Isabella) gave Commission President Tom Boop a public thrashing on May 1, 2007 because he spoke up at the April 2007 Pa Game Commission (PGC) meeting supporting the viewpoint of the need for better deer management and an audit of the number of deer in the state. The four musketeers on May 1, 2007 voted to remove Tom Boop as President in an arrogant and vindictive act for doing his job as a PGC commissioner, even after PGC attorneys told them that they did not have the authority to do so. It is hard to find a more crude and indefensible act than this one in the entire history of the PGC.

The House Game and Fisheries Committee (HG&FC) Chairman, Rep. Edward Staback condemned the action as “an ugly display of punitive power…..denying due process while ignoring legal counsel.” Also, for the first time in commission history two other legislators (Reps. Merle Phillips and Robert Belfanti) took to the floor of the House and denounced the shenanigans of the four musketeers.

While all this was going on, the HG&FC was organizing new legislation to be introduced on May 9, 2007. At this meeting, six new bills were introduced by sponsors of the bills. All six bills passed through the Committee without any negative votes within a twenty minute time period….another historical record. The bills now go to the Floor of the House for consideration. All of the bills are constructive, serving the needs of the HG&FC members. The bills have the support of the Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania as not only being necessary but also long overdue, pro-active legislation based on the need for change and oversight of the PGC.

Reflecting upon the need for more responsible commissioners and an end to a flawed deer eradication program, veteran legislator Rep. Dan Surra (D-Elk/Clearfield) sponsored HB 1214 that shortens the term of office of commissioners from 8 to 4 years. Being a very compassionate person in his commitment to sportsmen, Surra claims that his bill will help to keep commissioners more responsive to the contemporary needs of the sporting community. It will also provide more opportunity for more qualified people to become involved as a commissioner.

Representative Surra’s HB 1214 has in addition to the full support of the HG&FC, the support of many respected colleagues in the legislature. Dan Surra stepped up to the plate and delivered a home run for sportsmen and the future of the commission. The citizens of the Commonwealth owe Rep. Surra a vote of appreciation in an era that is most challenging for both the outdoor community and all wildlife.

Richard Fearer
Uniontown, PA

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Bad Immigration

Dear Editor:

So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the Statue of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of entry.

Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer. Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home.

They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture.

Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity. Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over from Germany , Italy, France and Japan. None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan. They were defending the United States of America as one people. When we liberated France, no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German American or the Irish American. The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl.

And here we are in 2007 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country. I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life. I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags.

And for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of Liberty, it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the United States just yet.

Rosemary LaBonte
Orange County, CA

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Harsh Laws for
Illegal Immigrants?

1. There will be no special bilingual programs in the schools, no special ballots for elections, and all government business will be conducted in our language.

2. Foreigners will NOT have the right to vote, no matter how long they are here.

3. Foreigners will NEVER be able to hold political office.

4. Foreigners will not be a burden to the taxpayers. No welfare, no food stamps, no health care, nor any other government assistance programs.

5. Foreigners can invest in this country, but it must be an amount equal to 40,000 times the daily minimum wage.

6. If foreigners do come and want to buy land that will be okay, BUT options will be restricted. You are not allowed to own waterfront property. That property is reserved for citizens naturally born into this country.

7. Foreigners may not protest; no demonstrations, no waving a foreign flag, no political organizing, no "bad-mouthing" our president or his policies  If you do you will be sent home.

8. If you do come to this country illegally, you will be hunted down and sent straight to jail.

Harsh, you say ?...

The above laws happen to be the immigration laws of  MEXICO!!!

Anonymous

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