Congratulations to the class of 2006. A very nice program and a great way to show off the valedictorians in a creative fun style. To show off their diversity, they even echoed part of the opening in Spanish.

Then, to my utter dismay, the teacher chosen to give the commencement speech went off on a 10-minute diatribe on the evils of America. Never before (and hopefully never again) will I see people standing and leaving a graduation!

I am in shock that a school would allow such a divisive speech to be made when we are there to celebrate a grand moment in the young people’s lives. The person who got his 10 minutes of fame obviously didn’t care about the graduates who where going into the military or the crying lady next to us.

So much for launching them off into the world with a uplifting speech.

Dick Hughey

Corvallis

Traffic circles offer many benefits

A her May 30 letter, “Traffic circles are traffic hazards,” Virginia Weir asked about the effectiveness of traffic circles in the 10th and 11th and A street neighborhoods. The circles are an effective traffic calming device. Prior to their installation, traffic attained speeds of up to 50 mph in the three blocks from Western Boulevard to E Street, posing a deadly threat to pets, pedestrians, bicycles and autos.

The circles have very effectively ended that threat. Speed bumps were installed at the same time but have proven less effective, although they are helpful in conjunction with the circles.

The traffic circles save gas because no one has to stop. They save wear and tear on auto brakes and clutches, and they reduce air pollution from stop-and-go driving.

They have reduced braking and acceleration noise.

The signs are easy to understand (“Keep Right”) and most folks can interpret them quite easily. Yielding to the car in the intersection is the same as anywhere else.

The traffic circle is an opportunity for neighborhood interaction, as they are planted and maintained by the neighbors and are a special little spot of public beauty.

Nearly every neighborhood that wants traffic calming on non-arterial streets could benefit in many ways from their installation. If they snag drunken drivers, it is surely better than collisions with parked cars, bikes, pedestrians or houses. As it stands, these circles are effective and beautiful additions to our city.

Will Bradley

Corvallis

Rudeness is the root of road rage

On June 8, I read an opinion column by Eric Peters stating that road rage was a symptom. I believe that road rage is a result — of rudeness and entitlement. There are many drivers who feel that they are entitled to speed, to pull in front of other cars without benefit of turn signals, to not wait in a line of traffic but instead to use an emptier lane to zoom up and cut in front of all the “suckers” who wait their turn and to follow so closely that you can see the glint in their beady eyes.

They are also entitled to talk on their cell phones while their giant SUVs weave across lanes at varying speeds (usually slower than traffic calls for), looking at anyone who honks to wake them up with a “how-dare-you-interrupt-my-conversation” vacant stare.

While I’m at it, I’m pretty sure that these are the same entitled people who throw trash out of their cars for other people to pick up. So, I believe that it’s this rudeness, day after day, that makes people react with a rage that doesn’t appear when people are considerate of each other instead of reverting to a self-satisfied sense of entitlement!

The answer has to lie in breeding better manners. Hmm ... maybe that would help with the trash issue, too.

Rebecca Stillwell

Albany

Apologists can’t explain Bush, 9-11

As is my nature, I am reluctant to get involved in controversial issues. But I do need to comment on the recent spate of letters in response to the thoughtful and reasoned views presented by, among others, Chris Foulke (Letters, May 29, “What if Bush was behind 9-11”) and Don Caughey (Letters, June 7, “Bush exploited 9-11, at very least”).

The letters written in response to Caughey, Foulke and others demonstrate the inability of President Bush’s apologists to accept a rational analysis of truly disturbing facts. It is an understandable reaction of the true believer who has been confronted with a reality that challenges his faith in a leadership that has so spectacularly failed.

One encouraging development must be noted, which is the increased perusal of the dictionary to look up unfamiliar words, but it remains doubtful nonetheless that this activity will produce any sort of coherent argument. But then, a reasonable response is difficult to advance when one’s position becomes untenable.

Leo de Vogel

Corvallis

Keep education priorities in mind

This letter is in response to the issues surrounding the Corvallis High School site master plan.

As a parent of a student at Corvallis High School and a student at the Franklin School, I want to first say that it is disturbing to me that the majority of the Corvallis School Board would even suggest that the importance of sports resources was more important than the classroom education our students receive within the district. That is how I interpret some of their comments when it comes to wanting to complete the master plan for the Corvallis High School site at the expense of an exceptional educational program.

As a suggestion for how they may wish to address the need for tennis courts for CHS, why not try adding courts at Linus Pauling Middle School? There are currently two existing tennis courts at that location which need to be resurfaced anyway.

There also is ample space to add another six courts for a total of eight courts altogether. This would provide the desired eight courts that are needed for a physical education class, a high school tennis team or any other activities necessary for tennis at one location. It provides a good warm-up run of only about five minutes from the high school and easy access to the Boys and Girls Club of Corvallis for community purposes. Most important, it does not place sports activities at a level above classroom education.

Let’s just please remember that the school board’s first priority is to provide a quality education.

Joe A. Chambers

Corvallis