On homeless shelter, universal health care, global warming, FEMA and the Beavs

Homeless shelter worthy of support

Last week I sat in on a meeting of the board of directors for the newly opened winter shelter.

The board is headed by Aleita Hass-Holcombe and made up of an array of people from churches and schools to simply concerned citizens.

This isn’t all they do either. I recognized many of the faces from cooking and serving food at Stone Soup, or putting in shifts at the shelter.

In past encounters their attention was consumed in interacting with the homeless but on this night they were free to speak. I don’t believe I’ve ever sat in a room with as much compassion as this.

There was heartfelt discussion and concern on into the night.

“What are we going to do when these beds are full?”

“I bought some floor mats.”

“What if that’s not enough? We know there are a lot of others that haven’t come in yet. Can we get last year’s building, too?”

Many had families waiting for them at home but placed more import on the shelter of people they’re likely to never know.

It was a room without politics or ego. If there is truly a path leading out of the darkness that is homelessness I know the faces of the people that will hold the lanterns to light it.

With the onset of winter, freezing temperatures and floods, if you should choose to donate to this group rest easy that it will be money well spent.

Jeff Hess

Corvallis

Here’s the problem with democracy

Michael Smerconish’s essay on global warming (“Warming is one hot topic,” Dec. 10) was a perfect illustration of “the problem with democracy.”

Smerconish knows nothing about global warming, and he has no way of learning anything about it. All he can do is ask the opinions of others, which he has no way to evaluate. So he finally ends up with an opinion which is a kind of balance between what he heard and what he wants to believe.

This is the way most of us get our “knowledge” about most of the things we hear about. And that’s not necessarily terrible, because we elect people who are presumably smarter than we are. And these people hire advisers who presumably do know something, and do know how to find out the facts, and do know how to evaluate what they hear.

But that was the old days. Now we elect politicians who believe the lies that get them votes. And, far worse, they hire advisers who also believe the lies, or are the very liars themselves.

We can’t go on like this.

Dale Coberly

Corvallis

A real need for new health care system

A universal, federally funded health care system is desperately needed in our country not only for the care of the appalling number of uninsured, 45 million, but for the salvation of our nation as we know it.

And, yes, a universal health care system could raise our longevity as well. As the richest nation in the world, the WHO estimates us as 41st in longevity. Why so?

Unless the federal government is interested in health outcomes, wanting to decrease their financial responsibility of disease, there will be little incentive to introduce the necessary safety precautions in our lives, e.g. healthy lifestyles and less contamination of our foods.

The latter is easily seen with the difference in standards in potential food contamination between us and the rest of the world.

Europe began these high standards with all Third World countries following their lead. For example, they have long since banned phthalates, which we use to make plastic more pliable, now even in our baby bottles, as well as fructose corn syrup seen in all our processed food.

The latter is so diabetogenic, and processed food so often the only available food in our poorer communities.

If you think our dollar is now low, wait until we cannot trade with the world because of our low standards.

Let’s insist on a universal health care system!

Elizabeth Waldron

Corvallis

Have we forgotten about New Orleans?

How disgusting. FEMA is rushing aid to Oregon and Washington when people in New Orleans are still homeless or living in filth and mold. What an absolute tragedy. Shameful, absolutely shameful.

Mary Rushton

Corvallis

Beavers will be fine in Emerald Bowl

Whoa! I’m having a tough time agreeing with the doom and gloom believers.

Not too long ago we were happy if Oregon State won more than they lost. Those times brought us together as a Beaver Nation and we were known as Beaver Believers.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with being proud of our 7-4 record, our third-place finish in the Pacific 10 Conference nor our invite to the Emerald Bowl.

Why shouldn’t we be proud to get to meet Maryland in San Francisco?

Wasn’t going to a bowl part of our season-long game plan?

Well, we made it. Lighten up, you egoists who always think you deserve better.

I think the Terrapins (6-6 and eighth in the AAC?) are coming to Friscotown with a game-win plan in their heads and football-battle in their hearts.

They are not going to roll over for no dam Beavers!

I, along with thousands of other Beaver Believers say “Go get ’em Beavs. We are with you all the way!”

Chuck Wenstrom

Corvallis