Published in Corvallis Gazette-Times edition of Sept. 17, 2008

Theft of mayor’s campaign signs was low and childish

On Sept. 9, a Tuesday night, someone took it upon themselves to remove all six of the “Chris Nusbaum for Benton County Commissioner” signs located at the vacant lot between 3rd and 4th Streets south of Buchanan in Corvallis. These signs were lawfully erected (as confirmed by the Corvallis Police and the Oregon Department of Transportation) on private property and removing them is a crime.

It is possible that there are people who don’t like Chris’s record as three-term mayor of Philomath. Perhaps there are individuals who are uncomfortable with Chris’s record of lowering taxes while increasing city services, as was done in Philomath. Perhaps the issue of the new Philomath police station, paid for with cash, is also troubling. Maybe the fact that he has consistently defended public-process laws and conducted city business in strict accordance with the Philomath City Charter has offended some. Maybe even the new parks and open space recreation areas in Philomath are also disturbing.

My advice is that if people want to tout themselves as being good citizens who want nothing more than to adhere to the democratic process, they should do just that. Don’t steal the campaign signs, and let people make their own electoral decisions. In doing that, not only are you defending a robust democracy, you are keeping yourself out of jail.

Jeff Limon

Corvallis

Liberals should be proud

to claim the label

A staple of Republican speeches these days is that Obama is the “most liberal” senator these days. I thought that opprobrium usually went to Ted Kennedy. Well, if true, Obama should wear that label with pride. After all, it was liberals that gave us the 40-hour work week, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, minimum wages and workplace health and safety legislation. Civil rights for blacks were pressed forward by liberals and it was liberals who fought for blacks’ right to vote in the American South while conservatives manned the fire hoses and police dogs.

It was under liberal leadership that we emerged from the Great Depression and went on to win World War II.

Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, liberals all, were instrumental in convincing their fellow Americans to throw off the yoke of King George.

And it was George Washington who said “As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality.”

Philip Scott

Corvallis

Local businesses contribute now to Corvallis’ prosperity

The “Prosperity That Fits” plan lays out three stakeholders: local business, the citizens and the city.

There are three business groups in Corvallis that already have begun — and are continuing to implement — the action items addressed in the plan. The members of these groups are the local businesses. The dues paid into these groups are paying for the action items to be done.

Local businesses pay property taxes that help feed the city’s general fund. If these businesses leave for any reason, then the general funds decrease.

Local businesses provide jobs for the citizens, who in turn buy houses and use other businesses and services in our community. If these businesses leave, you will see even more empty store fronts and more houses for sale.

To say local business is not willing to support the Prosperity That Fits plan is a cop out. These are tough times for everyone, including businesses. I am hopeful that all of our local businesses survive the upcoming retail/holiday season. This is going to be a make-or-break year for many of them.

I would urge our community to visit as many of our local businesses as they can and buy local first.

This would show local businesses that the community is willing to support the plan. I would urge the city to patronize local businesses even more than they do and stop looking at low-bid only. This would show the city’s support for the plan. We all want prosperity, and we all want it to fit.

Todd Washington

Corvallis

Adair Village ready for its own police department

Thanks for the Sept. 13 article letting the residents of Adair Village know their Council is addressing concerns over Adair’s lack of public safety presence.

Mayor Bill Currier and a majority of councilors have prioritized this number-one issue brought to City Council meetings.

Adair residents realize that even after Sheriff Diana Simpson receives funding to hire more deputies, the county cannot send personnel to enforce our city’s ordinances, to frequently check our streets and city park late at night or early in the morning, securing property and addressing curfew issues and 2 a.m. barking dogs, nor to direct Adair’s traffic when fire calls are received, thereby freeing all of our volunteer firefighters to do what they are trained to do — fight fires, attend to medical needs, and assist those in traffic mishaps.

Adair desires what other Benton County cities have deemed beneficial for their residents — local law enforcement — no matter how humble the beginnings.

Citizens started addressing this issue in 2003, and Currier was appointed to head their panel. Sadly, no council followed through on their researched, unique, all-

volunteer police department suggestion.

The League of Oregon Cities even offered encouragement as every regulation and state requirement would be met just as they are now met for our accredited volunteer firefighters.

How wise to start putting in place what the residents need and have continually requested and what will be needed even more in the future. It is an exciting time to be living in Adair Village.

Faye Abraham

Adair Village

Change under Obama would be a change for the worse

The majority of the American citizens respect the flag and what it stands for so it is quite surprising that one of the first changes that Barack H. Obama made in his campaign was to remove the image of the U.S. flag from his 757 airplane and replace it with his own logo. Why?

What are the changes that Americans are said to be demanding? A recent Newsweek Poll revealed that 67 percent of those polled were unhappy with the direction the country was heading. Let’s take a look at what they may be unhappy about.

Is it the fact that we have abundant electricity and clean water, 24/7?

Could they be unhappy that many have air conditioning in the summer and adequate heat in their homes in the winter? Or is it that 95.4 percent of workers have jobs and 70 percent own their own home?

Obama is promising change you can believe in. What kind of change is it that he is going to give us and is it what we really believe in or want?

Obama’s former mentor, Frank Marshall Davis, was an active member of the Communist Party USA. I did a Google search to see if there is an active Communist Party USA, and sure enough it is alive and well. It has endorsed Obama for president.

You should wonder why the Communist Party USA finds Obama so acceptable. Is he truly the change we can believe in, or are his beliefs simply very acceptable to the ultra-left liberals, socialists and Marxists?

Lou Copes

Corvallis

No comparison between Gitmo and Hanoi Hilton

I have to respond to the letter that equated the Hanoi Hilton to Guantonamo. I was an (operations) officer at Hickam when the POWs returned from Vietnam. I heard several of them tell their stories. These are samples of the treatment they described:

• Some had their hands tied behind the back and dropped in a hole in the ground seven feet deep and so narrow that they could only stand. They were left indefinitely, for days or weeks.

• Col. George E. “Bud” Day’s arm was broken and left with the bone sticking out at an odd angle so that if it healed, he would be crippled.

• POWs described going into the interrogation room with the walls spattered with blood and the floor slick with blood and urine from the last interrogation. They felt guilty relief when the cell door would clang shut down the hall and it was not their turn for “interrogation.”

• Prisoners had to kneel on sharp rocks with a broom stick behind their knees while they were beaten.

• A favorite of interrogators was “the ropes.” With hands tied behind their back, prisoners were suspended by a rope around their wrists. This caused their shoulders to be dislocated. They hung like this for hours while they were beaten. That is the reason that McCain can’t raise his arms when he waves to the crowds.

Not all came home. Some were beaten to death. Some died from beatings as a direct result of Jane Fonda’s treason.

Hanoi the equivalent of Guantanamo Bay? No way!

Charles R. Nelson

Corvallis