Corvallis needs legal homeless camp

It was brought to my attention that the police have been bulldozing homeless camps in the bushes along the bike route north.

I wonder where these people are expected to go — to another campsite, that will later be bulldozed, too?

A person without a home does not lose the right to own personal property; that right was affirmed by the courts several years ago.

But how much use is such a right, when the police allow people only two minutes to collect their possessions?

Yes, there is a winter shelter — open only during the coldest months — for single men. And, yes, there are a few places for single women to go.

But there is nothing for couples who want to stay together, and there is less than nothing for people who live with a companion animal, whether a small kitten or a protective dog.

If being homeless does not forfeit one’s right to own property, it for sure should not forfeit the right to be in a committed relationship, and/or to live with the solace of a companion animal.

What is clearly needed in Benton County is a legally designated homeless camping area-whether in the area being bulldozed, or somewhere else. Such a camping area would be subject to the same laws as the rest of the town; no less, but no more, either.

The law against camping is a mean-spirited law. C’mon, Corvallis. We can do better than that.

Marie Parcell, Corvallis

Request to bikers: Please light it up

Traveling through our city about 5:40 Tuesday evening, I encountered 10 folks on bikes. Five were pretty well lighted: larger-than-usual lights, most flashing or “strobing” — relatively easy to see.

Two had minimum lighting — either a dim headlamp on the biker’s helmet/hat, or a low-wattage bulb on the front of the bike. Three were dark — no lights at all — I was stopped by one at Fifth Street at Van Buren Avenue, and did not see him until I was right beside him.

The other two also were completely unlit. I respect those who ride their bikes, and always give way when necessary — and when I can SEE THEM!

Bikers, for your own safety — and mine — light it up! Please consider larger lamps both front and back. Big strobes are most easily seen. Good luck — and at night in particular, ride safely — PLEASE.

Dan Dunham, Corvallis

Let’s spread the dream of civility

Thanks to Linda Gelbrich for her thoughtful Nov. 19 letter, “A simple dream of civility survives.”

Corvallis is a wonderful community that could be a leader in modeling civility, if we would embrace and try to live the dream as she stated it.

Good things happen one person at a time. Someone once said, “Be the change you want to see.” I for one, will try to be more loving and considerate, more open-hearted to all I meet.

I urge all to read her letter carefully and ask yourself what you can do to bring about the dream of peace of mind that Ms. Gelbrich advocates. We may discover that we really can live together in harmony without hate and hurt. Perhaps we can spread the dream beyond our community. I guess I also have a dream!

Sandy Lewis, Corvallis

Keep your soil rich by keeping leaves

Walking along the streets, one can see many throwing away the best source of fertilizer for their soils. If we are all “thinking green,” then we need to understand the importance of keeping leaves when they fall.

Finding an area in the yard to stack and cover leaves will provide for a rich mulch come spring. Pushing leaves back under bushes or around trees, one will find they have all but vanished. Where did they go? They are feeding the exact tree/bush that sucked those nutrients out of the soil to produce that very leaf.

When we push leaves out into the street with our noisy leaf blowers and then go get into our “green vehicles,” we have bought into a false sense of environmentalism. When those same people turn around and buy their leaves back in the spring in the form of mulch, one has to take pause.

Jules Cooper, Corvallis

Imposing beliefs OK, but objecting is not?

I see in the Nov. 18 paper that the Utah-based Mormon church, which raised millions to influence the outcome of Proposition 8 in California in order to suppress and rescind the civil liberties of others, objects to the resultant protests: “These are not actions that are worthy of the democratic ideals of our nation.”

Evidently imposing your beliefs and values on others by economic force qualifies as democratic free speech, whereas objecting to that imposition does not.

Bruce Carsten, Corvallis

It’s time to protect marine resources

I recently attended a public hearing in Newport and have joined other meetings regarding the establishment of marine reserves and marine protected areas along our coast.

From these discussions with local legislators, the fishing community and our state agencies, I concluded that the establishment of these reserves and protected areas is critical to the future of our state. Here are a few points to consider in coming weeks as our state considers establishing these protected areas along our coast:

• Due to global warming, pollution, increasing population and coastal development, our ocean’s future health is at significant risk.

• By creating these reserves and protected areas, Oregon will ensure healthy oceans for future generations — and still leave the vast majority of our ocean open to recreation and fishing.

• Numerous studies have proven that marine reserves help to INCREASE the abundance, size and diversity of marine life — including some commercially valuable fish stocks.

• Marine reserves and protected areas have been used successfully all over the world to keep oceans healthy and productive.

I hope your readers will become more aware of the crucial decisions that await our legislators as they consider creating these reserves and protected areas in 2009. It is time for Oregon to implement a common-sense solution for marine conservation. In this way, Oregonians will insure the future health of our great ocean resources.

Paul Westerberg, Albany