Homeless evicted by ODOT, police

Driving south on Highway 99 this morning at 8:15 a.m., I was surprised to see the activity on the east side of the highway, near Home Depot.

At least four Corvallis Police cars and six or eight ODOT equipment vehicles, along with three to four large Dumpsters, were parked along the highway, near the area commonly referred to as the homeless encampment.

And what were they doing there? To my amazement, they were there to clear out the people (and their belongings) who've tried to set up makeshift homes way in among the trees.

This area, for some years, has provided shelter to some people who have no homes and have no place to go.

Wasn't it just a week ago that the Gazette-Times ran a story on the lack of housing or shelter for those without homes? What is at least as disturbing as kicking these people off the land is the extreme heavy-handedness displayed by the presence of the police department.

Give me a break! Four police cars? It almost seems as if the police were asking for trouble by intimidating these people (and anyone else watching). News flash to the police: These folks don't need intimidation; their lives are most likely pretty darn rough compared to most of our lives. What a pathetic way for the CPD to respond to these people. Shame on them. When will they wake up and see that bullying and intimidation only create more public distrust?

Becky Geier, Corvallis

More signs needed at Circle and Kings

The Nov. 15 headline truly gave me the willies: "Woman hit by car still 'critical.'" Julia Penn Delacruz was severely injured attempting a crossing of Circle Avenue near Kings Boulevard.

The reason for my willies: For more than a year, I have been begging our city government to make improvements in the pedestrian crossings on Circle Boulevard and Walnut Avenue. For those of us who live near these high-speed over-crowded expressways through our city, the hazards of crossings are daily occurrences, and it is just by good fortune that my family and I have been spared the fate of this poor woman.

I have begged continuously for more white lines, more flashing lights, more "pedestrian crossing" signs and lower speed limits. Why does traffic have to race through Corvallis at 35 mph? (Much higher speeds actually are common.)

Julia Penn Delacruz is a victim of a city-wide mentality that favors cars over alternative modes of transportation - feet and bikes.

Until we can convince our leaders that we are victims, more folks like Ms. Delacruz will pay a horrendous price for the antiquated thinking that promises more such incidents.

So I will beg once more: Please, City Council, give us some reasonable safeguards for crossing Circle and Walnut. Lower the speed limit to 25 mph so those of us on foot or on bikes have a reasonable chance of survival. Give us a fighting chance in our daily confrontations with the speeding behemoths that totally dominate Circle and Walnut.

Kirk S. Nevin, Corvallis

Protest brought positive responses

We stood in front of the court house on Saturday with more than 100 people who were voicing disappointment in California's proposition 8 result.

As cars drove past, they tended to do one of three things: honk and wave a thumbs up to support the demonstrators, drive past without waving or honking or give a thumbs-down (or some other finger) symbol of disagreement with those standing on the sidewalk.

In one hour, I counted five "thumbs-down" cars (all older white males) and more supporting honkers than I could keep track of.

Thanks, Corvallis.

Brooke and Joan Collison, Corvallis

Keep leadership by God out of D.C.

I recently listened to Sarah Palin in a speech asking, "How did the Republican Party allow such huge financial deficits and commit such huge military blunders in the Iraqi war?"

The answer is that George Bush, the President of the United States, believes that it was God's plan for him to be president, and with that belief firmly in mind, why would he take the advice of mere mortals. (You know hearing voices telling you what to do is actually a symptom of mental illness and should serve as a warning to future voters to beware of those who claim to know God's plan.)

The huge deficits are a direct result of cutting taxes for the wealthy and corporations, while spending billions on the Iraq war. Instead of asking all of us (especially the wealthy) to sacrifice by way of paying a war tax, he cut taxes in time of war. We know you can't have both guns and butter, but apparently God dose not.

He didn't ask his father about invading Iraq he "consulted a higher authority." He didn't listen to West Point graduate Gen. Shenseki because what could a mere mortal know about God's plan? The West Point military "troop strength" formula for "invading and occupying" a country is well known by all West Point graduates, but apparently God does not know it.

Please. Enough with all the God delusions. Let's keep God out of the political decision- making and in the churches where He belongs.

William Switzer, Corvallis

Each is responsible for realizing dreams

In his Nov. 11 letter "Yes, there will be Obama bashers," Steve Simon made the statement that "We are all collectively responsible for the American dream."

The American dream as I see it is the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I have the same opportunity as everyone else in this once-great

nation to achieve what I can and to enjoy my achievements.

I am NOT responsible for someone else achieving the American dream. Before someone gets on their high horse and begins to tell me about the poor unfortunate soles in this country that just don't have the opportunity that others have, let me tell you that my family background has left me familiar with substance abuse problems.

I made a different choice because I wanted more out of life, and I have been clean and sober for 25 years, and I have a good job and a great family.

It is wrong to STEAL from me to give to someone for food stamps, welfare, health care, education or a host of other government programs. I am not responsible for other people's lives nor their children. Socialism is nothing more than theft from those that CHOOSE to succeed.

Richard Creaser, Corvallis