Protesters out of line at Wyden town hall

As a junior at Crescent Valley High School, I attended the town hall meeting with Sen. Ron Wyden on Jan. 10.

I was hoping to become further informed, and to taste political involvement even though I am not yet of voting age.

Being held in the school library, with many students present, it would have been nice if a discussion was maintained rather than turned into a rally.

Protests can be held in the streets. Libraries should be reserved for learning and intelligent discussion.

I was shocked to see the majority of students behaving better and asking more thoughtful questions than many of the adults.

If you have an idea or opinion you wish to be heard or respected, it will be more graciously received if you present it respectfully and if you respect the opinions of others.

I found it very rude that those around me were shouting, chanting, and wasting the time of the many people who were there trying to listen intently. It shows no self respect, respect to others, or respect to an instution of learning to behave in such a way.

It is not often that this type of opportunity arises and I wish that more people would have realized this opportunity to be gracious.

I would like to sincerely think Sen. Wyden for his facilitation of student involvement in the discussion and his interest.

Megan Blass, Corvallis

Students need more funding for music

I walk on paths unseen, swim through uncharted waters, and rest on the nonexistent. I make castles from water, sound from silence, and fear from nothingness.

I rise each morning to face the day; I have music. I have music that allows me to create, live and become.

In my former California elementary school, organized band started in fourth grade. I moved to Minnesota in third grade, where band started in fifth. My 800-student Minnesota middle school had three full-time band directors. Weekly sectionals were held. In case you are unfamiliar with the term, a sectional is a group of like instruments that gather and rehearse outside of the organized band practice.

I flourished.

Life is hectic. Music is one of my constants. From piano to alto-saxophone, I am blessed with the ability to communicate my fears, pains, joys and dreams through sound. Band is my anti-drug.

I am a 10th grade alto sax player in the Corvallis High School wind ensemble.

Currently, Linus Pauling Middle School and Corvallis High School have neither the manpower nor resources to realize the potential of our band program.

While we have one incredible director for both the Linus Pauling and Corvallis High band programs, we can only push ourselves so far on so little funding.

I humbly ask the Corvallis School Board to rectify the rectifiable so others may think the unthinkable and perceive the unperceivable.

Alissa Wall, Corvallis

What protects us from voter fraud?

I recently changed my voter registration, which I had not done for years and had forgotten how simple it is. I was also unaware that our voter registration is printed in Spanish, with a phone number to call for more information "se hable espanol."

So I had a choice.

Oregon policy has been to hand out driver's licenses without establishing legal residency. If all it takes is an Oregon driver's license and a copy of a utility bill to obtain the right to vote in this state, I wish someone would please explain to me exactly what our elected officials are doing to prevent voter fraud?

Hoping to get an answer to my question, I recently attended the League of Women Voters meeting on immigration policies. One member questioned why we call "a person who crosses the border without the proper documents an 'illegal immigrant' or 'illegal alien,' not simply a person without the required documentation."

Now it is merely a misdemeanor in the United States, so must not be taken too seriously as opposed to illegal immigration into Mexico that is a felony punishable by two years in prison.

And as to use of false IDs, false Social Security numbers and false voter registration, those are mere felonies and illegal immigration merely a federal government issue.

It appears to me that those in our government who have sworn to uphold our laws and our Constitutional rights are in truth, aiding and abetting voter fraud with their policies.

Barbara Story, Corvallis

What kind of species is this Huckabee?

The other night I was having a discussion with a good friend who is very knowledgeable about bees, so I ask him: "I know about honey bees, and bumble bees, but what is a Huckabee?"

He said he wasn't familiar with that species but gave me a book to research the subject.

It turns out that the Huckabee species is found in the family "Politicus." This particular family has the unique characteristic of having periodic population explosions (every two to four years).

The Huckabee species is found in the genus "Wanta-bee." Fortunately it carries a fundamental(ist) flaw, the genetic predisposition for a mutation that doesn't allow it to replicate in the general population.

So once again evolution and survival of the fittest saves us from this potentially dangerous species. On the other hand, maybe its all part of the designer's grand design.

Roger Paul, Corvallis

New Hampshire vote likely compromised

It appears to me that the New Hampshire election was compromised.

Election statistics show that where hand counting was done, the lead expected by Obama held firm. Where Diebold counted, Hillary won. About 40 percent of the precincts (roughly 25 percent of the vote) are hand counted. The rest are Diebold counted.

The pre-election polls showed Obama ahead by 10 points, and the exit polls substantiated this. The hand counted votes, 38.7 percent Obama and 34.8 percent Clinton, substantiated this margin. Even the odds-makers predicted Obama to win at 100 to 1.

What do you think? Will New Hampshire recount the vote? Probably not.

It seems to me that the dark cloud of election fraud will hang over all subsequent elections that use Diebold or any other machines to tally votes. We should ask Congress to ban such machines from the voting system entirely.

John Booker, Philomath