Posted: Monday, March 10, 2008 12:00 am
Military should have access to schools
For all of the letters complaining about Pat Wray's column describing his positive experience in the military, I thought for a minute that I was living in the People's Republic of Eugene rather than in Corvallis.
I agree with Mr. Wray that groups like the CCC should not have equal access to our schools as the military has.
Last time I looked, the military was part of our government, not a private institution and as such should have access to information that others do not.
What are we going to do; allow any crackpot group that wants it access to our schools?
School should be for education, not proselytizing by every group with their own agenda.
I have not been in the military myself, although I had to take two years of ROTC when I was at OSU, but I have friends who have and generally they report a positive experience.
Most people do not want war, and I am certainly one of them.
However, there are many people in the world who do and as long as there are, we need a strong military to counter act them.
For those who disagree, I suggest you talk to the Brits who thought they could negotiate with Hitler. As you may recall, it didn't work out for them.
Mr. Wray does not seem to be a warmonger. He is merely presenting an alternative view, based on his own experience, to what seems to be an anti-
military bias by some people.
Jay Burreson, Corvallis
Utopia or oblivion: The choice is ours
In his 1967 book "Operating Instructions for Spaceship Earth," Buckminster Fuller, hailed as the Einstein of engineering, enumerates civilization's ailments and proposes unique practical design, planning and engineering solutions.
Our problem, according to Bucky, is overspecialization, the solution - computers and automation.
Computers can specialize infinitely. The ensuing automation of industry, agriculture, medicine and society will free humanity from meaningless, mechanical work, allowing pursuit our destiny: comprehensive synergistic thinking about larger wholes, automation replaces automatons.
Unemployment from automation is alleviated by "mind fellowships" - life fellowships in research and development, "for every 100,000 in research and development one breakthrough will more than pay for the other 99,999 fellowships."
How to solve the ever-acceleratingly dangerous impasse of world opposed politicians and ideological dogmas?
Computers and planners, architects and engineers, openly sharing a worldwide industrial retooling revolution.
Evolution synergisticly manifests new wholes behaving unpredictably from their parts.
Utopia or oblivion? We choose.
Reed Behrens, Corvallis
Frohnmayer would make good senator
While the happenings of the presidential election are reaching the front page of the Gazette-Times, as they very well should, there is another race of serious importance to the people of Oregon under way, the race for Republican Sen. Gordon Smith's seat.
The numerous presidential debates have elucidated the problems facing America and the inability of our polarized Congress to solve them.
The parties, their ideologues, and their bitter squabbles represent much of what is wrong with American politics.
Men like John Frohnmayer represent what is right. Recognizing the failures of our elected government as the result of foolish party struggles, John is running as an Independent candidate, an independent voice for Oregon.
John recognizes that our biggest issues are those of the long term, education for our youth, health care for our citizens, and protection of our environment, not just short-term priorities that waste our efforts, capital, resources, and lives.
John has already served his country with honor as a decorated officer in the U.S. Navy and represented those that needed help when he was a lawyer.
He has deeply rooted values and morals that shine in his writings and speeches and during his tenure as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. America's lawmakers can learn from John's devotion to the Bill of Rights.
John has not yet served in a legislature or in Congress, but he is a man of knowledge, judgment, and character, untarnished, living a life free of career politics.
Tucker Rossetto, Corvallis
Clearly distinguish between news, ads
I am disappointed at the tiny print in which the word "Advertisement" appears on Page A9 of the Feb. 28 edition of the Gazette-Times.
Miracles don't occur often enough that something advertised as a miracle heater is going to take in many people.
In addition, most of us have learned that "free" things are usually worth the price, but no more.
Even so, the paper has an obligation to clearly distinguish between news and advertisement.
Cliff Heselton, Philomath
Do what you want, but not in my face
I am writing in reference to the front-page photo with the story about domestic partner registration in the March 6 Gazette-Times:
Keep it out of my face.
I can't refer to anything specifically or I'll be called some type of a "phobe."
I repeat: Get out of my face.
I'm sick and tired of it.
Do what you want, but not in my face.
Paul Carlson, Corvallis