No more tax-exempt theaters needed

Congratulations to the Friends of the Whiteside on acquiring the theater ("Regal donates Whiteside to Friends group," Feb. 27).

"We are honored to have an opportunity to contribute this property to the citizens of Corvallis, who have long supported our theater business in the community," Regal President and CEO Michael L. Campbell said.

What was unsaid, but pertinent, was we won't have to pay $7,000 in taxes next year.

The neighbors of the Whiteside pay between $5,900 and $23,141 a year in property taxes, but the Friends of the Whiteside now want to place their fair share of the tax burden directly on the back of the rest of the property owners of Benton County.

The Majestic pays nothing in property taxes as it is owned by the city.

How many more tax exempt entertainment facilities do we need in Corvallis?

Patrick Acree, Corvallis

Blockade of Cuba cruel, ineffective

I agree with Lance Dickie ("A fresh start for Cuba, U.S.," Feb. 26): We should "exploit the moment" ending the embargo (blockade) imposed on Cuba, and travel bans restricting the liberty of U.S. citizens.

I am proud that Fidel Castro has stepped down on his own terms, gradually preparing his people, and the world, for others to take leadership, after surviving hundreds of attacks by U.S.

My family in Cuba is divided on the revolution. But they all have affection for Fidel after so many years and support Hugo Chavez and are proud to be Cubans.

Also, they all complain about the prices, and the economy. They all see the U.S. blockade as cruel, inhuman and ineffective.

Cubans are like any "family" with differences and squabbles, but defend each other when attacked.

Media reports the brokenness of Cuban buildings, lack of paint, sparsely equipped stores as a shortcoming of the Cuban government. Readers should know the U.S. not only blocks U.S. companies from trading with Cuba, but since passage of the 1996 Helms-Burton Act has held any non-U.S. company trading with Cuba liable to legal action and barred from entering the U.S.

Internationally operating companies have to choose between Cuba and the US!

Look at Cuba without expecting perfection and note the "grinding poverty" of neighboring countries that Dickie mentions.

Our Cuban policy for 45-plus years is irrational, inconsistent, cruel and inhuman. It does not promote understanding.

Juanita Rodriguez, Corvallis

Veterans showed courage with artwork

Harry J. Mallory's letter ("Tavern's 'tribute' to soldiers was strange," Feb. 28) was so inaccurate I felt the need to respond.

It is apparent from the beginning of his article that Mr. Mallory never stopped by and talked to the veterans that put the art show together. It wasn't some backhanded tribute to soldiers of conflicts but instead a non-partisan memorial "to honor those killed in Tet 1968 & endless battles since."

Endless battles since includes Haiti, Kosovo and Somalia. Mr. Mallory suggested that they avoided these conflicts and instead mentioned only Iraq and Vietnam. But if he had stopped by he could have met Dave Edgar, a veteran who was part of the Somalia conflict and the Contra insurgency in Nicaragua. His painting were not of Iraq but of a training site in Nevada that his brother works at.

The other veteran whose painting were on display was a Vietnam combat veteran who was in Vietnam during the time of the Tet Offensive.

Is it a bad thing that he wanted to honor those who died in Tet? Mr. Mallory thinks so. Just as he thinks that war is a good thing.

It takes courage for veterans to put themselves "out there" and show their artwork to the community. And for that this persont thanks them.

Max Chase, Corvallis

Who are we really at war with in Iraq?

Is the conflict in Iraq a war?

I heard John McCain say that we are fighting a war against fundamentalist Islamic extremists and that we shouldn't stop until we have won.

Was he speaking of the conflict in Iraq? Is that what we are doing in Iraq?

I thought we invaded Iraq because Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. He has been dethroned, executed, and a new government has been installed and we are still there.

If we are fighting a war against fundamentalist Islamic extremists when will we be able to say we have won that war?

The more I hear our politicians attempt to justify our presence in Iraq the more I hear the core of the motive being our own national security.

They say that if we don't win this war our own country will be less safe and more Americans will die at the hands of terrorists.

Are fundamentalist Islamic extremists the only terrorists? If not, then when we have defeated them are we going to wage a war against fundamentalist Christian extremists? And after that go on to any other fundamentalist group we deem a threat to our national security? Is it only fundamentalist extremists that we are at war with?

I think the words that are being used to describe this situation are very misleading. It seems to me that we should at least be able to know who we are at war with if our beloved soldiers are going to die fighting them.

Terry Thayer, Philomath

Want change? Put Nader at the wheel

The choice of the cartoon on the eitorial page of Feb. 27 Gazette-Times could not be more ironic.

As for me, I would rather choose to go for a ride in Ralph Nader's automobile.

If we are really craving for a change we must realize that it is not going to happen by chanting its name. It doesn't happen by changing one's stand or his or her point of view.

It's done by standing firm and making the change happen. It is done the way Ralph Nader has done.

Lastly, change is not for the faint hearted. Want change? Do not be afraid of it.

As for Ralph Nader, give the man a chance. After all, the man has dedicated his entire life and career to you.

Robert Serewis, Corvallis

Full-page ad looked like a news item

I wonder why the Gazette-Times prints an entire page (A9, Feb. 28) that appears to be news except for the word "advertisement" in the smallest, lightest font found anywhere in the paper.

Is this a service to your readers? Looks like tabloid.

Dan Pinson, Corvallis