Letters to the Editor

Is it just me, or does the different gravel they're using on streets around Bend actually cause more dust in the air?
I was lookin' South down Wall St. the other day, kinda lookin' toward the sun, and I thought I was in a temporal warp.

A few months ago I was falsely accused of something that in a million nightmares I would never suspect I would have to deal with.
You see I walk differently. My crime was walking. The perception I believe was fear based, fear that a person who looks differently might have been involved and targeted in an incident of mistaken identity. I was cleared of any wrongdoing. People decided to convict me without reason or merit. My world and family were turned upside down. For me this unwarranted attack felt like a relic of old thoughts.

In keeping with our newly minted tradition of highlighting the best (and worst) reader call outs for the Letter of the Week, we're spotlighting this nuclear missive from Jennifer Garcia who lambastes assistant editor Ric E. James' "east side garage" rundown from our Top 10 issue. Thanks for the letter Jennifer, you can pick up your prize, an Old Mill Pint glass and a Busch Light to fill it at our offices, 704 NW Georgia.
Stick That List
Dear Source Weekly and Ric E. James,
Yesterday I opened a copy of The Source, and I found a feature composed entirely of lists. One of those lists was titled "Top 10 Things You'll Find In An Eastside Garage." Now, I understand that you, Ric and company, think this is a very clever concept, but as a resident of east Bend, and a person with generally good taste, I do not think it's funny. I'm not writing this letter to criticize the lack of humorous material in your "article" because I think it does a pretty good job of demonstrating that on its own, but I do want to address the rather rude nature of the above mentioned piece.

Hi, I want to thank Bend for giving me an opportunity to explore the countless mountain biking trails in and around Bend.
As a biking commuter I will be relocating to California since I can bike commute 12 months out of the year without the worry of iced up bike lanes.

While I have a deep respect for Michael Funke and the Gay community, I must disagree with Michael's letter to The Source in which he called for President Obama to rescind his invitation to (pastor) Rick Warren. While I heavily support Gay rights, I also believe that the only way we make changes in this world is by having an open dialogue between all groups of people. If we shut out one group then how do we convince them to change their minds? I personally have never been one to listen to someone who was unwilling to listen to me.
Perhaps the inauguration of a new president, especially one of most historical significance, is not the place to be inclusive of people who are not. However the main reason I voted for Barack Obama is because he does not toe a line for anyone-even me.

It seems Bend City Council foolishly thought the time had come to dedicate one of Bend's bridges to that most un-American ideal - peace. The "Homeland" (Fatherland and Motherland were taken) is home to less than 5% of the world's population but it spends more on armaments than all the other nations in the world combined. Few seem to know this - fewer seem to consider it psychotic and sinful. Such exuberant investment does not go to waste.

I found it interesting how the settlement concerning the litigations involving the minuscule compensation to KFXO TV by BendBroadband coincided Tuesday evening.

In addition to low-pay and long hours, one of the great benefits of a career in journalism is the ability to be publicly crucified by readers. So it is with great reverence that we present staff writer and resident local music guru Mike Bookey with this well-crafted cross courtesy of Mark Smuland.

Rod Blagojevich, the beleaguered Governor of Illinois, must be incredibly naive to fail to recognize that warrantless wiretapping and other forms of police state surveillance are accepted methods of control in the Reign of Bush. Does Blagojevich think he is immune from such tactics just because he is an elected official? Silly him.

I believe that most of us assumed that the stimulus checks we received earlier this year were considered to be "tax free." But I was surprised when I read through my new Oregon Tax booklet that we must deduct the stimulus amounts from our federal tax liability before figuring out our Oregon taxes.