Mirror Pond
We might shorten the Mirror Pond debate if we'd refer to the feature by its real name: Goose Offal Slough.
—John Bowers
In reply to, "A Year Later, and Only More Guns" (The Boot, 10/10)
So a deeply liberal anti-gun tirade. I have been in law enforcement ten years. First and foremost Chicago has some of the toughest anti-gun laws on the books and some of the nations worst gun violence. People, i.e. the person who wrote the article and apparently the entire Source Weekly staff, seem to think taking away gun rights and legislating away our rights is the answer to gun violence and the Sandy Hook tragedy. It is not a gun control issue and the Source staff seem to miss the reality here. It is a mental health issue, we had a very obviously mentally ill person who needed help and did not get any. I know evil exists, I have seen it first hand. The article says rely on neighborly sentiments?? I am sorry when faced with a crazy person with a gun, you can't rely on neighborly sentiment, but a well practiced and lethal response to take them down before more tragedy can be dealt out, is an option. You reason with them and tell them to be neighborly and see where you get, while they are busy targeting you , I will take aim and take them down.
Gun control does not work. Most guns like the one at Sandy Hook were obtained from other than legal sources. You advocate making things more difficult for law abiding citizens through gun control and legislation, when it does nothing to stop the person intent on doing harm. Disarming people, and legislating over burdened people even more makes no sense. We have legislated ourselves into a hole, we have more laws about how we do things than any other nation on this planet. What we don't have is a government that has its priorities in order. We have no real health solution for the poor and the mentally unstable. Obamacare simply forces people to buy insurance; it does not unburden taxpayers, or for that matter, create any viable solution for people. You want to see less violence, then try allowing people to have a living wage and get people off the government tit, because they have to be there to survive. Allow people to keep more of what they earned and protect the poor instead of heaping more legislation and tax burden upon them. Until we stop being a cold everyone for himself, greedy, step on and step over society with disconnected politicians who have no clue what its like to struggle to buy groceries, nothing will change. People will not get the care they need, crazy people with guns will commit acts of evil. We decided as a nation to have the right to bear arms, so now we must understand that, cherish our constitution and work within our society for change instead of forcing laws and control that will not work down our throats. I will stand right beside you while you appeal to someone's neighborly sentiment while they are shooting, I'll shoot back, let's see which one is more effective.
—rjphillips5
In reply to "Big Pipe," (Letter to the editor, 12/12)
Amen, Allan. That Councilor Russell asked the question is a good thing. That staff misrepresented the answer is, I'll say it, infuriating. Because this is not the first time nor is it the only issue for which Public Works staff deals in half answers and truths. It is time for councilors to hold the city manager and department head accountable for this kind of flawed information that leads to flawed decision making. I think it is right for those of us footing the bill through tax and rate increased to say "enough."
—dmr
Ok, I have to comment on Jennifer Hornstein's design, I love the winter scene, BUT, the cyclist needs a helmet. Come on! That just reinforces the problem a lot of cyclists in Bend seem to have...Not using their brains or protecting it. I'm an ED nurse and you guys, being helmet promoters should have insisted on lidding her. And since I'm being critical...Ann Romano's One Day at a Time is really pathetic and a poor reflection of your paper (not to mention a waste of paper and ink). Get rid of it and bring back something worth reading. Thanks.
—Susan
Mirror Pond Privatization
The Bend City Council has decided to privatize Mirror Pond.
Privatization is the transfer of resources from the public domain to private enterprise. It is an inequitable exchange of the common good for private power and greed.
The Council plans to sell the land under the pond to local businessmen. The privatization plan raises a few questions.
Why sell the land? Who gains? Who loses?
Were the pros and cons of a free flowing river versus privatization of Mirror Pond clearly and publicly delineated and evaluated?
To what extent did a democratic process figure into the decision?
Who will determine the boundaries of the land beneath the water?
Who will determine public accessibility to the water?
Who will make rules for use of the pond?
Who will pay for enforcement of the rules?
Who will pay for repair or replacement of the dam?
Who will pay for dredging?
Who will pay for maintenance?
"The earth is like fire and water that cannot be sold," said the Omahas. Shawnee Chief Tecumseh exclaimed: "Sell land! As well sell air and water. The Great Spirit gave them in common to all."
Privatization does not recognize and respect the wisdom of a Great Spirit. Privatization is all about private property, power and profit. Mirror Pond was our pond.....Now it is their pond.
—Sue Bastian
Letter of the Week!
And, Sue, who will give you a $5 gift certificate to Crow's Feet Commons? We will! That's who. For the Letter of the Week and as our Christmas gift to you.That's what's called a two-fer. (And, flip to Page 9 for answers to your questions.)
