Sneaking Jesus Into the Classroom

The next time the Source asks people on the street about racism, you might want to ask one or two members of a racial minority who might have experienced racism and pure hatred first-hand. You might get some more informed opinions.
I am an Asian-American. For those new to the lingo, that means I was born in the US and my parents are from China. I have experienced racial prejudice and racism as long as I can remember.
On Saturday, March 29, I was exiting my vehicle on Bend's oh-so-trendy and affluent Westside. A man I have never seen before in my life, who was stopped at a gas station, said something about shooting "commies," pointed at me with an imaginary rifle and pretended to shoot me. I almost called the police. He was dead serious. THAT is what racism is.

Shall it be the function of the state to spread sexually transmitted diseases?
In its Hardwick decision the Supreme Court inadvertently assigned to the function of the state the transmission of sexual diseases.
Writing for the majority, Sandra Day O'Connor asserted that the state should continue, by criminal sanction, to uphold anti-sodomy laws to suppress homosexual sexual activity to impede the spread of venereal diseases. Consequently, to escape detection homosexuals continued to find it easier to conceal a thousand brief, anonymous encounters than a single long-term relationship.
The court learned nothing from the failure of the Inquisition to eradicate homosexuality. So overwhelmingly powerful are biological drives that compel organisms. Not even the fear of the most gruesome of tortures could destroy the human appetite of sexual attraction and involvement.

A few weeks ago the Source reported on the status of Bend's last independent video store, Westside Video. I was reminded of the importance of such small businesses when my daughter and I recently rode our bikes to Westside Video to rent a movie. Locally owned businesses such as Devores Good Foods, Ranch Records, The Book Barn, Westside Video and others add diversity, independence and flavor to a commercial market that could soon be made up of nothing but sterile, national chains such as Blockbuster, Barnes & Noble and other big box stores.

When you placed "Third Street Moses" in the paper, did you take into consideration:
* The individual's history and who he is.
* The fact that he did not consent to his photo being taken.
For those of us who are familiar with this individual, it is disappointing that the Source would lower itself to mocking.

When I saw that Bend Living had released its first "green issue" last month, I must say I found a great deal of irony. When you have a magazine that mainly deals with a) the burgeoning resort communities that cut down our beautiful landscapes, b) small boutique stores downtown that ship in their overpriced imported goods from who knows where, c) advertisements for seven local car dealerships, and d) generally, in my opinion, encourages unnecessary, excessive consumerism, you have to chuckle a little when they release a green issue on more than 150 pages of thick, glossy paper.