Stop being power pawns

As angry protesters were busy looting and trashing local businesses, the St. Louis Tea Party started a “BUYcotts” aimed at helping the businesses harmed by the violence. One local business owner was shocked to learn the people helping were from the Tea Party. Their genuine act of mercy and kindness shattered every myth this shop owner had ever heard about the so-called racist and heartless Tea Party. His heart was changed on the spot because everything he thought he knew was just proved wrong. That one act of mercy and kindness did more than a thousand of the best arguments ever could.

This is the answer to winning and I don’t mean “we” as in “Republicans.” I mean “we” as Americans, as humans. Stop being pawns in their power game both right and left and pitting me against my neighbor. Those old patterns that we have fallen into are not working. We as Americans need to demand justice, but also show love and mercy. Let our humble actions speak louder than words.

Carol Orr

Crooked River Ranch

Wake up America

I, too, feel the need to respond to the letter ending “Thank God for Obama.” The taxpayers of this country continue to pay for his lifestyle — golfing, partying, vacationing every couple of weeks. Now he has no strategy! Gee, what a surprise! Wake up America, we may need a leader soon!

Judy Darst

Bend

Make plans for growth

In a recent column, John Costa discussed some of the effects of Bend growing from 80,000-plus today to 120,000 in the future. He concludes with “Like it or not, it’s all part of an evolving Bend.”

Currently, at 80,000-plus, there is not adequate infrastructure (water, sewer, roads, bridges, etc.), public safety resources, transit systems, etc., to meet the needs of Bend today. There appears to be a lack of budget to change that, too.

Future growth opportunities such as OSU-Cascades will not contribute to the funding of growth. Tangible benefits will be decades down the road.

Growing to 120,000 with business-as-usual approaches will be problematic. The top focus for the next decade by our elected officials and city management should be strategies and operational plans on how to pull this off. This should also be “part of an evolving Bend.”

Richard Morris

Bend

Wilderness access is adequate

Access is an important consideration in wilderness designation, but it is not the only one. On the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act of 1964, it’s more important that additional wild places be designated as wildernesses. The wilderness legacy of the United States is one of our most enduring contributions to civilization. Fewer than 10 nations have meaningful protection of wilderness areas. Access to the proposed Cathedral Rocks Wilderness is being adequately addressed through the planning process. The primitive Muddy Creek Road will be open to the public during the eight months out of the year that anyone is likely to visit the area. It is a strong likelihood that year-round access on the road will be available if desired. River access will be facilitated owing to adding two miles of public river frontage that will permit people to hike to and around Cathedral Rock. Land exchanges will more than double the number of acres the public is able to access without trespassing. Agreements with private landowners will enable wilderness visitors to access a trailhead off Muddy Creek Road and hike to Cathedral Rock. Limited access in this case is adequate access.

Now is the time to support its designation and not fabricate excuses for delay. The Republican-led House has done everything in its power to hinder the protection of proposed wildernesses over many years. It’s time for Congressman Greg Walden to speak out in support of this proposal. His grandchildren will thank him.

Broc Stenman

Bend

Need more public transit

What about more public transit inside the proposed UGB expansion? What about more public transit inside the current UGB? Will you always have immediate access to a car? You will? I graduated with honors with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1987 and thought I was immune to a brain injury and that I would always drive. I never dreamed that I would suffer a brain injury that would leave me totally and permanently disabled at 24 years old. Now I have independent transportation every 40 minutes, Monday through Friday till 6 p.m. Saturday? Every hour and 20 minutes till 4 p.m. Sunday? None, but hey, like everyone else I don’t really have anywhere I need to go on Sundays anyway. I was like 99.99 percent of the population and used to think I would never need to ride a bus or train. But that all changed on July 31, 1988. The weather in Bend is very amenable to everything I enjoy doing — if I can get to it. Please include transit in the current and future UGB expansion plans. You never know when you may need it.

Brent Yonkovich

Bend