Food importing
not good for
America
Editor:
All other issues pale in the aftermath of recent terrorist attacks. However in order to meet that challenge, the U.S. needs a strong economy along with re-thinking many our policies including our “open door” immigration status.
A strong economy includes development of domestic energy sources, including ethanol, to become less reliant on foreign oil. With anticipated increased spending for security measures and the military, it’s said there will be a reduction in agriculture subsidies.
Agriculture is the backbone of our economy. Yet subsidies would not a major factor if fair not free trade were implemented. More jobs would be created and we would not be as dependent on foreign markets if surplus crops were used for the production of ethanol made from a renewal resource.
With NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and now the proposed FTAA (Free Trade Americas Agreement) that will include all of North and South America, many of us fear that our national economy, not just agriculture, is in peril. We need fair, not just free trade. Producers and manufactures in this country cannot compete successful against imports that are produced more cheaply in other countries. Minus any tariffs or quotas, the United States is becoming a dumping ground for livestock, wheat and other commodities. Large U.S. corporations or companies continue to locate in other countries to take advantage of cheap labor. Consequently U.S. workers lose jobs as businesses downsize and locate elsewhere in the world.
Consumers are unaware that food imports are not regulated by the same standards of production or inspection that are used in this country to protect human health. There is no control over another country’s use of pesticides, insecticides, animal vaccines or processing. Yet consumers are bombarded with unscientific facts about U.S. foods that have not been a threat to human health as was the case with apples and cranberries. When imported beef is mingled with domestic sources and sold as USDA approved, are consumers getting a healthy, quality product?
Under the watered-down “Country of Origin Labeling” amendment recently passed, all imported livestock that has been fed 100 days or more in the U.S. become American products. Consequently, will this country be able to continue to be free of Hoof and Mouth Disease or BSE/ Mad Cow Disease? Can the U.S safeguard the public against E.coli? Case in point- -when the disease was prevalent on imported Mexican strawberries or other U.S. citizens got sick from eating contaminated imported lettuce.
Americans must stand up and fight for their country’s freedom, economy and way of life. I’m encouraging a grassroots writing campaign to Senators. We need to educate consumers to join in that effort. Rather than just asking influential persons to lead the charge as was suggested by LMA President Pat Goggins; a deluge of hand-written letters by everyday people should impress Congressional members who are supposedly elected to represent everyone.
Since 1993, 33,000 U.S. farms and ranches with incomes under $100,000 have disappeared. Those that continue to hang on are impacted with below-par market share, rising production costs, invasion of property rights and water and environmental issues. Producers, as conscientious land stewards, need to unite and raise their voices in unison as a northbound super highway, primarily for trucking commodities, is being constructed from Brazil.
Imports far out weigh the quantity of exports. Oregon has been the front-runner in many areas; perhaps we can influence other states to join in this effort. We can’t let apathy or lack of effort contribute to the plight of agriculture and our nation. The Oregon Wheat Growers League has this appropriate bumper sticker: “if you like imported fuel, you’ll love imported food!
Sincerely,
Merlyn Robinson
64593 Spur Loop
Heppner, OR 97836
541-676-9761
Is it “woman’s right to choose?’
Editor:
To give the title of “a woman’s right to choose” to abortion is only telling half of the story.
Some women choose life for their unborn children. Some women choose death.
When a woman exercises her choice for abortion, she is killing an unborn child, and there is no two ways about it.
If a terrorist bombed an obstetrics clinic and kills 50 expectant mothers, would we say that there were 50 woman fatalities and fifty woman’s right to choose fatalities?
When we say that a woman is expecting a child, do we say, “Oh, look. She is having a woman’s right to choose?”
When a woman has a miscarriage, do we say, “Oh, poor woman. She just lost her woman’s right to choose?”
When a woman gives birth to a baby, do we say on the birth announcements, “Come rejoice with us as we celebrate the birth of our woman’s right to choose?”
It is human. It is a baby. It is alive. It is our nation’s future.
Let’s quit sugar coating it and call it like it is, the destruction of human life. Legal or not, like it or not, it is still the death of an innocent children.
No matter what you call it, after all is done and said, after each and every abortion, another child ends up dead. Another woman’s soul is shattered. Like shards of broken glass, another precious gift from God is tossed in the trash.
Jeani West
Sweet Home
God bless the fallen
Editor:
Before good can succeed, evil rears its evil face.
Black, White, Indian, Japanese, German, French, Italian, Greek, African, Puerto Rican, Vietnamese, Korean, Arab, Jewish, Chinese, Mexican, Scottish, Irish, Jamaican, Cuban, American Indian, Eskimo, Canadian, British, Russian, Czechoslovakian, Romanian, Australian and other races looking for freedom and democracy, we are Americans.
Beware that God will not let this country fall for we are his people. All the world should grieve for the attack on freedom that was launched by terrorists on Sept. 11 on New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania. If we fall, the world falls. Peace and freedom for all people must succeed.
United we stand, united we fall. God bless the United States of America. It’s not who we were or who we are but who we strive to be.
If you don’t like what we represent, don’t tread on us or our imperfect union for you will pay.
God bless all those heroes who died for my freedom that day.
You will not be forgotten, ever.
John D. Gibson Jr.
Sweet Home
Let us be firm in our resolve
Editor:
Let us pray, let us mourn, let us weep and let us never forget the innocent lives lost. As we can never forget Dec. 7, 1941, let us also not forget Sept. 11, 2001.
The forces of tyranny have struck at the heart of freedom. However, this evil has failed has to destroy the American spirit. Rather, it has awakened us.
Let us be firm in our resolve to once again rise to the challenge and do what we must do to preserve liberty. Make no mistake, our unique American way of life is in jeopardy and we must defend it at all cost. This requires sacrifice. The same sacrifice Americans gave from Concord, Gettysburg, Belleau Wood and Iwo Jima to the Choisin reservoir, Khe sahn and Desert storm. Their sacrifice must be honored by our commitment to defend freedom. These voices demand from the grave that we stand for right and good and against all evil.
Let us remain united, as we become victorious against this imminent danger. Let us also be under no illusion that this will occur without cost. Our country’s freedom was won at a terrible and precious price. Sadly, It must be maintained by more of the same. So, let the quiet elegance of liberty become a determined roar against tyranny.
As generations of Americans who came before us gave the last full measure of devotion to ensure the liberty we enjoy today, so let us arise to ensure freedom for future generations. Our history of sacrifice demands less. Let freedom ring!
Representative Jeff Kropf
Oregon House of Representatives
Cat killing
must be
stopped
Editor:
This letter is to ask for help from our neighbors in the area of 41000 block of Hwy 228. Someone nearby is killing our cats by shooting them with a .22 apparently. Two are gone now and a 3rd managed to live and return home. Beyond the grief at what’s happening to our precious pets, there’s the almost $500 spent to save our Bootsy.
Those of you who love your own pets can understand how we feel right now knowing that there’s someone close by that harbors such hatred for animals that he/she relentlessly picks off your loving pets one-by-one. We are trying to keep the rest of them inside, but I can see how cruel it is to them. They yearn to be free.
Some of you might be thinking why do we have so many cats. Because other people are irresponsible and cruel. They dump unwanted pets in our area, as we are country out here. So, we take pity on them and care for and adopt them. They didn’t ask to be abandoned. This despicable human behavior also creates feral (wild) cats that aren’t friendly. One such cat had her kittens on our property, so we again felt responsible to care for these poorly treated animals. We knew if we just left them, they would roam the area while fearing man and probably meet some terrible fate. Instead, we gave the kittens a loving home.
Please, please help us! This behavior, while against the law, is only a misdemeanor, but we do want this person, or persons, brought to whatever justice is available. Be alert when you hear shots. Look for where they came from and turn the information over to us if you see or learn anything. Be a very nosy neighbor till this cat murderer is brought to justice. Our number is: 367-7072. Those of you who pray for others, please pray for us and our remaining cats.
With heavy hearts,
Ray & Sheila Westbrook
Sweet Home