Students lead the way toward change
College students have often been at the forefront of social change. In 1964, they helped lead the way by registering black voters and teaching in Freedom Schools. In the 1980s, they became the moral voice of our nation in the movement against apartheid in South Africa. In the late 1990s, they raised our consciousness about sweatshops and the clothes sold in many of our stores.
Today, I am proud to live in a community in which college students have once again become our leaders. Recently the student senate of Washington State University Vancouver passed a resolution calling for the state of Washington to transition away from its only coal plant by 2015.
A few days before the vote I had the opportunity to witness the students in action on their campus. I heard them educate each other about the negative impact of coal pollution upon our health and our environment. I heard them discuss the viability of green alternatives. As the pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ, I am often looking for signs of hope. At WSUV, I found hope in abundance. For this gift, I am grateful to the students who put their values into action.
Brooks Berndt
Vancouver
Lying shouldn’t be job requirement
Asking service men and women to lie about who they are poses a far greater risk to their active-duty co-workers than repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell.” A person’s sexual orientation has absolutely nothing to do with the ability to defend our country. Most polls show that a large majority of Americans as well as a large majority of Americans currently serving in the military want to see this policy repealed.
Those who are opposed need to address the real issue. Are they really afraid that gay soldiers will not be as competent or effective if their sexual orientations are known? I would argue that it is more dangerous to force people to lie about who they are, and even if it is not more dangerous, it is wrong. I am always telling my kids to be honest and true to themselves. I tell them that their word needs to mean something. How can we look our kids in the eye and tell them to be truthful, and in the same breath say “unless you are gay and want to serve our country, then you need to lie”? It does not make any sense and it is the wrong message.
Scott Cornett
Brush Prairie
Military is able to accept progress
I had heard before that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was against repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. But after reading his comments in the Dec. 3 story “McCain slams military gays study, wants ‘don’t ask’ upheld,” he really sounds like he does not feel that our troops are intelligent enough to understand the Pentagon study and its purpose, or have the maturity to understand and accept gays and lesbians as contributing members of any military unit. Perhaps I should have expected this type of poor judgment, especially after he picked Sarah Palin as a running mate. I feel that our professional military is quite capable of getting over the outdated biases of the past generations.
Steve Engard
Ridgefield
Unions’ political influence is alarming
I’m fed up with unions of all variety. Who do they think they are? They have muscled their way into the political arena of our state and our nation by thuggish and political intrusion. They have bought their way into our elections. The general public has been rendered mute because too many political aspirants are so greedy to be re-elected that the average citizens are left powerless.
As an organized force, education employees, government employees, and all other unionized employees have been forced into a co-op status. They are forced to pay dues in order to remain in possession of their employment. If union members don’t go along with their leadership, there is trouble. Union dues are used to assert political pressure. The problem is that the average rank and file have no say in what happens to their dues, it doesn’t matter which political affiliation you may be, it’s decided by where “the big guys” dictate you will be.
I say to the union leadership — back off. The current benefits and demands are outrageous, their pressure on Gov. Chris Gregoire has run its course; she has no recourse but to back off the arrangement the union made. The patience of the citizens of Washington state is at an end.
Stephanie Turlay
Vancouver
Unions aren’t the whole problem
The Dec. 3 Columbian story reported on “Dealing with the state’s $5.7 billion deficit: Unions limit budget-cutting options.” Unions aren’t the limiting factor in Washington state’s budget-cutting options. The limiting factor is where “More than 70 percent of the general fund budget is essentially off-limits, either because of constitutional provisions or because of strings that came with those federal stimulus funds.”
Let’s demand our representatives closely examine those “constitutional provisions.” Next, federal funding is a noose around our neck. We need to do what some others have done and say “no, thank you” to the federal government and the attached “strings.” That’s a start.
There are tough times ahead and they require tough decisions, and it will be painful for large segments of the population, but we will get through this. Requiring one segment to shoulder the burden isn’t right when we should be doing other things.
Leslie McKown
Vancouver
Steer away from chemical solutions
I found the Dec. 5 story “‘Plan B’ techno-fixes break climate talk taboos” disturbing. U.S. and British government bodies are advocating for “geo-engineering,” which would involve spraying the atmosphere and ocean with chemicals to theoretically slow global warming. Look to lessons from the past where newly invented designer chemicals were enthusiastically touted to solve pressing problems: chemicals such as ozone-depleting Freon, Agent Orange and DDT, to name just a few. Although cloud and ocean seeding might cool temperatures globally, they are likely to accelerate regional climate change and wildlife extinctions.
When I was in Greece, I was pleasantly surprised to see hundreds of simple solar water heaters installed across the roofs of central Athens. It brought back memories of the science fair prize I won in eighth grade for demonstrating how efficiently and cheaply solar water heaters work.
The tank water rose to over 150 degrees F on a typical 104-degree F Arizona day.
Consider simpler solutions like tree planting in temperate regions, solar energy, phasing out black asphalt streets in favor of white/gray streets that reflect more sunlight, mass transit, family planning education and yes, conservation.
To be sure, the clouds that need to be seeded are found within the imagination of American and British leadership.
Mauricio Austin
Vancouver
