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The Nugget Newspaper
Sisters, Oregon
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The contents of the on-line edition of The Nugget represent a selection among the stories that appear in the weekly print edition.

Letters, letters, letters
The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday.

To the Editor:

In his op-ed piece, "No Dominion Over the Earth," Jason Wells states that the last time he checked, the Constitution provides for the separation of church and state. Mr. Wells may want to check again.

What the First Amendment says is that, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." It is clear that the purpose of the First Amendment, as originally written, is to protect religious groups, and the individuals who make up those groups, from the federal government.

The Founders knew from experience that when the state recognizes or supports one religion or church denomination above all others, religious liberty is lost.

To imply, as Mr. Wells does that the purpose of the First Amendment is to protect the government from any religious influence runs completely contrary to the amendment's plain and unambiguous language, as well as the actions of the Founders themselves.

The mythical "wall of separation" Mr. Wells refers to in his op-ed piece does not exist in the Constitution.

Unfortunately, like most urban legends, it has been repeated so many times that the uninformed just assume it must be true.

The phrase "separation of church and state" actually has its origins in a letter written by President Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury, Connecticut, Baptist Association.

In the letter, Jefferson expresses his agreement that the First Amendment does restrain the national legislature from acting in these specific religious matters.

Religion was supposed to be an issue left to the individual states.

Unfortunately, over the last 200-plus years, the original intent of the First Amendment has been lost and now the federal government dictates how much religious freedom we the "free" citizens of the United States will be allowed.

Tom Harpham

* * *

To the Editor:

"Dominion" is not the issue. My recent column urging a balanced approach to jobs and the environment elicited a rather peculiar response.

I don't mind someone disagreeing, but I was taken to task for espousing a position which was the exact opposite of what I actually said.

In my column, I took issue with the traditional interpretation of man's "dominion" over the earth.

My point was that any presumed dominion is not a license to exploit, but rather a responsibility to be borne wisely.

Along the way, I was accused of everything from religious intolerance to promoting genocide and slavery.

How such inferences could logically be drawn escapes me.

What did come to mind, however, were the recent words of columnist George Will, who said, "People committed to a particular conclusion will get to it and stay there. So the facts...will not persuade people determined not to be persuaded."

I hold a degree in zoology and have spent many years in ecological studies and environmental protection.

My concern is that the goals of today's so-called environmentalists are not driven by science but by misguided emotion and unsound politics.

Craig F. Eisenbeis

* * *

To the Editor:

"It is a momentous thing to be the instrument, under Providence of the liberation of a race." -- Abraham Lincoln

Peace and love, and I wouldn't want to offend anyone..... But!

Now that we are winding down the annual Martin Luther King "Love Fest" in the media, and our "public" schools, perhaps, we can reflect on other great Americans in history!

Men and women who seem to be all but forgotten these days.

Last year I asked a teacher why Abraham Lincoln was ignored on his birthday in public schools. She told me "We couldn't find much information on him on the Internet."

Another teacher told me, "They study Lincoln in third grade" at her school. My own children are taught that M.L. King is the greatest thing since the invention of peanut butter.

I have a dream that the balance of great persons in history will be restored in accordance to their merit, not by the color of their skin!

Mark Kershner

* * *

To the Editor:

I have sent this because I have a secret admirer that sent me some money for a snowboarding trip that I already paid for.

I would have sent the money back but, I couldn't find who sent it. I have tried all my friends, family and just can't find anyone that sent it.

I just wanted to write to say thank you to my secret admirer and that I will spend the money wisely on snowboarding related activities.

Next year I am going to be a secret admirer so someone else can have the same experience that I had.

It is nice to know that someone appreciates you more than you know and is willing to make sacrifices for you.

Levi Rowe

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