Letters to Editors – Starting From Doubt

Benefits of Measure 110 are generational

This is a Guest View column I had published Nov 20, 2021 as Legalize Drugs for Everyone’s Sake in the Eugene Register Guard. Oregon’s Measure 110 decriminalized almost all drugs. That is, possession of small amounts of even drugs like heroin only results in a citation and fine. There are a bunch of other relatedContinue reading “Benefits of Measure 110 are generational”

Eliminate religious exemptions for vaccines

This is a letter to the Eugene Register Guard that was published with the title “Trust in science, be gone with religious exemptions for vaccines” on 19 Sept, 21. It’s pretty self explanatory. I took some of the legal information from an article in Freethought Today, a publication of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. ThereContinue reading “Eliminate religious exemptions for vaccines”

Promoting Unity and Good – Without God

The following was published as a Guest View in the Eugene Register-Guard on 21 Aug 2021 with the title: “Whose morality carries more weight?” I submitted it with the above title. I spent a fair amount of time writing this and I think it’s self-explanatory. As submitted: Saying that an entire class of people isContinue reading “Promoting Unity and Good – Without God”

Equivocation and Faith

The N. Y. Times published an opinion piece by Linda Kinstler titled Can Silicon Valley Find God? Among other things, it includes a common example of an equivocation fallacy used by religious apologists. “It is difficult not to remark upon the fact that many of those beliefs, such as that advanced artificial intelligence could destroyContinue reading “Equivocation and Faith”

Polyamory, the relationship escalator, and Dear Abby

I read the Eugene Register Guard newspaper most mornings. This, of course, includes the comics. On the page facing the comics is the Dear Abby column (no longer written by Abby). I didn’t really pay attention to it, maybe reading it once in a great while. But, when BdiJ stays over, she sometimes looks atContinue reading “Polyamory, the relationship escalator, and Dear Abby”

The unhoused and their trash

Keywords: homeless, stress, mental health, housing first A recent letter to the editor of the Eugene Register-Guard asked what I assume is a common question about the unhoused. Why, when they establish camps. do they allow trash to accumulate around them; why do they seem to “choose” to live in their trash? If you liveContinue reading “The unhoused and their trash”

Liberation of doubt

Keywords: origin of morality, religious privilege, hate, good without god I had another letter to the editor published in the Eugene, OR Register-Guard on Dec 17. It was in response to Michael Gerson (who writes for The Washington Post.) His column, Hope doesn’t depend on us, was published in the Register-Guard on Dec 9. MyContinue reading “Liberation of doubt”

If you’re not Christian, why call it Christmas?

Keywords: Solstice, secular holidays, the “nones” Here’s a letter I had published in the Register Guard on Dec 30, 2019 with the title: Solstice is for everyone. It is an argument against the concept of a “secular Christmas”. As a reminder, roughly 30% of the U.S. and 70% of the world’s population are not Christian.Continue reading “If you’re not Christian, why call it Christmas?”