Al Gore, energy hog

Well, many of us watched as Al Gore accepted his Oscar Sunday night for his "An Inconvenient Truth" documentary.

Whether or not humans are contributing to this warming trend to any great extent, or if his documentary is backed by legitimate science, is not the basis of this letter.

It doesn't bother me that a person like Gore insists that we all need to reduce our energy use and this will in turn solve the world's woes.

It doesn't bother me that after he gives his conservation speech, he climbs into a limo the size of a small apartment to take him to the airport where a private jet is waiting to fly him to his next speech or back to his Nashville home.

It doesn't bother me that, according to news reports out of Tennessee, this "home" consumes nearly 20 times the national average for electricity. Last August alone Gore burned through 22,619 kilowatt hours of power. This is more than twice the power the average American home uses in a year.

It doesn't bother me that since his documentary touting conservation was released, there has been a 13 percent increase in his electrical use.

It doesn't bother me that Gore's power gluttony doesn't stop at electrical power. His natural gas bills averaged $1,080 last year.

What does bother me is that when elitists like Gore lead lifestyles that appear to be totally opposed to what they propose for the rest of us, the major news outlets give them a pass. It is also an inconvenient truth that politicians like Gore can live such a hypocritical lifestyle with such ease.

Ted Salmons, Lebanon

Two beautiful musicians, gone

I cried when I read about the tragic deaths of Kjersten J. Oquist and Angela Svendsen, two beautiful members of our Eugene Symphony Orchestra, whose lives were taken from us by a drunken driver going the wrong way on Interstate 5 near Albany.

Alcohol causes more deaths, injuries and family tragedies than all other drugs combined, including tobacco.

I have never smoked or drunk in my life and have never even taken wine at Mass because I believe God is complete in the scared host. I have supported homes for alcoholic priests, who are a blemish on our faith. Over-indulgence in wine may have led to the lack of inhibition that caused some priests to violate their charges.

The only reason Jesus used wine at the last supper is that it had become the customary drink of the Jews. Not being able in those days to preserve the juice from the fruit of the vine, it was allowed to ferment into wine. Today, we can preserve this juice.

I miss listening or going to concerts with my late husband, but I still keep in touch with those who make such beautiful music.

I once kissed and hugged James DePreist backstage after his Oregon Symphony concert at Takena Hall in Albany on Jan. 30, 1981. Although semi-retired to Scottsdale, Ariz., he still conducts, and his CD with the London Symphony is now available, featuring Gustav Mahler's Fifth Symphony.

My prayers are with the Oquist and Svendsen families and also with Fivea Sharipoff, the drunken driver who caused this tragedy.

Odrey Wootan, Springfield (Formerly of Albany)

No free speech in the NBA

I was very disturbed by the fact that an NBA basketball player was penalized for voicing his honest opinion concerning homosexuality. Although I may not totally agree with him or the way he voiced his feelings, he has a right under the protection of the Constitution of our great nation to say whatever he might think.

Why have the news media been so one-sided on this? Why does political correctness trump all other concerns including civil rights supposedly guaranteed under the Constitution?

Had this young man committed an act of violence or broken any law, he should have been arrested, charged accordingly and prosecuted in a court of law.

It is not the place of any private or personal interest to impose sanctions against him for making unpopular comments.

Doyle R. Winston, Brownsville

Sinful? Did Jesus say that?

Aaron Wolgamott (Mailbag, Feb. 24) says that it is absolute that God says homosexuality is sinful. It is easy to say this but much more difficult to prove this.

I am assuming that Mr. Wolgamott is of the Christian faith. If he is, I would like for him to point out what Christ had to say about homosexuality.

He said absolutely nothing about it. It would seem to me that the one who established Christianity would have said something about it if it is so sinful.

Joe Blankenbaker, Albany

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