Letters to the Editor for Aug. 5, 2009

Great music at Miners Jubilee

To the editor:

Re: The Miners Jubilee

This was a great event for Baker City and I am glad to be a part of the entertainment. Well from what I saw the vendors did quite well as for the city too and the musicians who worked so hard to put on a good show for the vendors as well as the visitors, in the hot, almost overpowering weather, were never recognized. Yet somebody's left thumb was sure in the focus of the paper.

Our musicians came from distances near and far to put on a great show and not one vendor offered as much as a bottled water! I hope next year someone reserves cool water for the musicians as well as the sound people. Thank you Marilyn’s Music for all the hard work and providing all the sound equipment and for donating your time to set everything up to sound quality for all to enjoy. And thank you Carla Bailey for letting me drag you up on stage to sing a wonderful song. Thanks to Jim Blackburn, Ron Neal, Bobby Giggs, and a special thanks to Donnie Counts for that magical guitar pickin’ and last , but not least,  Lonnie Shurtliff “The Legend” for your awesome guitar pickin’.

Manny Gutierrez Sr.

Baker City

Article meant to help, not hurt

To the editor:

A recent letter regarding co-sleeping attempts to portray an insensitive nature among the reporters and those involved in the case of a recent infant’s death. I am aware that the death of a child is the worst possible thing that could ever happen to a family and ideally should never happen. The article in question was published to increase overall awareness of co-sleeping related deaths, and was not an attack on any specific family.

I can assure the readers it is just as difficult for my father (Dr. James Davis, Baker County’s medical examiner) to pronounce an infant dead over an issue that was preventable as it is to deal with the loss of a child. In fact, my sister died as a child (though not of co-sleeping) and it pains me that I never had the chance to grow up with her in my lifetime.

As the previous letter writer questioned, “the facts” are that there have been seven co-sleeping related deaths in the past five years, and three of those deaths occurred in the last three months. The “insensitive” thing would be to try to suppress this data, and have another child die from a 100 percent preventable situation. That’s one more family that would have to go through the pain and anguish of losing a child.

I honestly feel for the family that lost their child; however, I feel that each child, including my own sister, provides a legacy that should not be ignored, and potentially can improve the lives of future generations. If one mother read the co-sleeping article and realized that this could endanger her child’s life, and that child lived to see another day, that makes the article worthy of publishing.

Please understand that the intention of writing an article on co-sleeping is to better the lives of future children, and prevent any such loss. It is crucial that people understand that co-sleeping is dangerous, and the best way to prevent a child’s death in this situation is to not sleep in the same bed with your infant. Thanks for taking the time to listen.

Seth M. Davis

Baker City