The Nose, in his column of April 14, 2004 ["The $2 Million Post-it-Note"], notes the failure of Nathan Allen, the budget manager of the Oregon Department of Corrections, to request $2 million from the federal government to help support our prison system. The Nose asks, "Shouldn't something happen?" Of course, we should do what we do for all high-level bureaucrats: give him an increase in salary, give him a bonus, increase his golden parachute and terminate the employment of a subordinate.

Gordon Hillesland
Southeast Windsor Court

A DISTANT MIRROR

There's sure a lot of scary stuff in Jason Vest's article ["Baghdad Confidential," WW, April 21, 2004]. But here's the scariest part: The Iraq of today may well provide the clearest picture possible into the kind of political state Bush's so-called neocons would create when given a blank slate. Because that's precisely what these people had when they rolled into Baghdad last year.

Give George Bush another four years with a Republican congress and I'm betting you won't have to go all the way to Iraq to see a country where the rich and politically connected live in walled compounds protected by private security forces--a country where cronyism, nepotism, graft and corruption have completely replaced the rule of law, and where fear is ruthlessly cultivated and exploited to further every corrupt public policy. And, of course, it'll all be done in the name of God.

Hell, what am I saying? We're just about there now. All that's really missing is the widespread shooting and frequent bombing.

Phillip White
Northeast Alton Street

TRUTH HUNT, NOT WITCH HUNT

I wanted to thank you for the Rogues of the Week article in the April 14 issue. I think it is important for Portlanders to keep a perspective when talking about "Pigs" and "their brutality." I don't mean to say that every officer in Portland is perfect, and certainly some make mistakes. However, people need to understand that on a daily basis these officers put themselves into situations that most of us would run away from screaming.

The public inquest into this unfortunate incident with James Jahar Perez needs to be used as a forum to find the truth, not just accuse a Portland police officer of murder. If the truth is that a misdeed was done, the officer should and will pay the consequences. But we have to remember that there is a possibility the truth shows no misdeed.

Jeremiah Hayden
Northeast 58th Avenue