I've been a Portland resident a bit over eight years, and I'm very glad I'd heard of the Kafoury family's reputation for effective, progressive accomplishments before being exposed to the childish drivel being put forth by Gregory Kafoury [Mailbox, WW, Oct. 13, 2004]. Does he really expect any sentient being to believe that an impressive roster of independent leftist thinkers--Noam Chomsky, Daniel Ellsberg, Michael Parenti, Medea Benjamin, Howard Zinn and Norman Solomon, to name but a few--have been "told" by spin doctors what they are to say about the candidacy of Ralph Nader, and their suggestion that those in swing states cast a vote for Kerry? This insults not just the intelligence of these figures but of all of us. It is precisely because they, and hopefully the majority of Oregonians and Americans, "understand the stakes" that we will cast our votes for Kerry, certainly not because we agree with him on much, but because we can't afford the terrorism of a second four years of an energized Bush administration "with a mandate."

Jon Scop
North Atlantic Avenue

PREPARE FOR THE WORST

In response to your article on American Medical Response [Rogue of the Week, Sept. 8, 2004], I am compelled to submit the following, having previously served as a paramedic and operations supervisor in the emergency medical services (EMS) field.

1. It is disturbing that the AMR Portland operation has not been inspected since 1997. In Arizona (as in many other states), every ambulance is inspected once each year. Going seven to eight years without an inspection is lax inspection at best. After all, these are ambulances the public is relying on for life-saving intervention. Is there more to the story here?

2. Both Mr. [Larry] Harvey and Mr. [Randy] Lauer seem to be trying to dodge real issues in these inspections. I have never heard of a leader in EMS state (paraphrasing your article), "Many of the record-keeping violations were the product of misunderstandings and over-hyped comments about minor problems with seldom-used medicines and equipment--nerve-gas antidote and spare flashlight batteries, for example."

State (and occasionally local) governments set standards for what is carried on ambulances. If the governing entity (run by an individual medical advisor or board) requires a specific medication or piece of equipment be carried, then there is no excuse for having outdated or understocked items.

If your report is accurate, then these leaders seem to imply that nerve-gas antidote (can you say "terrorism"?) or spare flashlight batteries (EMS providers go through lots of batteries) are less than important in providing emergency services to the paying public. It is the job of EMS providers to be prepared for the unexpected and the catastrophic. This includes "seldom-used" and "spare" medicines and equipment!

Gentlemen, how about taking some accountability here?

This is the problem I have with privatization of essential services.

James T. Puett
North Massachusetts Avenue