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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 2015)
Wednesday, November 18, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Looking Outward Dan Glode Columnist Tighten access to handguns “We lose eight children and teenagers to gun violence every day. If a mysterious virus suddenly started killing eight of our children every day, America would mobilize teams of doctors and public- health officials. We would move heaven and earth until we found a way to protect our children. But not with gun violence.” — Elizabeth Warren, A Fighting Chance Gun violence has become a sad fact of American life. Even here in Sisters the pain intrudes in its own way, bringing a national crisis to this small town. Noah Jacob Harpham, a Sisters High grad (class of 2000) died after exchanging gunfire with police. He left three dead in Colorado Springs. It seems everyone here who knew him was shocked and surprised at what had happened. The national tragedy of gun vio- lence has hit home like a ter- rible thunder-clap. I am old enough to remember two names burned in the collective memory of my generation: Charles Joseph Whitman and Richard Speck. Whitman climbed a tower in Austin and shot and killed 16 people in August of 1966. Just prior to that tragic incident Richard Speck killed eight nurses in Chicago. What a summer. Those two hor- rible mass killings remained isolated in their own way, and at one time they were reminders of those rare situa- tions when senseless violence comes to the fore. Sadly, the uniqueness of those hor- rible, unthinkable events has withered as we have entered another level of Dante’s hell in recent years. Whether you like Eliza- beth Warren or not, you have to agree with the above quote. Eight kids a week die in gun violence. Even more tragic is there is one toddler per week involved in a shooting. They pick up a loaded gun and shoot themselves or another. The list of places where mass shootings occur get lost in our memory as the number of locations multiply: Newtown, Roseburg, Columbine, Fort Hood… The list seems sadly geometric in its explosion, and yet the problem persists. We have had 133 mass shoot- ings from 2000 to 2014. This number far exceeds those of any developed country. Com- munity leaders and politicians parade in front of the cameras talking of senseless tragedies and the need for mental- health services. They vaguely talk of some sort of gun con- trol and the need for change. The intensity of the moment fades and we are jolted to the present by another mass shooting. In between inci- dents, nothing happens. We now have almost one gun for every man, woman and child in this country, and handguns are replacing hunt- ing firearms as the weapons of choice. Let me be clear: there is only one purpose for a handgun, i.e. to kill another person. What can we do? Noth- ing is going to remove the threat completely, but we can reduce the risk. I suggest the following: • Restrict the availability of handguns so those who should not have them do not. Easier said than done. Guns all around do make a dif- ference. I served as district attorney for Lincoln County for 12 years, and I can say with certainty that a handgun easily converts a dangerous situation into a deadly one. of We need to tighten controls regarding selling and trading and obtaining of handguns. It’s too easy to get one. We also need to look with a finer focus on those with mental issues who obtain weapons. • Enforce existing laws and give authorities the means they need to make sure only those obeying the exist- ing gun laws may have them. For example, there are thou- sands of felons in California owning handguns but there are not enough parole officers and others needed to enforce existing laws. Fully support enforcement. • Provide mental-health services to those who need them, and particularly to chil- dren. Many kids are identi- fied as having issues which can lead to violence, but there are virtually no services offered to them. Early inter- vention is the key! The same is true of adults who are act- ing in ways displaying a pro- pensity to violence or other mental-health issues. Mean- ingful mental-health services for the entire population are expensive — but not nearly as expensive as not offering these services. • Begin changing the gun culture in this country. Our founding fathers would roll over in their graves if they saw how the Second Amend- ment has been bastardized, mostly for profit. They were looking at an armed militia when needed — not semi- automatic weapons, extended magazines, assault rifles and other horribly lethal weapons in the hands of everyone. When the National Rifle Association (NRA) was founded in 1871 it was an organization primarily focus- ing on sportsmanship and marksmanship. Up until the 1970s the NRA supported a great deal of gun-control leg- islation, including the Gun Control Act of 1968. Then things began to change in the 1970s and the organiza- tion morphed into the anti- gun-control group it is today, wielding a huge amount of political clout through large SISTERS ! s w a l t u O Go 541-549-8356 virtually unregulated contri- butions to elected officials. Forty-seven percent of those in congress have accepted contributions from NRA’s PACs. As a result, gun control legislation does not move and no one has the courage to take them on. As soon as someone opposes them they are almost certain to have large contri- butions go to their opponents. Congress is terrorized. Since no one wants to have the NRA attack-dogs sent their way, any meaningful change 9 is stymied. Most of the con- tributions go to Republicans, but the Democrats don’t dis- play any backbone in dealing with this organization. Both parties are culpable for this travesty. Come on, Congress! Remember what your parents taught you? Sometimes you just have to have the courage to do the right thing. If not for us, for our children. Dan Glode is a Sisters resident and served 12 years as Lincoln County District Attorney. DUCTLESS HEAT PUMP TECHNOLOGY Recently, Randall Marchington, an expert Mechanical Estima- tor from Bend Heating, answered questions about the newest high-effi ciency ductless heat pump systems on the market. Q A We have heard there is something new in the world of ductless heat pump technology. Would you mind talk- ing about that? Sure. Carrier Corporation, one of the largest manufac- turers in the heating industry, has recently released the Carrier Infi nity ductless heat pump, one-head system. The fi rst thing that comes to my mind is that as we live in a high, dry, cold climate and this new Carrier Infi nity system will produce heat to -22ºF at 80% capacity output. No other system can work this well for our winters. Q Well, that is exciting! What else is new? Q A Are incentives like rebates and tax credits avail- able when you convert to a ductless heap pump? Q And, about Bend Heating…? Q Is the initial investment expensive? Q A What sets Bend Heating apart from other well-known heating companies? Q How can people contact you for more information? A One of the newest innovations that Carrier has brought to this technology is the sleek and slim look of these indoor units that also come in white or silver, which allows them to blend into the interior of your home. Not the big bulky things hanging on your wall anymore. Because we are approaching an energy crisis in the NW, there are incredibly generous incentives available to ho- meowners that qualify for these systems, totaling as much as $2,700, which can cut your total investment in half, as well as reducing your utility bill by half, plus they have air condition- ing and air fi ltration to boot! A One thing that I like is that Bend Heating was the 1st “Certifi ed Master Installer” of ductless heat pumps in the area and is Carrier’s 1st and oldest factory-au- thorized dealer in Central Oregon. That means every single homeowner gets a 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back, written contract from Carrier Corporation themselves. A Not at all, especially when you consider that the money you save on utility bills pays for the invest- ment in as little as a few years in most homes, and the comfort is incredible. Bend Heating is the oldest heating company in Cen- tral Oregon and has been serving our neighbors heating needs since 1953. We are required to be certifi ed by federal, state and local agencies. We participate in rigorous ongoing training that requires us to perform many different tests to cer- tify the installation is correct. We do all the paperwork for you and make sure it is all in order for the rebates and tax credits. A You can contact me at 541-382-1231 or email randall@bendheating.com and I’ll be happy to discuss how and if this might work for your home. 220 W. Cascade Ave. See menu at SistersMartollis.com 541-382-1231 | www.BendHeating.com CCB#08653 | Copyright © 2012 Bend Heating & Sheet Metal, Inc. All rights reserved. As a trade ally contractor of Energy Trust of Oregon, we can help with cash incentives and state energy tax credits to improve the energy effi ciency of your home.
