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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (March 13, 2019)
Wednesday, March 11, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon In the PINES By T. Lee Brown Change is one phone call away Sometimes it seems impossible to change things. I mean, it9s hard enough to eat better or get more exercise. What about changing the world? It looks impossible. Governments, businesses, bureaucracies 4 they seem so huge and impenetrable. We call our senators, send peti- tions to CEOs, show up to council meetings 4 and noth- ing changes. At least, it doesn9t change fast. Our gumption-impaired culture doesn9t prepare us for long, complex efforts. There9s a popular saying to express the resulting bit- terness: <You can9t fight City Hall!= Oh, really? Tell it to the suffragettes. In 1848 some ladies thought women ought to be able to (gasp!) vote. At the Seneca Falls Convention, they vowed to make it happen. <You can9t fight City Hall= frames government, or some other large and convenient scapegoat, as the bad guy. There9s no point trying, in that viewpoint; you9ll never get entrenched bureaucracy to budge. May as well stay home and watch Fox News or Rachel Maddow. Problem with that view? It ain9t true. Things do change. They change because people get out there and make stuff happen. For the suffragettes, every- thing went smoothly along, women received equal pay to men9s, and a woman presi- dent was elected& ha ha, just kidding. No, the movement advanced in fits and starts, complete with hunger strikes and prison sentences. In 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was passed. It reads, <The right of citi- zens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.= Nice work, gals! Fighting for what you believe in can be frustrating. It can take a long time. The suffragettes were at it for over 70 years. As an ovary-toting American, I9m awfully glad they bothered. One cause I care about is reducing single-use plastics. Some view it as a doomed cause; they say Americans will never change. SUPs are great for Big Oil and conve- nient for makers of packaged goods. But boy oh boy, are they bad for our health. Plastic doesn9t biodegrade. Instead it breaks down into teeny-tiny particles, releas- ing toxic chemicals in the process. The toxins show up in water systems and the blood- streams of humans and ani- mals. They disrupt our endo- crine systems, causing cancer, infertility, birth defects, and other fun stuff. Even before they break down, SUPs cause problems. They9re found inside dead birds and whales. Lightweight plastic bags blow into forests and oceans. Animals become entangled in them; some ani- mals mistake them for food. They ingest our plastic junk, and it kills them. Here in Sisters, hardwork- ing students petitioned City Hall to ban those deadly, unnecessary bags. City Hall wasn9t up for the challenge. The answer to that isn9t, <Let9s give up. Boo hoo.= See CHANGE on page 15 7 Obituary Daniel Roger Mills July 29, 1949 — February 26, 2019 Was born in Jacksonville, Florida, son of James Howard Mills and Mabel Nadine Aaron. He was a retired software engineer. He transplanted from Los Angeles, California, to Sisters in 2004 and never looked back. Dan loved to play tennis, take pictures, surf, work on computer problems, spend time with his dog Dakota and help out his friends, family and neighbors. He loved to make people laugh with his wit, charm, and wicked sense of humor. He is survived by his daughter Adena of California, his brother John Mills of California, and his daughter Mychelle of Texas, along with seven grandchil- dren and one great-grand- child. He was a loving, car- ing father, brother, grandfa- ther and friend and he will truly be missed. There will be a celebra- tion of life for family and friends this summer. Great ideas... COME VISIT OUR SHOWROOM Variety • Quality • Price Range Buy local from Sweeney Plumbing and save the trip to Bend! 7:30 am-4 pm Mon.-Fri. 541-549-4349 260 N. Pine St., Sisters Licensed Bonded / Insured CCB#87587