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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 2020)
Wednesday, November 18, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 18 Commentary... Letter to a loved one after the election By Katy Yoder Columnist In the aftermath of the elections, there9s exhaus- tion, relief, anger and a determination to keep push- ing agendas. Recently, my cousin, who lives in Southern Oregon, sent me a text suggesting I listen to a conservative political pun- dit and author, Ben Shapiro. She said she trusts him to provide her the facts she uses to formulate her opin- ions about what9s going on politically. I hadn9t heard of him so I followed her sug- gestion to check him out. As I read and listened, I could feel my stomach tighten. Suffice to say, he doesn9t like me very much. I9m a person who honks and gives the folks peace- fully protesting on East Cascade Avenue a thumbs up. I haven9t joined them because of COVID-19, but I sure appreciate what they9re doing. I9ve heard stories of <Rolling Coal,= trucks spewing them with diesel smoke and people driving by yelling obsceni- ties at them. And still they show up, take the abuse and appreciate the supportive waves that help inspire them to keep pushing for change. Here9s an excerpt of what I wrote to my cousin, whom I love and have always con- sidered a friend as well as a family member: I9ve been doing a lot of reading these days. I9ve also been working on my book again. With that open- ing, I9ve had time to look deeply at my childhood in the 1960s and 970s. What kind of childhood did we all have? Very different based on which home you lived in on our family compound. Because of that our child- hoods had commonalities but many differences. Our cousins9 stories, as well as my sisters,9 are different from mine. CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S NUGGET INSERT! Ray’s Food Place Nabisco Snack Crackers 2 for $5, 6.5-9.1 oz., selected As we were growing up, we were sheltered from the turmoil taking place on the other side of the Berkeley Hills. Civil Rights activists were pushing hard to force change in a society that pre- ferred the status quo. I had no idea what was going on and barely knew we were at war in Vietnam. With no TV, I only saw bits and pieces when I was at a friend9s house. I didn9t grow up in a culturally diverse neighbor- hood. I do remember the Posadas across from the Walnut Knolls Park, who had escaped from death squads in Colombia. Their son, Carlos, was my friend, and Juan was Victoria9s good friend. Because of their brown skin they were incorrectly called Mexicans. Anyone with brown, Latinx features were, <Mexicans.= That was because, as the white majority, we had the freedom to ignorantly bunch them all together and not really know who they were. We didn9t have to make the effort. They were the minor- ities and lived in a society where they had to assimilate and leave their family9s cul- ture behind them. While we were children, systemic racism was the norm. Education was not equally provided. We went to public school, paid for by our parent9s taxes 4 a societal assumption that the government would pro- vide us a good education. With that we were taught a version of American his- tory that vilified or ignored the oppressed like the Indigenous people and Black and brown people who were trying to live in a white-dominated society. I want to learn more. I am reading, <How to be an Antiracist= by Ibram X. Kendi. Before that I read, <Caste,= before that I read, <Me and White Supremacy,= before that I read, <Rising out of Hatred.= All of these books have given me a broader and more realistic view of our country9s his- tory and why we are in the situation we9re in today. Like any family that has abuse in its background, healing must occur. But for healing to occur, first there must be acceptance and admittance about what hap- pened. That requires those involved and those affected to have a voice. To share their stories and be heard. Then it9s time to change how the family does things so it doesn9t happen again. That9s where we are now. Do we ignore the past? Do we pretend things were dif- ferent than they really were? If so, that will mean more of the same behavior will con- tinue on and on and on& I9m tired of pretending and believing fabrications created to give us a sense Are you a Veteran or supported our Veterans through peacetime or during a confl ict? We honor and highly respect our Veterans and appreciate their service. VETERANS SPECIAL Limited Time Off er! Special Move-in BONUS! Studio Apartments ONLY $2,995 a month! Your kind of living. The Lodge In Sisters is a welcoming, supportive, and nurturing community, where seniors and friends can live, relax, and have fun. If you move in by December 31, you can rent a studio apartment for only $2,995 per month! Contact us TODAY for more details and to set up a tour of our community! 541-588-1268 GIFT Cards & Certificates The gift that makes everyone’s dreams come true, with no returns! SHIBUI SPA AT FIVEPINE Give the Gift of Health ... a Shibui Spa gift certifi cate is the perfect way to show your loved one just how much they mean to you. 541-549-6164 | shibuispa.com FAITH HOPE & CHARITY Add some red or white wine to your holidays. Stop by our local tasting room and pick up a gift card or order one online. 541-526-5075 | faithhopeandcharityevents.com RANCHO VIEJO Give the gift of Mexico with our authentic Mexican cuisine. Get a gift card for a stocking stuffer to spice up your holidays. STITCHIN’ POST $2.99 $2.99, 1 lb. Sisters Park & Recreation District will put several pro- grams on hold in the wake of Governor Kate Brown9s announcement of a two week <freeze= to combat the spread of COVID-19. The following programs will be postponed until the statewide freeze has been lifted: " All indoor recreational youth programs including laser tag, martial arts, and cooking. " All indoor recreational adult activities including Western line dancing, SAGE Room use, indoor pickleball, and group exercise. SPRD facilities will remain closed to the pub- lic. Only approved program attendees will be allowed to access facilities upon passing a COVID-19 health screening. Under these guidelines, the preschool, Camp SPRD, and outdoor sports-based youth programs are allowed to remain open. All other SPRD programs and services are being evaluated. <I know this is hard and that we all have given up so much,= said SPRD Executive Director Jennifer Holland in an email to patrons of the dis- trict. <Thank you to everyone who continues to do their part to keep our families and com- munity safe.= 541-549-3594 | ranchoviejosistersoregon.com Pillsbury Deep Dish Pie Crusts, 2 ct. Essential Everyday Butter of pride built on inaccura- cies or half-told history. It9s time to grow up and admit the part we still play in per- petuating systemic racism. As white women, we don9t realize how we are allowing these hairline fractures to grow larger and larger. Our silence and inaction makes it so. I don9t see how we can cross the chasm between us. You believe what you believe and I do the same. Going forward, let9s focus on talking about our lives and getting to know each other better. We are family even if we don9t agree& even if we choose to be apart and go our separate ways. In the end, I will remain hope- ful that there is a way to build a bridge between us. But I will not pretend our country and its citizens are different than they are. We all have work to do& I know many folks in Sisters are having similar conversations with fam- ily members. Riding out COVID and political unrest in a small town can be a blessing or a challenge. In some ways, we9re insulated. But we9re still experienc- ing our own versions of these tough times. Facing our difficulties with open hearts and minds will help us weather the storms ahead and hopefully make the world, and our community, a better place to call home. Some SPRD programs on hold 411 E. Carpenter Lane, Sisters thelodgeinsisters.com A gift card opens up a world of options! We have fabrics, yarns, art quilting supplies, books, patterns, gifts and more! 541-549-6061 | stitchinpost.com