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B4 Weekend of March 7-8, 2020 The Dalles Chronicle TheDallesChronicle.com OPINION Accurate information requires public records access I F OREGON AND THE NATION needed a reminder of the impor- tance of accurate information, the outbreak of COVID-19 provided it. The spread of the novel corona- virus spawned a parallel, equally contagious flare-up of false facts, opportunistic scams and well-in- tentioned-but-woefully misguided advice on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and, in particular, the messaging system WhatsApp. Fortunately, public officials in Oregon, with the help of the media, were able to disseminate timely in- formation, even before the first coro- navirus cases were reported. Since then, journalists, health care activists and others have been requesting additional data and documents from public agencies in an effort to inform, rather than panic, the public. The health scare is an example of why in this era of disinforma- tion and divisiveness, Oregonians are nearly unanimous in their desire to have accurate information about our government, from city hall to Mahonia Hall, the official residence of the Governor of Oregon. In return for our money and trust, gov- ernment needs to make public announcements, conduct meetings in public and provide pub- lic records. Most of the time, public officials do that so well that it’s boring. But when they don’t, we Oregonians notice. And we don’t like it. In 2015, Gov. John Kitzhaber re- signed after First Lady Cylvia Hayes was accused of influence-peddling. When journalists asked for records to check her use of public time, money and resources, the governor tried to stop their release. So when Gov. Kate Brown was sworn in, she vowed to make transparency a top priority. In 2017, the first legislative session after the scandal, the legislature passed the state’s most comprehensive public records law reform since the Nixon era. A key component was the creation of the Office of the Oregon Public Records Advocate—a professional who would offer open government training, guidance and mediation across the state. Optimism was high. But it was short-lived. In September of last year, the advocate announced she was resigning over the pressure she felt to put Gov. Brown’s inter- ests above the public interest. A bill to make sure that doesn’t happen again is awaiting a vote in the legislature now. That’s not excit- ing to most people. Oregonians may not care about public records law—but they care about the results of it. And Sunshine Week, organized by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, is a good opportunity to remind everyone why every- one has a stake in government transparency. Oregonians care about their babies. They cared that unsafe day care facilities operated with im- punity — when their records were made public. Oregonians care about school This editorial commentary was provided by Open Oregon, a non-prof- it freedom of information coalition. Learn more at open-oregon.com. encourage some to be more rea- sonable to the fact that we are the product of a creator. This creator informed a Hebrew man named Moses of the fact that mankind would destroy his creation unless he intervened. This prophetic in- formation was revealed to Moses in what is commonly called the law. At first, man the animals, the plants and our entire environment were created in a state of being “very good.” Man disobeyed and a horrible curse bringing much suffering was placed on the man and woman’s biological functions. This curse would cause humans reproduction capabilities to explode beyond all animal and plant life. Mankind would consume the entire natural world about him much differently than wildlife. Also, more peculiar, is that man would produce all sorts of unman- ageable waste not only from his own body but from his consump- tion of the resources. Mankind was defiling creation. He had become unacceptable in the eyes of the creator. Instead of destroying mankind instantly it was decided that he could atone for his biological mal- functions. Moses was told that there would be six specific biological transgressions that occurred in the male and female body and these would need to be atoned for. One was for giving birth. Yes, as strange as it may seem, the creator insisted that when a woman gave birth she became unclean and was defiled in his sight. Why? She brought into the world another cre- ation destroying biological mishap. The young Hebrew woman, Mary after she gave birth to her first born son Yahshua was required to go to the temple in Jerusalem and offer two doves. The blood of these birds was to be shed instead of her blood for her guilt free transgression of giving birth to a son. A “sin” for giv- ing birth may sound offensive but the lesson is more important than finding room to curse the law. We can all “see” the destruction now since it is at our door. Man will reproduce to horrific numbers and consume all that lives on the earth and in return produce nothing but unwanted nasty waste. A miracle is needed and it will not come from our pathetic politicians. To witness the “fix” you must understand the law and what it teaches us about ourselves. Gary Fischer The Dalles children. They cared that their school plumbing could have been making kids sick, or teachers iden- tified by their coworkers as abusive were still allowed to work—when those records were made public. Oregonians care about their food. They cared when grocery stores or restaurants had been quietly violat- ing public safety standards — when those records were made public. Oregonians care about the thousands of dollars in tax money they send to Salem every year. They care when it’s wasted — when those records were made public. Oregonians care about accurate information about their govern- ment. During this election year, it’s more important than ever to de- mand anyone asking for your vote to commit to transparency. YOUR VOICE Stay on the job To the editor, Well, state Republicans did it again. All but one Republican leg- islator each in the House and in the Senate walked out of the legislature because of the revised climate cap- and-trade bill. In the past I never saw minority party members regularly pick up their marbles and go home (or in this case, elsewhere) when they didn’t like a particular piece of legislation. Oregon’s Republican legislators’ motto seems to be “it’s our way or the highway.” That’s not the way democracy in this country is supposed to work. And, amazingly, the absentees will still be paid. Imagine if you decided not to go to work; would you still get paid? Also, thanks to the absentees’ walkout, the Legislature can’t even close the legislative session early to save us taxpayers money because it doesn’t have a quorum to do so. According to the Oregonian, the upshot of the Republicans’ walkout is to halt progress on a myriad of oth- er bills, including up to $12 million in Umatilla flood recovery funds; funding for homelessness, mental health, foster children, people with disabilities, and wildfire prevention; requiring free school breakfast to be offered to more than 100,000 children; and bonding for building improvements and expansion at all of Oregon’s public universities. Bills that don’t clear both chambers by March 8 will die, and remaining bills will likely be stalled until the 2021 legislative session. The Republicans who walked out represent 36% of Oregon by population, according to the Census Bureau’s most recent estimates, from 2014 to 2019. So if state Republicans don’t like being in the minority, per- haps they should consider adopting new ideas that a larger percentage of Oregonians can support. I respect the two Republicans Rep. Cheri Helt and Sen. Tim Knopp for staying in Salem to do their job. Even if they don’t support the cap-and-trade legislation they show maturity and leadership by Sens. Merkley & Wyden, and to Rep. honoring their oath of office. Sadly, Walden. you can’t say that for Reps. Daniel Lara Dunn Bonham and Greg Smith, and Sens. Hood River Bill Hansell and Lynn Findley. Tracie Hornung Parkdale Beef up election security To the editor, It is hard to believe that our elect- ed official, Sen. Chuck Thomsen, has walked out of the State Legislature To the editor, with his Republican colleagues, Russia has already launched leaving all of Oregon at risk in covert social media campaigns many areas. There is a great deal of to attack our 2020 election, using disinformation campaigns meant to important work that has now ground divide Americans. At the same time, to a halt, including proposals to help these legislators’ own districts. last month’s Senate Intelligence Thomsen with his colleagues Committee report warned that have turned their backs on program the federal government was “not initiatives and funding for flood well-postured” to counter Russian election interference. Additionally, recovery in Umatilla County, men- cybersecurity experts warn that our tal health care, homeless shelters election infrastructure remains vul- (including our own warming shelter nerable to attempts to hack election here in Thomsen’s district), child abuse prevention and treatment, websites, voter registration rolls, search and rescue through county voting machines, and reporting sheriffs’ offices (including our S&R systems. Senator Ron Wyden, who sits on funding crisis around Mt. Hood), the Senate Intelligence Committee, wildfire management, NORCOR has said, “What we will see in terms services, climate legislation. This does not help Oregonians. of foreign interference in 2020 is We need these things. We need going to make 2016 look like small funding for initiatives that affect potatoes.” There have been multiple bipar- us all. Walking out is an action that does not keep the interests of rural tisan bills aimed at strengthening communities in mind. Who does it election security and countering foreign election interference (Safe, serve in reality? Elected officials should be Shield and Deter acts), but Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans doing their job and not blaming their walk-out on others. If, as an have repeatedly blocked these. employee, I was a no-show at work, Congress must significantly increase investments in safeguard- I would be fired. What example are ing our election security, including these walk-outs setting for our stu- upgrading voting machines, requir- dents who believe that our elected ing backup paper ballots, making representatives should do their job? contingency plans to mitigate the Fran Finney Odell damage if and when attacks occur, and conducting post-election audits to confirm that election results are valid. Every American voter deserves to To the editor, feel confident that their vote will be Our possible near future cat- counted and protected from cyber- astrophic demise was predicted attacks. Please keep up the demand 3,500 years ago right in the good old to beef up US election security, in Hebrew Scriptures (the Bible). This information should repeated calls and letters to our Defiling creation Chelsea Marr/Publisher • 541-296-2141 Ext. 119 cmarr@thedalleschronicle.com CeCe Fix/Business Manager • 541-296-2141 Ext. 110 cfix@thedalleschronicle.com Tanya Lindsey/Circulation Manager • 541-296-2141 Ext. 108 tlindsey@thedalleschronicle.com Mark Gibson/News Editor • 541-296-2141 Ext. 107 mgibson@thedalleschronicle.com • Established 1890 • Ray Rodriguez/Sports Editor • 541-296-2141 Ext. 105 541-296-2141 rrodriguez@thedalleschronicle.com 811 East Second, The Dalles, OR 97058 A member of Eagle Newspapers, Inc. Joe Petshow, President Neita Cecil/Reporter • 541-296-2141 Ext. 115 © 2018 The Dalles Chronicle All rights reserved Senator Thomsen: Stay on the job ncecil@thedalleschronicle.com The Dalles Chronicle is published Wednesday and Satur- day except: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. 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