Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 2019)
4A MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2019 The Observer OUR VIEW Ballot security will be the issue More than 400 Oregonians, all of them living overseas, will have the opportunity to take part in a voting experiment this November. They’re legal resi- dents of Jackson and Umatilla counties, and they’ll be able to use their smartphones to vote back home. Theirs is the latest in a series of experiments in mobile voting fi nanced, at least in part, by Tusk Philanthropies. Tusk offi cials believe mobile voting can improve voter participation and improve election security in the process. Notices about the smartphone system have been sent to about 400 voters with legal residence in southern Oregon’s Jackson County and another 63 with residence in Eastern Oregon’s Umatilla County. All are registered voters living overseas. Participation will be voluntary, and those who opt out will be mailed absentee ballots as usual. If, however, they choose to take part, they’ll down- load an application called Voatz that uses encryption and blockchain technology to keep ballots secure. The system works only on relatively new smart- phones, which include a variety of enhanced security features, including biometric features. It’s the latest in a series of pilot projects Tusk and Voatz have col- laborated on. Ballot security is, naturally, a major question about the process. Blockchain is a decentralized system in terms of security and storage that makes election tampering diffi cult to impossible. In some ways, it works like Google’s documents program that allows the individual who creates a document to decide who can see it. The creator can see whatever changes anyone else has made. Clearly, smartphone voting won’t be for everyone. That said, it may well persuade young adults to vote in ways going to the polls or even mailing in bal- lots have not, and that’s not a bad thing. The key to its success, however, remains in the hands of those charged with keeping the process secure. MY VOICE What progressives really ‘exalt’ in C hris Woodworth responded to my challenges to his On the Fence (The Observer, Aug. 23) defi ning a “fair and just” society with a My Voice (The Observer, Sept 4). His male chauvinism is glaringly apparent by his frequent references to me as “Mary” rather than “McCracken.” What better window into Woodworth’s disrespect for women? Woodworth insinuates I misin- terpreted him regarding American babies lacking unequal opportunity at birth. He says, “of course some are born smarter, more athletically gifted, more musically inclined.…” But my examples of inequality at birth were based on economics, gender and race, which Woodworth doesn’t touch on. Woodworth can’t admit that by being born a white male into a nuclear family of means paved the way to his outcome as a trauma surgeon. In his fi rst article, he notes that women are underrepre- sented as surgeons, insinuating that females inherently possess lesser merit. In his time, acceptance into medical school was strongly gender-biased not merit-based. Yet Woodworth claims that merit should be the sole basis for opportuni- ties leading to successful outcomes. In his My Voice piece, Woodworth changed the issue from “equal oppor- tunity vs. outcome” to “equal justice vs. outcome” and says everyone in America is treated with equal justice and thus everyone is responsible for their own outcomes. However, he believes a child born to a low-income single mother About the author Mary McCracken is a resident of Island City. My Voice columns should be 500 -700 words. Submissions should include a portrait-type photograph of the author. Authors also should include their full name, age, occupation and relevant organizational memberships. We edit submissions for brevity, grammar, taste and legal reasons. We reject those published elsewhere. Send columns to La Grande Observer, 1406 5th St., La Grande 97850, fax them to 541- 963-7804 or email them to news@ lagrandeobserver.com. does not warrant governmental help because of his mother’s “mistake.” How does that jive with equal value of life at conception? How about equal opportu- nity? U.S. mass incarceration accounts for more than $81 billion per year, which is more than $250 per U.S fam- ily. Now let’s examine America’s equal justice under the law. Look at our prison system. Our per capita incarceration far exceeds all other countries on earth. Don’t blame the pris- oners. It’s systemic. Most prisoners end up in jail because they are poor, dark skinned, poorly educated, raised with little guidance or can’t make bail and are awaiting trial. That population gets jailed for petty nonviolent crimes of little threat to society. Meanwhile, powerful criminals avoid jail for bringing down entire economies, waging illegal wars, polluting the planet, extracting public natural resources for private gain and assassinating political enemies. Addi- tionally, our prisons are mostly for profi t. Profi t for the wealthy. Equal justice? Woodworth’s overarching labeling and stereotyping of people attests to his disrespect for those whose ideas differ from his. He starts by broadly slam- ming progressives under the guise of complimenting me. Later he accuses progressives of “exalting sexual freedom over personal responsibility.” In reality, progressives are folks who believe ev- eryone deserves a fair shot at a decent, fulfi lling and economically secure life. They believe that everyone should do his or her fair share to build this life through education and hard work and through active participation in public life and that everyone should play by the same set of rules. The central progressive message is one of fairness and equality with no special privileges for the well-connected or wealthy. A local progressive group meets the last Thursday of every month in the basement of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1001 O Ave., La Grande, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Socializing and enjoying snacks begins at 6 p.m. Every- one is invited to see what progressives really “exalt” in. YOUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS President Donald Trump: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. 20500; 202-456-1414; fax 202-456-2461; to send comments, go to www.whitehouse.gov/contact. U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley: D.C. offi ce: 313 Hart Senate Offi ce Building, Washington, D.C. 20510. Phone: 202- 224-3753. Fax: 202-228-3997. Website: merkley.senate.gov/. Email: merkley. senate.gov/contact/. Portland offi ce: One World Trade Center, 121 S.W. Salmon St. Suite 1250, Portland, OR 97204; 503-326-3386; fax 503-326-2900. Pendleton offi ce: 310 S.E. Second St. Suite 105, Pendleton 97801; 541-278- 1129; email elizabeth_scheeler@ merkley.senate.gov. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden: D.C. offi ce: 221 Dirksen Senate Offi ce Building, Washington, D.C. 20510-3703; phone: 202-224-5244; fax 202-228-2717. Website: wyden.senate.gov. Email: wyden.senate. gov/contact/. La Grande offi ce: 105 Fir St., No. 210, La Grande, OR 97850; 541-962-7691; fax, 541-963-0885; email kathleen_cathey@wyden.senate.gov. U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (2nd District): D.C. offi ce: 2185 Rayburn House Offi ce Building, Washington, D.C. 20515-0001, 202-225-6730; fax 202- 225-5774. Website: walden.house.gov/. Email: walden.house.gov/e-mail-greg. La Grande offi ce: 1211 Washington Ave., La Grande, OR 97850; 541-624-2400, email jorden.noyes@mail.house.gov. U.S. Department of Justice: Main switchboard, 202-504-2000; comment line, 202-353-1555. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown: 900 Court St. N.E., Salem, OR 97301; 503- 378-4582. Oregon Secretary of State Bev Clarno: 136 State Capitol. Salem OR 97310-0722; 503-986-1523. Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Reed: 350 Winter St. N.E., Suite 100, Salem, OR 97301-3896; 503-378-4329. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum: Justice Building, Salem, OR 97301-4096; 503-378-4400. State Sen. William S. Hansell (29th District/Pendleton): Salem offi ce: 900 Court St. NE., S-423, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-1729. Website: www. oregonlegislature.gov/hansell. Email: sen.billhansell@oregonlegislature.gov. State Rep. Greg Barreto (58th District/Cove): Salem offi ce: 900 Court St. NE., H-384, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-1458. Website: www. oregonlegislature.gov/barreto. Email: rep.gregbarreto@oregonlegislature.gov. State Rep. Greg Smith (57th District): Salem offi ce: 900 Court St. NE., H-482, Salem, OR, 97301; 503-986-1457. Heppner offi ce: P.O. Box 219, Heppner, OR 97836; 541-676-5154; Website: www. oregonlegislature.gov/smithg. Email: SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION STAFF Phone: SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE NEWSSTAND PRICE: $1.50 You can save up to 34% off the single-copy price with home delivery. Call 541-963-3161 to subscribe. Stopped account balances less than $5 will be refunded upon request. Subscription rates per month: By carrier...............................................$11.80 By mail, all other U.S. .............................. $15 A division of com; Jay Blackburn, jayblackburn@ cityofunion.com; Walt Brookshire, walt- brookshire@cityofunion.com. City of Cove: Mayor Del Little, (503)- 508-6727 504 Alder Street P.O. Box 8 Cove, OR 97824 City Manager Donna Lewis, (541) 568-4566. Union County Commis sioners: Donna Beverage, Steve McClure, Jack Howard; 1106 K Ave., La Grande, OR 97850; 541-963-1001; fax 541-963-1079. Wallowa County Commissioners: Paul Castilleja, Todd Nash, Susan Roberts; 101 S. River St., Room 202, Enterprise, OR 97828; 541- 426-4543, ext. 11; fax 541-426-0582. Joseph City Councilors: Mayor Teresa Sajonia; Martin Hamilton; Pearl Strum; Tanya Collier; Michael J Lockhart; Patty Bufford 541-432-3832; P.O. Box 15, Joseph, Oregon 97846; 201 North Main St.; cityofjosephoregon@ gmail.com. rep.gregsmith@oregonlegislature.gov. City of La Grande: Mayor Steve Clements, City Manager Robert Strope; P.O. Box 670, La Grande, OR 97850; 541-962-1309; fax 541-963-3333. La Grande City Councilors: Mayor Steve Clements, Gary Lillard, Nicole Howard, Corrine Dutto, Mary Ann Miesner, Jim Whitbeck, Justin Rock; through the City Manager’s offi ce, 541- 962-1309. Imbler City Councilors: Mayor Mike McLean, Corrine Wilfong, Herman Ort- mann, Mark Howell, Rick Vicek, Joan Harding, Jason Berglund; 180 Ruckman Ave.; P.O. Box 40, Imbler OR 97841; 541-534-6095. Union City Councilors: Mayor Leonard Flint, LeonardFlint@cityofu- nion.com; John Farmer, johnfarmer@ cityofunion.com; Leslie McMillan; Sue Hawkins, susanhawkins@cityofunion. com; Matt Later, mattlater@cityofunion. 541-963-3161 An independent newspaper founded in 1896 (USPS 299-260) The Observer reserves the right to adjust subscription rates by giving prepaid and mail subscribers 30 days notice. Periodicals postage paid at La Grande, Oregon 97850. Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (except Dec. 25) by EO Media Group, 1406 Fifth St., La Grande, OR 97850 (USPS 299-260) COPYRIGHT © 2019 THE OBSERVER The Observer retains ownership and copyright protection of all staff-prepared news copy, advertising copy, photos and news or ad illustrations. They may not be reproduced without explicit prior approval. Toll free (Oregon): 1-800-422-3110 Fax: 541-963-7804 Email: news@lagrandeobserver.com Website: www.lagrandeobserver.com Street address: 1406 Fifth St., La Grande POSTMASTER Send address changes to: The Observer, 1406 Fifth St., La Grande, OR 97850 Periodicals postage paid at: La Grande, Oregon 97850 Publisher........................................Karrine Brogoitti Home delivery advisor.................Amanda Fredrick Regional circulation director ....................Kelli Craft Customer service rep ......................... Mollie Lynch News clerk....................................Lisa Lester Kelly Advertising representative...............Juli Bloodgood Sports editor .......................................Ronald Bond Advertising representative...................... Amy Horn Reporter................................................Dick Mason Graphic design supervisor................Dorothy Kautz Reporter....................................Sabrina Thompson Graphic design ..............................Cheryl Christian Classifieds ........................................ Devi Mathson Chris Rush, Regional Publisher
