Opinion
4A
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
The Observer
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
Please, think
before you post
S
ocial media has been something of a boon for
many of us during the coronavirus outbreak.
In our efforts to stay home and save lives,
Facebook and other platforms have helped us, well, be
social.
We’re sharing our pictures, listing our favorite
movies, making each other guess about which jobs we
didn’t work.
I asked friends to share photos on my Facebook
page. The response was a bit stunning — 86 com-
ments. It was enjoyable. I even awarded points.
Sunday, I posted this to my Facebook page: “Finish
the simile: I’m social distancing like …”
One friend
replied with
PHIL WRIGHT
“Wilson in ‘Cast-
OBSERVER EDITOR
away.’” Another
ended the line
with “Howard Hughes.”
But last week also revealed the dark side of the
power of social media, and locals and a La Grande
business are paying for it through no fault of their
own.
First off, I’m not naming the business or others
involved. That is a step outside how I usually write
about anything I report on. But this isn’t a news
article, and the players are not the point.
The gist is a local person heard that someone asso-
ciated with a La Grande businesses was in contact
with someone who had COVID-19. The business con-
tinued to operate, and the person who heard the rumor
took to Facebook and let their family, friends and fol-
lowers there know about it.
The problem was, none of it was true.
Still, others shared that post. According to com-
ments on the person’s Facebook page, more than 40
people shared it. And no telling how far the rumor
went from there.
The person took to Facebook again Friday to try
and clear up the mess, admitting to causing “a mas-
sive chain reaction that has negative consequences for
many involved” and to deleting the original post.
The person apologized “for posting confusing
information which lead to people freaking out even
more.” The person explained fear was behind the
reason for making the original post.
“The chain reaction has been nuts and I apologize
for adding to any additional stress we are already
under,” the person concluded. “Please share.”
So far, just 10 people have passed on the apology.
Yes, this is a scary time, but that is all the more
reason not to post out of panic and ignorance. What
this person did is the equivalent of yelling “fire” in a
crowded movie house when there was no fire.
Perhaps the person who made this fear post will
take a hit to their reputation. The person who was the
subject of the post sure could be feeling that. Fear may
have driven customers from the business, so it could
sustain real economic damage. One of the comments
on the apology asked how many customers the busi-
ness could lose.
And the rumor did not contain itself to Facebook,
jumping beyond the walls of the internet. How ironic
a rumor about a virus can behave like a virus.
Taking a moment to think about what we post,
asking someone to read something that could be
inflammatory, are the least any of us can do. The sen-
sible thing is to just fact check.
And don’t post even when you have it on the word
of an “authority” or someone “in the know.” Anyone
who is an actual authority already has the megaphone
to speak to the public. If that person in the know is not
issuing a statement, someone does not need to act as
their mouthpiece.
Organizations and individuals at all levels, from
the Ad Council to Oregon Gov. Kate Brown to local
public safety bosses are reminding us we are in this
together. Yelling “COVID-19 over here” without merit
is a quick way to undermine that unity.
Your views
B2H — Quality of
our parks, roads and
resources should not be
for sale
I would like to share some plans
for the Boardman to Hemingway
Transmission Line that directly
impact citizens of Union County:
The developer would not have
to comply with the Department
of Environmental Quality max-
imum standards for noise. If you
live within half a mile of the line,
you will experience noise from it,
and many will be above Department
of Environmental Quality safety
standards.
Idaho Power would be required
to post a bond in the amount of $1
for 50 years. This bond is supposed
to protect landowners, citizens,
electric customers and taxpayers
from being stuck with the costs of
removing the transmission line.
The developer can use the
Morgan Lake Road without doing
the upgrades requested by the city
of La Grande. Instead, they will
complete a “Traffic Control Plan”
with the Union County Planning
Department. This plan will deny
residents and citizens, who paid for
these roads, the use of them during
times the developer’s heavy trucks
and equipment would be using
them. This plan will allow Idaho
Power to avoid making the upgrades
to roads to accommodate their vehi-
cles. This “plan” will apply to all
county roads, and involves no cit-
izen input even though we paid
for the roads and rely upon them
to access local parks, our homes,
schools, churches, etc.
The city manager of La Grande
has agreed to accept $100,000 in
payment for the damage to the
views from Morgan Lake Park.
Once again, this “agreement” was
made absent any input from the cit-
izens who paid for the park and use
it.
The citizens of Union County
paid for the resources that are being
damaged. Agreements to “sell” the
quality of our parks, roads, and
resources need to stop being made
in secret.
It is time to demand protection
for our quality of life.
Irene Gilbert
La Grande
Rasmussen’s
qualifications are
unmatched
It is with great enthusiasm that
I write this letter to support the
re-election of Boyd Rasmussen for
Union County Sheriff. Boyd’s love
for Eastern Oregon, his under-
standing of what makes Union
County unique, his work ethic
and his leadership abilities are
unmatched.
Boyd has deep and strong roots
here in Eastern Oregon. He was
born and raised in this amazing
valley and graduated from EOU. I
too, a lifelong resident and friend
of Boyd’s, am impressed with his
wisdom, fierce work ethic and ded-
ication to his role as sheriff. Boyd
has remained that same outgoing,
respectful and hardworking person
all these years. I have also watched
him apply his leadership abili-
ties in his professional life as the
Union County Sheriff since 2005.
In doing so he has built a highly
productive and trustworthy sher-
iff’s department.
As Boyd chose law enforcement
for his career path, I chose to work
in the counseling field with teen-
agers in trouble with the law. Over
the years we’ve had great con-
versations about juvenile justice.
I am grateful for Boyd’s positive
approach to improving the lives
of youth in our communities and
most of all for making decisions
that keep our schools and chil-
dren safe. He is a strong advocate
for having officers in our school
systems and believes in building
positive relationships with youth
in the community. He also enjoys
being involved in activities such
as coaching Optimist football and
in community projects with his
family.
It has never been more
important for Eastern Oregon to
have a sheriff at the helm with the
wisdom and grit to defend the lib-
erties that make Eastern Oregon
great. Boyd has what it takes and
will continue to stand up for and
promote the freedoms we hold
very dear here in Eastern Oregon.
Cassie Miller
Union
CONTACT YOUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS
President Donald Trump: The White
House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Wash-
ington, 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. office:
313 Hart Senate Office Building, U.S.
Senate, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-
224-3753; fax 202-228-3997. Portland
office: One World Trade Center, 121 S.W.
Salmon St. Suite 1250, Portland, OR
97204; 503-326-3386; fax 503-326-2900.
Pendleton office: 310 S.E. Second St.
Suite 105, Pendleton 97801; 541-278-
1129; merkley.senate.gov.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden: D.C. office:
221 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-5244;
fax 202-228-2717. La Grande office: 105
Fir St., No. 210, La Grande, OR 97850;
541-962-7691; fax, 541-963-0885; wyden.
senate.gov.
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (2nd Dis-
trict): D.C. office: 2182 Rayburn Office
Building, Washington, D.C., 20515, 202-
225-6730; fax 202-225-5774. La Grande
office: 1211 Washington Ave., La Grande,
OR 97850; 541-624-2400, fax, 541-624-
2402; walden.house.gov.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown: 254
State Capitol, Salem, OR 97310; 503-
378-3111; www.governor.oregon.gov.
Oregon State Treasurer Tobias
Read: oregon.treasurer@ost.state.
or.us; 350 Winter St. NE, Suite 100, Sa-
lem OR 97301-3896; 503-378-4000.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen F.
Rosenblum: Justice Building, Salem,
OR 97301-4096; 503-378-4400.
State Sen. William S. Hansell (29th
District/Pendleton): Salem office: 900
Court St. NE., S-423, Salem, OR 97301;
503-986-1729. Website: www.oregonleg-
islature.gov/ hansell. Email: sen.billhan-
sell@oregonlegislature. gov.
State Rep. Greg Barreto (58th
District/ Cove): Salem office: 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 office: 900 Court St. NE.,
H-482, Salem, OR, 97301; 503-986-1457.
Heppner office: P.O. Box 219, Heppner,
OR 97836; 541-676-5154; Website: www.
oregonlegislature.gov/smithg. Email: rep.
gregsmith@oregonlegislature.gov.
Oregon Legislature: Legislative
documents and information are available
online at www.leg.state.or.us.
City of La Grande: Mayor Steve Cle-
ments, City Manager Robert Strope; P.O.
Box 670, La Grande, OR 97850; 541-962-
1309; fax 541-963-3333.
Union County Commissioners:
Donna Beverage, Matt Scarfo and Paul
Anderes; 1106 K Ave., La Grande, OR
97850; 541-963-1001; fax 541-963-1079.
Wallowa County Commissioners:
John Hillock,Todd Nash and Susan Rob-
erts; 101 S. River St., Room 202, Enter-
prise, OR 97828; 541-426-4543, ext. 11; fax
541-426-0582.
Elgin City Councilors: Mayor Allan
Duffy, 501 N 11th St., 541-437-1016, may-
or@cityofelginor.org; Mary West, 260 N
5th Ave., 541-805-0443, councilor3@city-
ofelginor.org; Kathy Warren, PO Box 697,
541-786-9611, councilor6@cityofelginor.
org; Risa Hallgarth, PO Box 525, 541-437-
9462, councilor2@cityofelginor.org; Rocky
Burgess, 800 N 14th St., P.O. Box 854, 541-
786-2417, councilor1@cityofelginor.org;
David Reed, 1011 Detroit St., PO Box 368;
541-975-3306, councilor4@cityofelginor.
org; Ryan Martin, councilor5@cityofelgi-
nor.org.
La Grande City Council: Mayor
Steve Clements, Gary Lillard, Nicole How-
ard, Corrine Dutto, Mary Ann Miesner,
Jim Whitbeck, Justin Rock; through the
city manager’s offi ce, 541-962-1309.
City of Cove: Mayor Del Little, (503)-
508-6727, 504 Alder St., P.O. Box 8, Cove,
OR 97824; City Recorder Donna Lewis,
(541) 568-4566.