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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (June 25, 2020)
Opinion 4A Thursday, June 25, 2020 The Observer OTHER VIEWS Until Black lives matter M y husband and I have a yard sign that states, among other things, that “BLACK LIVES MATTER.” Several of our neighbors have reacted as if that must mean that other lives — “all lives” or “blue lives” — aren’t important. They’ve asked: “Don’t all lives matter?” Of course ANNE all lives matter. MORRISON LA GRANDE But in our country, the idea that Black lives matter hasn’t exactly been a given. The first enslaved Africans arrived in Jamestown in 1619, starting a slave trade that continued, in the U.S., until 1808. It’s esti- mated more than 10 million Africans were torn from their homes and families, raped, branded, traded, sold and transported to the Americas to be brutally enslaved and treated as property. In our country, that system lasted almost 250 years. Clearly the lives of Afri- cans and their descendants did not “matter” in the way white lives did. Slavery in the U.S. ended in 1865, but Southerners reacted violently to new laws, which enabled former slaves to vote and hold office. Between 1865 and 1950, an esti- mated 6,500 Black Americans were lynched — women, children, babies, but mostly men, sometimes before crowds of thousands, some- times after unimaginable torture. The people who committed lynchings were often publicly known, but rarely held accountable. That his- tory tells us that Black lives did not “matter” in the way white lives did. Millions of Black people fled the pov- erty, violence and segregation of the South to face discrimination in employment, educa- tion and housing throughout the country. Old news clips show the brutal force used, often by the police, to subdue civil rights workers in the South. (It’s telling that when author- ities dragged the lakes and rivers of central Mississippi in 1964 in the attempt to find the bodies of three civil rights workers murdered by the Klan and the police, they unexpectedly found, instead, the bodies of seven murdered Black men.) This is our heritage. And none of it suggests that our country has valued Black lives very much. For more than a decade now, Americans have watched cellphone videos of Black Americans being assaulted and murdered by the police. The fact those murders keep hap- pening, and the officers involved are so rarely held accountable, makes it difficult to believe this country really believes Black lives matter in the same way as white lives. Yes, all lives matter. Of course blue lives matter. But neither law enforcement officers nor most whites come from an older-than-the- nation-and-still-existing tradition of oppres- sion and violence that says our lives are worth less than other people’s. History and the nightly news show we have never and don’t now value Black lives as we do white lives. The assertion that Black Lives Matter hardly means that others lives don’t. Instead, it recognizes our centuries of history, where Black lives have not mattered as much as other people’s. It articulates the reality that we need for people from all backgrounds to work toward a fairer world — where Black lives are valued equally. About the Author Anne Morrison is a La Grande resident and retired attorney who has lived in Union County since 2000. MY VOICE What would a Navy Seal do at this point? I f you live in rural America, by represents a safe zone the other Navy design and by default, you have to Seals are not allowed to enter. This be tough. Carrying a gun for pro- gives the Seal trainee time to think tection often comes with that. The through an escape to freedom, and to same mantra as a Navy Seal? fight another day. Once they leave the I live in the city and rural America circle, they have 30 seconds to escape. — Austin, Texas, and La Grande. In After 10 minutes of analyzing the the city, the grocery situation, trainee one stores don’t let you in heads to door three. STEVEN without a mask. He does not get BERLEY Tired of that, I past the Seals in 30 LA GRANDE returned from Austin seconds. about a week ago. The second Refreshing to see faces because you trainee sits in the circle for an hour don’t have to wear a mask. But should analyzing every angle. He bolts for you? door one, and after 20 seconds he As I watch most without a mask cannot escape. But, before the 30 sec- onds expires, he returns to the circle. I am reminded of my many years of intrigue and research with U.S. Special Smart move. After four attempts though the class instructor says, “Great Forces and the traits it takes to be one try. You died four times.” of the toughest men in the world. In La Grande, I have been able to identify The third trainee is a burly guy (no those same traits in many people: calm, pun intended). After two hours in the tough, rugged, shoot it if it moves, circle, he is asked by the instructor respectful, and the nicest people you’ll what he plans to do. He says he is ever meet. In one word: “humble.” waiting for the Seals to get bored or fall Follow me here as I share a story asleep. The instructor says, “Good luck of those Special Forces traits, how it with that.” relates to the toughest of the tough, to Three more hours pass and the Seal COVID-19 and to Union County. instructor informs the trainee that he Three Navy Seal trainees, one by has one more hour to escape or the one, are put into a large room with a exercise will end. The Seals guarding circle in the middle. The trainee’s job the doors begin harassing and chal- lenging the trainee. Forty-five minutes is to escape the room via one of three exits. However, each exit is guarded by later, the instructor, with 15 minutes left, tells the trainee he gets a weekend two hardened Navy Seals. The circle pass if he can escape. Ah, an incentive! What does trainee three do? He does nothing. As they gather in the center of the room the instructor facing trainee three says, “Say goodbye to your former team members. Only the toughest sur- vive.” Then he turns to trainee one and trainee two and dismisses them. The moral of the story? Navy Seals are first taught to avoid danger, com- plete the mission safely, and to live another day. Since the circle repre- sented a safe zone, trainee three’s best strategy was to do nothing. Attempting to go where there is danger is a last resort move. In dealing with COVID-19 a Navy Seal weighs the risks. He real- izes injecting disinfectant and taking unproven hydroxychloroquine are both very risky. He also ignores conspiracy theories because they don’t further the mission and are a waste of energy. He knows his gun is useless too. He there- fore takes COVID-19 as a relevant and serious risk. To remain the toughest guy he knows his best strategy today is to ensure he is available another day to serve his country, his community and his family. Which means the toughest guy in town is wearing a mask. About the Author Steven Berley is a local business owner in La Grande. CONTACT 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. 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 District): D.C. office: 2182 Rayburn Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20515, 202-225-6730; fax 202-225-5774. La Grande office: 1211 Wash- ington 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 Win- ter St. NE, Suite 100, Salem OR 97301-3896; 503-378-4000. State Sen. William S. Hansell (29th District/Pendleton): Salem office: 900 Court St. NE., S-423, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986- 1729. Website: www.oregonlegislature.gov/ hansell. Email: sen.billhansell@oregonlegis- lature. 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 docu- ments and information are available online at www.leg.state.or.us. City of La Grande: Mayor Steve Clem- ents, 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 Roberts; 101 S. River St., Room 202, Enterprise, OR 97828; 541-426-4543, ext. 11; fax 541-426-0582. Elgin City Councilors: Mayor Allan Duffy, 501 N 11th St., 541-437-1016, mayor@ cityofelginor.org; Mary West, 260 N 5th Ave., 541-805-0443, councilor3@cityofelginor.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@ cityofelginor.org. La Grande City Council: Mayor Steve Clements, Gary Lillard, Nicole Howard, Cor- rine Dutto, Mary Ann Miesner, Jim Whitbeck, Justin Rock; through the city manager’s office, 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.
