Opinion
4A
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
OUR VIEW
Caution,
common sense
can reduce
wildfi re risk
O
ne blaze is already burning and the
summer outlook for wildfi res is not
looking any better with the passage of
time.
While lightning is the chief culprit in most
forest fi res in Eastern Oregon — and no one can
do much about Mother Nature — that does not
take the public off the hook regarding caution and
using common sense when out in the woods this
summer.
We live in an area that beckons with out-
standing recreational opportunities. Just look in
any direction from the Grande Ronde Valley and
there are places that off er great outdoor venues.
Drive less than an hour south into Baker County,
or venture northward into Wallowa County, and
one will fi nd even more recreational prospects.
Those exceptional outdoor locations, though,
are always at risk in the summer of becoming
tinderboxes and igniting. Last year, portions of
Western and Southern Oregon were traumatized
and scorched by out-of-control wildfi res that left
a deadly wake. Towns were burned and people
died. We do not want to see that kind of scenario
play out here.
That means, then, those who wish to play in
our forests and enjoy camping and other recre-
ational opportunities must pay attention and use
caution as the watchword.
The wildfi re danger is always there, but this
year, with drought haunting most of the West, the
risk is greater. That means forests and grasslands
are potentially going to be drier than normal.
Safeguarding our public forests and lands
during the summer months is not diffi cult. Key
tips can make a huge diff erence. For example,
campers and those heading into the woods to
recreate should ensure they check their vehicles
and generators and confi rm they function. When
pulling a trailer into a camping spot, make sure
safety chains and other equipment are not going
to drag on the road and possibly cause sparks.
Campfi res should be small and contained with
either rocks or a metal ring. Campers should also
be careful to pick the right spot for a campfi re.
Keep campfi res away from tents, trees and dry
grass. And always makes sure the campfi re is out
before you depart for home.
Those are simple and easy steps to ensure the
things we enjoy the most about our area remain
viable and as pristine as possible throughout the
summer.
We cannot control Mother Nature and light-
ning strikes are part of the summer, but we can
do a lot to minimize risks caused by humans.
EDITORIALS
Unsigned editorials are the
opinion of The Observer editorial
board. Other columns, letters and
cartoons on this page express the
opinions of the authors and not
necessarily that of The Observer.
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YOUR VIEWS
Honor sacrifi ces and
service of veterans on
Flag Day
On Flag Day, June 14, we com-
memorate the adoption of the Amer-
ican fl ag. For more than 200 years,
Old Glory has served as a symbol of
our nation’s freedom and as a source
of pride for our citizens. In patriotic
parades and musical salutes, we sup-
port our local military and recog-
nize the signifi cance of the Stars and
Stripes.
Flag Day is also a time to honor
our nation’s veterans who have will-
ingly served to protect the fl ag and
the ideals it represents. With each
ceremonial fold of the fl ag, we rec-
ognize the principles on which our
country was founded: liberty, unity,
justice and sacrifi ce.
On Flag Day, join me and more
than three-quarters of a million
American Legion Auxiliary mem-
bers across the nation as we honor
our service members and refl ect on
their commitment to our country.
A Flag Retirement Ceremony will
take place at the VFW High Valley
Post 4060 in Union, with the VFW
and the La Grande American Legion
Post 43 working as a team. The cer-
emony begins at 10 a.m. June 14 at
518 N. Main St., Union.
Whether you are a veteran, the
loved one of a service member or
a patriotic citizen, there are many
ways to honor local heroes, such as
visiting veterans’ homes, assisting
with recognition ceremonies, col-
lecting personal memories and
photos from veterans to create keep-
sake journals or simply fl ying the
U.S. fl ag in tribute to their sacrifi ce.
As you wave the fl ag on June 14,
remember that showing your grati-
tude for veterans does not have to be
limited to Flag Day, Memorial Day
or Veterans Day. Throughout the
year, join the American Legion Aux-
iliary in serving veterans, military
and their families who have sacri-
fi ced for our freedom.
The American Legion Auxil-
iary is a community of volunteers
serving veterans, military, and their
families. To learn more visit www.
ALAforVeterans.org.
Kathi Karnowski
President, American Legion
Auxiliary Unit 43, La Grande
GRH Hospice volunteers
surprised by closure
For the past 14 years I have been
affi liated as a volunteer with the
Grande Ronde Hospital Hospice
and No One Dies Alone programs
to help meet the needs of dying per-
sons, their friends and families.
These programs have brought dig-
nity and respect to countless persons
since the 1980s.
So it was with astonishment that
I, and other volunteers, read about
the closure of the Grande Ronde
Hospital Hospice program (Worker
shortage forces closure of Grande
Ronde hospice program, Tuesday,
June 1). There was no prior contact
from GRHH sharing the news and
perhaps thanking us for years of vol-
unteer service.
Nothing.
Volunteers are the unsung heroes
of hospice programs. You will fi nd
them sitting with patients so family
members can take a much-needed
break, reading a favorite book out
loud or watching a video. More than
that, there are deeper moments when
a volunteer may listen to questions
about the meaning of life and death.
No One Dies Alone is just that.
Before this closure, GRH Hos-
pice patients could be assured they
would not die alone in isolation. My
favorite three-hour shift was late at
night. During this time we provided
no medical care, but we sat vigil in
the last hours of life as this person
traveled on. No family and friends
nearby — we NODA volunteers
were there. When NODA volunteers
were called, no one died alone.
Again, I say: Did we volunteers
not deserve personal communication
about the program closing and not
have to be startled and saddened by
reading about it in the newspaper?
Cheryl Simpson
La Grande
Lack of Christian
work ethic at root of
labor shortage
Recently, I heard of a worker
shortage. A trip to La Grande
showed evidence with many off ers
to hire. An online visit to the U.S.
Department of Labor confi rmed
that, as of March, our nation is short
about 8 million workers.
Some of the excuses for not
earning jobs are the lack of child are,
people wanting their old jobs back,
the demand for jobs higher up the
chain and, fi nally, if the government
is paying me not to work, or more
than I would be working, why should
I get a job?
Here is where God comes in.
Religion was, in fact, so important to
George Washington that during his
farewell address from presidency he
said, “Of all dispositions and habits
which lead to political prosperity,
religion and morality are indispens-
able supports. And let us with cau-
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What is fair for the
goose should be fair for
the gander
My life psychology has always
been “plant a seed or perspective
and then watch to see how it grows.”
I personally believe a state policy
and/or regulation should be posi-
tive for all concerned — both rural
and urban. Let’s stop and look at
the topic of predator controls from a
broad sense.
One only has to review past
statewide votes to observe who
is supporting policy for intro-
ducing wolves back into our state. I
remember a statewide vote to protect
bears and cougars. Where did that
support come from? Now I wonder
how the urban folks would vote for
bears, cougars and wolves being
reintroduced in their backyards?
Statewide legislation and regu-
lations aff ect all Oregonians, right?
Therefore, shouldn’t those wild crea-
tures be released evenly statewide?
Yes, a really wild (pardon the pun)
idea but what is fair for the goose
should be fair for the gander. There
are many semi-rural areas in the I-5
corridor that would be ideal for all
three species. After all, years ago
they roamed all across the land that
now is the state of Oregon.
Ken Parsons
La Grande
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tion indulge the supposition that
morality can be maintained without
religion.”
Also, 50 of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence were
Christians. Perhaps we should return
to Christian beliefs, such as good
ethics and labor. Here is a Protestant
work ethic (paraphrased from “What
if Jesus Had Never Been Born?”
by D. James Kennedy and Jerry
Newcombe):
1. We do not worry.
2. We have help from God.
3. We have wisdom from God.
4. We are given power to
persevere.
5. Whatever we do is for the glory
of God.
Furthermore, “If anyone is not
willing to work, he will not eat.”
While this can be interpreted
harshly, think about it: If too many
people do not work, eventually
their fi nances or the government’s
fi nances will run out, thus pro-
voking economic shutdown and even
famine.
In Christianity, honor is in all
work, because we work for the glory
of the Lord.
Noah Platz
Union
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