Opinion
A4
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
OUR VIEW
Inquiry into
allegations of
racism must
run its course
t was a disappointing end to a prep playoff
football game Nov. 5 between La Grande and
Gladstone.
La Grande won the fi rst-round playoff game
but a display between the Gladstone coach and
offi cials — that eventually developed into Glad-
stone fans entering the argument — postponed
the contest for at least fi ve minutes and led to the
visiting team walking off after the game without
shaking hands with the Tigers.
The Oregonian published a story Nov. 11
outlining allegations from Gladstone players
that members of the Tigers launched racial
slurs throughout the game. The allegations are
extremely serious and deserve the full attention
of both school districts and the Oregon School
Activities Association.
The good news, if there can be good news in
such an unseemly situation, is the school districts
involved and the OSAA appear to be addressing
the issue.
Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid a full
investigation into the allegations. Unfortunate
because a prep playoff football game should be a
place for fair, competitive play where, at the end,
both teams can shake hands and walk off the fi eld
with the knowledge they played hard.
Yet everyone — the school districts, the
OSAA, parents and players — should refrain as
much as possible from a rush to judgment.
Allegations have been made and they deserve
to be investigated. Yet, allegations are not proof.
For proof, an investigation must be conducted in
a fair and methodical manner. Essentially, offi -
cials need to get to the bottom of the allegations,
decide whether they have merit and then act
accordingly.
Acting accordingly may mean the dismissal of
some of the allegations. Acting accordingly, if the
allegations prove to be true, may result in some
type of sanction.
The important piece of this incident is a fair,
due process probe. Rushing to judgment or vil-
ifying anyone on either side — from coaches to
players to fans — isn’t going to solve anything
and likely would make the situation far worse.
We hope that the allegations prove to be
untrue. But the assertions must be followed up on
and the truth uncovered.
I
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.
LETTERS
• The Observer welcomes letters
to the editor. We edit letters for
brevity, grammar, taste and legal
reasons. We will not publish con-
sumer complaints against busi-
nesses, personal attacks against
private individuals or comments
that can incite violence. We also
discourage thank-you letters.
• Letters should be no longer than
350 words and must be signed and
carry the author’s name, address
and phone number (for verifi -
cation only). We will not publish
anonymous letters.
• Letter writers are limited to one
letter every two weeks.
• Longer community comment
columns, such as Other Views,
must be no more than 700 words.
Writers must provide a recent
headshot and a one-sentence
biography. Like letters to the
editor, columns must refrain from
complaints against businesses or
personal attacks against private
individuals. Submissions must
carry the author’s name, address
and phone number.
• Submission does not guarantee
publication, which is at the discre-
tion of the editor.
SEND LETTERS TO:
letters@lagrandeobserver.com
or via mail to Editor, 911 Jeff erson
Ave., La Grande, OR 97850
YOUR VIEWS
Veterans need our help
November includes both Veterans
Day and the Marine Corp birthday, a
busy month for the veteran commu-
nity. Typically there are ceremonies,
parades and plenty of mattress sales.
This year, in addition to all of that, I
have a request. Please help us.
I’m tired of watching my brothers
and sisters die, broken and alone. I
don’t care about your politics or your
religion. There should be nothing
here but agreement on the fact that
our veterans deserve more. We have
always been there for you. Please
consider spending 10 minutes to be
there for us. Call our representatives
and tell them you care.
Here are just a few of the most
infl uential bills:
• H.R. 147 provides transition ser-
vices for military to civilian employ-
ment; to include apprenticeships.
• H.R. 886 establishes grants and
assistance for state/local/tribal gov-
ernments to implement programs to
assist veterans charged with non-vio-
lent crimes to receive help.
• H.R. 3504 improves VA housing
and education assistance programs.
• S. 1467 directs the VA to begin
clinical trials on medical cannabis.
• S. 189 directs the VA to use
the same cost of living increase as
Social Security; ensuring disabled
veterans keep up with infl ation.
For an extensive list of proposals
and more ways you can help, visit
www.vfw.org/advocacy. (I am not
affi liated with the VFW, just a fan of
their work.)
Kelley Dolson, USN retired
La Grande
Sounds like tyranny
We applaud the Citizens of Union
County for Health and Safety for
taking a stance on COVID-19. How-
ever, one size does not fi t all. Since
our annual fl u shots aren’t 100%
eff ective, why should this vaccine
be?
Are the vaccines our govern-
ment mandating obsolete? They
were to protect us from the orig-
inal strain. How eff ective are they
now since this virus has mutated?
Why are people with vaccinations
still becoming seriously ill or having
serious side eff ects? ls it really doing
what we are led to believe? Many
unanswered questions.
Are the big pharmaceuticals
becoming rich off the backs of
Americans and the rest of the world?
What about less expensive drugs
proven to be eff ective but doctors
can’t or won’t prescribe?
Two years we have praised our
health care workers, fi rst responders,
police and military, calling them
heroes. Now they are being prose-
cuted. Threatening jobs, professions
and livelihoods because they won’t
do something they don’t believe in.
Shouldn’t they know what is best for
them?
How eff ective is wearing a mask?
Should we risk getting pneumonia,
severe headaches and sinus infec-
tions from breathing stale air? We
were taught to breathe fresh air into
our lungs and expel contaminated
air to keep our bodies healthy. Many
unanswered questions.
Wear a mask, get vaccinated, if
that is what you believe is right for
you. Let us make our own decisions.
lt is called freedom.
Our men and women in uni-
form are being told to vaccinate or
receive a dishonorable discharge.
They chose to give their lives for our
freedom. ls this how we repay them?
Workers are being told no unem-
ployment if their job is terminated
for failure to vaccinate. ls one of
them your breadwinner?
It sounds like tyranny to us, with
harsh and unusual punishment.
How much is this is a power play
by our government? This is uncon-
stitutional and we should be out-
raged by these edicts. Ultimately
down the road we will pay the price
for our government’s unscrupulous
demands.
Contrary to some letters, a great
many of us applaud Cody Bowen for
his stance on our rights, freedoms
and what we believe in.
Nathiel Conrad
and Debra Hansen
Cove
Name calling only
drives a deeper wedge
I am writing in response to a
column by Matt Henry titled “The
greatest good for the greater good”
(Oct. 21, 2021). I am disappointed
that this kind of divisive editorial
would be included in the Spiritual
Life section rather than the opinion
page.
Mr. Henry speaks of the
“uber-self-centeredness” and
“selfi shness of anti-vaxxers” and
implies that they have a death wish
for others and want to “sacrifi ce
everyone else on earth” due to “child
obstinacy.” Mr. Henry even goes
so far as to suggest that unvacci-
nated people cannot be “bona fi de
Christians.”
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Subscription rates:
Monthly Autopay ...............................$10.75
13 weeks.................................................$37.00
26 weeks.................................................$71.00
52 weeks ..............................................$135.00
What can you do for your
fellow man?
President John F. Kennedy so pro-
phetically said, “Ask not what your
country can do for you. Ask what
you can do for your country.” I can
take it further. Ask what you can do
for your friends, neighbors, family
and strangers by getting vaccinated
for COVID-19.
After a nonthreatening discussion
with my Idaho customers building
in Oregon who won’t get the shot, I
explained to them my philosophy.
I could never forgive myself if I
were unknowingly positive without
the vaccine and harmed any other
people, and worst of all, if they died
because of me.
My husband, Dan, and I are well
into the over-65 age group, and his
lungs are susceptible to problems,
so we not only protect ourselves, but
we are also protecting everyone with
whom we come into contact. We
don’t know if those in public places
indoors without masks are anti-vac-
cine people or not, so we always
wear our masks. We have stopped
going out to restaurants again,
except on rare occasions.
What can you do for your fellow
man? It’s so easy, and you don’t risk
harming others.
Terrie Biggs
La Grande
STAFF
SUBSCRIBEAND SAVE
NEWSSTAND PRICE: $1.50
You can save up to 55% off the single-copy
price with home delivery.
Call 800-781-3214 to subscribe.
A key fact that Mr. Henry ignores
is that vaccinated people can and
do get COVID-19 and spread it to
others. I also know a number of
people who have made a choice to
not get the COVID-19 vaccine. None
of these people made that choice
because they are self-centered or
selfi sh. Quite the opposite. Some
chose to not get vaccinated because
they do not feel comfortable with the
vaccine, others for personal reasons.
and many others due to their own
deeply held religious beliefs.
Calling people names because
they have a diff erent view is not
what is needed during these chal-
lenging times. Even Grande Ronde
Hospital has stated that they respect
“our employees’ right to make the
choice whether to vaccinate or not.”
Let’s tone down the rhetoric, be
kind to each other and remember
that divisive name-calling encour-
ages fear and drives a deeper wedge
in our community. I encourage Mr.
Henry to review the advice from
Jesus found in Matthew 7:1: “Do not
judge, or you too will be judged.”
Mathew Miles
La Grande
Anindependent newspaper foundedin1896
www.lagrandeobserver.com
Periodicals postage paid at Pendleton, Oregon 97801
Published Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
(except postal holidays) by EO Media Group,
911 Jefferson Ave., La Grande, OR 97850
(USPS 299-260)
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.
COPYRIGHT © 2021
Phone:
541-963-3161
Regional publisher. ...................... Karrine Brogoitti
Home delivery advisor ............... Amanda Fredrick
Interim editor ....................................Andrew Cutler
Advertising representative ..................... Kelli Craft
News clerk ........................................Lisa Lester Kelly
Advertising representative .................... Amy Horn
Reporter....................................................Dick Mason
National accounts coordinator ...... Devi Mathson
Reporter............................................Davis Carbaugh
Graphic design .................................. Dorothy Kautz
Multimedia journalist.........................Alex Wittwer
Page design .......................................... Martha Allen
Toll free (Oregon):
1-800-781-3214
Email:
news@lagrandeobserver.com
POSTMASTER
Send address changes to:
The Observer,
911 Jefferson Ave.,
La Grande, OR 97850
A division of