FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015
4 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
Opinion
— Editorial —
Those letters
to the Forest
Service …
We went back and read the letter Coun-
ty Commissioner Mark Bennett sent with
just his signature to the Forest Service,
and in general, the content is simply that
of an invitation to dialogue. It lays out
goals. No harm, no foul.
However, Bennett uses the word “co-
operation” in passing somewhere in the
middle of that letter—a word that sends
up instant red flags to open forest access
advocates everywhere.
His first letter could likely have been
overlooked if a second letter, signed
jointly by Bennett and fellow Commis-
sioner Tim Kerns, hadn’t been drafted and
sent. That letter also expresses willingness
for “cooperation.”
There’s a phrase that describes this
second letter, which Tim and Jan Kerns
penned to the Forest Service: sucking up.
We’re sure they viewed it as positive pub-
lic relations. The intensity of the backfire
it received proves otherwise.
We see no benefit gained by that le -
ter—it certainly wasn’t necessary. In
fact, it created confusion and anger as
was evident in the dozens of emails that
filled our inboxes over the past weekend,
and continue to trickle in today. It would
be easy to point fingers at the “Bennett,
Kerns thank USFS” article by The Baker
City Herald as the instigator, but aside
from the unfortunate use of another con-
fusing C-word, “collaborate,” their cover-
age seemed pretty accurate to us, based on
the content of that Kerns letter.
Baker County is in a time when much
debate exists between the terms “coop-
eration” and “coordination” in regard
to its dealings with the Forest Service.
The County is also in a time when three
commissioners, two newly elected to their
positions, have only been working to-
gether for three months and are still trying
to figure each other out as a team. And,
very importantly, we’re in a time when
the new County Commission Chair, Bill
Harvey, and Commissioner Mark Bennett,
have voiced the desire to take a step away
from the less decisive stance of the former
Board of Commissioners, of which Kerns
was part. Voters mandated that change
overwhelmingly last November.
We are not in a time during which
we need, as a County, to try making the
Forest Service feel warm fuzzies for
our leadership. We have no doubt Forest
Service management and County manage-
ment are capable of politely and profes-
sionally meeting and talking. We expect
that of them all. We don’t anticipate
they’ll always agree. We don’t expect our
elected officials to gloss over pertinent
issues inside a ludicrous praise-fest. (The
Kerns letter praises local forest manage-
ment, on Dooley Mountain for example,
where beetle kill is rampant, and fires
created by an overload of unmanaged fuel
have sterilized the soil in places.)
In our minds, if the Forest Service
doesn’t care for a few choice words from
Bill Harvey in an interview—so what?
When any two entities are on opposite
sides of an issue as contentious as the
Travel Management Plan, we expect ten-
sion. Why did the Kernses take it upon
themselves to jump in with that letter as
self-appointed damage controllers?
Kerns says he’s “confused” about how
much power the County has. A bit of
advice: When in doubt, don’t. As in, don’t
declare anything in writing on County
letterhead when you aren’t clear on the
subject at hand. It won’t turn out well.
In addition, a serious question was
raised by the letter regarding new County
consultant Andy Rieber. Harvey says her
consultation is limited to 10 hours worth
of work. Bennett says he’d never even
considered adding cooperation until he’d
read an article by Rieber. So how did
such limited interaction with one solitary
individual cause both Bennett and Kerns
to suddenly tell the Forest Service in two
separate letters they were also looking
forward to “cooperation?”
How was Rieber identified to bring on
board to begin with? Who else was con-
sidered? Who suggested her to Harvey?
Nothing personal against Ms. Rieber. We
don’t know her and she’s likely very tal-
ented. We’re even in favor of the commis-
sioners hiring expertise. But how did this
step happen exactly?
As we understand it from other experts
in this area, cooperation, used only in very
limited situations, isn’t something to even
consider until and unless the proper steps
are in place for the coordination process.
We think Mark Bennett made a mis-
take signing the Kerns letter, but do we
believe he’s suddenly turned on his own
long-standing promise and is now willing
to sign a cooperation agreement with the
USFS? No, we don’t. And if he’s some-
how being pulled between two opposing
forces, he needs to stand firm in his own
beliefs. The people will be behind him.
In the end, we shouldn’t have Harvey
sending a letter alone asking for com-
ment extensions, Bennett sending a letter
on his own, and Bennett/Kerns sending a
separate letter together. We hope our three
commissioners unite in their correspon-
dence, and continue toward coordination.
We hope they focus on building that
“strong, trustful and respectful” relation-
ship Kerns promised to the Forest Service
with the citizens of Baker County—not
placating a Federal agency.
—The Baker County Press Editorial Board
— Letters to the Editor —
Argyria is real
To the Editor:
The gift subscription I’ve been receiv-
ing has been a highlight for me each Fri-
day. A couple of weeks ago there was an
article that caught my attention regarding
the making and using of colloidal silver.
As I was reading the presentation sum-
mary of Tom Omann I could see myself
doing many years ago the exact same
things he demonstrated at the Oath Keep-
ers meeting last month. Everything inside
of me was screaming, “Nooooo! Wait!”
—until he gave his warning that colloidal
silver taken in excess may cause argyria.
I was diagnosed with Hepatitis-C over
20 yrs ago. A friend introduced me to
homemade colloidal silver (CS). His
studies and testimonials showed proof of
successful treatments ranging from cancer
to Hep-C to HIV to severe skin disorders,
and more. So, I tried it. After several
months of making my own CS, I began to
notice my liver enzyme levels were down
to normal or just above high-normal.
And, my viral loads had been radically re-
duced. Fantastic! If a little is good, more
is better—right?
After five years of consuming 3/4 ga -
Letter to the Editor Policy: The Baker
County Press reserves the right not to pub-
lish letters containing factual falsehoods or
incoherent narrative. Letters promoting or
detracting from specific for-profit business-
es will not be published. Word limit is 375
words per letter. Letters are limited to one
every other week per author. Letters should
be submitted to Editor@TheBakerCounty-
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Advertising and Opinion Page Dis-
claimer: Opinions submitted as Guest
lon per day of homemade CS, I began to
notice the discoloration in my skin and
finger nails. I ceased personal consum -
tion of CS, but the damage was done.
Being a Papa Smurf look-alike contest
winner was a certainty in my future.
Glow-in-the-dark. Walking Dead. You
name it. There is still no reversal known
for argyria, the bluish-gray discoloration
of the skin.
Although having some laser treatments
many years ago, there remains the distinct
discoloration in my skin and nails. It is
not as pronounced in the treated areas of
my head and neck, but the silver particles
have slowly spread back out. Again, not
nearly as bad as it once was. I no longer
get all of the awkward stares I was once
receiving. My liver enzyme levels are still
in the same range—normal to high-nor-
mal, although my viral load has gradually
increased.
Do I believe colloidal silver works?
Most definitely! But, be warned not to
over-indulge. You might be the next Paul
Karason or Rosemary Jacobs.
Michael Pace
North Carolina
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— Guest Opinion —
Militarization
of the Police:
not a problem
in Baker Co.
By Jerry Boyd
Special to The Baker County Press
A current hot topic of discussion
centers around the “militarization of
police” a subject that may have some
relevance in some cities and coun-
ties but which, in Eastern Oregon, I
contend has little relevance.
Yet some individuals and some
groups even here in a very conserva-
tive part of the state seem fixated on
the possibility of police militarization.
I’ve spent all of my adult life in law
enforcement, mostly full-time but also
as a current reserve office . In the
course of working for various depart-
ments in several states I have, with
each new employment, sworn to up-
hold the “Law Enforcement Officers
Code of Ethics.” Any law officer who
takes that oath seriously can never
misuse their position, their authority,
or any equipment available to them.
No professional, ethical cop will
ever do anything but protect the Con-
stitutional rights of every citizen he or
she serves.
The implied problem with “milita-
rization of law enforcement” is that
certain items of equipment and arma-
ment will, in the opinion of some, be
used to deny citizens their rights under
the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
The expressed fear most often
voiced is that cops will use their “mili-
tary” equipment to violate the Second
Amendment of the Constitution—the
right to keep and bear arms.
If I lived in one of many large cities
and counties in this country where so-
called police leaders have prostituted
themselves at the altar of political
correctness in order to serve their own
selfish purposes, I might worry about
“militarization.”
Having the honor of meeting and
working with most of the Police
Chiefs and Sheriffs in Eastern Oregon,
I have absolutely no doubt at all that
they, and the men and women who
work with them, will always uphold
and defend the Constitution of the
United States—not just part of it, but
all of it.
So what about all that military
“stuff” cops have available today?
The equipment we have is designed
to protect us, and you. There is no
more succinct way to say it than that.
It is an unfortunate fact of life in our
society today that criminals often
out-gun those of us who protect you
from them. A sidearm is no match for
Submitted Photo
Jerry Boyd, a Baker City resident
since 2003, is a retired Chief of Po-
lice with 50 years of combined (full
time and Reserve) law enforcement
experience. He holds a Master of
Science Degree from California
State University, Long Beach and is
the author of ten published books
on law enforcement/public safety
topics. He served as Director of the
Baker County Consolidated 9-1-1
Dispatch Center from 2003-2012
and currently coordinates the East-
ern Oregon Reserve Officer Train-
ing Academy.
a long gun.
If, God forbid, we ever experience
an active shooter in a school or other
public place I suspect most people
would want us to have the capability
of protecting their children or them-
selves.
History, by the way, shows that
American law enforcement has been
equipped with long guns since the first
police department in this nation was
created in Boston Massachusetts. Our
technology has improved, but what
technology hasn’t?
Some are concerned about law
enforcement having access to armored
vehicles (APCs) such as the one avail-
able to us in Eastern Oregon. The fact
is that those vehicles are defensive,
not offensive in nature.
They have no mounted weapons
and, in fact, are used to transport
people safely into and out of danger
zones. One of the most common uses
of APCs is to evacuate citizens in a
manner that keeps them safe.
Any concerns about potential misuse
of such vehicles should have been
alleviated when the newly appointed
Baker County Sheriff Travis Ash
clearly stated in a public forum that
“our vehicle here in Eastern Oregon
will never be used to violate anyone’s
constitutional rights.”
Knowing his fellow law enforce-
ment leaders in our region I think it is
fair to say he spoke for all of them.
In conclusion, I have long sub-
scribed to the saying, “It is not the
tool one should fear, but the fool who
misuses it.”
Cops in Eastern Oregon are not
fools—they are dedicated to protect-
ing you, not abusing your rights.
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Copyright © 2014
YOUR ELECTED
OFFICIALS
President Barack Obama
202.456.1414
202.456.2461 fax
Whitehouse.gov/contact
US Sen. Jeff Merkley
503.326.3386
503.326.2900 fax
Merkley.Senate.gov
US Sen. Ron Wyden
541.962.7691
Wyden.Senate.gov
US Rep. Greg Walden
541.624.2400
541.624.2402 fax
Walden.House.gov
Oregon Gov. Kate
Brown
503.378.3111
Governor.Oregon.gov
State Rep. Cliff Bentz
503.986.1460
State Sen. Ted Ferrioli
541.490.6528
Baker County
Commissioners Bill Harvey;
Mark Bennett; Tim Kerns
541.523.8200
541.523.8201