Welcome
January 21
2021
3
From The Editor
I’ve struggled to find the right words
to talk about the numerous crisis facing this
country, and especially the events of the last
two weeks. It’s a confusing time, filled with
many more questions than answers.
To try and promote better conver-
sation, we’ve turned to two other publica-
tions – The Other Oregon, and High Coun-
try News, for some differing perspectives.
The commentary by Nella Mae Parks (see
below) was published well before the events
of the last two weeks, and offers a view
from rural Oregon on how we come back to-
gether as a nation. Carl Segerstrom’s piece
(see front page) provides a recent historical
perspective on the growing right-wing ex-
tremist movement and its ties to Oregon, the
Bundys, and the Malheur Wildlife Refuge
incident.
After the Trump presidency, how
do we create unity in our country without
first agreeing to some sort of accountabil-
ity? In Martin Luther King Jr.’s final book,
published before his assignation, Where Do
We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?,
and in a speech by the same title, Dr. King
pondered these same questions. “Now, we
got to get this thing right. What is needed
is a realization that power without love is
reckless and abusive, and that love without
power is sentimental and anemic. Power at
its best is love implementing the demands of
justice, and justice at its best is love correct-
ing everything that stands against love. And
this is what we must see as we move on.”
Dr. King’s words still ring true to-
day as we try to move forward.
Yes, I support Vernonia’s Voice
with this one time donation.
After a devastating year of COV-
ID, of protests, of the election, what I may
be the most tired of is hearing “I just can’t
understand…”
“I just can’t understand why some-
one would vote for that guy.”
“I just can’t understand why peo-
ple wear/don’t wear masks.”
“I just can’t understand why peo-
ple are protesting/not protesting.”
“I just can’t understand why peo-
ple believe that.”
Every time I hear someone say,
“I just can’t understand,” I think, “Is your
imagination broken?”
Imagination
Even if we are too frustrated to
listen right now, in the privacy of our own
minds, we can imagine how the world is
not the same for others as it is for us. With-
out leaving our house or our town, we can
see that our own experience in the world is
not universal and this is how others come
to different conclusions than we do.
If we are able to listen to and be-
lieve others when they talk about their
lives, we can come to understand and em-
pathize with them. We can understand why
or how someone living a different life with
different challenges and a different history
can find it so important to take to the streets
in protest or to vote for someone for whom
[ ] $75
[ ] $24
[ ] $100
[ ] $50
[ ] Other $
Receive the Voice in your mailbox twice each
month. Subscription cost covers first class
postage for one year.
Scott Laird
Editor and Publisher
[ ] $35
What We Need Now:
Bridges, Ladders, Imagination
By Nella Mae Parks
The Other Oregon
[ ] $12
we cannot; we can imagine why someone
would do the opposite of what we would
do.
I have thought a lot this year about
what it will take to narrow the divides —
both real and perceived — that we face in
our country. I have thought a lot about how
we can narrow the rural-urban divide in our
own state.
I think the only way forward is
through, and the only way through is to-
gether.
I think we need a national and per-
sonal infrastructure project of ladders
and bridges.
Bridges
What I want to see in 2021
is some good, old-fashioned bridge
building — between urban and rural;
western Oregon and eastern Oregon;
young and old; between races; be-
tween political parties. But let’s not
construct a series of “bridges to no-
where.” I want bridges from here to a
more perfect union and I want people
to start crossing them. I know we
might have to start with rope bridg-
es that sway and narrow planks that
take some guts to cross.
I know we aren’t all engi-
neers, but those of us who are called
to bridge building must. I want peo-
ple to uncover their eyes, look for the
bridges and start walking them. I un-
continued on page 12
Thank you for your support
Mail check or money order to:
Vernonia’s Voice
PO Box 55, Vernonia, OR 97064
or PayPal:
scott@vernoniasvoice.com
Name
Address
City
State
Zip
Publisher and Managing Editor
Scott Laird
503-367-0098
scott@vernoniasvoice.com
Contributors
Chip Buble
Tobie Finzel
Jamie Hamsa
Karen Miller
Nella Mae Parks
Carl Segerstrom
One year subscription
(24 issues) $35
Photography
Scott Laird
Vernonia’s Voice is published
on the 1 st and 3 rd Thursday
of each month.
Want to advertise?
Have an article?
Contact: scott@vernoniasvoice.com
Vernonia’s Voice, LLC (503) 367-0098
PO Box 55. Vernonia, OR 97064
Cedar Side Inn
Need more room?
Dine-in OUTSIDE ONLY
See us for the lowest prices GUARANTEED!
Debit/Credit now accepted
5x10 $39
10x10 $69
10x20 $99
RV Storage $149
During current COVID restrictions
11:00 am - 11:00 pm every day
Specialty Pizzas
Taco Tuesday
from opening until 9 pm
3 hardshell or 1 softshell $4.25
Outside storage available
Totally fenced and gated
Padlocks available
58605 Nehalem Hwy South • P.O. Box 292
Vernonia, Oregon 97064
(503) 429-7867
10-5 Tue-Sat
12-4 Sun
Check our Facebook page for daily specials
756 Bridge Street, Vernonia
503-429-5841