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About Columbia Gorge news. (The Dalles, OR) 2020-current | View Entire Issue (March 3, 2021)
WORD Continued from page 4 times the slots are already filled. The Biden administration has sensibly loosened the rules for who can be a vaccinator, allowing nurs- es, doctors and PAs with a medical license in good standing within the last five years to become a vacci- nator even if their licenses are no longer active. There are many ways to help in this effort including office work, answering phones, directing traffic, welcoming people, drawing up medication as well as giving the actual shots. This is a national effort that can help bring us all together for the common good. Let’s unite against this common foe — let’s get ‘er done! Sarah Bellinson Hood River Shameful When I go to work on a nice day, I watch as the school kids stop playing together and are told to line up but be 6 feet apart. Doesn’t matter that they were just playing together seconds ago. They are all wearing masks and are re- quired to use hand sanitizer before entering the school. I was overhearing a teacher talking to one of my high schoolers about what school is going to look like when they are able to go back to in person learning. She explained that you will be re- quired to use masks at all times, stay 6 feet apart, and have no physical contact with friends or teachers. One of my teenagers in taking shop class over the internet. That makes perfect sense in the world we live in now. I know a high schooler that hasn’t had physical contact with his parents since last March even though they live in the same house. They make him wear a mask at all times in the house unless he is eating, taking a shower, etc. I worked in a prison many years ago and the more I hear and see how our kids are being treated, I realize that prison would be a better place for them than this environ- ment we continue to let prosper. I’m beginning to wonder how many people truly care about the psychological damage that is being done to millions of kids. The survival rate for most of so- ciety is very high but we are acting like our kids should be in bubbles with feeding tubes and VR headsets Wednesday,March3,2021 Columbia Gorge News www.columbiagorgenews.com attached to them until the unelect- ed Fauci says it is OK. When is the last time you have seen anyone in public hug or shake hands? Our society becomes feared in seconds these days thanks to the media and the hemming and hawing “experts” they put in the spotlight. Fear and reason are like oil and water. Doug Geary Hood River substantial risk from kids sharing COVID. Parents are closer to their children than teachers ergo at even greater risk of contracting COVID if schools re-open. There is substantial CDC concern that COVID variants are more trans- missible and continue to emerge and evolve, perhaps to become seasonal like flu. Without reducing transmission, a more lethal variant could emerge killing more than the current 2.5 million people. Opening schools when we are so close to protection is like jumping The upcoming sale of SDS will from an airliner because it was go- have major impact across five counties. ing to land soon anyway. Compare Please be aware that all assets infections when we locked down to of SDS Lumber Company, based now. Tiny fraction. Same protection in Bingen and White Salmon, are though: None. So how can you jus- being put up for sale this spring. tify opening when we are so close? SDS owns about 90,000 acres of Pressure to open has a politi- timberland in five counties in the cal component. Controlling the central Gorge, plus the land where virus is in the domain of science. the White Salmon grocery and “Political Science” is an oxymo- library are located. ron. Don’t cave to virus-enabling However this sale proceeds, it will constituencies. have major impacts on this entire Staying closed won’t make any area. Please visit the Friends of the school board heroes, but a su- White Salmon website (friendsoft- per-spreader emergence will result hewhitesalmon.org) for an excellent in plenty of villains. Everybody will summary of the issues, maps of SDS know who caused local families’ sickness and death. holdings, and a discussion forum John Wood where you may post comments and Hood River concerns. The communities which will be impacted need to make their concerns and wishes known. Marion Fox White Salmon I see the Biden/Harris adminis- tration has gone all-in for the rad- ical LGBTQ agenda. It’s not a real surprise, but it is disappointing. Men have been dressing like These are my responses to a Hood River County School District women and using women’s toilets for decades, probably centuries, survey. without causing any particular Vaccinations are projected to be problems. Some do it because they available by June 1 in Oregon. School-by-computer has worked genuinely feel more comfortable there. Some do it because they get a so well we should continue until whole families are protected from a sexual thrill from violating a wom- new vector: their own kids. en’s space that way. CDL must remain a viable option. Personally, I don’t especially care Families should have a choice if as long as they’re discreet about it, schools are to open. Too hard? Then and once they’ve made the ultimate stay closed. Children don’t want to surgical sacrifice, I don’t care where infect their parents or grandpar- they go. What I DO care about and DO ents. And we don’t want it either. think crosses the line is when bio- Remember it’s only a few more weeks. logical males insist on intruding on Opening up schools pre-vacci- women and girls’ dressing rooms, showers, sports and crises centers. nation amounts to having a Hood Understanding is a two-way street, River Sturgis Rally. There will be a and at some point people with local surge. Educators, especially, should be aware of scientific reality. Gender Dysphoria need to respect the rights and feelings of people Observe, record, repeat, replicate, besides themselves. report. Reason, wisdom, and sci- Whether or not the best way ence say we should wait. Schools will not open until teach- to treat the disorder is to act as if the mind trumps biology is NOT ers and administrators are vacci- “settled science.” Many experts do nated because they know of their Sale has impact Respect works both ways Schools should wait believe that is the best approach, but many others, equally qualified, do not. Karen Carpenter sincerely, passionately believed she was fat, and that belief ultimately killed her, but I don’t recall anyone arguing the best approach was to encour- age her delusion. And regardless, administering puberty blocking drugs or hormones to prepubescent children should be considered a criminal act. The Democrat party has made the calculation that supporting the most extreme transgender agenda is politically profitable, and they may be correct in that assessment, but that still doesn’t make it right. Steve Hudson The Dalles If a person wants both, then off to church they must go, for pastor is too cowardly to defend the socially unacceptable commandments of the Lord. Male and female pastor strive for worldly paying customer approval rather than the Lord’s approval. A knowledge and understanding of the truth sets one free from our insane political and social battles that plague us. Gary Fischer The Dalles One hour matters In the Feb. 24, article entitled “HR schools outline plans for phased-in return to in-person school March 8,” one of the justifications put forth for a school day that will end at 11:45 a.m. reads, “Starting with a sched- ule ending at 2:10 p.m. would only I must appear as an idiot or at yield about an hour more education least a fool. What chance would I have in convincing one single man time.” The argument is essentially or woman to read “The Scriptures” that lengthening the school day (the bible) when I bring to their at- isn’t really worth it, because, by tention the fact that the women are the time you add in staff required “commanded” not to teach or have breaks and prep time, children any authority over the man? None. would only receive about an hour more education time during this 2 The “commandment” that hour and 25 minute extension (see sisters are to sit still and remain last two paragraphs in the article). quiet would automatically chase An alternate parental perspec- away at least 99.99 percent of the population. tive is that an hour a day is a lot! So what am I doing by bringing Practicing an instrument, an these socially offensive “command- academic skill, napping, doing a fun ments” to your attention? Honesty. activity … whatever it may be … an hour a day of doing anything with The brothers and sisters who a child ... is ... well ... a lot from my meet together in countries around perspective. Moreover, for me, the the world and abide by these fact that children would only have unpopular rules are not attending church. The body of men and wom- one hour more of education time en who take on the responsibility to lands as a parental “so what” on the read and understand all the books, receiving end. I believe the district should offer full day, in-person chapters and verses and meet school as an option to our chil- together is not called church. If you simply want to be “reli- dren, no matter whether it’s at the elementary, middle, or high school gious,” then church would be for level, and regardless of the propor- you. This would not be of interest to you. If you want to be told cute tion of the day that is “education amusing stories, then go to a pastor. time” while the children are under If you want to prove to yourself district care. that a Creator exists through these To the article’s general conclu- “Books,” then you must test them, sion that “starting out a partial day prove them, dissect them and ques- makes real sense to us as educa- tion them daily. That is what these tors,” I offer an alternate perspec- “Books” do. They eliminate any tive, namely, starting out a full doubt that all this has been created. in-person day makes real sense to The man who thinks he may want this parent. Heck, under the current to entertain this option is under staggered reopening plan, the dis- even more demanding command- trict still has a month planning time to figure out how to make it happen ments than the woman. at the high school. The man cannot be a member Becca Sanders of any military branch. It’s absurd Hood River to think one could be a brother of Yahshua, man of peace and forgive- ness, while preparing his mind and body to kill for national security. He cannot be a police officer or a judge or an attorney or politician. Understanding Cameron Curtis and Dick Smith LOT 14 LOT 16 LOT MAP 1635 SF 3 Bed | 2 Bath 2282 SF 3 Bed | 2.5 Bath $489,000 $629,000 LOT 23 LOT 33 2340 SF 3 Bed | 2.5 Bath 1803 SF 3 Bed | 2 Bath $650,000 $515,000 5 Visit our website to see all of the buildable plans at Park Place! Contact our in-house sales team and be apart of this local neighborhood in The Dalles, OR!