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About Columbia Gorge news. (The Dalles, OR) 2020-current | View Entire Issue (June 30, 2021)
4 Wednesday,June30,2021 Columbia Gorge News www.columbiagorgenews.com OPINION The opinions expressed in the letters below are “your voice,” and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Columbia Gorge News, its staff, publisher or advertisers. YOUR VOICE Farmers Market Thank you Thanks to the photographer who chronicled the recent graduation at Hood River Valley High, from the rainbow portend to hats in the air celebrating (PHOTO GALLERY: Hood River Valley High School graduation in the Columbia Gorge News, June 17). Americans are lucky to have such educational opportunities, not so around the world. With COVID, 1.6 billion children were out of school, many still waiting to restart. Fortunately the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) is partnering with low income countries to turn that around. The GPE mobilized $500 million to help countries during the pandemic to keep kids learning, like a radio school program in Zambia. The GPE’s new five year plan will put 175 million more children in school for the first time. An American pledge of $1 billion over five years will inspire other donors to contribute the other 80% of the money needed. We can help by calling our mem- bers of Congress (202-224-3121), asking them to support this pledge. It will give millions of children the opportunity to graduate like the Hood River students, going on to healthier, happier, and more pro- ductive lives. Willie Dickerson Snohomish, Wash. Roses bloom in the Tucker Sherman memorial rose garden at City Park as The Dalles Farmers’ Market gets underway Saturday morning. Oath violated Sherriff Bob Songer of Klickitat County has published his manifes- to. Wherein, he claims to be the law onto himself. Sherriff Bob has violated his oath to “the Supreme Judge of the Universe … to protect (me) from… threats to (my) liberties …” by claiming, ultra vires, to be a tin pot dictator. THEREFORE, I hereby PROCLAIM: Sherriff Bob does not have the power to arrest me anymore. James Barrett White Salmon ballot gets cast and counted. This bill deserves to be cham- pioned by our Senators, who have pledged to uphold and defend the Constitution, which enshrines vot- ing rights for all eligible Americans. I urge them to make this their top priority and get this bill passed by whatever means necessary. Kirsten Dennis White Salmon A Sad Story I’m usually an upbeat person, but this story is sad all around. I’m writing on Saturday, June 19, and a friend and I were planning to come The Republican attack on American democracy that led to an to The Dalles tonight to hear a mu- insurrection at our Capitol, with the sician we’ve been wanting to hear. intent of violently interfering with She was playing at a place we didn’t the peaceful transfer of power, con- know, so that was a bonus — maybe tinues to threaten our nation today. I’d find a new favorite spot. But then I read in the June 16 Republican state legislatures are introducing (and passing) laws that issue of this newspaper that the Last Stop Saloon in The Dalles was fined would drastically limit access to $9,000 by Oregon health inspectors voting, allow partisan ‘poll watch- for ignoring safety limits during the ers’ to threaten and intimidate pandemic — and it did so “willful- voters, strip secretaries of state of their powers and give partisan ly,” not accidentally. That crossed a state legislatures power to take line for me and changed my plans, over county elections and overturn and it also created a lot of sadness. results they don’t like. Sad for me, since I missed explor- If the voter suppression laws from ing a new place and hearing a fine Texas, Georgia or Iowa were passed musician. here in our neck of the woods, it Sad for the musician, since she would look like most voters having lost my usually generous tips. just one day to cast their ballot, in Sad for the place , since it lost person, on a work day, at a location $9,000 plus any money from me — potentially an hour or more away tonight or in the future. from their residence. Sad for the owner of the place, And then when results come who undercut his own claim in this in that don’t look favorable to the newspaper in August 2020 that he current majority party in the state wants to help “make The Dalles (Democrats), the partisan legisla- better for everyone” and “give back to the community.” ture could simply claim fraud and Sad for other businesses in The take over the counting, auditing Dalles, since terrible publicity like and certifying of the results from this gives all of The Dalles a black our county auditor and bipartisan eye it doesn’t deserve. canvass board. Sad for the Wasco County health I’m guessing my Republicans department, which worked hard friends here in the Gorge would to fight the pandemic, only to have have something to say about that. The federal legislation known as a hole blown in the community’s defenses. the For the People Act would neu- Sad for local residents, who were tralize these partisan attacks on our needlessly put at risk. It’s ironic democracy by setting basic voting that Wasco County reported five practices for all elections. new cases of COVID just today. It contains provisions that are That’s five more families now facing broadly popular with Americans the fear, disruption and financial across the political spectrum, like costs of a terrible disease that isn’t the ability to cast your ballot by finished killing Americans. mail, early voting options, online Finally, sad for our coun- and expanded voter registration time frames, ending partisan draw- try. David Brooks, the life-long ing of legislative districts, enhanced Republican commentator, fears that the USA no longer has the willpow- security through voter ID require- ments and requiring paper ballot er to sacrifice our self-interests to records and making Election Day a fight a common enemy. Sadly, the federal holiday so working people Last Stop Saloon case supports his have the day off to make sure their point. Continued threat Mark B. Gibson photo thanks for the canal, its upkeep, and This is all so sad. Can’t we start my memories! working together to eliminate sto- Ricki Duckwall ries like this? Mt. Hood-Parkdale Mike Hendricks Hood River Sad loss the needs and well-being of all the people, not only [those who] believe as he does. His is supposed to be a non-partisan position and he claims accountability to no one — not the board of commissioners, not the mayor, not the governor — only to the constitution as he On June 17 Klickitat County interprets it (not even the courts). Sheriff Bob Songer posted a long If laws are not enforced are we letter on Facebook stating that not living in a lawless society? If one the Constitution of the United man gets to decide if he likes a law States and of Washington State and whether or not he will enforce as interpreted by him led him to it, do we not live in a lawless soci- believe he has the power and the right granted by his God to ignore ety? How can this person be in a laws or regulations promulgated by position of “law enforcement?” mayors, governors, county com- It is time to re-evaluate how the missioners or health departments. sheriff is elected and to whom he reports. He must be held respon- And therefore, he threatens to not only ignore laws he does not believe sible to uphold and enforce the in (such as gun laws passed by the laws of Washington and the United state legislature or COVID restric- States. If there is a law that requires tions issued by the governor and the public health department), but firearms training before purchas- to arrest any government official ing a gun, he must enforce it. If that tries to enforce or encourage there is a law stating a minimum enforcement of such laws. The sheriff is elected by the people and needs to respond to Continued next page Respect the law In 1978, I moved from Hood River to the upper valley, my prop- erty bordering East Fork irrigation’s open canal. Many miles I’ve logged medita- tively walking, writing prose and taking photographs, bike riding with shepherds, and introducing my little daughters to the wonders of this natural world— butterflies, bees, dragonflies, salamanders, lizards, wildflowers, bear, cougar, deer, elk, raccoon, towering trees, otter, ducks, skinks, snakes, birds and owls and bats — you get my drift, I hate to omit any. And it is for these, and those not mentioned, that I dedicate this letter. Because if the pipeline project proceeds as scheduled, my little piece of heaven, will drastically alter beginning in 2023 when the open canal will be no more. Yes, technically the canal is drained every fall, but only in subfreezing weather is the canal dry. Water is life and life abounds here! So, although farmers and res- idents may enjoy cleaner, pres- surized irrigation — the pipeline truly comes at costs perhaps hidden. A cement wall I walk past daily has my birth date, the year 1946, pre-dating my birth year. Generation upon generation of flora and fauna have relied upon this stream for 80 years! So when I read the celebratory pipeline news in last week’s edition (June 23) “enhancing fish and wildlife habitat in the Hood River watershed” I send out apologies to the aquatic and other wildlife that rely on the canal. Where the term demise is more accurate than enhancement. When cruising Hwy 35, watch out for increased elk, cougar, bear, and deer crossing the road seeking water from the true East Fork of the Hood River in upcoming years. I write prematurely and in remem- brance of this wild and scenic place. I am well aware of climate change and drought, the critical need for water conservation, and livelihoods and food derived from our orchards, and the plight of the salmon. I’ve logged thousands of miles traveling “bone ditch.” My ghost will haunt these parts. I have been blessed beyond belief, and to East Fork Irrigation, I give my Want to write a letter? Columbia Gorge News encourag- es readers to submit letters to the editor for the weekly opinion page. Letters on all topics are welcome. Writers must include their name and hometown (for publication) and daytime phone number (for verification, not for publication). Letters from an agency or group must be credited to the author or a contact person. Anonymous or “name with- held by request” letters are not accepted. Letters must be 350 words or fewer; generally, the briefer the message, the better. Opinion pieces longer than 350 words may be published as a guest commentary at the discretion of the editor. Letters are published as space allows, and efforts are made each week to provide as much space as possible. Deadline for letters is noon on the Friday prior to publication. We reserve the right to edit all letters: Letters must be civil. Vulgar or inappropriate lan- guage will not be considered, nor Regional news for the Gorge malicious, false or misleading statements. Letters attacking an individual, rather than an opinion, are not acceptable. Letters criticizing a particular business over a particular com- plaint or grievance will not be considered. The opinions expressed in letters are “Your Voice,” and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Columbia Gorge News, its staff, publisher or advertisers. Letters may be submitted online at www.ColumbiaGorgeNews.com: Scroll to the bottom of the page and select “Submission Forms,” then select “Letter to the Editor.” NEW — Letters also may be sent via email to Letters@ gorgenews.com. Or mail your letter “attention editor” to any of the Post Office boxes listed at bottom of this page. Mailing Addresses: PO Box 1910, The Dalles, OR 97058 PO Box 390, Hood River, OR 97031 PO Box 218, White Salmon, WA 98672 Columbia Gorge News HOOD RIVER | THE DALLES | WHITE SALMON Columbia Gorge News (ISSN 0747-3443) Published every Wednesday. 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