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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 2018)
NOVEMBER 2, 2018, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5 Opinion Statement of our principles Journalism you can trust To our readers: We want to be open and clear with you, our reader, about the stan- dards that guide our work every day. We strive to meet every one of these. We never intentionally disregard these principles. When we fail, bad informa- tion, speed, or inadequate experience are to blame. ACCURACY: We strive to be certain that every fact - every number, every date, every name, every quote - is true. We will never knowingly pub- lish false or inaccurate information. We will honestly and quickly correct any factual error. CLARITY: We want our report- ing to be understandable, free of jar- gon and vagueness. You can expect us to gather the necessary informa- tion and develop suffi cient expertise to produce stories clear about issues, agencies, and people. FAIRNESS: Our stories will hon- estly represent views and issues, never mischaracterizing or distorting facts and developments. We want those we write about to feel they were fairly treated. FACT CHECKING: We follow our own customized fact-checking protocol to guard against error. That includes a requirement to reach out to subjects of stories as possible to verify the accuracy of our intended report- ing. BIAS: We know full well that readers now come to news reports suspicious that they might encounter a deliberate tilt by the news organi- zation. Our intent is that you never detect a political, economic or social bent in the stories we serve to you. FACTS OVER FANCY: Our primary job is to gather the news. We devote every dollar we can to report- Yes for Keizer Fire levy ing. That means we don’t divert time and money into making our stories glitzy or stunning in design. We are certain you would prefer accurate news over fl ashy presentations. PROFESSIONALISM: We can get better, and we will. We will always - always - work to sharpen our jour- nalistic skills. We will become better interviewers, data analysts and writers. Our professionals are intent on getting as good as they can, not for awards but to better serve your needs. CITIZENSHIP: We don’t con- sider ourselves distant observers. We take pride in the community - its people, institutions, and traditions. We engage in issues that matter. We iden- tify problems, but we will always seek solutions as well. Like you, we want our community to improve, to be welcoming and safe, to be economi- cally vibrant. WITHOUT FEAR: Our report- ing can and will put us at odds with people who hold power or those who can and do abuse the public in some fashion. We will pursue diffi cult sto- ries because they are important sto- ries. We will not be scared off of or intimidated from doing any necessary story — ever. WITHOUT FAVOR: We owe allegiance only to you, our reader. Our work is not done in service to any special interest. We are beholden to no party, no business, no individu- al, and seek no special treatment from any. We are beholden only to the truth. TRUST: The most valuable pos- session of our team is your trust. We know we can’t exist without it, that we will not otherwise succeed as a business and as a news organization. We are relentless in earning and keep- ing that trust. —LZ, LAZ ing at your emergency in six minutes or less 93 percent of the time. I ap- preciated the effeciency, care and teamwork of the crew (paid and volunteer) when they responded to our emergencies and I know that will still hap- pen, even though the number of calls has risen through the years. I have chosen to continue to sup- port the Keizer Fire Distrcit and I ask you to join me in supporting them also with a yes vote on Measure 24- 432 on Nov. 6, keeping the current cost for this excellent fi re and emer- gency medical service. Thank and encourage our fi refi ghters for all they do for us. Colleen Busch Keizer lottors To the Editor: As the wife of retired Keizer volunteer fi re- fi ghter, Bob Busch, who served for 25 years, I have had a front row seat as to how im- portant the Keizer Fire District is to our community. Our family gave up our fi refi gher every sixth day for his shift and got used to him leaving at the sound of the pager on other days. We made many life-long friends through the years and participated in events put on by the Volunteer Firefi ghters Association, designed to thank and encourage them in their work. We witnessed the beginning of the ambulance service, watched the ground breaking ceremony for the new station, knocked on doors for levies, helped put on holiday par- ties for fi refi ghter families and ar- ranged tours of the station for our home school groups. All the while the number of calls for service kept rising. Spraying the hose at the open houses,crawling low in smoke and checking our smoke alarm regular- ly are a few lessons we never tired of practicing, because we knew our Keizer fi refi ghters were always prac- ticing, too. We know that the people of Keiz- er enjoyed Mother’s Day and Christ- mas pancake breakfasts with Santa; red, white and blue water at Home- coming, Engine 1 at the KeizerFEST Parades and Santa’s arrival at Keizer’s Tree Lighting. The faces you saw at these events were always ready to be at your emergency at a moments’ notice. Although most of these items began with the volunteers, Keizer now has many paid fi refi ghter EMTs and they all work together to serve you. The levy, when passed, will keep the ambulances staffed and arriv- Chamber supports KFD levy To the Editor: On behalf of the Keizer Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors I ask that you vote yes on the renewal of the Keizer Fire District levy. It is important to note this is a renewal of the levy, not an increase. Your property taxes will not go up. Since the last time the levy was re- newed call volume for the district has increased by 45 percent. Even with the increased call volume, the depart- ment is arriving at calls in less than six minutes 93 percent of the time. The levy represents 25 percent of the fi re district’s budget. Based on the excellent perfor- mance of the fi re district, that they have proven to be good stewards of taxpayer money and the fact the public safety is an important part of a vibrant business community, we ask that you vote yes for Keizer Fire. Shawn Lapof, Director Keizer Chamber of Commerce Board Keizertimes Whoatland Publishing Corp. 142 Chomawa Road N. • Koizor, Orogon 97303 Phono: 503.390.1051 • www.koizortimos.com MANAGING EDITOR Eric A. Howald oditor@koizortimos.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Ono yoar: $25 in Marion County, $33 outsido Marion County, $45 outsido Orogon ASSOCIATE EDITOR Dorok Wiloy nows@koizortimos.com ADVERTISING Paula Mosoloy advortising@koizortimos.com PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY PRODUCTION MANAGER & GRAPHIC DESIGNER POSTMASTER Publication No: USPS 679-430 Sond addross changos to: Androw Jackson graphics@koizortimos.com LEGAL NOTICES logals@koizortimos.com BUSINESS MANAGER Loah Stovons billing@koizortimos.com EDITOR & PUBLISHER Lyndon Zaitz publisher@keizertimes.com Koizortimos Circulation 142 Chomawa Road N. Koizor, OR 97303 Poriodical postago paid at Salom, Orogon RECEPTION Lori Boyolor INTERN Lauron Murphy facobook.com/koizortimos twittor.com/koizortimos Rile the media, entertain supporters By DEBRA SAUNDERS Critics often accuse President Donald Trump of using dog-whistles to gin up his conservative base. But really, Trump’s most effective trick is to get TV journalists to attack on de- mand—as you can see in cable news coverage on the caravan of Central Americans headed toward the U.S. border. Perhaps the biggest sucker for Trump’s caravan play is Joe Scarbor- ough, the former GOP congress- man who hosts MSNBC’s Morning Joe. Scarborough led last Friday’s show with a lecture to Americans concerned about the car- avan. Voters should be con- cerned about the GOP tax cut that benefi ted the rich, and the prospect of Republicans fi ddling with Social Security and health care, not the caravan, Scarbor- ough schooled his viewers. “That’s what’s happening in your life. And they don’t want you to know that.” Scarborough pooh-poohed the notion that some voters might have concerns about criminal elements sneaking in among refugees look- ing for a better life—as happened during the Mariel boatlift from Cuba in 1980—by dismissing such fears as simple racism against “brown peo- ple.” As for those politicians who see the caravan as an issue, the MSNBC don concluded, “They think that you are stupid”—showing that Scarbor- ough thinks you are stupid. Another Trump trick is to make claims he must know are false, which means fact-checkers are sure to is- sue banal refutations of his dubious claims. Turn on your TV and you can learn Democrats really aren’t giv- ing Rolls Royces to asy- lum-seekers as they cross the border with Mexico, as Trump said in Arizo- na this month. Oh, and Democrats aren’t bank- rolling the immigrant car- avan and aren’t passing out voter registration forms to new arrivals—two other Trump claims. “I don’t agree with him that Democrats are paying for it,” former Trump campaign aide Sam Nunberg told the Review-Journal. At the same time, Nunberg added, “You know where they (Democrats) stand. They want to abolish ICE. They want sanctuary cities. They are out of the mainstream.” In short, Nunberg argued, Trump may be wrong on the details, but he’s right on the spirit. Trump doesn’t othor voicos spout “complicated, esoteric le- galistic” rhetoric on immigration law, Nunberg added; his bluster is “straight talk.” Is it lying? Sure, Anthony Scara- mucci, Trump’s White House com- munications director for 11 days, told CNN Tuesday. “I think he likes it actually.” Scaramucci described Trump’s un- truths as entertainment for base vot- ers who like Trump’s act and think, “We fi nally have a president who is my advocate.” Is that right? No, it is not right, but it is the way the country works right now. To the Trump base, Trump’s lies equalize “fake news,” so the smart play is to understand where news outlets can improve. Trump’s decision to call himself a “nationalist” in Houston Monday was instructive. To the Trump base, nationalism and “America First” are born out of patriotism. Why does the base love it when Trump uses words that make New York anchors cringe? GOP strategist and CNN contributor Al- ice Stewart believes, “Donald Trump makes these voters feel like they’re 10 feet tall and bulletproof and no one’s ever made them feel that way before.” (Croators Syndicato We’re a better country that it seems This opinion writer has found it impossible to know everything. Therefore, asking questions while seeking answers has greatly helped in a continuous quest for insights and un- derstandings. It is reported that Trump party fol- lowers fi nd horror in the prospect of any move toward socializing medicine as well as its companion, Medicare-for- all. Why do we not want our fellow Americans to have insurance coverage like other American cit- izens, citizen Trump and all members of his family being just one poignant example? Wouldn’t health insurance enable those having it to get the med- ical attention they need so whatever’s wrong can be addressed before every- one gets it? Then, too, wouldn’t any- one who’s really needed an emergency room know that if the one hundred folks in line ahead of him had medical insurance they would more likely have gone to a primary care doctor for their bad cold? Then there’s the matter of new Associate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh about whom my concerns include a record overfl ow- ing with hostility towards affordable health care, women’s health rights, individual liberties, and the environ- ment. He’s also shown again and again that he will side with Big Brother and Big Business over the rights of indi- vidual Americans. Plus there are the withheld Kavanaugh records while he worked in the George W. Bush White House preventing full disclosure, while his alleged sexual assaults against wom- en were not fully investigated. Should Kavanaugh, a man apparently absent of character and judgment, be sitting on the highest court in the land? Is there any truth to Trump’s wild and crazy charges that those persons in the so-called “caravan” from Central America, now alleged headed to the U.S. border, include huge numbers of gang members, violent criminals and “unknown Middle Easterners” bent on taking jobs and otherwise destroy- ing us? To the contrary, these people are smaller in number than Trump administration exaggerations (about 300,000 were stopped at our border last year) and, aside from misleading exaggerations to garner votes from his base, are actually persons escaping certain death in Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Aren’t they actually le- gitimate asylum seekers at our border to save themselves and their children? One of the chief con- cerns on this writer’s list is whether Trump wants to convert our democratic republic into a dictator- ship with exclusive au- thoritarian controls un- der his supervision. How does an American like me reach this conclusion? Well, the facts add up: Trump prais- es dictators, including the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Vladimir Pu- tin of Russia, Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Recep Erdogan of Turkey, and Ro- drigo Duterte of the Philippines. He says he loves Kim Jung-un of North Korea. He also emulates them by ap- pointing family members to our gov- ernment’s highest positions, glorifi es violence at his rallies, views a free press gono h. mcintyro as an enemy of the people, makes per- sonal fi nancial gain his highest objec- tive, and desires missile parades. Then, too, there the divisive tactics of fear and loathing used daily by him. How is it that any American can support what he wants to make of us? A number of Americans nowadays see things for them as a raw deal and believe they can get back at those responsible by blowing up the U.S. Constitution and terminating our way of life...but where does that view get us? We know Trump now; so, do we want leadership in this country such as Trump’s, sending us deeper and deeper into dark places where laws are aban- doned and violence encouraged? Is that what we want for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren, and fu- ture generations? (Gono H. McIntyro sharos his opin- ion froquontly in tho Koizortimos.) Share your opinion Submit a letter to the editor (up to 300 words), or a guest column (up to 550 words) by noon Tuesday. Email to: publisher@keizertimes.com KEIZERTIMES.COM Web Poll Results HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR COOKING ABILITY? Good and gotting bottor Foio Gras Ribbons w/Orango Chips? Ramon is still my main dish I burn boiling wator Vote in a new poll every Thursday! GO TO KEIZERTIMES.COM 88% 12% 0% 0%