FEBRUARY 8, 2019, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A7
Opinion
Is Northam a racist?
After a search, it was diffi cult to
fi nd anything that Virginia Gover-
nor Ralph Northam has done that
would arouse so much animosity
towards him. So much so that his
detractors called upon him to resign,
literally within hours of a photo rev-
elation allegedly to be Northam in
either black face or in a
Ku Klux Klan costume.
However, when one re-
members that we have
a seriously divided and
partisan electorate look-
ing to fi nd any way to
miniaturize the compe-
tition, and with so many
also eager to use the ra-
cial card to gain advantage, all begins
to come into focus.
A current matter has demonstrat-
ed how ignitable the racial thing is. It
came in a press conference with Gov.
Ralph Northam, he providing his
explanation for a photo determined
to display racial overtones. He said
in a prepared speech, followed by a
Q and A session, that he does not
believe the photograph in his 1984
medical school yearbook, depicting a
person in black face alongside one in
a KKK outfi t, was him. “I am not
either of those people in that photo”
he told media at the executive man-
sion in Richmond last week. He
views the photo as “shocking and
horrifi c.”
He did confess to having won a
dance contest in San Antonio in
1984, where he was stationed in
the U.S. military after completing
his medical school training. On that
occasion, he won a competition by
dressing up to imitate Michael Jack-
son, using a costume and shoe pol-
ish. He said he’d made mistakes and
lives up to them, having grown with
age and maturity. He repeated mul-
tiple times how sorry he was to cause
people upset but he won’t resign.
During the last week, Northam
has been repeatedly encouraged
to leave his gubernatorial position,
these demands coming at him from
left and right, although his Lt. Gov-
ernor Justin Fairfax, while admit-
ting he was shaken by the photo, has
not abandoned Northam as also old
friends and acquaintances have stood
by him. Other Democrats have used
proverbial jackboots to trounce him:
They are suspected in part
at least to be motivated by
the Oval Offi ce prize.
Those Democrats run-
ning for president were
joined by a crowd of Afri-
can-Americans, including
the Reverend Al Sharpton.
Sharpton, a man whose
own critics say of him that
he’s to blame for the deterioration
of U.S. race relations. He and oth-
ers who’ve risen through the ranks
to “stardom” have declared outrage
over Northam while their statements
are not always free of hypocrisy.
What bothers me about Northam
is that he has been clean throughout
his 59 years. I wonder how many of
those “throwing stones” could make
that statement and stand the test of
scrutiny. Further, Northam is a fam-
ily guy with a wife of 32 years and
a son and daughter. He has no re-
cord of any call girl coming forward
to report a payoff to keep quiet, an
Access Hollywood tape, or committed
a crime of any kind.
His apologies come across as
honest and sincere. He’s pained at
knowing he may inadvertently have
hurt people. Many people jumping
all over Northam claim virtue by
their Christian faith and the teach-
ings of Jesus Christ. Yet, all that ho-
lier-than-thou stuff is tossed over-
board when they cannot accept a
man professing his innocence and
kindly asking for it to be recognized.
Apparently, their ambition for power,
fame and riches has blinded them.
Schrader and
Alzheimer’s
fi ght
heimer’s public health interventions to
be implemented across the
country. Thanks to Rep.
Schrader’s support for the
BOLD Infrastructure for
Alzheimer’s Act, we will
now be better able to fi ght
this devastating disease as
we continue to work to-
wards our vision of a world
without Alzheimer’s—and we look
forward to seeing him continue to pri-
oritize this disease as a public health
crisis that must be addressed.
Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth lead-
ing cause of death in the United States
—which is why Congress must remain
committed to action on this devas-
tating disease. By applying a public
health approach to reduce risk, detect
early symptoms, and advance care, Rep.
Schrader is helping to change the tra-
jectory of this devastating disease.
Alise Liepnieks
Alzheimer’s Association
Salem
gono h.
mcintyro
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Lauron Murphy
Keizer’s fi rst police chief passes
Robert J. Thomas
July 4, 1932 – Jan. 28, 2019
Keizer’s fi rst chief of police, Rob- was stationed at Ent AFB in Colo-
ert J. Thomas, age 86, passed away rado Springs, Colo., working as an
peacefully at his home with his fam- A.P.E. (Air Police). That is where he
met his future wife, Betty Lou Lang.
ily at his side on Jan. 28, 2019.
Robert (Bob) was born in Mt. They wed on Feb. 13, 1954, and
were married for 65 years.
Angel, on July 4, 1932
Bob will always be re-
to Lawrence and Clara
membered as a bright,
(Schmitz). Thomas and had
shining light in the various
four sisters and one brother.
communities and church-
Bob and his family moved to
es he served. He was most
a farm in Silverton and had
proud of being the fi rst po-
several jobs while growing
lice chief of the newly or-
up. He learned to plow be-
ganized city of Keizer. Prior
hind a horse, bale hay, pick
R. Thomas
to that he was captain at the
hops, raise pigs, cows and
Marion County Sheriff ’s
chickens, and had a newspa-
per route all before graduating high Offi ce. He was a 4th degree mem-
school in 1950. Bob joined the U.S. ber of the Knights of Columbus,
Air Force at the beginning of the Grand Knight at both the Salem
Korean War. He left home for Lack- 5060 Council and Keizer 10594 and
land Air Force Base (AFB) on his 4th degree Assembly 900. Bob was
mother’s birthday, Aug. 8, 1950. He a founding member of St. Edward
Catholic Church in Keizer, where
he met Rev. Charles Taaffe and to-
gether they started the Father Ta-
affe Foundation to support unwed
mothers. He became a long term
member of the board while Cath-
olic Community Services took over
the program. Bob enjoyed camping,
hunting, fi shing and woodworking.
He was very proud of his chil-
dren, Susan (Bill) Ridgway, Ron
(Kim) Thomas, and Robert Jr. II
(Gina) Thomas, plus seven grand-
children and one great grandchild.
Bob was preceded in death by his
parents and brother, Melvin, and by
two of his own children, Robert Jr.
and Brenda Lee.
Funeral services were held Thurs-
day, Feb. 7, 2019, 10:30 a.m. at St.
Edward Catholic Church in Keizer
with Rev. Gary Zezr offi ciating.
Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service
assisted the family.
Shoe drive rubber hits the road
(Gono H. McIntyro sharos his opin-
ion froquontly in tho Koizortimos.)
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lottors
To the Editor:
The Alzheimer’s Asso-
ciation estimates that there
are more than 65,000 Ore-
gonians living with Alzhei-
mer’s disease and more than 184,000
Alzheimer’s caregivers in our state. As
an Alzheimer’s advocate and Alzhei-
mer’s Association staff member who
interacts with these individuals on a
daily basis, it is my honor to represent
them.
Congress recently passed the Build-
ing Our Largest Dementia (BOLD)
Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act with
a strong bipartisan vote and I want
to thank Representative Schrader for
championing this meaningful legisla-
tion.
The BOLD Infrastructure for Alz-
heimer’s Act will allow effective Alz-
LEGAL NOTICES
obituarios
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KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
McNary High School studonts Zahvia Stokos and Joo Alvarado spoko with mombors of tho Koizor Council Monday,
Fob. 4, to romind thom and tho community that AVID’s annual shoo drivo is in full offoct. AVID studonts aro collocting
athlotic shoos and boots to provido for studonts in nood. Tho Coltics aro also battling othor Salom-Koizor schools
in a raco to colloct tho most shoos, socks and shoolacos. Itoms can bo droppod off at McNary High School in tho
commons botwoon now and Fob. 26.