PAGE A4, KEIZERTIMES, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020
Public Square
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Treatment of Explorers
posting fl ags was disgraceful
Keizerites are generous and they through the minds of the Explorers
are patriotic. That’s why it is so un- after being verbally accosted. Were
they scared? Were they ques-
settling to hear of how
tioning the worth of their task?
members of Keizer Fire
In our current political climate
District Explorer Post
350 were treated when
editorial of polarization in which we see
people being injured or killed
posting fl ags.
due to their beliefs, it is under-
The Explorers, com-
standable for anyone to be fear-
prised of young men
ful for their safety.
and women, aged 14 to
Were the Explorers to think that
20, post fl ags in Keizer to mark hol-
idays, Labor Day was no exception. the disguting behavior was aimed at
The group of Explorers were met them personally, or at what they were
with derisive comments and gestures doing? Either way, it is frightful. Re-
as they posted fl ags along River Road gardless of one’s beliefs, there is a time
and a place to wage a protest and ex-
on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
These young people—residents press one’s opinion. That place is not
of Keizer—were treated in the most on River Road, targeting our young
ugly manner, according the volun- people.
Explorer Scouts are future fi rst re-
teer fi refi ghter accompanying the fl ag
sponders. Members must be between
posters.
It is unbelieveable that our young the ages of 14 years and 20, maintain
people, conducting a task that should a good GPA and be active in all as-
fi ll our hearts with pride and respect, pects of the Post.
Members of Explorer Post 350
were victims of behavior that most
people decry and fi nd offensive. The train once a week throughout the year.
American fl ag is the most respected Explorers are trained by fi refi ghters in
symbol of our nation. The Explorers all aspects of fi refi ghting and pre-hos-
take on the responsibility of posting pital care. Training includes fi re be-
fl ags as part of their duties, and they havior, search and rescue, ropes and
all do it, not because they have to, but knots, CPR and much more.
Explorers also participate in var-
because they want to.
We all have enough to be con- ious fi re district functions such as
cerned with here in September 2020: Open Houses, fund raising events,
COVID-19, nearby rampaging wild- parades and many other community
fi res and the resulting evacuations, events.
The young people who comprise
people in need of jobs and food. The
unruly and disgusting behavior of fel- the Explorers need to be honored,
low citizens aimed at our teens do- not with derision but with gratitude.
ing a patriotic duty is something we When we see them working in the
community we should give a friendly
should not have to confront.
—LAZ
One can only image what went honk, not ugly words.
traditionally been includ-
ed in city decision-mak-
ing. He knows that pol-
letters
icy changes can make a
To the Editor:
difference in people’s lives.
I am writing in sup-
Please join me in sup-
port of Michele Ro-
porting Mike DeBlasi for
land-Schwartz for Keizer
Keizer City Council.
City Council Position #3.
Michele is thoughtful and will Kathy Lincoln
consider issues with respect to how Keizer
they affect all people in Keizer. Her
experience working with organi-
zations that directly support people
who are victims of domestic violence
and sexual assault has prepared her to To the Editor:
be empathetic to people in need, to
As an Oregonian and a voter, we
understand how to help people learn haven’t had a whole lot of say during
unique skills and to understand the this pandemic. I want my kids to go
role of the laws needed to support back to school. I want my kids to be
the community.
able to play music and to participate
Michele’s priorities include hous- in sports. All of our Oregon kids need
ing and homelessness, issues that have their education. Unfortunately, the
become even more important under majority party in our legislature dis-
the current situation with people los- agrees.
ing their jobs a-nd the cost of hous-
In November, we have the oppor-
ing increasing. The current state of tunity to ensure our State isn’t just
the local economy, especially as it af- represented by one party. Bill Post ad-
fects small businesses and non-profi ts, vocates for Oregon kids to go back
is very important as is public health to school. I wish more legislators in
and safety.
power would listen to us as parents.
She is very personable and listens
Bill Post has represented us well
with compassion and empathy.
and will continue fi ghting against
Please join me in voting for Mi- the one-party rule. Please join me
chele Roland-Schwartz for Keizer in re-electing Bill to House District
City Council.
25 and sending our children back to
Betty Hart
school.
Keizer
Jane Herb
Keizer
Roland-Schwartz
for city council
Bill Post has
represented us well
Mike DeBlasi
for city council
To the Editor:
When we vote in November, we
will make some of the most import-
ant decisions any of us have made for
a long time.
We will choose leaders who will
make life-impacting decisions, not
only nationally, but locally. For Keiz-
er City Council, I will be voting for
Mike DeBlasi.
Mike is knowledgeable, expe-
rienced and has creative ideas that
will improve safety for our kids and
other walkers and bike riders on our
streets. He knows what it will take
to encourage critical “middle hous-
ing,” that is affordable to young fam-
ilies. He is concerned about climate
change and the impact that is having
on our health. Mike will represent all
of the residents of Keizer, and reach
out to communities that have not
Married to the mob
what needs to be done. Let the ju-
By DEBRA J. SAUNDERS
In what The New York Times dicial system work.”
Since the May murder of George
described as a “forceful rebuttal,”
Democratic presidential candi- Floyd, an unarmed black man, at
the hands of Minneapo-
date Joe Biden deliv-
lis police, progressive ac-
ered a speech last week
tivists engaged in nightly
in which he said, “Ask
rampages during which
yourself: Do I look like
other
they tried to destroy
a radical socialist with
voices
Portland’s federal court-
a soft spot for rioters?
house, set fi res near pre-
Really?”
cinct doors and obliter-
The former vice
ated small businesses vital
president also offered,
“Does anyone believe there will be to a city’s livability.
Forgetting that he was supposed
less violence in America if Donald
to denounce mob violence, Biden
Trump is reelected?”
Does anyone believe there will described a pro-Trump caravan—
be less violence in America if Joe not the antifa thugs—as “incit-
ing” a response. If the former veep
Biden is elected?
It took Biden and company
months to fi gure out that voters
are terrifi ed of the violence they’ve
seen in American cities in the name
of racial justice. Hence Monday’s
remarks.
For the record, Biden declared:
“I want to be clear about this: Ri-
oting is not protesting.” Still, in re-
marks that were supposed to show
Biden has zero tolerance for mob
violence, he stumbled.
Taking press questions, Biden
brought up the murder of Portland
resident Aaron J. Danielson, 39, ap-
parently the handiwork of a Port-
land anarchist. Biden did not refer
to Danielson by name.
But he did say: “I think what
happened in—in Portland, where didn’t walk over the line of blaming
a—one of the Trump guys riding the victim, he certainly caressed it.
Biden’s dry language about
along in vans inciting response—
shooting rubber bullets, I guess, or meeting legal requirements gave no
paint balls—apparently, there was hint of outrage at Danielson’s hav-
someone shot by someone in the ing been murdered after he partic-
crowd with a bullet, killed. I think ipated in a Patriot Prayer caravan.
that person should meet the legal Be it noted, to most big media, Pa-
requirements of whatever that calls triot Prayer is extremist, but groups
for; they should be investigated; like antifa and Black Lives Matter,
and they should follow through on ringleaders of America’s riots, are
Whichever view
you take, it’s
hard to believe
that any good
will come from
months of
urban riots
not.
And Biden’s account of what
happened is factually challenged.
Video of the shooting shows a dark
city street with few people. Two
shots pierce the night as a man on
a skateboard appears to approach
Danielson, who collapses.
I don’t want to suggest that
Biden wasn’t outraged. He was,
but he seemed more outraged at
Trump’s rhetoric than at a man be-
ing murdered for dissenting politi-
cal beliefs.
In blaming Trump for violence
committed by the left, Biden has
proven that he will blame anyone
but the rioters, as he sees Trump,
not the mob, as the extreme ele-
ment in this horrifi c story.
Critics have hit Trump for call-
ing out anarchists and looters with-
out addressing what they see as
systemic racism in the criminal jus-
tice system. That’s because Trump
doesn’t see police as systemically
racist, so much as undermined by
cops who, as he recently told Fox
News’ Laura Ingraham, “choke.”
Whichever view you take, it’s
hard to believe that any good will
come from months of urban riots
that degrade a city’s livability and
hurt an economy reeling from the
coronavirus.
In a video that went viral, a man
standing behind the smashed win-
dows of a pizzeria in Madison, Wis-
consin, hectored protesters. “Are
they trying to get Trump reelect-
ed?” he said. “Seriously. I’ve got a
family to support.”
“These people don’t represent
our movement,” a young woman
replied. The pizza guy looked at
her in disbelief and said, “Well, I’m
sorry ... they’re with you.”
(Creators Syndicate)
Re-elect Bill Post
for representative
To the Editor:
Having been a resident in Keizer
for many years, I have had the op-
portunity to vote for many different
people seeking legislative offi ce. I am
proud to cast my vote this November
for State Representative Bill Post.
Bill is deeply involved in this
community and, more importantly,
he cares. I believe our community
has thrived under his leadership the
past few years and I am thankful for
his representation.
Don’t take my word for it, go look
at his track record at www.billpost.
com. I encourage you to join me in
re-electing Bill Post.
Jon Richmond
Keizer
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