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APRIL 9, 2021, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A9 It ain't over 'til it's over More than 100 million Americans have now received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine—2 million in Oregon Editorial alone. Regardless of vaccination lev- els and a decrease of infection rates in some states, the picture is not all rosy. Multnomah, Clackamas and four other Oregon counties were shifted back to the High Risk category. On top of that, infection rates for COVID variations are increasing through six states. Warmer weather and positive news about vaccination rates can make the public believe the worst of the pan- demic is over. Yet, there were more than 30 more COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon on Tuesday this week. Wishing COVID away will not make it so. The coronavirus that causes COVID is still as infectious and virulent as ever. The variants and mutations add a frighening element to the pandemic we all hoped was getting under control. We all want our favorite attractions to open. We all want to attend music and sporting events again. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updates restrictions weekly—we must remember that as research continues, new informa- tion begets new rules. Every person over 16 years of age will be able to get a vaccine later this month. The CDC reports that if a person is fully vaccinated there are many things they are to do, but it warns that precautions still need to be taken. Masks should not be discarded even if one has been vac- cinated. Social distance is still the order of the day.. We think everyone should make an appointment to be vaccinated. COVID is still a matter of life and death. Everyone needs to protect themselves and others. COVID-19 is not gone. The pandemic won't over until it's over and an "All Clear" has been issued. —LAZ Cancel the culture By ROBERT L. BECKNER Who is the cancel culture ? Whoever these “elites” are — they are forcing their agendas, values, ideas, beliefs on the basic fabric of American culture. They are attacking history, language, statues, founding fathers, anthems, the flag, books, mascots, Title IX, law and order, right and wrong, male, female, gender roles, cartoon characters, toys and on and on with no end in their sights. Everything is open and fair game for cancellations with more on the way. One of the latest cancels is, breast milk. Okay, cow’s milk, goat milk, camel milk, whale milk—milk is milk, it all comes from mammary glands on mammals. So, what should human milk now be called? Man’s milk — ouch ! Don’t think so. These cancel- ers must have flunked Biology 101 let alone have any real world experiences or com- mon sense. All these cancellations have commonalities: everything old as well as history is bad, intolerance of diverse values, lack of respect for others, lack of common sense, and distractions from real American social issues or problems. No matter the history — good, bad, or ugly — it can’t be changed — don’t spin it, rewrite it or cancel it. History is history, deal with it, then learn and grow from it. Canceling just means man just falls back into the same old pitfalls and mistakes of humans. Oops, that’s history. Cancel culture seems to be the current Guest COLUMN “in thing." The current cool, fashionable fad, the vogue. If given their way, they will rewrite everything, all must “think” like them. 'Group think,' like sheep — no think- ing for yourself. Sink holes, quick sand, under tows, whirlpools take us down- not good paths to be in or follow. That’s where America is headed. The so called “know- it-all elites," the cancel culture will soon cancel even themselves out. Common sense and life-wise peo- ple must speak up and speak out, oth- erwise cancel culture will continue to cancel American culture. Values, truths, traditions, freedoms and beliefs that built America. Soon, if not already, they will even cancel God. Many cancel culturists have never opened the Bible's Book of Proverbs- the Wisdom book. I dare the “elites” to study Proverbs. Americans wake up. Now is not the time to be silent. Rise up, speak up, speak out to “cancel” the cancel culture. If not they will destroy America’s history and destiny. After all we’re all Amer-I CANS, because we as American’s CAN! FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook Instagram Twitter There is more agreement than not in legislature House Republicans are currently slow- ing down the Oregon Legislature which is trying to rush passing more than 4,000 wide-ranging bills in a pandemic ses- sion. I felt it was important to explain the reasoning behind this while addressing some of the concerns that the media por- trays as well as the concerns from my col- leagues in the House Democrat caucus. I believe we are all familiar now with the difference between the Constitutional requirement to “read the bills” in their entirety and the traditional “waiving” or “suspending the rule” on reading. What may not be known is the “why” behind the reading of the bills or the suspension of the rules. While most bills will have bipartisan consensus like the budget, there are still about 10% of the proposals that are par- tisan, and I believe could make life far worse for Oregonians. This bipartisan- ship is something Oregonians can be proud of but unfortunately the media does not often report on this important fact. The media constantly reports on the 10% or so of the bills that are controver- sial. When one party is in a majority or even more a supermajority, those 10% can be very contentious. I am asked often by my colleagues from across the aisle why we won’t suspend the rules when what we are currently voting on is not contro- versial. It is precisely the 10% that creates the need for a way to “slow down the pro- cess”. The statement is often made “this is the will of Oregon voters, they put us in the majority”. That may be true, but let’s turn the tables for a moment… What if Republicans were back in control of the House? I would assume the minority party would do everything in their power to stop what they would consider to be extreme, partisan legis- lation, including the reading of the bills and even the nuclear option: walk out, which they’ve used before. This past year has been a tough one for Oregonians. They need a unified Legislature to provide them with imme- diate help on the most pressing issues they’re facing. That’s what Republicans are calling for, and that’s why we will use every legislative tool at our disposal to encourage this kind of bipartisan con- sensus on relief measures. FROM THE Capitol By BILL POST No legislator was elected to this posi- tion based on that 10% of the bills. No legislator, when campaigning, really pro- posed any of the 10% controversial bills. We each were elected because we were able to connect with the voters who chose us because we represented their values better than our opponents. I believe it was because of the 90% of legislation that passes out of this chamber. I would hope that, especially in a pandemic session, we all would keep our eye on the prize of helping to heal Oregon, not promote divisive legislation promoted by special interest groups that is not important to the vast majority of Oregonians who only believe and desire that we should all work together to help our state. (Bill Post represents House District 25. He can be reached at 503-986- 1425 or via email at rep.billpost@oregon- legislature.gov.) (Robert L. Becker lives in Gervais.) K EIZER times PUBLISHER & EDITOR Lyndon Zaitz publisher@keizertimes.com PUBLIC SQUARE welcomes all points of view. Published submissions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Keizertimes WHEATLAND PUBLISHING CORP. 142 Chemawa Road N, Keizer, Oregon 97303 Phone: 503.390.1051 • www.keizertimes.com NEW DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION PRICING: $5 per month, $60 per year PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY Publication No: USPS 679-430 YEARLY PRINT SUBSCRIPTION PRICING: $35 inside Marion County $43 outside Marion County $55 outside Oregon POSTMASTER Send address changes to: Keizertimes Circulation 142 Chemawa Road N. Keizer, OR 97303 Periodical postage paid at Salem, Oregon Editorial Cartoon
