THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 Shut your Mouth Death penalty advocates are wrong T he North Coast deserves to read a Mouth of the Columbia who is a true profes- VLRQDO MRXUQDOLVW $ ¿UVW \HDU journalism major learns things that the new Mouth seems to KDYHQHYHUOHDUQHG,QWKH0D\ 14 Coast Weekend, the new Mouth reviewed our restau- UDQW'ULQD'DLV\LQDOHVVWKDQ professional manner (“Drina 'DLV\ 7UDGLWLRQDO %RVQLDQ KRPHFRRNLQJZLWKDEHY\RI confounding caveats”). A professional journalist considers their source and the complete context. Reporting an eavesdropped conversation with other customers is ques- tionable, but failing to report that their conceived complaint was answered to their satisfac- tion is unprofessional. A professional journal- LVW LV FXOWXUDOO\ VHQVLWLYH DQG respectful of other cultures. Disparaging menu items, the lamb, the baklava, and the zel- jancia (spinach pie) — that are as good or better than what one ZRXOG¿QGLQDW\SLFDOUHVWDX- UDQWLQ%RVQLD²LVXQSURIHV- sional. A professional journalist VWLFNVWRWKHWKLQJVWKH\NQRZ ,QRXUFRDVWDOFRPPXQLW\EXVL- nesses sometimes get caught unprepared for occasional un- anticipated surges of demand. 6HH LI \RX FDQ ¿QG DQ\ZKHUH a professional waiter/waitress WKDW ZLOO FODLP WKDW WKH\ FDQ serve 25 people on 10 tables with optimal attentiveness. 6XJJHVWLQJ WKDW RXU ³V\VWHPV ZHUH VLPSO\ LQHI¿FLHQW´ DQG that “even a food service nov- ice could streamline them in no time” is unprofessional. A professional journal- ist does their homework and seeks to balance their writing in the context of what other professional journalists have written about the same thing. 'ULQD'DLV\KDVEHHQYHU\ID- YRUDEO\ UHYLHZHG LQ The New York Times, The Seattle Times (feature article), The Orego- nian, Willamette Week (multi- ple favorable mentions in their \HDUO\UHVWDXUDQWJXLGHPort- land Monthly (twice), North- west Palate, and was even JLYHQKLJKPDUNVE\2UHJRQ¶V ³*RGIDWKHU RI )RRG´ *HUU\ Frank. All of the Coast Week- end’s previous Mouths rated XV KLJKO\ )DLOLQJ WR WHPSHU an opinion in the context of so much professional insight is unprofessional. Mothers are a good source RIZLVGRPIRUOLIH0\PRWKHU WDXJKWPH³,I\RXGRQ¶WKDYH DQ\WKLQJJRRGWRVD\GRQ¶WVD\ DQ\WKLQJ DW DOO´ , ZLOO DGDSW this to The Daily Astorian’s Coast Weekend ³,I \RX GRQ¶W KDYH DQ\WKLQJ JRRG WR VD\ VKXW\RXU0RXWK´ .(1%(1',&.621 Astoria More than food I ¶PZULWLQJLQUHVSRQVHWRD SRRU UHYLHZ RI RQH RI P\ favorite restaurants in town ³'ULQD 'DLV\ 7UDGLWLRQDO %RVQLDQKRPHFRRNLQJZLWKD EHY\RIFRQIRXQGLQJFDYHDWV´ Coast Weekend, 0D\ , ZDV YHU\ GLVDSSRLQWHG E\ WKH VHHPLQJO\ ELDVHG RSLQLRQV RI WKLV UHVWDXUDQW 7KH\ PXVW be doing something right to RXWODVWD¿UHLQWKHLUEXLOGLQJ EHLQJ RQ WKH YHU\ HQG RI WKH street where all businesses around them are vacant and condemned buildings, and FRQWLQXLQJVWURQJIRU\HDUV I moved to Astoria 4.5 \HDUV DJR DQG WKLV ZDV WKH ¿UVW SODFH , DWH GLQQHU , OLNH WU\LQJQHZWKLQJVDQG,¶GQHY- HUKDG%RVQLDQIRRGVR,ZDV intrigued. From the moment I walked in the door and was blasted with the most amazing %RVQLDQ GDQFH PXVLF , NQHZ this was more than just a place to eat, it was the full cultural experience. ,LPPHGLDWHO\QRWLFHGWKHUH ZHUH RQO\ WZR SHRSOH ZRUN- ing, the owners, husband and ZLIHDQGWKDWZDVDWHVWLPRQ\ to me that the food would be straight from the heart, a labor RI ORYH , GRQ¶W OLNH PDNLQJ assumptions, and I love learn- ing, so I asked the server, the KXVEDQG RI WKH FKHI DV PDQ\ questions as I could without EHLQJDQQR\LQJ$OVRWKURXJK WKH \HDUV ,¶YH OHDUQHG ZKHQ \RXDVNZKDWGLVKWKH\UHFRP- PHQG\RXVKRXOGQHYHUTXHV- tion their answer. So I started with the lamb GLVK 7KLV LVQ¶W MXVW D SLHFH of lamb on a plate, this was a IXOO H[SHULHQFH 7KH\ VWDUW E\ FRIDAY EXCHANGE O XUKRQRUDEOHGLVWULFWDWWRUQH\¶VFRO- XPQ DGYRFDWLQJ WKH GHDWK SHQDOW\ ³'HDWKSHQDOW\KLJKLQYRWHUDSSURYDO´ The Daily Astorian,-XQHDSSHDUHG LURQLFDOO\ RQ WKH YHU\ GD\ WKDW 1RUWK &DUROLQD¶V*RY3DW0F&URU\IUHHGWKH WZR %URZQ EURWKHUV IURP WKHLU GHDWK FHOOVDIWHU\HDUV¶LQFDUFHUDWLRQ EULQJLQJ\RXIUHVKZDUPEUHDG KDQGPDGH E\ WKH FKHI ZLWK the most amazing red pepper VSUHDG 7KHQ FRPHV WKH SODW- ter — not a plate — piled high ZLWK MXLF\ URDVWHG URVHPDU\ lamb, fresh fruit which is dis- SOD\HG DV D ZRUN RI DUW DQG served alongside fresh greens salad with a house made vin- DLJUHWWH GUHVVLQJ 7KH EHVW ZD\WRHQMR\LWDOOLVWRVLPSO\ GLYH LQ ZLWK \RXU KDQGV DQG a few napkins. After dinner, VKHVHUYHG%RVQLDQFRIIHHDQG KRXVH PDGH %DNODYD VPRWK- HUHGLQKRQH\DQGWRGLHIRU I asked to thank the chef SHUVRQDOO\ WKDW GD\ DQG WKDW was the start of a beautiful “food-ship.” She came out and greeted me, I thanked her and H[SODLQHG WKLV ZDV P\ ¿UVW %RVQLDQ H[SHULHQFH DQG VKH smiled the biggest smile and hugged me. I felt welcomed LQWR$VWRULDE\KHU ,VWD\HGDIHZPLQXWHVORQ- JHU WR DVN KHU VWRU\ RI KRZ VKH FDPH IURP %RVQLD ,W was shocking and amazing. I learned of her strength, love, and resilience in a few short minutes. I continued to return and dine there ever since that GD\QRWRQO\EHFDXVHWKHIRRG was amazing, but the experi- ence was warm, welcoming, fun, and as if I was no longer in the states, but in Europe. 6R LI \RX OLNH WR WU\ QHZ things, want to have a full and fun dining experience, DQG\RXKDYHWRWLPHWROLVWHQ to stories of food, love, war, DQGOLIHWKHQ\RXQHHGWRJHW \RXUVHOIGRZQWR'ULQD'DLV\ WRGD\ 6+((1$%/2'*(77 Astoria Time to secede R XUDO 2UHJRQLDQV LQ JHQ- HUDO DQG (DVW 2UHJRQLDQV in particular are growing in- FUHDVLQJO\ GLVPD\HG E\ WKH PDQQHU LQ ZKLFK 2UHJRQ¶V OHJLVODWXUHDQG2UHJRQ¶VXUEDQ dwellers have marginalized their values, demonized their OLIHVW\OH YLOODLQL]HG WKHLU UH- source-based livelihoods, and KDYHFODVVL¿HGWKHPDVVHFRQG class citizens at best. $OO WKH ZKLOH WKH\ FRYHU 2UHJRQ¶VPRVWIHUWLOHDQGZHOO watered farm ground with urban sprawl, gangs, illegal aliens, homeless camps, wel- IDUH WUDPSV DQG WRXFK\IHHO\ politics that add little or no YDOXHWRUXUDOOLIHVW\OHV0HDQ- ZKLOH2UHJRQ¶VUXUDOUHVLGHQWV carve out a resource-based liv- ing on marginal farm ground DQG WKH OHIWRYHUV RI 2UHJRQ¶V economic growth, infrastruc- ture and technological innova- tion. 7KH 3RUWODQG PHWUR DUHD LV KRPH WR SHUFHQW RI 2U- HJRQ¶V YRWHUV DQG FRYHUV D mere 3,776.41 square miles of 2UHJRQ¶VVTXDUHPLOHV 7KDW¶VOHVVWKDQSHUFHQWRILWV ODQGPDVVSHUFHQWWREH exact. )LYHRI2UHJRQ¶VFRXQ- ties now control 100 percent of 2UHJRQ¶V OHJLVODWLYH DFWLYLW\ None are rural. None are east of the Cascades. None are out- VLGHWKH:LOODPHWWHYDOOH\ ,W ZRXOG DSSHDU WR DQ\ rural resident or outside ob- VHUYHU WKDW PRVW RI 2UHJRQ¶V XUEDQLWHV YLHZ 2UHJRQ¶V UX- ral residents as nothing more than third world inhabitants, RFFXS\LQJ WKHLU ZHHNHQG DQG YDFDWLRQ SOD\JURXQGV LQ ZKDW WKH\DGYHUWLVHWRWKHZRUOGDV 2UHJRQ¶VXQLTXHGLYHUVLW\7KH SROLWLFDO GLYHUVLW\ LQ WKLV VWDWH is becoming unpalatable. 6LQFH 2UHJRQ¶V XU- ban dwellers have elected a group of individuals that rep- resent nothing short of an ar- LVWRFUDF\ RI SROLWLFDO SRZHU WKH\ KDYH VZLWFKHG WKHLU UROH LQ GHPRFUDF\ IURP VHUYDQW WR ORUG 7KHVH SHRSOH KDYH VXF- FHVVIXOO\ GLVHQIUDQFKLVHG DQG VXEMXJDWHGWKHSHRSOHRFFXS\- LQJHYHU\WKLQJQRW3RUWODQGRU WKH:LOODPHWWH9DOOH\ 7KH\ KDYH HQDFWHG ODZV with little or no debate and no DPHQGPHQWV7KH\KDYHVWDWHG WKH\ZLOO¿[DGPLWWHGO\ÀDZHG 7KH\DUHLQQRFHQW+RZPDQ\PRUH innocent inmates need to be freed be- IRUH RXU RI¿FLDOV UHDOL]H WKDW KXPDQV DQGWKHLUFRXUWVDUHIDOOLEOH"7KHDUJX- ment that public opinion approves, (of ZKLFK,¶PQRWDWDOOVXUHLVVSHFLRXV 3XEOLF RSLQLRQ VXSSRUWHG VODYHU\ ZLWFKKXQWVWKH0F&DUWK\DWURFLWLHV ODZVDIWHUWKH\DUHHQDFWHGWKLV is backwards legislative proce- dure designed to exclude and silence opposition, oftentimes ZLWK RXW RI VWDWH PRQH\ IURP East Coast power brokers. 7LPH IRU D FKDQJH 7LPH WRRUJDQL]H7LPHWRVHFHGHRU VXFFXPE 7KLUW\RQH FRXQWLHV need to put an initiative on their EDOORWWKDWVWDWHV³6KRXOGP\ FRXQW\VHFHGHIURPWKHVWDWHRI 2UHJRQ DQG VHHN D PRUH SHU- fect union elsewhere?” Imagine for a moment Ida- KR¶VZHVWHUQERUGHUVWUHWFKLQJ WRWKH3DFL¿FDQGWKHVWDWHRI 2UHJRQ VKULQNLQJ WR OHVV WKDQ 4,000 square miles of land- ORFNHGULYHUYLHZSURSHUW\ *5$17'$552: Elgin End death penalty W hile the catechism of the Catholic Church upholds the right to defend RQH¶VVHOIRUWKHOLYHVRIWKRVH LQRQH¶VFDUHHDVLO\IRXQGE\ Googling “Catholic position RQ WKH GHDWK SHQDOW\´ DQG FOLFNLQJRQWKHRI¿FLDO9DWLFDQ web site, www.vatican.va), the XVHRIDTXRWHIURP3RSH-RKQ 3DXO ,, LQ D JXHVW FROXPQ E\ -RVK 0DUTXLV VXSSRUWLQJ FRQ- tinued use of the death penal- W\ LV D PLVOHDGLQJ UKHWRULFDO GHYLFH ³'HDWK SHQDOW\ KLJK in voter approval,” The Daily Astorian,-XQH Following is another quote WKDWPRUHFOHDUO\UHÀHFWVERWK WKH RI¿FLDO &DWKROLF DQG WKH ODWHSRSH¶VVWDQFHRQWKLVVXE- ject: “A sign of hope is the in- creasing recognition that the GLJQLW\ RI KXPDQ OLIH PXVW QHYHU EH WDNHQ DZD\ HYHQ LQ the case of someone who has done great evil. Modern soci- HW\ KDV WKH PHDQV RI SURWHFW- LQJ LWVHOI ZLWKRXW GH¿QLWLYHO\ GHQ\LQJ FULPLQDOV WKH FKDQFH to reform. I renew the appeal ,PDGHPRVWUHFHQWO\DW&KULVW- mas for a consensus to end WKH GHDWK SHQDOW\ ZKLFK LV ERWK FUXHO DQG XQQHFHVVDU\´ ³+RPLO\ DW WKH 3DSDO 0DVV LQWKH7UDQV:RUOG'RPH´6W /RXLV0R-DQ , ¿QG LW KDUG WR VHH WKH GHDWKSHQDOW\DVDQ\WKLQJRWK- er than revenge. Retribution PHDQV UHSD\PHQW \HW WDNLQJ a life does not return the other life that was taken, nor does it undo a wrong that was done. 5+21'$*58'(1,& Astoria And, no, I am far from the elite RUZHDOWK\,VLPSO\EHOLHYHWKDWQR PDQ KDV WKH ULJKW WR DQRWKHU¶V OLIH 2XU HOHFWHG RIILFLDOV UHSUHVHQW PH 7KH\DUHQRWDXWKRUL]HGWRNLOOLQP\ name. (/$,1(%$8(5 Astoria %RVWRQ:DVKLQJWRQ 1RUWK- east Corridor (NEC). In fact, WKH 1(& LV WKH PRVW KHDYLO\ subsidized portion of Amtrak, FRQVXPLQJ H[WUHPHO\ KLJK capital costs when measured E\ SDVVHQJHUPLOHV RI WUDYHO provided per dollar expended. 2QHSDVVHQJHUPLOHHTXDOVRQH person transported one mile. According to a written VWDWHPHQWE\DQ$PWUDNH[HF- XWLYH$PWUDN¶V³FURVVFRXQWU\ PRQH\ORVHUV´ ² VXFK DV WKH $PWUDNWUDLQVWKDWFRQQHFW2U- egon to Washington state, Cal- ifornia and 43 states to the east ² DFWXDOO\ GR QRW FRQVXPH DQ\IHGHUDOVXEVLGLHV0RUHLI DOOWKHVH³PRQH\ORVHUV´ZHUH eliminated, the revenue lost would exceed the costs saved from their discontinuance, thus increasing, not decreas- LQJ$PWUDN¶V IHGHUDO VXEVLG\ needs. Each time Amtrak has HOLPLQDWHG ³PRQH\ORVLQJ´ trains, Amtrak revenues de- clined more than did its costs. ,QIDFWQRQDWLRQDOLQWHUFLW\ rail-passenger service on planet (DUWKHDUQVDWUXHSUR¿WHYHU\ QDWLRQ¶V UDLOSDVVHQJHU VHUYLFH V\VWHP FRVWV PRUH PRQH\ WR build, maintain and operate than it generates in direct op- HUDWLQJ UHYHQXH $ IHZ YHU\ high-speed routes and trains ² )UDQFH¶V 7*9V IRU H[DP- SOH²HDUQDQRSHUDWLQJSUR¿W $QG D YHU\ IHZ RI WKHP DFWX- DOO\FRYHUFDSLWDOFRVWVDVZHOO %XWVXFKSUR¿WVDUHHDUQHGRQO\ DIWHUQDWLRQDOJRYHUQPHQWV¿UVW PDNH H[WUHPHO\ FRVWO\ FDSLWDO investments in tracks, signals, train sets and stations. If Gail Collins — and the few members of Congress who VXSSRUW ¿[LQJ $PWUDN ² DUH VHULRXVWKH\PXVW¿UVWUHFRJ- QL]HWKDWWKH86&RQJUHVVKDV QHYHU DSSURSULDWHG VXI¿FLHQW rail passenger service funding WR VXVWDLQ $PWUDN¶V H[LVWLQJ Don’t harass sea lions T KHUH LV QRWKLQJ IXQQ\ RU amusing about harassing ZLOGOLIH ³6XEPDQ VD\V µ:H GRQ¶WQHHGQRVWLQNLQ¶ZKDOH¶´ The Daily Astorian,-XQH, would like to inform Subman that hazing sea lions with his boat off the docks in the East 0RRULQJ%DVLQLVDIHGHUDORI- IHQVHSXQLVKDEOHE\ODZ Sea lions are protected un- GHU WKH 0DULQH 0DPPDO 3UR- tection Act. Signage is post- ed at the basin, and I quote, ³3OHDVHGRQRWGLVWXUEPDULQH DQLPDOV 7KLV LQFOXGHV DQ\ SXUVXLWWRUPHQWRUDQQR\DQFH that has the potential to injure RU GLVWXUE DQ\ PDULQH PDP- PDO´ 6KDPH RQ ³7KH (DU´ for making a joke out of this SXEOLFLW\ VWXQW WKDW SURPRWHV harassment of sea lions. ,WLVQHYHU2.WRLQWHQWLRQ- DOO\ KDUDVV RU FDXVH VWUHVV RU KDUP WR DQ\ DQLPDOV PDP- mals or birds. All animals de- serve protection from being WRUPHQWHGE\KXPDQVUHJDUG- OHVVRIZKHWKHUWKH\KDYHIXU ¿QVRUIHDWKHUV/HWXVQRWIRU- get that we are supposed to be the more intelligent species. 67$&(<0&.(11(< Astoria Great instructor M \ QDPH LV 5RU\ 6LTXHL- ra, and I am a student at 7RQJXH3RLQW-RE&RUSV&HQ- WHU , ZDV LQ 'HE )HUJXVRQ¶V JDOOH\ FODVV ³)LUHG WHDFKHU ¿OHV FLYLO ULJKWV FKDUJH´ The Daily Astorian, -XQH She was a great instructor — WDXJKWXVHYHU\WKLQJZHQHHG- ed to know, and what it would be like on an actual job. We thought of cooking things just for the experience of making things we never made before. In order to make these things, we needed certain ingredients, and we would be denied of these things. We had D EXGJHW RI DURXQG D month for food. 6R ZK\ FRXOGQ¶W ZH JHW WKRVH LQJUHGLHQWV" 7KH SHUVRQ in charge of the purchase order GLGQ¶WWKLQNLWZDVQHFHVVDU\IRU us to have these things. So Deb Ferguson went out and used her RZQPRQH\MXVWIRUXVVWXGHQWV :H¶UHQRWWDONLQJDFRXSOHGRO- ODUVKHUHDQGWKHUH,¶PWDONLQJ hundreds of dollars. She got the receipts to back it up. 7KHUHZDVQRZD\RIVWRS- ping this woman from making sure we were taken care of. She treated us like adults — no EDELHVLQKHUFODVV