OPINION
6A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015
GUEST COLUMN
Ignoring the reality of America’s history
Founded in 1873
STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher
LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor
BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager
CARL EARL, Systems Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager
DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager
HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager
Time to OK banking
for legal marijuana
K
ey federal legislators from Oregon are making a renewed
push to normalize banking services for the legal marijua-
na industry. This is a much-needed and overdue reform.
Oregon is in the process of join-
ing other states including neighbor-
ing Washington in outright legaliza-
tion of marijuana, with sales set to
start Oct. 1. Medicinal marijuana has
been legal here since 1998 and the
Legislature legalized medical mar-
ijuana dispensaries during its 2013
session. Nationwide, many legiti-
mate marijuana businesses continue
to struggle with a lack of access to
the normal channels for handling ¿ -
nancial transactions.
Currently, marijuana businesses
operating under state laws that have
legalized medicinal or adult-use mar-
ijuana are mostly denied access to the
banking system because ¿ nancial in-
stitutions that provide them services
can be prosecuted under federal law,
according to Oregon U.S. Sens. Jeff
Merkley and Ron Wyden and U.S.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, all Democrats.
In Washington state, U.S. Sen. Patty
Murray is also a supporter of reform.
Without the ability to access bank ac-
counts, accept credit cards, or write
checks, businesses must operate using
large amounts of cash.
“There’s a reason most of us don’t
walk around with thousands of dol-
lars of cash stuffed in our backpacks.
It’s an invitation to crime and mal-
feasance,” Merkley said. “But that’s
what we are forcing legal Oregon
businesses to do because ¿ nancial in-
stitutions are prohibited from provid-
ing services. That must change.”
Marijuana businesses are heavily
regulated and monitored at the state
level. This keeps drug cartels out
of the legal industry, insures com-
pliance with rules designed to keep
marijuana away from underage res-
idents, and helps avoid federal inter-
D
vention in legalization.
But by denying these enterprises
the ability to handle money in a mod-
ern and transparent way, federal law
places them at greater risk of robbery,
while essentially maintaining undesir-
able traits associated with the outlaw
past. Legalization is a fact of life and
is certain to spread to additional states.
It’s time to dispense with the remaining
vestiges of the unlamented past that saw
millions of lives disrupted or destroyed
in a failed effort at prohibition.
The new law proposed by Oregon’s
federal lawmakers would prevent fed-
eral banking regulators from:
• Prohibiting, penalizing or dis-
couraging a bank from providing
¿ nancial services to a legitimate
state-sanctioned and regulated mari-
juana business;
• Terminating or limiting a bank’s
federal deposit insurance solely be-
cause the ¿ nancial institution is pro-
viding services to a state-sanctioned
marijuana business;
• Recommending or incentivizing
a ¿ nancial institution to halt or down-
grade providing any kind of banking
services to these businesses; or
• Taking any action on a loan to an
owner or operator of a marijuana-re-
lated business.
The bill, as described in a congres-
sional press release, also creates a safe
harbor from criminal prosecution and
liability and asset forfeiture for ¿ nan-
cial institutions and their of¿ cers and
employees who provide ¿ nancial ser-
vices to legitimate, state-sanctioned
marijuana businesses, while main-
taining ¿ nancial institutions’ right to
choose not to offer those services.
These moves all make sense and
should be enacted as soon as possible.
Democratic chiefs
cast off old idols
emocratic Party leaders in
four states are disavowing the
names of two of their party found-
ers, Thomas Jefferson and Andrew
Jackson. The New York Times re-
ported Tuesday that a staple of an-
nual Democratic fund raising —
the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner — is
being eliminated in Iowa, Georgia,
Missouri and Connecticut.
To party leaders in those states,
Jefferson’s hypocrisy was his
slave holding. Jackson exiled the
Cherokees and other tribes from
their homelands in a forced migra-
tion called the Trail of Tears.
Political parties are not human
beings. So that analogy is highly im-
perfect. But what these party leaders
are doing is akin to a person who re-
jects the existence of an embarrass-
ing ancestor.
For different reasons, Jefferson
and Jackson are icons of American
history, and they were progenitors
of the Democratic Party. But some
Democratic leaders would offer the
rejoinder: They are not icons of my
American history or my Democratic
Party.
The Times report noted that this
represents a shift toward racial and
gender issues as an organizing prin-
ciple and away from those of income.
It is true that in reckoning with racial
and gender issues in a way that a
Jeffersonian or Jacksonian could not
have imagined, our era is startlingly
different. But it is always a mistake
to believe that we moved beyond the
reach of history.
In the movie Dr. Zhivago, an old-
er Russian is skeptical of whether
Bolsheviks will change Russia. “Ah,”
responds a young Bolshvik. “After the
revolution, people will be different.”
Picking one American president
over another for beati¿ cation is dic-
ey business. The party leaders who
are dismissing Jefferson and Jackson
might well invoke the memory of
Franklin D. Roosevelt. But it is wide-
ly acknowledged that FDR’s intern-
ment of American citizens who were
Japanese was an enormous injustice.
Even Barack Obama could pres-
ent problems for the party guardians
of values. While it’s true that Obama
will leave of¿ ce with major accom-
plishments to his credit, he has fos-
tered a culture of government secre-
cy that Richard Nixon would envy.
In other words, politics has its
limits. Political parties — which are
not mentioned in the Constitution
— are more about winning elections
than about meaning.
Politics and elections are about
allocating power. Election to public
of¿ ce does not convey righteousness
on the victor. It is only an opportuni-
ty to exercise power. Any American
over the age of 25 has been disillu-
sioned by at least one hero or heroine.
So good luck to Democratic orga-
nizers who are casting off old idols.
our Congress does get an
By DON ANDERSON
even murderous — comments
n his Writer’s Notebook (“The six that were leveled against
amazing amount done when
things wrong with the America I Churchill, or the things said
compared to other countries.
In fact, last year The Wash-
love,” Aug. 7), Patrick Webb, former against the Puritans, the Jews,
ington Post called the 113th
managing editor of The Daily Astori- the Catholics, etc. England is
Congress the “Did-Some-
an, literally said that “America is go- no nonpareil of civility.
thing Congress” that passed
ing to the dogs.” His six reasons why
Webb rightly asserts
297 laws in 2014.
the USA is on a downward spiral that America is currently a
Webb’s comments on
reveal a pessimism that is common- violent milieu and he asks
religion are old, tired, and
place today. Usually such cynicism the question, “Why do we
Don
just plain wrong. He claims
in America’s prospects are reserved allow improper people …
Anderson
our ¿ rst government was a
for the far right, but Webb shows that unbridled access to lethal
“religion -free zone.” Hel-
even the more progressively minded weapons?” However, he ig-
can give in to despair.
nores recent statistics like the Crim- lo! Has he read the Declaration of
What he fails to comprehend is inal Victimization Survey conducted Independence? Has he read the First
that, since its inception, America has by the Bureau of Justice Statistics in Amendment? In a 1794 letter to the
been dealing with the issues of “ci- 2011 that shows violent crime has ac- Massachusetts Legislature, Samuel
vility, violence, (lack of) leadership, tually gone down signi¿ cantly in the Adams wrote, “In the supposed state
taxes, religion and protest” that he U.S. since the 1960 s. Despite Webb’s of nature, all men are equally bound
by the laws of nature, or to speak more
brings up. These are nothing new. assertion, it is not all bad news.
America has always had these dif¿ -
Webb wonders when “politician” properly, the laws of the Creator.”
culties hounding it, and its journey as has become a dirty word in America. America has always been a deeply re-
a country has been a constant battle The answer is since 1776, or to be ligious country. Yes, we need to ¿ nd
against these and other demons.
more accurate, a few years prior to ways to celebrate our differences in
This, “young, clever, experiment that, when the colonies were squab- religions, but to think that somehow
in democracy,” Webb writes about bling amongst each other over wheth- America has fundamentally changed
is actually the oldest democracy in er or not they should separate from its religious values in the last 250
the world. From its inception, the England. If you want to read the low- years is to deny history.
Finally, Webb waxes nostalgic
USA has been a brash country that est kind of political vitriol — much
À outed some Eu-
stronger than the tep- when he longs for the good ol ’ days
ropean mores and
id stuff today — read of protest in this country. A child of
embraced
others. The English some of the diatribes the ’60s and ’70s, Webb reveals the
While it is right to
the founding fathers years of his upbringing more than his
are, and
bring attention to the
wrote about each oth- knowledge of history. America has
issues Webb does, have always er, mother England been a country of protest since the
such a gloomy view
and fellow colonies. day of its inception. When I was 15,
been, as
of our country is not
The shared hatred be- my grandfather gave me An Histori-
warranted. We have
tween then President cal, Geographical, Commercial, and
rude as
overcome, and we
John Adams and Vice Philosophical View of the American
will overcome.
Thomas Jef- United States by William Winter-
their Yankee President
Webb says that
ferson is legendary, botham, published in 1790. In the
the current “shrill
with Jefferson calling book’s introduction, Winterbotham,
cousins
cacophony of (ver-
Adams a weak-willed an Englishman, bemoans the desire
bal) abuse in modern
hermaphrodite
and of the Americans to constantly pro-
America is simply sickening.” Has he Adams calling Jefferson a half-breed, test and demand their rights. What
was true then, was true in the 1800 s,
read about the appalling things that criminal, fool and tyrant.
were said to and written about Abra-
In his second term as President, the 1900 s and today.
We are and always have been a
ham Lincoln in the election of 1860, Barack Obama has had unprecedent-
or the vicious vitriol À ung against the ed success in such areas as instigating country that demands its rights and
abolitionists? Our current Congress is a national health system, fostering freely protests when those rights are
an example of kindness and decorum marriage equality, renewing our re- threatened. Webb must be ignoring
compared to those of the 1800 s, when lationship with Cuba, reinvigorating all the environmental, Black Lives
members not infrequently got in ¿ st- our economy, showing that diploma- Matter, anti-gun, anti-war, anti-Wall
¿ ghts or openly swore at one another. cy works better than war and bringing Street, anti-tax, etc., protests that
American has always had its uncivil a sense of dignity to the presidency. occur every day on our college cam-
elements; it isn’t anything new.
Webb complains of a lack of leader- puses, in our city streets and at our
Webb claims the British are some- ship, saying, “I look at the burgeoning corporate headquarters.
We don’t need to “take back our
how immune from incivility, saying, ¿ eld of Democratic and Republican
“… my background, as a white, priv- suits wanting to lead us into the next country” as Webb asserts. We have
ileged Englishman, gives me a repu- disaster, and I see little difference be- our country. Let us celebrate it in
tation for avoiding rudeness. We are a tween them.” Looking at the 17 Re- its in¿ nite diversity. Go out and do
polite tribe …” This too, isn’t true. The publican candidates running for pres- something positive.
Don Anderson is an English and
English are, and have always been, as ident, one wonders if he can say that
rude as their Yankee cousins. One won- with a straight face. Yet for all the com- journalism teacher at Jewell School
ders if he has ever viewed a session of ments like Webb’s “Just about all have and an occasional correspondent for
Parliament, or read about the uncivil — sold out to monied special interests,” The Daily Astorian.
I
Can we interest you in teaching?
another. Minnesota recent-
“The No. 1 thing is giv-
ly relaxed such require-
ing teachers a voice, a real
ments; if other states fol-
voice,” Randi Weingarten,
eaching can’t compete.
lowed suit, it might build
the president of the Ameri-
a desirable new À exibility
When the economy improves can Federation of Teachers,
into the profession.
and job prospects multiply, college said to me this week.
Teaching also needs to
students turn their attention else-
Education leaders dis-
be endowed with greater
where, to professions that promise agree over how much of a
prestige. One intriguing
more money, more independence, voice and in what. Weing-
line of thought about how
more respect.
arten emphasizes teacher
to do this is to make the
That was one takeaway from a involvement in policy, and
Frank
requirements for becom-
widely discussed story in The Times on a survey of some 30,000
Bruni
ing a teacher more dif¿ -
Sunday by Motoko Rich, who charted teachers and other school
teacher shortages so severe in certain workers done by the AFT and the Ba- cult, so that a teaching credential
areas of the country that teachers are dass Teachers Association in late April has luster. In the book The Smartest
being rushed into classrooms with du- showed that one large source of stress Kids in the World, Amanda Ripley
noted that Finland’s teachers are
bious Tuali¿ cations and before they’ve was being left out of such decisions.
earned their teaching credentials.
Others focus on primarily letting revered in part because they’re the
It’s a sad, alarming state of affairs, teachers chart the day-by-day path survivors of selective screening and
and it proves that for all our lip ser- to the goals laid out for them, so that rigorous training.
Kate Walsh, the president of the
vice about improving the education they’re not just obedient vessels for a
of America’s children, we’ve failed to one-size-¿ ts-all script. Hold them ac- National Council on Teacher Quality,
told me that in this country, “It’s pretty
make teaching the draw that it should countable, but give them discretion.
be, the honor that it must
The political battles ¿ rmly rooted in college students that
be. Nationally, enrollment
education, along with education is a fairly easy major.” Too
Better over
in teacher preparation
the shifting vogues about often, it’s also “a major of last resort,”
programs dropped by 30
what’s best, have left many she said.
pay is
Dan Brown, a co-director of Edu-
percent between 2010 and
teachers feeling like pawns
cators
Rising, which encourages teen-
2014, as Rich reported.
and
punching
bags.
And
a must.
To make matters worse,
while that’s no reason not agers to contemplate careers in the
more than 40 percent of the
to implement promising classroom, said that teaching might be
people who do go into teaching exit new approaches or to shrink from ready for its own Flexner Report, an
the profession within ¿ ve years.
experimentation, it puts an onus on early 1900s document that revolution-
How do we make teaching more policymakers and administrators to ized medical schools and raised the
rewarding, so that it beckons to not bring generous measures of training, bar for American medicine, contribut-
ing to the aura that surrounds physi-
only enough college graduates but to a support and patience to the task.
robust share of the very best of them?
Teachers crave better opportuni- cians today.
He also asked why, in the intensify-
Better pay is a must. There’s no ties for career growth. Evan Stone,
getting around that. Many teachers in one of the chief executives of Edu- ing political discussions about making
many areas can’t hope to buy a house cators 4 Excellence, which represents college more affordable, there’s not
and support a family on their incomes, about 17,000 teachers nationwide, more talk of methods “to recognize
and college students contemplating called for “career ladders for teachers and incentivize future public servants,”
careers know that. If those students to move into specialist roles, mas- foremost among them teachers.
There should be. The health of
are taking on debt, teaching isn’t ter-teacher roles.”
likely to provide a timely way to pay
“They’re worried that they’re go- our democracy and the perpetuation
it off. The average salary nationally ing to be doing the same thing on day of our prosperity depend on teaching
for public school teachers, including one as they’ll be doing 30 years in,” no less than they do on Wall Street’s
machinations or Silicon Valley’s inno-
those with decades in the classroom, he told me.
is under $57,000; starting salaries in
He also questioned licensing laws vations. So let’s make the classroom
some states barely crest $30,000.
that prevent the easy movement of an a destination as sensible, exciting and
There’s also the issue of autonomy. exemplary teacher from one state to ful¿ lling as any other.
By FRANK BRUNI
New York Times News Service
T
Where to write
• State Rep. Brad Witt (D): State
Capitol, 900 Court Street N.E., H-373,
Salem, OR 97301. Phone: 503-986-
1431. Web: www.leg.state.or.us/witt/
Email: rep.bradwitt@state.or.us
• State Rep. Deborah Boone (D):
900 Court St. N.E., H-481, Salem, OR
97301. Phone: 503-986-1432. Email:
rep.deborah boone@state.or.us District
of¿ ce: P.O. Box 928, Cannon Beach,
OR 97110. Phone: 503-986-1432.
Web: www.leg.state.or.us/ boone/
• State Sen. Betsy Johnson (D):
State Capitol, 900 Court St. N.E., S-314,
Salem, OR 97301. Telephone: 503-986-
1716. Email: sen.betsy johnson@state.
or.us Web: www.betsyjohnson.com
District Of¿ ce: P.O. Box R, Scappoose,
OR 97056. Phone: 503-543-4046. Fax:
503-543-5296. Astoria of¿ ce phone:
503-338-1280.