THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015
Trump’s wall
FRIDAY EXCHANGE
5A
possessed Vietnamese fami-
lies from their homes, and set
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realtors don’t shoot the people
they cause to be turned out of
their homes, and obviously
Asked to contribute to these expens-
don’t burn down their houses.
ome good people of Astoria may ta-pottys along the Riverwalk (rental
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be incensed, chagrined, or enraged cost at about $300 a month). Only more es, the city said there is no money in
es for local families who are
upon reading “The homelessness di- police rousting is proposed for the park the budget, but found an unbudgeted
amount of $16,000 for a dog and pony
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lemma” article in The Daily Astorian problem.
+RZ VWUHHW SHRSOH ZLOO ¿QG WKHLU show promoting a new library. Not-
places to live after eviction
Oct. 23. As a priest/lawyer I’m in the
special toilets, or get there from loca- withstanding a long line of U.S. Su-
(or any other form of forced
enraged category.
In his visit to the U.S., Pope Francis tions throughout the city is unknown. preme Court cases allowing religious
dislocation) might well be as
VDLG ³ZH FDQ ¿QG QR VRFLDO RU PRUDO Why tent cities could not be estab- organizations to receive public funds
abysmal.
MXVWL¿FDWLRQ QR MXVWL¿FDWLRQ ZKDWVR- lished in a couple of parks is unknown. for exclusively secular purposes, the
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ever, for lack of housing.” Apparently, And why spend thousands of dollars city claims a contribution to the shelter
seems to be taking notice of
WKLV ¿QGLQJ LV QRW EDVHG RQ UHOLJLRXV on police, auto, and jail expenses when is unconstitutional.
the housing disparity, holding
If you believe homeless lives matter
doctrine. While being interviewed, these persons are on the streets again in
meetings and forming com-
Bernie Sanders, when was asked his a few hours, due to jail overcrowding? please contribute to the warming shel-
mittees at least — and devel-
Absent serious crime, police inter- ter. Make your tax deductible check to
religion said, “I am who I am.” Then he
opers claim to be interested in
added that he shares Francis’ concern vention does little to alleviate home- Grace Episcopal Church. On the memo
building low-cost housing if
lessness. Recognizing this, some As- line, be sure to put Jubilee Ministries/
for the poor.
certain land-use regulations
The article leads one to conclude torians established a warming center Warming Center. Send to the church at
are relaxed. Of course that
that such concerns are not embraced for cold winter months. First United 1545 Franklin Ave., Astoria OR 97103.
might also provide a back-
Volunteer to help monitor at the
by local leaders. To them, the prob- Methodist Church has provided its hall.
door to logging off the city
lem is public urination and defecation A shower, washer and dryer will be in- shelter by calling 503-325-1895 or
forest Astoria residents have
by street people and their tendency to stalled. Expenses for heating, water, emailing drewherzig@gmail.com
fought hard to preserve. But
GEORGE McCARTIN
KDQJRXWLQ$VWRULD¶VSDUNV7KH¿UVW light, blankets, towels and some coffee
their persistent struggle to
Astoria
problem is solved by placing three por- and snacks will be incurred.
save the trees might be under-
cut by losing citizens’ rights
to property predators.
I did not care for remarks
portive of my efforts to bring the day before so I had no way
I regret that in my befud- seasons. I was aboard one
awareness to some of the real- to call AAA. I tried pushing dlement I didn’t get either of boat when it sank in the no- TXRWHGLQD3RUWODQGQHZVSD-
the vehicle to the curb, but the the young people’s names. I torious Columbia River Bar, per that people from all over
ities of breast cancer.
Last but not least — prob- incline and the weight of the hope in some way they will which might be considered the world are moving into As-
ably most — thanks to Libby vehicle were too much for me. ¿QG RXW WKDW , UHYHUH WKHP DV an eviction of sorts. So might toria and starting small bou-
DiBartolomeo for organizing Cars were beginning to line shining examples of Astoria a house I lived in on Bond WLTXHEXVLQHVVHV³WKDWEULQJD
the Astoria Die-in for Met- up, and I could feel the seeth- citizenry. I thank them again Street that burned beyond re- new level of excitement and
astatic Breast Cancer as her ing impatience.
for their help, and for the gift. pair in 1989. A careless smok- sophistication to a working
Seeing my befuddlement
senior project. Her passion
We’re a community. Pass er fell asleep one night in an class town.”
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and ongoing fundraising for and despair, a young woman it on.
That seems to exalt in-
Metavivor have been awe-in- in a white pickup immediately
ROGER DORBAND his two cremations.
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I am one of millions of more are “better” because
spiring. The Die-in was one of behind me decided to help out
Astoria
Buckle kids up
Americans who have lost they have more. And validates
several that took place across rather than drive around me,
their places of residence coldblooded displacement of
e have clear guidelines the U.S. on Oct. 13, including as others were beginning to
since the advent of the Great WKH OHVVHU DIÀXHQW ZKR RE-
from the Centers for on the west lawn of the Capi- do. She offered me her phone Hearts and minds
to make a call. As I thanked
Disease Control and Preven- tal in Washington, DC.
am an economic exile from Recession, and are unable to viously do not possess the
The brainchild of http:// her profusely, she gave me a
tion: “All children aged 12
Astoria. I was evicted on ¿QG DIIRUGDEOH KRXVLQJ +\- sophistry (a root of ‘sophisti-
and under should ride properly metup.org, a new activist or- greater, albeit intangible, gift. New Year’s Day 2015 from a per-escalating property rates cation’) of their betters.
Astoria is swiftly becom-
buckled in the back seat. Air ganization whose members She said, “No worries. We’re old house in which I lived as and rents have provoked the
bags can kill young children are mostly MBC patients a community.” That really a rental tenant for nearly 16 homeless epidemic nearly ing a place where personal
years. The house was sold to everywhere in the U.S. The worth is reckoned by the con-
riding in the front seat.” Turn- themselves, these events have touched my heart.
Though there was no time provide my landlord hospice causes are mottled; blatant tents of a wallet rather than
ing off the air bag or moving a netted awareness to all, but
especially to our federal leg- to say so, to me her act of care for Alzheimer’s. Iron- greed and unscrupulous home KHDUWV DQG PLQGV 7KH LQÀX[
seat back is not an option.
On Tuesdays and Thurs- islators on the committee for VSRQWDQHRXV NLQGQHVV UHÀHFW- ically he died the day I was foreclosures generated by the RIQHZHUDIÀXHQFHPLJKWFUH-
RGLRXV¿QDQFLDOFROODSVHIRUH- ate a “need” for wall-to-wall
days of each week that I am cancer research funding. We ed the true spirit of Astoria. evicted.
(gated) condos on the riv-
The new owner from Utah most among them.
involved with the Start Mak- might see amazing changes in We’re a community. Exactly.
7KH LPSHWXRXV JHQWUL¿FD- erfront adjoining a massive
ing A Reader Today (SMART) allocations towards MBC re- That’s our strong suit, the rea- stipulated the eviction. The
program at Warrenton Grade search as a result. Our small son my wife and I love living old house is probably gentri- tion that has swept upon the cruise-ship pier and marina.
¿HG E\ QRZ VKLHOGHG IURP Oregon coast like a tsunami And downtown a tourist Ely-
School, in the morning, I ob- community is part of some- here.
%HIRUH , FRXOG ¿QLVK WKH demolition by Astoria’s strin- has been a boon to the real sium that would be an affected
serve adults dropping off chil- thing much larger, thanks to
estate industry, especially in parody of Astoria as the oldest
call the young woman noticed gent preservation edicts.
dren at the school from the Libby’s hard work.
LAURA SNYDER a fellow pulling up in his pick-
Homeless war veterans are popular tourist areas such as city in the American West.
front seat of their vehicles —
Astoria up on the adjacent street. She a national cliché, so I am for- $VWRULD KDV EHFRPH TXLWH UH-
several without use of the seat
I just might have to wait
recognized him and said he tunate my sister has allowed cently.
belt — and from the back seat
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Local realty agents ex- fore I am able to afford to live
graduated from high school my unplanned imposition
without a safety device.
pediting sales and evictions in Astoria again.
in her class, and was a really upon her household.
This happens about two to Time to say no
I lived in Astoria for 30 claim they are just doing their
three times a week, in plain
MICHAEL PAUL
pen letter to Gov. Kate nice guy. He helped me push
sight of most everyone around
Brown: I am one of many my car into a safe area off of years. I earlier worked on lo- jobs. That was also what we
McCUSKER
cal tuna and crab boats a few said in Vietnam when we dis-
them. It is like an everyday people in Clatsop County the roadway.
Waldport
thing. I worry that there might ¿JKWLQJ DJDLQVW OLTXH¿HG QDW-
be an accident along the way ural gas (LNG) import/export
to school, and a child would in Oregon and on the Colum-
be lost due to this lack of judg- bia River.
It has been over 10 years
ment by the parent.
Please, when carrying chil- since we started educating
dren in the vehicle, ensure ourselves, writing letters, giv-
their safety by using the prop- ing public comment, going to
er restraints and putting young meetings at the federal, state,
county, and city level. Citizens
children in the back seat.
MEL JASMIN of Oregon know that LNG,
Warrenton whether importing or export-
ing, is horrible for our environ-
ment, our economic growth,
Thanks to all
our health, and livability along
ollowing Breast Cancer our beautiful Oregon coast.
You, Gov. Brown, can
Awareness Month, I’d like
to give some thanks to some of stop this insanity by using
the people and organizations in the Coastal Zone Manage-
ment Act (CZMA), the Clean
our wonderful community.
Many thanks to The Dai- Air Act, and the Clean Water
ly Astorian, whose staff and Act. I am sure there are even
management have been so more ways at your disposal to
willing and open to shining a stop this gold rush to export
spotlight on Metastatic Breast our natural resources.
When you were running
Cancer (MBC), the incurable
breast cancer. Our newspaper for Oregon Secretary of State,
went above and beyond, with you came to Astoria. We asked
coverage highlighting the you what was your position
need for more research fund- concerning Oregon LNG and
LQJWR¿QGDFXUH:HDOOQRZ Bradwood Landing LNG
know we will not cure breast building huge terminals on the
lower Columbia River. You
cancer until we cure MBC.
To the Astoria High School told us that you thought it was
women’s soccer team: Put- not a good idea. What is your
ting on your #pinkisnota- opinion now?
Please do the right thing
cure T-shirts and spreading
awareness of the plight of 30 and just say no to LNG export/
percent of breast cancer pa- import in Oregon. No to Or-
tients really rocked my world. egon LNG and no to Jordan
Social media has spread that Cove LNG in Coos Bay.
Washington state said no
amazing photograph around,
and the feedback and kudos to LNG. California said no to
LNG. Tijuana, Mexico, said
have been amazing.
Special thanks to Kelsey no to LNG. When is the state
and Adrienne Hunter for RI2UHJRQJRLQJWR¿QDOO\VD\
spearheading a different kind no?
LORI DURHEIM
of awareness, and also fund-
Astoria
raising for Metavivor, an
organization dedicating 100
Want to lower your energy costs? When you update lighting and other equipment, you can see the
percent of funds to MBC re-
Thank
you
difference instantly and recoup your investment in no time. Talk to a qualified trade ally to learn about
search grants.
To Zetty Nemlowill and
am writing to publicly
Energy Trust of Oregon cash incentives for all kinds of energy-saving solutions.
the Astoria Co-op’s “Beers to
thank the young woman
your Health” lecture series: and her friend who helped
Thank you for allowing and me out in a moment of panic
encouraging me to talk about and confusion. The engine of
an uncomfortable subject to my old Dodge had just died
Get more from your energy.
a wonderful crowd as part of LQ KHDY\ WUDI¿F OHDYLQJ PH
this lecture series.
stranded and blocking the east
Visit www.energytrust.org/mybusiness or call us at 1.866.368.7878.
Thank you to Columbia bound lane on Marine Drive. I
Memorial Hospital for ask- hopped out and checked under
Serving customers of Portland General Electric,
ing me to tell my own story at the hood, but could see no ob-
Pacific Power, NW Natural and Cascade Natural Gas.
their annual Astoria Column vious problem. Later I found
Pink Out event. Our com- out that my fuel pump had
munity, hospital, and Cancer failed.
Care Center have been so sup-
My cell phone had broken
O
Homeless lives matter, too
ne of the most repulsive
of Donald Trump’s rich
kid schoolyard bully state-
ments, which have astound-
ingly made him a leading
Republican presidential candi-
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so much attention, his promise
to “build a Great Wall” be-
tween the U.S. and Mexico.
He still drags it out occa-
sionally, though the most cur-
sory glance at the world and
its history reveals it is littered
with walls men have built to
keep other people in or out of
someplace. And every one of
them failed. Hear about the
one in Berlin? How about the
one to keep the Scottish Picts
out of Britain?
How about every castle and
walled town ever built? How
about the Great Wall of Chi-
na, which is reportedly visible
from the moon? If its purpose
was to keep out moon men,
maybe it succeeded. Other-
wise, it’s a proven stupid idea.
And so are virtually all the
rest of his proclamations. I
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actively courting stupid peo-
ple as his political base. And
they’re responding. Fortunate-
ly, I don’t think 25 percent of
registered Republicans have
ever elected anybody.
JOSEPH WEBB
Astoria
S
W
I
O
F
ENERGY COSTS TOO HIGH?
TRY LOOKING AT IT IN
A DIFFERENT LIGHT.
I