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THE ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020
OPINION
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
DERRICK DePLEDGE
Editor
Founded in 1873
JEREMY FELDMAN
Circulation Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN
Production Manager
CARL EARL
Systems Manager
GUEST COLUMN
Opening a door to a new era
Dick Basch
Guy Capoeman skippers the Dragonfl y, the Clatsop-Nehalem Confederated Tribes’ cedar dugout canoe, at the estuary near the Ne-ah-coxie site with his daughter, Ilia, and tribal
members Charlotte and Lorraine Basch.
T
urning the page on Clatsop Coun-
ty’s complicated history with
n ative peoples, on May 5 the
North Coast Land Conservancy trans-
ferred ownership of the historic site of
Neacoxie village to the Clatsop-Nehalem
Confederated Tribes.
This transfer means so much to so
many people: the ongoing preservation
of the Necanicum w atershed and Sea-
side e stuary, the strengthening of com-
munity relationships and partnerships,
the formal stewardship of land in Sea-
side by tribal people for the fi rst time in
generations.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen an
outpour of support, excitement and curi-
osity in response to the transfer. As an
i ndigenous woman who grew up in Sea-
side with family ties to the Clatsop-Ne-
halem, and as an enrolled member of the
Puyallup Tribe, this transfer also signi-
fi es the opening of a door to a new era
of tribal representation and community
healing.
Growing up on the Oregon Coast, I
was lucky to have never felt outcast or
looked down upon. Never once did I
experience overt racism or discrimina-
tion for the color of my skin or the lin-
eage of my family. I did, however, feel
the constant pressure of ensuring that my
family, my ancestors, my individual exis-
tence as a n ative woman were never for-
gotten or misinterpreted.
I did anxiously sit through “informa-
tional” videos or casual conversations
prepared to hear variations of the sen-
tence, “T here are no Native Americans
Charlotte Basch is Clatsop-Nehalem and an enrolled member of the Puyallup Tribe.
here anymore, they are all extinct.”
In a county which takes its name from
the very people who once occupied and
cared for the land in numbers greater
than we can imagine today, my educa-
tion and communal interactions con-
sisted of surprisingly little information
on our community’s rich tribal history.
But today, things are different.
Today, I hear about Clatsop County
youth reaching out to local tribes to con-
duct school history projects. I read infor-
mational signage referencing the historic
and ongoing presence of Clatsop and
other tribal people in our community.
And, I get to walk the trails at Neacoxie
knowing that my ancestors who once
called that place home see their people as
the primary caretakers of their land once
again.
More than that, n ative and non n a-
tive youth growing up in our commu-
nity today will never know a Clatsop
County without the public representation
of tribal people.
Almost one year ago exactly, our rel-
atives to the north, the Chinook Nation,
purchased Tansy Point near Warren-
ton — the site where in 1851 several
independent tribal nations of the lower
Columbia River signed treaties with the
United States g overnment, only to later
be unratifi ed. So many promises made at
that site were broken and forgotten, but
with that land once again in tribal owner-
ship, the shared history of that place will
live on.
Our relatives ownership of our shared
treaty grounds makes me proud and
gives me hope. These feelings are rekin-
dled today with the transfer of Neacoxie,
and the outpour of positive response.
One of the promises made on that
August day in 1851 was that the Clat-
sop Tribe would, “be at liberty to occupy,
as formerly, the fi shing grounds at the
mouth of the Neacoxsa Creek, when-
ever they wish to do so for the purpose
of fi shing.”
Neacoxie was promised to the Clat-
sop people nearly 170 years ago. Today,
i ndigenous people are regaining some of
their most culturally signifi cant lands —
Clatsop-Nehalem in Seaside, Chinook
at Tansy Point — creating a synergy and
support of our tribe’s mutual interest to
protect and care for the lands that mat-
ter most.
Today, I am proud to not only be a
Clatsop, Nehalem and Puyallup woman,
but I am also proud to be part of our
Clatsop County community. Today, we
are coming together, no matter our dif-
ferences, to make things right for both
past and future generations.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Something to think about
T
he following statement was made as
part of the description of the movie
“Swing Shift”: “A time when ordinary cit-
izens bonded to accomplish extraordinary
things. There was no other time like it, and
it changed our way of life forever.”
The message immediately brought to
mind the similarity to the current COVID-
19 pandemic we now face. I feel it is
important to share to those who are tak-
ing this virus as seriously as is needed, and
following guidelines to help prevent its
spread, and also to give those who are not
— something to think about.
For those who don’t have any con-
nection with family or friends, who went
through World War II, this says it all. We
have the opportunity now, at this time, to
do the same. To work together to keep us
all safe, and reconnect with the commonal-
ity we all truly share.
My thanks to those on the front lines,
working around the clock to help those
who have become ill, and also to those
taking the precautions needed to help keep
us all safe.
NANCY GLARUM
Warrenton
Get over it
I
have heard various Trumpians utter the
insensitive mantra: “Get over it!”
The sad thing about it is, the more they
dismiss the real concerns others have
about how this administration is affect-
ing our country, the more they will double
down on bringing out the facts.
I doubt if they really stop to objectively
examine why so many have resisted Pres-
ident Donald Trump from the start. I have
lived through many Republican presi-
dents, and have never felt this way. Why?
Because they all acted in a reasonable
manner.
Never before in our history has a pres-
ident been more reviled by people both
inside and outside our borders. Trumpi-
ans have mistaken this as a consequence
for draining the swamp, when it’s quite the
opposite. The swamp President Trump cre-
ated is the worst in American history.
Do you think I get pleasure from any
of it? I have never felt such a sense of
shame and dread about being an American.
He has alienated us from allies, and even
worse, each other. Trump churlishly lashes
out at anyone who disagrees with him. He
stupidly mused about using disinfectants,
when scientists know it’s impossible.
He ignored the warnings of our intelli-
gence agencies about the virus, and contin-
ues to delay developing more tests, while
lying about the availability of them. Mixed
messages and misinformation permeate his
methods.
We’re all stuck at home, and people are
dying unnecessarily as a result of his inac-
tion, and you say, “Get over it?” No way.
BRENTON KAHLE
Astoria
Discouraged
W
hile I’m glad that things are going
back to normal (more or less), I am
discouraged that some things are doing not
so fi ne. Like for instance, I’ve heard the
Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festi-
val has been canceled, even though it’s not
due until June (“Scandinavian festival can-
celed over virus concerns,” The Astorian,
April 16).
With the supposed plan to end the lock-
down, I was so hoping for at least some
baby steps for things to go back to nor-
mal. If the coronavirus does slow down
with summer coming, and with plenty of
time for a vaccine to be ready, I was hop-
ing everything could just go back the way
it was, and that includes events, for if the
lockdown ends, I would expect everything
being the way it was by June.
I’m just saying it isn’t fair for the lock-
down to end with not everything opened
up again.
DYLAN MILLIREN
Seaside
Wellness
S
o, in the middle of the pandemic, The
Astorian chose to do a profi le on a
“wellness provider” (“Wellness provider
responds to coronavirus,” April 21 ).
Now, I’m sure that Paula Crossfi eld is a
lovely person. The article details how she
practices Ayurveda, which is, at the very
best, a physically ineffective therapeutic
placebo .
She also specialized in “essential oils.”
A few minutes on Google , and I dis-
covered her relationship with doTerra , a
predatory m ulti l evel m arketing (MLM)
company that has frequent negative inter-
actions with the Food and Drug Adminis-
tration for misleading claims .
It gets even better. Apparently, astrol-
ogy — another superstition based on an
absolute lack of science — can be used
for “a strological remedies.” The only
thing people like about this remedy is your
money into their pocket.
Just ask Steve Jobs.
In an age where newspapers are strug-
gling to survive, I would hope that this
snake-oil salesperson at least paid you for
the ink you put to paper for her.
Next time, when looking to write a
“pandemic medical piece,” please profi le
a true medical professional. We have real
doctors, nurses, physician’s assistants and
others here on the North Coast.
Avoid the charlatans, MLM “huns” and
their magical thinking.
THOMAS ANK
Astoria
Forestry is essential
A
s our communities remain at a stand-
still, it is becoming increasingly
clear that some operations must push for-
ward to help provide the vital services and
products we all will need in the days and
months ahead.
As people shelter in their homes, and do
what they can to continue working (from
home or elsewhere), take care of their fam-
ilies and pay their bills, some local resi-
dents seem to be trying to stir up fear that
forestry activities are jeopardizing life and
lungs of those at home in Clatsop County.
Concluding that a haze in the air is from
forest activities such as burning or herbi-
cides is concerning (“Smoky haze,” The
Astorian, April 18). If these activities are
occurring, they are occurring under strict
regulation from the Department of Envi-
ronmental Quality and the Oregon Depart-
ment of Forestry.
We are grateful to our farmers for grow-
ing the food on our grocery store shelves
and kitchen tables, as well as the foresters
growing and harvesting trees in order to
keep the vitally important wood and paper
products fl owing during this time of crisis.
I appeal to the governor to not respond
to these opportunistic scare tactics during
this time. Forestry professionals are try-
ing to ensure society has wood and paper
products now, and for future generations.
Furthermore, in times of need, it is best not
to shut off critical care for our forests or
jeopardize an industry that employs thou-
sands on the North Coast.
JENNY JOHNSON
Astoria