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THE ASTORIAN • SATuRdAy, JuNE 26, 2021
OPINION
editor@dailyastorian.com
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Publisher
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Editor
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GUEST COLUMN
Honoring our Vietnam veterans
T
he 2021 session started with the
hope that the state Legislature
would honor our Vietnam veterans
by passing a bill to establish a Vietnam
War Memorial on the Oregon State Capi-
tol grounds.
State Senate Bill 319 was introduced
by the Senate Committee on Veterans and
Emergency Preparedness. This bill ded-
icates a portion of Cap-
itol State Park to a Viet-
nam War Memorial to be
funded and constructed
by a qualified nonprofit
corporation.
SB 319, in its last
paragraph, declares an
STEVE
emergency. Its preamble
BATES
states over 180,000 Ore-
gonians served during the
Vietnam War, of which about 100,000 are
alive today. The average age of these vet-
erans is 70 and older. Oregon is losing up
to eight Vietnam Veterans per day. This
is based upon data from the U.S. Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs.
SB 319 states, “It is imperative to
memorialize the service and sacrifice of
all who served during the tumultuous
decades of the Vietnam War.” This should
be done before our Vietnam veterans are
gone.
The Senate passed SB 319 with a 29-0
vote in March. On Tuesday, the House
of Representatives passed the bill with a
58-0 vote. It now awaits the governors’s
signature.
In 2017, the Vietnam War Memorial
Fund was founded as a 501 (c)(3) non-
profit corporation, with the sole mis-
sion of funding and constructing a Viet-
nam War Memorial on the Oregon State
Capitol grounds. For a year and a half,
its steering committee met regularly and
developed a design for the proposed
memorial. The design was adopted in July
2019.
During 2020, the design was reviewed
and approved by the Oregon Capitol
Planning Commission and the Salem His-
toric Landmarks Commission. The design
was also approved by the Oregon Parks
and Recreation Commission in Febru-
ary. Subsequently, the Oregon Parks and
Recreation Department and the Vietnam
A rendering of a proposed Vietnam War Memorial in Salem.
AS WE APPROACH THE FOuRTH OF JuLy
HOLIdAy, REMEMBER TO HONOR ALL OF
OuR VETERANS. FREEdOM IS NOT FREE! IN
PARTICuLAR, yOu CAN HONOR OuR VIETNAM
VETERANS WITH A CONTRIBuTION TO THE
VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL PROJECT.
War Memorial Fund have entered into a
memorandum of understanding that out-
lines each entity’s responsibilities going
forward.
The approved design includes inter-
pretive panels which will detail historic
events and facts of the Vietnam War. This
information will be developed later in the
process by the steering committee. The
steering committee will consist of veter-
ans, local and national historians, inter-
preters, local and state public officials and
people representing Oregon’s Vietnamese
and Southeast Asian communities.
This project has met all local and state
requirements, with over a dozen public
hearings or forums. As a result, the Leg-
islature voted to honor our Vietnam vet-
erans by passing SB 319 and setting aside
space for a Vietnam War Memorial on the
Capitol grounds.
With the governor’s signature, the
major permissions will be in place to con-
struct a memorial. While there are state
and local requirements to be met, the
greatest challenge remaining is raising the
$3 million needed to complete the project.
As we approach the Fourth of July hol-
iday, remember to honor all of our vet-
erans. Freedom is not free! In particular,
you can honor our Vietnam veterans with
a contribution to the Vietnam War Memo-
rial project.
Steve Bates, who lives in Boring, is a
life member of the Associates of Vietnam
Veterans of America.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Don’t do it
I
am writing this letter in response to the
recent article in The Astorian (June 19)
regarding allowing electric scooters in
Astoria.
Having lived and worked in two cities
that allow scooters, all I can say is: Don’t
do it. If you do, you can expect scooters on
sidewalks, running stop signs and ignoring
traffic laws. You will have head injuries and
broken arms and legs.
People walking along the Astoria Riv-
erwalk will feel like they are under attack
when they walk along the river. Scoot-
ers will be left on sidewalks, streets and
doorways. As for tourists using them, they
would be better served just walking around
Astoria and enjoying its charms.
Some cities that have allowed scoot-
ers halted their programs to reevaluate their
use. Again, it’s a really dumb idea.
TERRY GRAFF
Gearhart
Bad idea
R
egarding the Astoria City Council’s
consideration of electric scooter rentals
in the downtown area:
Why would any sane community want
these childrens’ vehicles buzzing around
our overcrowded streets? And where will
they park their mini-Harleys? In the already
diminishing vehicle spaces?
This is a bad idea. Simply put, it’s a lob-
bying effort by a struggling startup firm to
dupe a well-known tourist destination in
order to make a quick buck for no benefit to
our city. Please deny this contract.
ROBERT POTTER
Astoria
Losing side of history
O
ver the past few years, I’ve noticed
that Clatsop County has decided to
look more inward, and be less inclusive
regarding the LGBTQ community.
When I read about the Knappa Par-
ents Organization expressing their con-
cerns about an LGBTQ curriculum in their
schools, and wanting their children to be
“treated as individuals,” I have to laugh.
What Knappa Parents Organization
would prefer is for LGBTQ people to
remain in the closet by denying teachers
to teach history, sex education and gen-
LETTERS WELCOME
Letters should be exclusive to The
Astorian. Letters should be fewer
than 250 words and must include the
writer’s name, address and phone
number. You will be contacted to
confirm authorship. All letters are
subject to editing for space, gram-
mar and factual accuracy. Only two
letters per writer are allowed each
month. Letters written in response
der issues pertaining to LGBTQ people and
their communities. It’s not shocking to me
that such an organization would decide to
tackle this issue during Pride Month.
I would also assume that such an orga-
nization probably rails about “cancel cul-
ture” every chance they get. Funny, they’re
actively participating in cancel culture by
to other letter writers should address
the issue at hand and should refer to
the headline and date the letter was
published. Discourse should be civil.
Send via email to editor@dailyasto-
rian.com, online at bit.ly/astorianlet-
ters, in person at 949 Exchange St.
in Astoria or mail to Letters to the
Editor, P.O. Box 210, Astoria, OR.,
97103.
denying that their children, and everyone
else’s children, be taught sex education that
may actually pertain to their lives.
I have news for these parents: You’re on
the losing side of history.
The existence of trans, gay, lesbian,
bisexual and gender nonconforming people
is a threat to their worldview, therefore, the
only way to stop an honest discussion about
LGBTQ people and gender issues is to ban
any type of curriculum of such a topic in
our schools, which is why an opt out for
their kids simply isn’t acceptable to them
regarding evidence-based sex education.
Sounds a lot like “cancel culture for
thee, but not for me.”
RICKY BENNETT
Astoria
Bad enough
I
t’s bad enough cruise ships will be once
again dumping tourists into town, vac-
cinated or not, but must we provide them
with electric scooters to further aggravate
our traffic problems?
I’m surprised such a stupid idea is being
seriously considered.
OK, I’m not surprised.
JOHN F. CROWLEY
Astoria