A4 Wednesday, March 11, 2020
HOOD RIVER NEWS | Hood River, Ore.
hoodrivernews.com
OPINION
Our Readers Write
Saving lives
I was the emergency physi-
cian on duty in the Hood River
Emergency Department last
month when the staff and I
started hearing concerning in-
formation on the 911 scanner.
There was someone downtown
with an injury that was bleed-
ing profusely. Hood River po-
lice were on the scene and EMS
had been called for assistance.
A short time later, Hood River
Fire Department arrived with
the patient who had indeed
sustained an injury that was
both life and limb threatening.
However, the bleeding had
been stopped by a well-placed
military style tourniquet on the
injured extremity. I was im-
pressed! When informed that
two Hood River police officers
had applied the tourniquet,
I was more impressed! To
have this device available, the
training to use it, and the com-
petence to apply it correctly
under very stressful conditions
is commendable.
Congratulations to officers
Juan Pulido and Gabe Wilson
and the Hood River Police De-
partment for a job well done!
Our job was not done, how-
ever. The patient needed to get
to a trauma center in Portland
and we could not keep the
tourniquet on much longer.
Tourniquets can be lifesaving,
but they cut off the blood sup-
ply and can cause more injury
if left in place too long. That’s
when we called our surgeon,
Dr. Cory Johnston, to come
and help. Dr. Johnston arrived
within minutes and was able
to calmly and expertly stitch
enough of the lacerated muscle
and blood vessels to enable
us to remove the tourniquet
and transfer the patient. That
was the last case I shared with
our friend and colleague, Dr.
Johnston.
We in the Emergency De-
partment have had the extreme
privilege of knowing and work-
ing with Cory over these years.
He was an amazing surgeon
and human being. Our hearts
go out to his wife and fami-
ly. He will be dearly, dearly
missed.
Karen O’Neill
Hood River
Coronavirus
Thanks for the excellent
medical advice to fight the
Coronavirus (“Don’t just worry
about coronavirus, do some-
thing,” by Dr. Jeff Horacek and
Heather Neilson, Hood River
News, March 4). This lifestyle
will help us not only now,
but in the future against new
health threats, and also to feel
better in the meantime. It is
like America’s investment in
the Global Fund to Fight AIDS,
TB, and Malaria, and Gavi, the
Vaccine Alliance: Saving the
lives of millions in our world
and helping protect us locally
against these and other dis-
eases. Both of these initiatives
also strengthen health care
systems around the world. So
like Dr. Horacek’s advice about
a healthy lifestyle, these global
initiatives protect us with an
ounce of prevention, while sav-
ing the lives of millions.
Thanks to living in a de-
mocracy, we can call or write
our representatives and thank
them for America’s investment
in these initiatives, and ask
them to fund these and other
health initiatives that create
a better world and protect us
here at home.
Willie Dickerson
Snohomish, Wash.
Get real
signatures needed to put the
matter before all state voters.
Clearly, it was easier to go
I see more and more of these stand in left field. We can do
“I stand with Chuck Thomsen” better. Let’s replace Thomsen
signs referring to something with someone who wants to
called “Working Families.” I do the job.
Stuart Watson
know no working families who
support this idea. So, I write to
Hood River
ask others how “standing with
Chuck” is working out for you.
Do you earn a living wage,
now reckoned at more than
$30 an hour, twice what both
Chuck Thomsen and the rest
political parties argue about for of the Oregon state Republican
an unliving minimum wage of Senate and House members
$15 per hour? When coronavi- who are hiding out to avoid
rus fears put you on leave from doing their jobs during the
work, will that be an adequate current State legislative session
paid leave? Do you have afford- should resign immediately. If
able healthcare? Affordable they are not going to do the
insurance premiums? Can you jobs that they promised to do
afford to live in your house? when they ran for election,
How is your union doing? Sen. then they must step aside and
Thomsen’s Republican Party make room for someone else
opposes such issues that could who will do the job they all
make life affordable.
took an oath to do. Nowhere
“Working Families,” I sus- in their oath does it excuse any
pect from long experience, is legislator to be absent just be-
what is called “astroturf,” an cause they don’t like a bill that
expression referring to cor- is being voted on. No govern-
porate-contrived fake “grass- ment can continue to function
roots” activist groups.
if every time a bill comes up
I do not support the Demo- that one party doesn’t like they
cratic Party, which has recently walkout and hide in another
shown too much foolishness state to prevent that bill from
and cowardice to effectively being voted on.
challenge the status quo. Nor
I know what I did to any em-
do I support their “cap-and- ployee who repeatedly failed
trade” solution to climate ca- to show up for work at any of
tastrophe, which Republicans the businesses I owned and/or
claim caused them to leave managed during my 30 years
their jobs in protest.
of being a business owner and
If you “stand with Chuck” manager, fired them! And they
you are supporting elected offi- sure didn’t get paid for failing
cials who act like children who to show up like Chuck and
don’t get their way and pick up the rest of his Republican no
their toys and go home. This shows are.
is a pathetic excuse for public
Darrell Roberts
policy in a representative de-
Parkdale
mocracy.
“Working Families” isn’t
real. Get real.
David Hupp
Hood River
I drive around town a lot
and have seen quite a few “I
stand with Chuck Thomsen”
signs. I would love to know
what adults mature enough to
If people can honestly own property are standing for:
“stand with Chuck Thomsen,” Are you proud that Chuck is
they are clearly standing out in unwilling to honor his sworn
left field.
duty to serve as our paid rep-
They are standing for dere- resentative? Is it his unwilling-
liction of duty. All legislators ness to honor the state’s legal
take an oath of office, under democratic process and follow
which they “solemnly swear our laws? Perhaps you like the
that (they) will support ... the way he deals with things he
Constitution of the State of disagrees with by “stomping
Oregon, and that (they) will out of the room?”
faithfully discharge the duties
If you do not agree with a
of Senator (or Representative particular bill or the way you
as the case may be) according are being represented, then
to the best of (their) Ability….” say so. Please respect the rest of
The legislators who walked the community by being hon-
out of the recent legislative est instead of acting so proud
session clearly had the ability over such immature, unethical
to walk out, which I would infer behavior.
to mean that they also had
Steve Kaplan
the ability to stay put. And do
Hood River
their job.
The failure to remain sug-
gests that these individuals re-
ally don’t want to serve. Chuck
Thomsen barely retained his
I can’t help but laugh when I
seat in the last election. By see yard signs saying, “Thanks
walking out, he failed to serve for Representing us Senator
the large number of Dist. 26 Thomsen” when what he is
residents who voted for his op- actually doing — for the sec-
ponent. He doesn’t just repre- ond year in a row — is hiding
sent those who voted for him.
out and not representing any-
Does he intend to give back body! Have we really reached
a proportionate share of his a point in our state where
more than $31,000 annual sal- elected representatives don’t
ary and per diem to cover the feel obligated to show up for
theft of funds for his non-ser- work? Where they don’t feel a
vice?
duty to make a coherent case
By walking out, Thomsen left for their policy proposals, and
more than climate change on engage in reasonable debate
the table.
with those on the other side of
If he didn’t like climate the aisle when they disagree?
change legislation, Thom- It is unacceptable to simply
sen could have voted no. The run away and hide, effectively
walkout was undertaken as shutting down the democratic
a protest over the legislative process for any and all im-
majority’s choice not to refer portant legislation. This kind
the climate change bill to the of scorched earth approach to
voters. If opponents still had disagreement does not serve
issues with it, they could have us, the voters. It reminds me of
gathered the roughly 75,000 a child who covers his ears and
Call to resign
‘Just curious’
Left field
Unacceptable
chants “la la la la la” to make
sure he doesn’t hear what he
doesn’t want to hear. This kind
of behavior is immature, un-
democratic, and unacceptable.
I will gladly sign a petition for
Senator Thomsen’s recall so we
can elect somebody who will
actually show up and do their
darn job!
Peyton Helm
Hood River
Recall
Thomsen
When any of us is faced with
difficult work, what do we do?
We know that Sen. Thomsen
chooses to not go to work —
and somehow that does not
impact whether or not he gets
paid.
As I have thought about his
decision to walk-out AGAIN, I
have thought about a day many
years ago. I was teaching at an
urban high school in Califor-
nia, and one day our students
walked out. The next several
days were very difficult for all
the staff, students and parents.
In the following days and week,
we made several changes,
learning the reasons behind
the walk-out, developing safer
and more productive ways for
students’ voices to be heard,
and communicating the con-
sequences students would face
if they chose to walk-out again.
What did Sen. Thomsen
learn as a result of his decision
to walk-out last year? Signs
around the county praise him
for his work — really? Appar-
ently these people enjoy pay-
ing taxes! Also, we will all need
to pay more taxes because
of the many bills that were
blocked by the walk-out, in-
cluding the need to continue to
pay for the Search and Rescue
work that is state-mandated
work of the Sheriff Department
although the state does not pay
for it. This could have changed,
but Sen. Thomsen chose to not
show up to pass the bill.
Shame on us for letting Sen.
Thomsen think what he did
was acceptable — that it does
not matter whether people
show up to do the work they
have agreed to do because they
will be paid anyway. Are there
other working people who get
paid even if they do not show
up?
Since Sen. Thomsen has
demonstrated, once again,
that he does not want to do the
work he was elected to do and
to keep the promises he made
to voters prior to the election,
it is time to recall him and find
someone who takes responsi-
bilities seriously — to show up
and do the work! There is so
much that needs to be done!
Ruth Tsu
Hood River
Vote Democrat
When Elizabeth Warren
withdrew from the Democrat-
ic presidential race, Donald
Trump’s comment was, “Her
trouble was lack of talent. She
is a mean person.”
Well. I would say that’s a
case of the pot calling the kettle
black. What a mean thing for a
president to say about a high-
ly-respected fellow politician!
With those comments he has
sunk below his already fright-
eningly low personal stan-
dards.
While I would not have
voted for Sen. Warren in the
upcoming primary, I have the
greatest respect for her, her
ideas, and her character. She
has been a valuable senator for
a number of years.
Trump has dishonored and
shamed America and Amer-
icans consistently for more
than three years. Whoever
gets chosen to run against him
in November, I will vote for
him or her and help to elect a
more intelligent and civilized
president.
Wendy Best
Parkdale
‘Blessings in
disguise’
In the 1950s, my since-de-
parted mother wrote a short
poem with a good message.
With the hope that others find
this poem to be uplifting and
helpful, I ask you please pub-
lish it, in honor of Margaret
Ann Fifer:
Early Bee
An early bee with angry buzz
Is all upset, you see, because
Although it isn’t April yet
An early shower got her wet
Don’t be angry, little bee,
The rain is also good, you
see.
It makes the flowers open
wide
So you can get right down
inside
To get the nectar, precious
food
To take home to your hungry
brood.
So you can say and know
it’s true
That nature isn’t good to
you?
Sometimes rainclouds in
the skies
Are but blessings in disguise.
Michael Fifer
Hood River
Support
Helfrich
I am really excited that Jeff
Helfrich has decided to run
for State Representative in
House District 52. I think he
did a great job last time he
was in that position. Jeff is a
family man, he cares about
the people, and how he can
serve them best. He stands for
working families, and ensures
we have a voice in Salem! Be-
cause of his background as a
policeman, he is a great nego-
tiator, and is used to working
with people from all walks of
life. He is levelheaded, hard-
working, dedicated, and really
cares about District 52. I hope
you will join me and show
your support for Jeff Helfrich
State Representative House
District 52!
Michon Mainwaring
Hood River
Climate crisis
Donald Rose’s Letter to the
Editor (“No Crisis”) in the
March 4, 2020, Hood River
News asserts emphatically
“that there is no (climate) cri-
sis and no action is needed to
reduce carbon dioxide since
man-caused carbon dioxide…
has negligible influence on
climate” and any “Time, en-
ergy, resources, money and
freedoms would be wasted on
this false premise.”
What does Mr. Rose mean
by “freedoms?” Freedom to
irresponsibly do whatever you
want regardless of the impact
on others or the commonweal?
What about freedom from
human suffering?
The increasing frequency
and extremes of recurring cli-
mate disasters, such as the
recent Kentucky tornado, re-
mind us that there is a climate
crisis. Peer-reviewed science
finds man-made CO2 the high-
ly likely cause. The real and
dangerous “false premise” is to
assume that man-made CO2
is not the cause and not take
action. Has Mr. Rose factored
into his accounting what we
are already spending globally
NOW in “time, energy, re-
sources, money” reacting and
responding to wildfires, power
shutdowns, floods, tornados,
hurricanes, rising sea levels,
melting glaciers, droughts,
spreading diseases, etc.?
We should be putting all
our “Time, energy, resourc-
es, money” into mitigation of
climate change NOW to have
any chance of ensuring the
habitability of the planet in the
future. “An ounce of preven-
tion is worth a pound of cure.”
“A stitch in time saves nine.”
Hopefully, we are still at a point
on the curve where these aph-
orisms hold true.
Hugh McMahan
Hood River
Pandemic
To state that he has a
“hunch” that the death rate of
the COVID-19 pandemic will
decrease is simply the first step
in a double-clutch gas-light on
the part of Mr. Trump. Epidem-
ics are identified by the severe
cases. With time we identify
many more mild cases that
dilute the critical ones. Epi-
demics with novel viruses gen-
erally continue until about 80
percent of the population be-
comes immune. At that point
the cases become scattered, as
the number of non-immune
people becomes so thinned,
there aren’t many remaining
potential victims (“herd immu-
nity”). Immunity happens with
acute infection or vaccination.
There are currently no an-
ti-viral drugs for COVID-19. We
are in a race with time to devel-
op a vaccine against COVID-19
and the viral spread is outpac-
ing the vaccine development.
Most of us will survive without
the vaccine and will simply
“catch a cold” and become
immune. But the death rate
amongst the frail, elderly, se-
riously immunocompromised
and those with chronic lung
disease has been and will con-
tinue to be very high. Twenty
million deaths in a world of 1.9
billion people occurred in the
1918 influenza pandemic. If
this 1 percent mortality rate in
the world population repeats
itself with COVID-19, then
100 million will die, double
the current all-causes death
rate. Your frail grandmother,
your father with COPD, your
asthmatic sister, all would like-
ly prefer a vaccination rather
than the high mortality rate of
COVID-19 in their population
subgroup.
The widely publicized rec-
ommendations of our public
health authorities, such as
great hand hygiene, cough/
sneeze control, surface (fo-
mites) disinfection and stay-
ing home when sick are the
best measures to slow the
progression of the pandemic
so that grandma can be vac-
cinated rather than suffering
and dying from COVID-19.
If you’re thinking of doing
these things to save your own
hide, go ahead, more power
to you. But most of us will not
become very ill from this virus.
The higher calling is to do
everything we can to slow the
pandemic in order to spare our
at-risk friends and loved-ones
from suffering and death.
John Jacobson
Hood River