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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 2015)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Saturday, February 14, 2015 Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN DANIEL WATTENBURGER Publisher Managing Editor JENNINE PERKINSON TIM TRAINOR Advertising Director Opinion Page Editor EO MEDIA GROUP East Oregonian • The Daily Astorian • Capital Press • Hermiston Herald Blue Mountain Eagle • Wallowa County Chieftain • Chinook Observer • Coast River Business Journal Oregon Coast Today • Coast Weekend • Seaside Signal • Cannon Beach Gazette Eastern Oregon Real Estate Guide • Eastern Oregon Marketplace • Coast Marketplace OnlyAg.com • FarmSeller.com • Seaside-Sun.com • NorthwestOpinions.com • DiscoverOurCoast.com MIKE FORRESTER Pendleton Chairman of the Board STEVE FORRESTER Astoria President TOM BROWN Bigfork, Mont. Director KATHRYN B. BROWN Pendleton Secretary/Treasurer JEFF ROGERS Indianapolis, Ind. Director OUR VIEW Safeguards could Muslims, marriage and bigotry VDYHRXUQHFNVLI I WKHUH¶VDQH[WWLPH OTHER VIEWS :HOOWKDWHVFDODWHGTXLFNO\$QG GXWLHVPLJKWEHVHHQDVVXSHUÀXRXV WKHQWRRNZD\WRRORQJWRFRQFOXGH %XWZKHQ\RXDUHWDONLQJDERXWWKH %XWZKLOHLWIHHOVOLNHWKH most important job in a country or .LW]KDEHUVDJDKDV¿QDOO\UHDFKHG the most important job in a state, LWVFOLPD[LQPDQ\ZD\VWKH¿UVW having a person on standby is a domino has just been tipped. The necessary redundancy. JRYHUQRU¶VGHSDUWXUHRQ:HGQHVGD\ Not having that position waiting will set in motion a strange change LQWKHZLQJVPDNHVWKHVXFFHVVLRQ LQWKHVWDWH¶V process a WRSRI¿FH muddier one And — a series ZKLOHZH¶UH of falling reasonably dominoes and FRQ¿GHQWLQ VKXIÀLQJWLWOHV .DWH%URZQ¶V Brown said ability to be she is ready more than just to replace a placeholder Kitzhaber. during this She will soon important time, appoint another LW¶VSUREDEO\ Secretary of ZRUWKWKLQNLQJ State. That person, When you are as an appointee, about creating some safeguards in case no longer talking about the would we see something be atop the chain OLNHWKLVDJDLQ most important of succession. Fingers crossed. if job in a state, Incidentally, 7KH¿UVWLV Brown had declined the addition of a having a person the promotion lieutenant governor. or stepped aside, on standby is In the United Treasurer Ted States, 43 of 50 Wheeler would a necessary states have that have had the redundancy. position, and come QH[WFUDFNDWWKH election time, his or governorship. her name is spelled 0DNHQR out in smaller letters on yard signs. PLVWDNHLI.LW]KDEHUDQG+D\HV They debate the other lieutenant have committed crimes they should JRYHUQRUFDQGLGDWHVPDNHWKHVDPH be held accountable. And they long drives and same speeches to VKRXOGQ¶WKDYHVRPHRQHLQVWDWH rouse the electorate. In many cases government that would shield them they are elected as the bottom of a from prosecution if the facts call for WLFNHWWKDWLQFOXGHVWKHJRYHUQRULQ it. But a lieutenant governor would VRPHVWDWHVLW¶VDVHSDUDWHUDFH offer a more orderly transition of 2UHJRQLVQ¶WRQHRIWKRVHVWDWHV power, should this disappointment :HGRQ¶WKDYHWKDWSRVLWLRQ happen again. and therefore our next in line of 7KHQWKHUH¶VLPSHDFKPHQWD succession when some calamity tool not available to the Oregon EHIDOOVRXUWRSJRYHUQPHQWRI¿FLDO legislature. VD\DFRUUXSW¿DQFpHLVRXUHOHFWHG It seemed for a short time this Secretary of State. Democrat Kate ZHHNWKDW.LW]KDEHUPD\FOLQJWR Brown holds that seat, and was his post until voters got a recall elected to the non-partisan position SHWLWLRQ¿OHGVLJQHGDQGRQWKH by voters in 2008. EDOORW)RUWXQDWHO\WKDWZDVQ¶WWKH If we did have a lieutenant case. But with everyone ready JRYHUQRULW¶VSRVVLEOH.LW]KDEHU for him to step down it raised the would have resigned sooner. question of how to boot someone $OLHXWHQDQWJRYHUQRULVNLQG ZKRGRHVQ¶WZDQWWREHERRWHG RIOLNHDYLFHSUHVLGHQW7KH\ Hopefully, this sort of GRQ¶WUHDOO\GRPXFKWKH\MXVW PDOIHDVDQFHGRHVQ¶WEHFRPHURXWLQH hang around as a bench-warming in Oregon, as it has elsewhere. But EDFNXSUHDG\WRWDNHRYHULQFDVH Friday was a sad day for the state of emergency. In some jobs a — now is the time to build a better EDFNXSZLWKRXWPDQ\GD\WRGD\ government. Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial board of Publisher Kathryn Brown, Managing Editor Daniel Wattenburger, and Opinion Page Editor Tim Trainor. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the East Oregonian. n North Carolina, three young slaughtering people around the 0XVOLPVZKRZHUHDFWLYHLQFKDULW\ JOREHLQFOXGLQJWKHLURZQEXWOHW¶V ZRUNZHUHPXUGHUHGDOOHJHGO\E\ highlight this story — seems legit.” DPDQZKRLGHQWL¿HGDVDWKHLVWDQG ,¶YHSUHYLRXVO\XUJHG0XVOLPV expressed hostility to Islam and other WRUHÀHFWRQLQWROHUDQFHLQWKHLU faiths. Police are exploring whether camp, and this is an occasion when it was a hate crime, and it spurred a Christians, atheists and others can 0XVOLP/LYHV0DWWHUFDPSDLJQRQ do the same. Did the furor in North Twitter. Nicholas Carolina that led to the cancellation of And, in Alabama, we see judges Kristof WKH0XVOLPFDOOWRSUD\HUIURP'XNH refusing to approve marriages of any 8QLYHUVLW\¶VFKDSHOWRZHULQÀDPH Comment NLQGEHFDXVHWKHQWKH\ZRXOGDOVR sentiments? have to approve same-sex marriages. The Alabama legal drama, with In one poll conducted last year, some 59 &KLHI-XVWLFH5R\60RRUHRIWKHVWDWH percent of people in Alabama opposed gay Supreme Court defying federal authorities, is, marriage. Somehow a loving God is cited to of course, different. But it also is redolent of bar loving couples from committing to each faith as I-am-holier-than-thou chest-thumping, other. a reminder of the need for humility. These are very different news stories. But 'R0RRUHDQGRWKHUFRQVHUYDWLYH I wonder if a common lesson from both may &KULVWLDQVWKLQNWKDWZKHQ*RGPDGHJD\VDQG lesbians fall achingly in love with each other, be the importance of resisting bigotry, of He screwed up? combating the intolerance It seems odd to me that can infect people of any that so many conservative faith — or of no faith. Christians are obsessed ,GRQ¶WWKLQN0XVOLPV with homosexuality, which should feel obliged to Jesus never mentions, yet apologize for the Charlie seem unworried about +HEGRWHUURUDWWDFNV1RU issues Jesus did emphasize GR,WKLQNDWKHLVWVQHHG OLNHSRYHUW\DQGVXIIHULQJ DSRORJL]HIRUWKHNLOOLQJRI Jesus explicitly advised a WKHWKUHH0XVOLPV wealthy man, “Go, sell your But it does seem useful possessions and give to the IRUHYHU\RQHWRUHÀHFWRQ SRRU´0DWWKHZVR our capacity to “otherize” PD\EHWKDW¶VWKH6FULSWXUH people of a different faith, WKDW0RRUHVKRXOGIROORZWR race, nationality or sexuality demonstrate his piety. - and to turn that other-ness 7KHQWKHUH¶V-HVXV¶ LQWRDWKUHDW7KDW¶VZKDW praise for those who the Islamic State does to us. PDNHWKHPVHOYHVHXQXFKV $QGVRPHWLPHVWKDW¶VZKDW 0DWWKHZEXW,¶G we do, too. settle for a little “love thy 2.,¶PVXUHVRPHRI \RXDUHSURWHVWLQJ7KDW¶VDIDOVHHTXLYDOHQF\ neighbor as thyself.” ,¶YHZULWWHQRIWHQDERXWFRPPLWWHGDQG True, there is a huge difference between self-effacing Christians doing outstanding burning someone alive and not granting a ZRUNFRPEDWLQJLQMXVWLFHDURXQGWKHZRUOG couple a marriage license. But, then again, LW¶VQRWPXFKRIDVORJDQWRVD\³:H¶UHEHWWHU DQGLW¶VIUXVWUDWLQJWKDWWKH\GRQ¶WJHWDWWHQWLRQ The problem is that their heroism is often than ISIS!” There has been a pugnacious defensiveness overshadowed by sanctimonious blowhards. Among Americans aged 18 to 24, a 2012 among conservative Christians to any parallels survey found that half or more describe between Christian overreach and Islamic present-day Christianity as “hypocritical,” overreach, as seen in the outraged reaction to “judgmental” and “anti-gay.” And more 3UHVLGHQW%DUDFN2EDPD¶VDFNQRZOHGJPHQW regarded it as immoral to view pornography DWWKH1DWLRQDO3UD\HU%UHDNIDVWWKLVPRQWK than to have sex with a person of the same that the West has plenty to regret as well. gender. Alabama is, once again, on the wrong But Obama was exactly right: How can we side of history. DVN,VODPLFOHDGHUVWRFRQIURQWH[WUHPLVPLQ Pope Francis has been a breath of fresh air WKHLUIDLWKLIZHGRQ¶WDFNQRZOHGJH&KULVWLDQ WR&DWKROLFVDQGQRQ&DWKROLFVDOLNHEHFDXVH extremism, from the Crusades to Srebrenica? he seems less moralizing and more moral, 0RUHEURDGO\RQHPHVVDJHRIWKH1HZ OHVVDERXWSRLQWLQJD¿QJHUDQGPRUHDERXW 7HVWDPHQWLVWKHYDOXHRIIRFXVLQJRQRQH¶V RZQPLVWDNHVUDWKHUWKDQWKRVHRIRWKHUV³<RX offering a helping hand. After the tragedy K\SRFULWH´-HVXVVD\VLQ0DWWKHZ³)LUVW in North Carolina and the legal chaos in WDNHWKHSODQNRXWRI\RXURZQH\HDQGWKHQ $ODEDPDPD\EHWKDW¶VDJRRGLQVWLQFWIRUDOO \RXZLOOVHHFOHDUO\WRUHPRYHWKHVSHFNIURP of us. \RXUEURWKHU¶VH\H´ Ŷ We could do with a little more of that spirit Nicholas Kristof grew up on a sheep and these days, at a time when everybody wants to cherry farm in Yamhill, Oregon. Kristof, a practice ophthalmology on everyone else. columnist for The New York Times since 2001, :KHQ,SRVWHGRQP\)DFHERRNSDJHDERXW writes op-ed columns that appear twice a the North Carolina murders, one follower, week. He won the Pulitzer Prize two times, in )UDQNZURWHGLVPLVVLYHO\³0XVOLPVDUH 1990 and 2006. A common lesson my be the importance of resisting bigotry, of combating the intolerance that can infect people of any faith — or no faith. YOUR VIEWS Support for Requa bronze 20 statues might do the trick I support Pendleton as a place, and I support the memory of Don Requa. They complement each other. Hence, a well-placed VWDWXHRI'RQ5HTXDLQ%URZQ¿HOG3DUNLVD good idea. It is a visible tribute to our city and to an educator who impacted so many lives. The prior well-reasoned authorization to place WKHVWDWXHLQ%URZQ¿HOG3DUNZDVDWULEXWHWR Pendleton and to Don Requa. It should not be reversed due to political and social pressure by a vocal minority. For the love of God can we please stop WDONLQJDERXWVWDWXHVRQ0DLQ6WUHHW<RX FRXOGSXWWHQVWDWXHVRQ0DLQ6WUHHWWKDW¶VQRW going to “attract tourists” ... but maybe if you SXWVWDWXHVRQ0DLQ6WUHHWWKDWPLJKWZRUN 3HQGOHWRQLVQRWDQDWWUDFWLYHORRNLQJWRZQ QRULQYLWLQJ²WKDW¶VWKHLVVXHWKDWQHHGVWREH addressed. Eric C. Larson Portland ,PDNHP\GDLO\URXQGVWRWKHFRXUWKRXVH SRVWRI¿FHEDQNDQGEDFNDFURVV0DLQ SDVW%URZQ¿HOGGRZQ%\HUV2QWKRVH ZRQGHUIXOO\ZDUPVXPPHUDIWHUQRRQV,OLNH WRVLWLQWKHVKDGHRQDEHQFKDW%URZQ¿HOG IRUDIHZPRPHQWVRVWHQVLEO\FKHFNLQJP\ messages, but really just refreshing my spirit and watching Pendleton go by. ,KDYHEHHQORRNLQJIRUZDUGWRVSHQGLQJ these few moments with Don (though, KRQHVWO\,QHYHUFDOOHGKLPWKDWKHZDV0U Requa then Req), catching up on the many old %XFNDURRVSDVVLQJRUSDVVHGRYHUWKHEULGJH Dave Gallaher Pendleton Editor’s note: These letters were edited for space consideration. They appear in their entirety at eastoregonian.com. Kathryn Munden Pendleton Pendleton council must revisit placement of Requa bronze $VDSURIHVVLRQDOKLVWRULDQ,WKLQNLWLV important to recognize our historical heritage in public places. I believe the location of every statue should be carefully considered so that it is both meaningful to local residents and conveys the character of Pendleton to visitors. The intense controversy over a statue in %URZQ¿HOG3DUNUHYHDOVKRZVWURQJO\SHRSOH feel about the connection between statues and place. The many letters and conversations of late regarding what statue to place there indicate that this issue is far from resolved. I suggest that the city council reconsider its decision and allow for constructive public input on the matter. Susan Badger Doyle Pendleton ] The East Oregonian welcomes original letters of 400 words or less on public issues and public policies for publication in the newspaper and on our website. Submitted letters must be signed by the author. Send letters to 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com.