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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 11, 2016)
Page 4A OPINION (DVW2UHJRQLDQ 7KXUVGD\)HEUXDU\ OTHER VIEWS Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN DANIEL WATTENBURGER Publisher Managing Editor JENNINE PERKINSON TIM TRAINOR Advertising Director Opinion Page Editor OUR VIEW Tragedy strikes small town police Habitual felon with gun begs questions No matter where and wonder at the WKH\RFFXUSROLFH volatility of Phillip deaths in the line of )HUU\ZKRVHOLIH GXW\DUHKRUUL¿FDOO\ culminated in tragic. In a small bloodshed on the WRZQOLNH6HDVLGH main street of a such a crime shakes picturesque resort a community to its town. Could this core. KDYHEHHQDYRLGHG" Last Friday’s 0DQ\ZLOODVN murder of Sgt. Jason why Ferry had not already earned a Goodding during long-term bed in the course of an prison. How is it ordinary arrest will be long remembered that a longtime as one of the worst felon possessed a Officer Jason Goodding events in Seaside FRQFHDOHG¿UHDUP" history. Where did he get We think LW"'LGDQ\RQHHOVH We grieve at the violate the law by thought of a wife with pride on helping him obtain turned into a widow LW"&RPPRQSODFH by a few moments Gooding’s predictable of inexplicable colleagues, who and arguments will YLROHQFHRIWZR between daughters who will continue doing occur those who want be left without their restrictions father. their jobs with further RQ¿UHDUPVDQG We think with professionalism those who reject all pride of Goodding’s suggestions FROOHDJXHVZKR and courtesy in such as a violation continue doing fundamental their jobs with the aftermath of of American rights. professionalism and courtesy in the a friend’s death. This is a case where existing law clearly aftermath of their failed. But would friend’s death. It any law truly keep America’s vast LVDVWRQLVKLQJWKDWSROLFHRI¿FHUV profusion of guns out of the hands manage to maintain equilibrium RIDGHWHUPLQHGFULPLQDO",WLV in the face of such horror. Few fatiguing to witness another life lost individuals and their loved ones while knowing nothing is likely to have what it takes to endure such change in a nation where guns and VWUDLQIDUOHVVGRVRZLWKWKH violence are part of our fabric and cheerfulness and good grace that history. Sgt. Goodding is said to have Friday’s memorial for Sgt. shown. Goodding will be a paroxysm We imagine the trauma faced of grief but will offer his family E\WKHRWKHUUHVSRQGLQJRI¿FHU evidence of how much he was who will live out his days with the memory of witnessing the attack on valued and how we all regret his Goodding and of killing Goodding’s loss. In the months and years that IROORZWKHEHVWWULEXWHWRKLPZRXOG assailant. This is the sort of vivid be substantive change in protecting pain that haunts a person long police and all of society from the afterward. We shake our heads in confusion fear of deadly violence. 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. LETTERS POLICY 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. The newspaper reserves the right to withhold letters that address concerns about individual services and products or letters that infringe on the rights of private citizens. Unsigned letters will not be published. Send letters to 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com. How Rubio undid debate GDPDJHRQHYRWHUDWDWLPH $6+8$1HZ+DPSVKLUH² 0DUJLH6HQJVWDNHQRI+ROOLVZKR 5LFN6DQWRUXPGLGQ¶WGR0DUFR came in with a favorable attitude 5XELRDQ\IDYRUVZKHQLQKLV toward Rubio but had not yet fully ¿UVWDSSHDUDQFHDVD5XELRHQGRUVHUKH decided. couldn’t name his former rival’s Senate “I went into the debate leaning accomplishments. But if Santorum lost WRZDUGV5XELRDQGKRQHVWO\,FDPH Rubio any votes with that awkward TV RXWRIWKHGHEDWHIHHOLQJXPPPP, DSSHDUDQFHKHPD\EHUHSD\LQJ5XELR GRQ¶WNQRZ´0DUJLHWROGPH LQDTXLHWZD\E\EULQJLQJIRUPHU Then she came to the rally and Byron 6DQWRUXPVXSSRUWHUVVSHFL¿FDOO\WKRVH stayed afterward to meet Rubio. I York GHHSO\PRWLYDWHGE\WKHLVVXHRIOLIH noticed that they chatted with him Comment into the Rubio camp. IRUTXLWHDZKLOHDQG,DSSURDFKHG /LNH-LPDQG9DOHULH6RPHUVZKR WKHPDIWHUZDUG$VLWWXUQHGRXWDQ\ FDPHWR5XELR¶VHOHFWLRQHYHUDOO\0RQGD\ apprehensive feelings from the debate were at Nashua Community College. For Valerie erased by face-to-face time with the candidate. HVSHFLDOO\OLIHLVWKHPRVWLPSRUWDQWLVVXHDQG ³7KH&KULV&KULVWLHH[FKDQJHWKDWWURXEOHG both she and her husband supported Santorum PH´0DUJLHVDLGDVZHVWRRGQHDUZKHUH in 2012 and earlier in this campaign. “I started Rubio was still shaking hands and meeting PRYLQJDZD\IURP6DQWRUXPULJKWDIWHU,RZD´ YRWHUVKDOIDQKRXUDIWHUHQGLQJKLVVSHHFK³, Valerie told me before the Rubio rally. “I saw was undecided until just now. But after this — his numbers dwindling look at him right now with and thought we don’t want all these people. He’s taking to waste our vote.” When WKHWLPHWKHFDUH,WPDNHV Santorum threw his support a difference when you come WR5XELRLWKHOSHGFRQ¿UP and meet them and shake Jim and Valerie’s inclination WKHLUKDQG,PHDQKHVKRRN to support the Florida my hand three times.” senator. John agreed. “I like For voters like the &KULV&KULVWLHEXWULJKW 6RPHUVWKHPHGLD now I’m leaning toward discussion of Rubio’s debate 5XELRSUREDEO\EHFDXVHRI performance didn’t really tonight.” affect their views of him $VLWKDSSHQHGWKH RQWKHELJLVVXHV<HVWKH\ Sengstakens went to thought Rubio messed up Donald Trump’s townhall ZLWKWKHUHSHWLWLYHDQVZHUV in Londonderry earlier in but far more important WKHGD\,WZDVDVPDOO was his set piece on uncharacteristically intimate OLIH²KLVUHDI¿UPDWLRQRI 7UXPSHYHQWDQGDIWHUZDUG a no-exceptions abortion the Sengstakens stayed to policy and his critique of the media and meet the candidate. “It was a very different Democrats on the other side of the issue. H[SHULHQFH´0DUJLHWROGPH7UXPSGLGD ³+HKHOGKLVRZQDQGKHVWD\HG TXLFNKDQGVKDNHSKRWREXWGLGQ¶WVWRSWR SULQFLSOHG´9DOHULHWROGPH³+HGH¿QLWHO\ WDON³+HZDVQLFHEXWKHMXVWKDGWKLVELWRI FDPHRIIZHOOIRUPHDQG-HEDWWDFNLQJKLPRQ DUURJDQFH´0DUJLHVDLG the exceptions really hurt Jeb with me.” I didn’t get the impression that the $QGVR0DUFR5XELRKDGWZRPRUHYRWHUV Sengstakens were ever seriously considering Talks with Rubio supporters — or near- voting for Trump. But they did take the trouble VXSSRUWHUVVLQFHPDQ\VDLGWKH\ZHUHRQO\ WRJRVHHKLPWKH\GLGZDQWWRJLYHKLPD SHUFHQWVXUHOHDYLQJWKHPVHOYHVMXVWDOLWWOH ORRNDQGVRPHSHUVRQDODWWHQWLRQPLJKWKDYH room to change their minds -- showed again PDGHWKHLUGHFLVLRQPRUHGLI¿FXOW7KDW¶V how the concerns of media commentators are how politics is done in a small state where sometimes far from the minds of actual voters. one-on-one interactions are still quite common. -LPDQG9DOHULHDQG-RKQDQG0DUJLHDUH ,V5XELRDURERW"'LGKLVGHEDWHÀXEVKRZ MXVWIRXUYRWHUV%XWWKH\KDYHIULHQGVDQG KHLVQRWUHDG\IRUWKHQDWLRQ¶VKLJKHVWRI¿FH" their friends have friends. If a candidate does It’s not that supporters ignored the questions; HQRXJKRIWKDWNLQGRIFDPSDLJQLQJKHFDQ they considered them and decided that other WKLQJVOLNHKLVSRVLWLRQRQDERUWLRQZHUHPRUH reach a lot of people. It’s often been noted in the past that Rubio important. KDVUHOLHGWRRPXFKRQWHOHYLVLRQLQWHUYLHZV A walk around the rally also showed that UDWKHUWKDQGD\WRGD\UHWDLOSROLWLFVWR SHUVRQDOWRXFKHVPDWWHUHVSHFLDOO\ZKHQ reach voters. But in the last days of the New a candidate has a spate of negative media +DPSVKLUHFRQWHVWDVLQ,RZD5XELRVKRZHG coverage to overcome. Rubio often tells audiences that after his remarks he’ll be happy that taking the time to meet people can pay off. Ŷ to stay around as long as anyone wants to talk Byron York is chief political correspondent to him. The importance of doing that became for The Washington Examiner. FOHDULQ1DVKXD0RQGD\QLJKWZLWK-RKQDQG N For some voters, the media discussion of Rubio’s debate performance didn’t really affect their views of him on the big issues. YOUR VIEWS Al Plute has done nothing to justify recall I want to join many others in the community who believe Al Plute should not be subject to a recall attempt. Al Plute often takes 45 minutes to say something that should take ¿YHPLQXWHVDQGKHGRHVKDYH expansive ideas that don’t always translate into doable objectives. 7KRVHWUDLWVKRZHYHUGRQRW FRQVWLWXWHMXVWL¿DEOHUHDVRQVIRU recall. 8QGHUWKHFXUUHQWV\VWHP someone could be recalled if their hair was silver and 50 pounds overweight. That’s nonsense! Recall should be utilized only when there is suspected PDOIHDVDQFHLQRI¿FHRUIRUVRPH grave act. Al Plute has done nothing like that. Voting for an issue he believes in — that is his duty as a council person . Please don’t sign any recall petitions and let’s start moving in a positive direction. Pendleton has many challenges in the next few \HDUV$QGSOHDVHFLWL]HQVVWHS forward and run for mayor or city council. John Brenne Ward I councilor, Pendleton Satanist posts were jokes, shouldn’t matter The First Amendment to the United States Constitution states that no law will be allowed that UHVSHFWVDQHVWDEOLVKPHQWRI RULPSHGHVWKHSUDFWLFHRIDQ\ religion. Never has there been a list PDGHWKDWVSHFL¿FDOO\LQFOXGHVQRU excludes any religion in the United 6WDWHV,DPQRWD6DWDQLVWEXW, hardly think the choice of religion of any person seeking public appointment should be brought up. Period. It doesn’t matter if you DUHD6DWDQLVWD0XVOLPRUHYHQD Fundamentalist Christian: if you do DJRRGMRE\RX¶OOVWD\,I\RXGRD EDGMRE\RX¶OOJR The “HAIL SATAN ANYWAY” quote was from June 2015. I posted: “Ave Satana! Ave Satanas! Ave Satani! These are examples of things REAL Satanists VD\<2/2/2/DQGZKDWHYHU else the ---- some crackpot preacher alleges is simply not true. ,I,IHOWOLNHEODVSKHPLQJULJKWQRZ that would be another example. ... 2IFRXUVH,NQRZWKDW6DWDQRU µWKHGHYLO¶LVVLPSO\DVFDSHJRDW WRMXVWLI\VLQLQWKHZRUOGDQGGRHV not actually exist. ... SATAN ISN’T REAL! HAIL SATAN ANYWAY! 6DWDQLVV\PEROLFEXWQRWUHDO in a literal sense. ... Do some ------- study before you pollute the world with your narrow religious views. ...” This was posted in response to a meme I saw making the rounds where some preachers were warning that “YOLO” stood for “Youth Obeying Lucifer’s Orders” and “LOL” stood for “Lucifer Our Lord.” I study the HVRWHULFVRREYLRXVO\6DWDQLVPKDV crossed my reading list a time or two. I detected that it might have been said by people who were QRWHQOLJKWHQHGRQWKHVXEMHFWVR I sought to enlighten. I know it ZRQ¶WEHJRRGIRU\RXUVWRU\EXW I’m not a Satanist. :KLOH,¶PÀDWWHUHGWKDW,¶P the biggest news in this current HYHQW,DPGLVWXUEHGWKDW\RX would single out religious reasons WRGLVTXDOLI\PH0\SDVWDFWLRQV DUHSXEOLFUHFRUGEXWZKDWPDNHV you think that it’s allowable in these progressive times to pick on a UHOLJLRXVDI¿OLDWLRQ"/HWDORQHRQH that I don’t have. James Tibbets Pendleton Important decision on ZHVWHQG¿UHGLVWULFW 7KHUHVLGHQWVRIWKH6WDQ¿HOG and Hermiston Fire Districts are facing a very important decision WKLV0D\'RZHZDQWWRVWUHQJWKHQ RXU¿UHVHUYLFHDQGDPEXODQFH coverage or do they wish to have WKHVHVHUYLFHVGHFUHDVH"+ROGLQJ services at the present level is just simply not possible. <HVWKHFRQVROLGDWLRQZLOO cost some property owners more money. People who presently live in the Hermiston Fire District but outside the city limits will see a property tax increase. Those living in the city of Hermiston will not see a property tax increase. +RZHYHUPRUHRIWKHLUSURSHUW\ WD[UHYHQXHZLOOJRWRWKH¿UH district and less to other taxing agencies. This is due to the tax code in Oregon. Residents who live in the 6WDQ¿HOGZLOOSD\DORZHUUDWH 6WDQ¿HOGUHVLGHQWVDUHDWWKH SUHVHQWWLPHSD\LQJDKLJKHUWD[ rate than Hermiston. In the end everyone will pay the same rate in the new district no matter where they live. None of us like taxes. But to receive goods and services from JRYHUQPHQWZHKDYHWRSD\ for them. The basic question is whether citizens wish to continue UHFHLYLQJWLPHO\KLJKTXDOLW\¿UH protection and ambulance service. How long are any of us willing WRZDLWIRU¿UHHQJLQHVWRDUULYH when our house is burning or how long should we wait for paramedics when our spouse is KDYLQJDKHDUWDWWDFNRUVWURNH" This is the decision the voters RI+HUPLVWRQDQG6WDQ¿HOGZLOOEH making this spring. Ric Sherman, president Hermiston Fire Board Murdock supports Turner for mayor I was extremely happy to learn that John Turner is running for mayor of Pendleton. While conventional wisdom suggests it is XQZLVHIRUHOHFWHGRI¿FLDOVWRRIIHU endorsements for other elective RI¿FHV,DP¿UVWDQGIRUHPRVW a resident of Pendleton and care deeply about the community in which I have chosen to spend the rest of my life. John Turner brings a wealth of leadership experience to the equation based upon his distinguished military career coupled with his long list of successes at the helm of Blue 0RXQWDLQ&RPPXQLW\&ROOHJH He has been involved with the Round-Up City Development Corporation and the Port of 8PDWLOODZKLFKIXUWKHUEURDGHQV his base of experiences. Perhaps most important are the human relations skills he brings to the table. Pendleton hasn’t gone through a major leadership change for many years and it is comforting to know that when Phil Houk steps GRZQWKHUHZLOOEHVRPHRQHOLNH John Turner standing by to take the city to a new level. George Murdock Pendleton Pendleton councilor supports Turner I applaud John Turner on his decision to stand for election as our next mayor. Having served on city council IRUWKHODVWWKUHH\HDUVDQG ZRUNLQJZLWK-RKQLQ5RWDU\ church and other community DFWLYLWLHV,NQRZ¿UVWKDQGPDQ\RI the challenges the city and council IDFHDQGFDQQRWWKLQNRIDPRUH suitable candidate. John possesses and has shown WKHOHDGHUVKLSVNLOOWHPSHUDPHQW and proven record needed at this time. Please join me in supporting and voting for John Turner as our next mayor. Chuck Wood Pendleton
