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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (March 16, 2017)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Thursday, March 16, 2017 Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN Publisher DANIEL WATTENBURGER Managing Editor TIM TRAINOR Opinion Page Editor MARISSA WILLIAMS Regional Advertising Director MARCY ROSENBERG Circulation Manager JANNA HEIMGARTNER Business Office Manager MIKE JENSEN Production Manager OUR VIEW Protect your privacy Your microwave is not spying on While it is disturbing to note that a presidential advisor does not you. But your television might be. And believe she is in the “job of having evidence,” what is even more your cellphone. And your car. And disturbing is her misunderstanding of your thermostat. As our world becomes Inspector Gadget. Because really, that’s the crime increasingly digital and increasingly connected, we are increasingly at risk here: Conway thinks Inspector Gadget is an inspector of gadgets, of having our privacy invaded. not an inspector with Those invaders can be corporations It’s more important gadgets. Still, perhaps or governments, and Conway is on to those government than ever to something, that can be foreign or be sure your a new kind of domestic. They can Gadget is also be hackers and internet-connected Inspector needed for the digital scammers, those age. An inspector who live in our home is safe neighborhoods or who actually does and secure. across the world. inspect gadgets. Late night It’s more important than ever to be sure your comedians had plenty of laughs at internet-connected home is safe and the expense of Kellyanne Conway, secure. Lots of detailed information the truth-averse advisor to President is available online about the subject Trump, after she said this: “There and in tech magazines. was an article this week that talked The basics, however, are clear: about how you can surveil someone Never connect your appliances to the through their phones, through their internet without a firewall. Check — certainly through their television your security updates regularly. sets, any number of different ways,” Consider creating your own virtual Conway told the Bergen Record. private network, or VPN. Make “And microwaves that turn into sure your home network is secure, cameras, et cetera. So we know that no matter what it is. Safeguard your that is just a fact of modern life.” data with encryption tools. The FCC Microwave ovens, which are not has compiled a handy guide for how connected to the internet, cannot spy to do all of the above, and become on you for many reasons. Conway’s response to the laughter educated about the topic. Find it by searching FCC and ‘How to protect was even better yourself online.” “I’m not Inspector Gadget. I Although some evidence-less don’t believe people are using the claims are laughable, you owe microwave to spy on the Trump campaign,” she told CNN. “However, it to yourself and your family to I’m not in the job of having evidence, understand just what data is being collected from your home and why. that’s what investigations are for.” 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. YOUR VIEWS Better schools lead to better education Speak up for voiceless animals The Hermiston School District is asking voters to approve a school bond to replace 55-year-old Rocky Heights and 37-year-old Highland Hills elementary schools, construct a new elementary school, and make significant upgrades to Sandstone middle school and Hermiston high school. The request is due to aging buildings and seriously inadequate student capacity. Since 2008, when the last bond passed, the district has grown by more than 600 students. This increased student population has been addressed with 34 modular classrooms. However, due to the overcrowded conditions the district recently was forced to cap 10 elementary classrooms, which increased transportation costs to shuttle students to non-neighborhood schools and caused undue disruption to many families. A 2014 population projection study by Portland State University predicts 800 additional students by 2023, according to a middle-growth rate scenario. The study forecasts more than 1,250 new students under a high-growth rate. The current student population increase is greater than the “high-growth” rate used in the PSU study. If the present-day growth rate continues, the district’s population will increase 24 percent, with more than 1,200 additional students in seven years. Without new construction and renovation, the district will need 56 modular classrooms. However, the use of modular classrooms does not address subsequent overcrowding of common areas such as cafeterias, gyms, labs, etc., which were planned to support the student populations for which the buildings were intended. The lifetime of these “temporary” classrooms is reduced compared to permanent construction, and maintenance costs are greater. More importantly, the educational environment may be reduced. I strongly urge the voters to consider the current situation, look to the future, and vote to approve the proposed school bond. For as Thomas Jefferson reportedly said: “An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.” I would like to formally thank the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office for removing the huge amount of bulls in with the now-calving cows that were seized in January. It was called to my attention mid-week of last week that these bulls were literally breeding the open cows and heifers there into the ground, breaking hips and backs by being bred by a gang of bulls — the big bulls and the young bulls. Once they were hurt or broken down, they were fair game to whatever was going to come. After learning of at least two deaths from this, I could not keep quiet. I called the DA in Pendleton, the DDA in charge, the brand inspector, the sheriff, and Deputy Rachel Faber, who is a gift to this county. I called the East Oregonian and they did a small article. I made people angry and I didn’t keep quiet; I believe that’s how these cattle got in that horrific situation in the first place. Deputy Faber is working on a program to educate the deputies to know what to look for and what questions to ask in animal neglect cases. I think that’s a great step toward helping our animals in this county. They are also working on a list of people to foster, as they do not work with the local dog pound in Hermiston. I’ve been on that list for a couple years now. We have no animal control in this big county full of neglected, abused, dumped and thrown away animals. I work in animal rescue every day, and I don’t care what our city manager and his assistant say ... we have a terrible problem with strays and abuse. I did make a stink and I made people angry with me. After speaking with the brand inspector, I was told the bulls could go to the stock yard to be housed until possession is settled. First thing Monday morning, the 13th, those bulls were removed and taken to the stock yard. No more unnecessary deaths on their watch. What I’m saying is this; sometimes all it takes is speaking up. I doubt I’m the whole reason it was done, but I like to think my voice made a difference. Yours can, too. Speak up for the voiceless and make a difference. George Clough Hermiston Debi Shervey Hermiston 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 ad- dress concerns about individual services and products or letters that infringe on the rights of private citizens. Submitted letters must be signed by the author and include the city of residence and a daytime phone number. The phone number will not be published. Unsigned letters will not be published. Send letters to managing editor Daniel Wattenburger, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com. OTHER VIEWS New Trump executive order hurts Hawaii’s feelings T here’s a race going on for states time. After Trump declared a 90-day to file or join new lawsuits moratorium on visas, Elshikh went to against President Trump’s second court. executive order temporarily halting On January 31, 2017 — after the first entry into the U.S. for some people from Executive Order was put in place — Dr. a few terror-plagued countries. The Elshikh was notified by an individual new actions promise to be rehashes of from the National Visa Center that the states’ earlier suits against Trump’s his mother-in-law’s application for an original order. Washington State, for immigrant visa had been put on hold. Byron example, which managed to stop the Then, on March 2, 2017 — after the first York first order, has gone so far as to argue Executive Order was enjoined — Dr. Comment the new order and the now-rescinded Elshikh and his family were notified original measure are identical, and has by the National Visa Center that his asked a judge to simply apply his emergency mother-in-law’s visa application had progressed stop to the new order as if nothing has changed. to the next stage of the process and that her But the first state to file suit against the new interview would be scheduled at an embassy order, Hawaii, has taken a new tack from the overseas. Under the new Executive Order, suit it filed on Feb. 3 against Trump’s original however, Dr. Elshikh fears that his mother- order. The new Hawaii suit, which came before in-law will, once again, be unable to “enter” a federal judge Wednesday, relies not only the country under Section 2(c) of the Executive on claims of economic damages to the state Order. resulting from the Trump order but also on The suit says that Elshikh’s children, who claims of damages to Hawaii Muslims’ feelings were apparently not harmed by the Obama and perceptions of the world. administration’s (and Congress’s) action to The original Hawaii suit was simply the state make it difficult and time-consuming for versus the president and his administration. Syrians to come to the U.S., are “deeply The new suit adds a new plaintiff, a man affected” by Trump’s executive order. “It named Ismail Elshikh, who is identified as “an conveys to them a message that their own American citizen of Egyptian descent” who country would discriminate against individuals has lived in Hawaii for more than a decade who share their ethnicity, including members and is now imam of the Muslim Association of of their own family, and who hold the same Hawaii. religious beliefs.” The Trump order “inflicts a grave injury” on “We feel both bans, Version 1 and Version Elshikh and other Muslims in Hawaii, the suit 2, are delivering on Trump’s promise to some says, by subjecting them to “discrimination and of the far-right groups that he is going to have second-class treatment.” a Muslim ban,” Hakim Ouasanfi told me by “The order denies them their right to phone Thursday. “Our viewpoint is that any associate with family members overseas,” the discrimination is not acceptable. It is not the lawsuit alleges, and forces Elshikh and other way to keep our country safe.” Hawaii Muslims “to live in a country and “How can you explain to a daughter that in a state where there is the perception that your grandmother will not be able to visit?” the government has established a disfavored I asked Ouasanfi whether the temporary religion.” nature of Trump’s action made it less Elshikh’s particular problem is this: His wife, burdensome. “If my daughter is graduating the suit says, is an American citizen “of Syrian in 90 days, then it is a burden,” he answered. descent and is also a resident of Hawaii.” She “If the wedding is planned for May, that is a and Elshikh, who has a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies burden. I don’t think Muslims should plan their from an Egyptian university, have five children, lives around Trump’s decision.” all of whom, according to the suit, are American On the other hand, Elshikh’s mother-in-law citizens and residents of Hawaii. has not visited in 12 years — for whatever Mrs. Elshikh’s mother, Ismail Elshikh’s reason, she did not visit for the births of mother-in-law, is “a Syrian national, living in grandchildren or the various milestones in their Syria.” According to the suit, she wants to come lives. And now this 90-day delay is a violation to the United States. “Elshikh’s mother-in-law of her family’s constitutional rights? last visited the family in 2005, when she stayed The plaintiffs did not file suit over earlier for one month,” the lawsuit says. “She has not government actions that made coming to the met two of Dr. Elshikh’s children, and only Dr. United States a difficult and drawn-out effort. Elshikh’s oldest child remembers meeting her Some in the Obama administration made grandmother.” clear that it could take years for a Syrian to The suit says that in September 2015, be admitted to the U.S. But when Trump Elshikh’s wife filed an I-130 petition on behalf announced a 90-day delay, the Hawaii plaintiffs of her mother in Syria. United States Citizen went to court. Why? and Immigration Services describes the I-130 as Perhaps there is a clue in some of the words a form “for citizen or lawful permanent resident in the lawsuit that convey emotion. Elshikh of the United States to establish the relationship and other Muslims feel this or that, or they are to certain alien relatives who wish to immigrate devastated, or there is this or that perception, to the United States.” or this or that message conveyed. It could be The mother-in-law’s I-130 petition was that much of the energy behind the lawsuit is approved in February 2016, according to the emotional, caught up in a hysteria about Donald suit, but so far, the suit says, “Elshikh’s mother- Trump as much as a rational reading of the new in-law does not currently hold a visa to enter the executive order. United States.” Now the Hawaii case goes to court. The Eleven of the 12 months during which new Trump order was amended specifically Elshikh’s mother-in-law’s I-130 petition to address some of the legal objections raised was approved but she was not granted a visa against the original order in court challenges occurred during the Obama administration, across the country. But how to craft an order to which boasted of the thorough, time-consuming, protect feelings? multiyear vetting process it applied to Syrians ■ attempting to come to the United States. Byron York is chief political correspondent Elshikh did not sue the government during that for The Washington Examiner.