East Oregonian : E.O., September 14, 2017, Page Page 6A, Image 5

Page 6A
OPINION
East Oregonian
Thursday, September 14, 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
OTHER VIEWS
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Vivian Larson plays the piano recently for the lunch crowd at the Pendleton
Senior Center.
Cities and seniors
The life of a modern senior citizen
is different from those who came
before them. Americans are living
longer, and living differently than
their preceding generations. So it’s
only right that senior centers — where
older Americans gather for social
interaction, friendship and fellowship
— change, too.
In Umatilla County, the cities of
Hermiston and Pendleton have taken
different tacks to modernizing their
senior centers.
The city of Hermiston has taken
a more active and supportive role
in finances and administration. The
city helped locate land for a new
Hermiston Senior Center after their
old property was given to the school
district. And while the center is not
flush with funds, the city finding new
space and donating dollas has put it
on more secure, stable footing. That’s
partly due to the 50-year lease of the
site from Hermiston School District, a
$2 million Community Development
Block Grant from the federal
government and $750,000 from the
city of Hermiston.
Yet those partnerships and
collaborations have their drawbacks
— the seniors will have to share their
facility with other city programs in the
future, something many Hermiston
seniors are wary about. They do not
want to get pushed out, and made
clear their desire for their own space.
The new building is planned to open
in spring 2018, and this newspaper
will be sure to document how those
issues work out.
Pendleton seniors are in the
opposite position. They have all the
time and space they need, but their
funding is unsecured.
Its senior center is a free-standing
nonprofit, which is a conduit for state
and federal loans, and also operates
off an endowment. But that longterm
trust fund reservoir is drying up faster
than it is being replenished. The senior
center closed for more than a month
earlier this summer, due to a lack of
adequate staffing. And the future of
the center remains in question.
This is all the more serious because
of the changing nature of fraternal
organizations. Once a stalwart home
where multiple generations can
interact — offering companionship,
support, and a community purpose
— they are disappearing throughout
the country in favor of new ways of
socializing, most of which are now
online.
As much of that aspect of our
lives moves to the internet, we must
remember the power of human touch
and human interaction. And to make
sure those who cared for us are cared
for in their old age. There are many
ways of doing that — via critical
financial support, volunteering our
time, and allowing seniors the ability
to make their own decisions. But
municipalities and individuals should
look for best practices, learn from
their neighbors, and make sure their
local senior center is thriving and
financially secure.
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.
OTHER VIEWS
Remembering and learning
from tragic UCC shooting
The (Medford) News-Review
A
t long last, nearly two years
after the tragedy that struck
Umpqua Community College on
Oct. 1, 2015, the police released their
investigation records about the incident.
For some, the records help provide
some answers to the lingering questions
about why this horrible event happened.
For them, perhaps, it offers a sense of
closure. For others, unfortunately, it may
reopen old wounds.
We want to once again offer our
condolences to all those who suffered
injury and loss and trauma that terrible
day. And to express our gratitude
for the immense bravery of our law
enforcement and first responders, along
with all those who stepped in to help in
the aftermath. Many lives were lost that
day, but many also were saved.
To the brave officers who took out
the shooter at grave risk to their own
lives, we thank you. To the people who
pulled out the survivors, rendered aid,
transported them to and treated them at
local hospitals, we thank you. To all the
people who counseled the traumatized,
we thank you too.
We also are grateful to the
investigators who looked into every
aspect of this case. Going through their
records, our staff members were able
to gain a better understanding of what
motivated the killer, of the heroic actions
through which he finally was stopped, of
what the survivors experienced.
For those seeking answers, we’ve
done our best to provide them and will
continue to do so. For those not willing
to reopen old wounds, we understand if
you set down the paper for a few days
and look away. That’s OK too.
Some of our readers and others in the
community questioned why we chose to
name the shooter. In part, the answer is
that we are, as journalists, obligated to
report the facts and record the history of
our time. We understand that some feel
to use the name somehow glorifies the
shooter or gives him what he wanted.
We disagree.
The shooter hoped that after he
murdered his classmates he would join
a demon hierarchy in hell. Somewhere
in the deep recesses of his mind, the line
blurred between severe mental illness
and pure evil.
Speaking his name won’t change
that. Fearing his name won’t prevent the
next shooting down the line.
Looking the truth square in the
eyes, understanding as best we can
what happened here — that might help
prevent the next one. But there are no
guarantees.
The truth is that a very mentally ill
young man, one who may have been
molested in a church, one who felt he
would never have friends, one who
identified himself as part black but who
hated black men, and one who believed
demons spoke to him was able to fill his
home with guns.
And one terrible day, he used some of
them to murder nine people.
The truth is also that we all wish this
had never happened in our beautiful
community. And that the real Roseburg
was revealed not in the shooter’s actions,
but in our response to this tragedy.
In the end, the only thing that can
defeat the darkness is light.
Crime and immigration:
What’s in the Dream Act
C
ommentary on the DACA
say human smuggling, document
controversy frequently notes
fraud, benefits fraud, false claims
that the nation’s nearly 700,000
to citizenship, illegal voting, and
so-called Dreamers are a law-abiding
many other felonies have an essential
group. But a new bill to give DACA
element that involves immigration
recipients full legal status, sponsored
status.”
by Republican Senators Lindsey
In addition, Graham, Flake, Durbin
Graham and Jeff Flake and Democratic
and Schumer throw in the phrase
Senators Richard Durbin and Charles
“for which the alien was convicted
Byron
Schumer, would allow newly legalized
on different dates for each of the
York
Dreamers to have many run-ins with
three offenses” when referring to
Comment
the law — arrests, charges, convictions
misdemeanor convictions. Many
— and still receive benefits. Schumer,
crimes involve multiple charges. The
the Democratic leader, is demanding quick
Dream Act of 2017 would require a young
passage.
Dreamer to have committed offenses on not
President Obama’s original 2012 executive
one, not two, but three separate occasions,
action creating Deferred Action for Childhood and been convicted of all before he or she is
Arrivals stipulated that to be eligible,
ineligible for legalization.
recipients must have “not been convicted of a
And maybe not even then, because
felony offense, a significant
Graham, Flake, Durbin and
misdemeanor offense,
Schumer would also allow
multiple misdemeanor
the Secretary of Homeland
offense, or otherwise
Security to waive any
pose a threat to national
denial of legalization
security or public safety.”
for those crimes, or for
When Obama announced
more serious crimes, “for
the criteria for renewing
humanitarian purposes
DACA status in 2014,
or family unity or if the
“multiple misdemeanor
waiver is otherwise in
offense” was changed
the public interest.” In
to “three or more
other words, Department
misdemeanors.”
of Homeland Security
The Obama
can legalize whomever it
administration defined a
chooses.
“significant misdemeanor”
“These standards
as a crime with a
are significantly more
maximum sentence of
lenient than other legal
one year, or, regardless
immigration categories,”
of length of sentence,
noted Vaughan. “Green
“an offense of domestic
card and temporary visa
violence; sexual abuse
categories have stricter
or exploitation; burglary;
requirements for good
unlawful possession or use of a firearm; drug
moral character and criminal behavior.”
distribution or trafficking; or driving under the
The Dream Act of 2017 differs in other
influence.”
ways from DACA. For example, Obama’s
With the Dream Act of 2017, Graham,
order applied to people who were under the age
Flake, Durbin and Schumer have adopted
of 16 when they came to the United States. In
much of the existing Obama-era criteria
the Dream Act, the age is 18. Obama required
about crime, but in a way that would allow
recipients to have been living continuously in
Department of Homeland Security officials
the United States for at least five years. In the
to be much more lenient with newly legalized
Dream Act, it’s four years. Obama required
DACA recipients.
that a recipient “be present in the United States
The Dream Act would exclude anyone
on the date of this memorandum,” that is, on
who has been convicted of “any offense under June 15, 2012, when DACA was announced.
federal or state law, other than a state offense
The Dream Act has no similar requirement.
for which an essential element is the alien’s
Graham, Flake, Durbin and Schumer
immigration status, that is punishable by a
introduced the Dream Act of 2017 back on
maximum term of imprisonment of more than
July 20, before the current DACA controversy.
one year; or three or more offenses under
Since then some other senators have signed
federal or state law, other than state offense
on as co-sponsors: Republicans Cory Gardner
for which an essential element is the alien’s
and Lisa Murkowski and Democrats Kamala
immigration status, for which the alien was
Harris, Dianne Feinstein, Catherine Cortez
convicted on different dates for each of the
Masto, and Michael Bennet.
three offenses and imprisoned for an aggregate
“We’re ready to pass it,” Schumer said
of 90 days or more.”
recently, calling on Senate Majority Leader
The phrase “other than a state offense
Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul
for which an essential element is the alien’s
Ryan to bring the bill up for a vote in Senate
immigration status” could excuse a lot of
and House.
criminal activity. “It would grant status to
And just in case Congress is not ready,
illegal aliens who have been convicted of
Schumer threatened to attach the Dream Act
felony ID fraud or other crimes that could be
to must-pass legislation this fall. It could be a
considered to be related to their immigration
long fight.
status,” noted Jessica Vaughan of the Center
■
for Immigration Studies, which favors tighter
Byron York is chief political correspondent
restrictions on immigration. “You could
for The Washington Examiner.
The Dream Act
of 2017 would
require a younger
Dreamer to have
committed offenses
on three separate
occasions and
been convicted of
all before he or
she is ineligible for
legalization.
YOUR VIEWS
Umatilla County failing
residents with addictions
I am a former employee of Umatilla
County Human Services, the department in
charge of addictions counseling and mental
illness services within the county. Beyond
that, I am also a mental illness patient myself
and in recovery from substance abuse.
Our county is facing a serious issue
right now in that UCHS is not acting in the
community’s best interest. In fact, having
worked within the department, I can say it is
doing more damage than good.
This is due to a severe lack of proper
management, and unfortunately, unless the
community makes its voice heard this will
not change. When an addictions counseling
center has a large percentage of addicts
relapsing, there is a serious issue that must be
addressed.
Patients are being forced to go through
multiple counselors — counselors who
are passionate about helping people but
are continually moved between clients and
classes, unable to form any sort of healthy
patient/counselor relationship, which
is necessary when helping people with
addictions.
Those in charge lack the capacity to lead,
yet will do nothing to change the quality of
care being offered. This is a disservice to
our community and a missed opportunity
to provide a much-needed service to the
afflicted within our community.
To those in need of help, know you are
not alone. There are people that are here to
help you because we’ve lived it and come out
alive. I urge all within that community with a
voice to speak out and demand better care for
yourselves and your loved ones. You deserve
better.
Joe Cooney
Hermiston