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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (July 21, 2018)
Page 4A East Oregonian Saturday, July 21, 2018 CHRISTOPHER RUSH Publisher KATHRYN B. BROWN Owner DANIEL WATTENBURGER Managing Editor TIM TRAINOR Opinion Page Editor Founded October 16, 1875 OUR VIEW Journalists keep doing their jobs Trump isn’t the first to whip the press for performing its proper function T he press is not the enemy, despite what President Donald Trump has said numerous times. His relentless campaign against independent journalism is a self-serving strategy meant to shield himself from accountability. In fact, it is the news media’s responsibility to make life uncomfortable for people in power — to be a watchdog on potential abuses of that power. It’s no surprise that the politically powerful have long responded by accusing the press of being inaccurate, unfair or unpatriotic. Vice President Spiro Agnew in 1970 famously referred to the news media as “nattering nabobs of negativism.” Two years later, President Richard Nixon said in a taped White House conversation “the press is the enemy,” a phrase Trump adopted early in his presidency. According to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, even President George Washington “expressed dismay that his farewell address might not receive adequate press coverage.” As for Washington’s predecessors, the colonial governors had allowed no freedom of the press. Criticizing the British monarchy was a crime. That is why the press was included among the five freedoms inscribed by our Founders in the First Amendment. And so, as the nation gets back to business after Independence Day celebrations and vacations, it’s worth reflecting on the role of the press in our country and our community. It would be extreme to somehow blame Trump’s exhortations against the media for the mass shooting late last month at a newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland. As is often the case in workplace violence, this apparently was the work of a deranged man carrying a grudge. Something sent him over the edge. His long-festering complaint had been that the newspaper had written — accurately, according to the courts — about his legal troubles for harassing and threatening a woman. It is deeply unsettling that, along with a great outpouring of community support, the Capital Gazette has now received additional death threats and communications celebrating the slaying of its five newspaper employees. The murders have caused newspapers and television and online news rooms around the country to reassess security measures. Yet even in this environment, even amid the tragedy of losing colleagues in a senseless shooting, we all keep doing our jobs. Associated Press As a candidate last year, Donald Trump lashes out at an Associated Press photographer who took a photo of empty chairs at a rally. Trump has continued to bash the press — and First Amendment freedoms — since taking office. Because that’s what journalists do. Journalism is a calling. It’s telling stories about crops and canneries, community festivals and classroom projects, and all sorts of groundbreakings and fresh starts, both in construction and in life. It’s about crime and punishment, probing the deep underbelly of society and alerting the public not only to what went wrong but also revealing when things go right. It’s about going alongside first responders into the winds and wildfires when others are fleeing. On the opinion pages, it’s cheerleading at times and challenging the community at other times. And, yes, holding the powerful accountable. It’s about seeking truth as best we can and sometimes making mistakes — we’re human and fallible despite our best efforts every day — but promptly correcting our factual errors. And it’s about always giving readers the last word through letters to the editor, as we have for generations. People can and will disagree. But that should not make any of us enemies. This is our community and our country — all of ours. OTHER VIEWS The localist revolution W OTHER VIEWS O’Rourke shared traits with his beloved Pendleton L arry O’Rourke and Pendleton’s economy. Pilot Pendleton had a long Rock rancher Tom Rugg partnership. got to know Larry as both Larry, who died recently built their own airplanes, at 82, had lots of company and Rugg said Larry loved because many people are people. sold on Pendleton. But Support education. Larry’s quick wit, puckish Those close to him say he Mike sense of humor and was an excellent teacher Forrester persistence made him stand both in the classroom and Comment out. He will be missed in in the cockpit with student this community. aviators. He was interested My guess is that Larry and in his students in the classroom his community shared several and later. He would come across personality traits. something new to him — an idea, A drive to achieve. Pendleton a product, a discovery — and be history is full of examples of inclined to study it to death individuals and organizations Teamwork. Even though Larry making their marks in this region did lots of work for his town, you and far beyond. Larry and his wife might not know of it because of Dorothy were always among the his style. He believed deeply in first in town to volunteer to build a cooperation with others and did support group. If city government not seek to be in the news. At the voiced a need or a family ran into same time, Larry O’Rourke was bad luck, the O’Rourkes would honest, frank, to the point. Quite a respond. combination of qualities. Being a people person. Seems Go for it. Whether it’s putting those who find satisfaction in together the best rodeo in the West Pendleton are those who reach or organizing to help a displaced out to others. When Larry saw family, you will go as far as someone struggling to solve teamwork, drive and planning take something, he would often sign up you. A commitment is needed to to help — whether it was putting have a chance for success. a historical center on the Umatilla ■ Indian Reservation or student Mike Forrester of Pendle- ton is former editor of the East exchange programs in Pendleton Oregonian. or coming up with ideas to help Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial board. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the East Oregonian. e’ve tried liberalism and to data. The local person sees things that can conservatism, and now we’re be reduced to data but also things that cannot. trying populism. Maybe the The second difference is relational. next era of public life will be defined by a Federal power is impersonal, uniform, resurgence of localism. abstract and rule-oriented. Local power is personalistic, relational, affectionate, irregular Localism is the belief that power should and based on a shared history of reciprocity be wielded as much as possible at the and trust. A national system rewards neighborhood, city and state levels. Localism David rational intelligence. A local system requires is thriving — as a philosophy and a way Brooks emotional intelligence, too. of doing things — because the national Comment ▪ Change happens differently. Federal government is dysfunctional while many change often means big shifts quickly, such towns are reviving. Politicians in Washington as when a big law is passed after a long debate, like are miserable, hurling ideological abstractions at Obamacare or tax reform. Local change happens one another, but mayors and governors are fulfilled, more gradually, more iteratively. There’s a legacy producing tangible results. system, like a public school, a grocery store or Localism is also thriving these days because an investment fund. Somebody breaks free from many cities have more coherent identities than the system and creates an innovative alternative, the nation as a whole. It is thriving because while like a charter school, an organic farm market or national politics takes place through the filter of the a crowdsource campaign. As Leo Linbeck of the media circus, local politics by and large does not. It is thriving because we’re in an era of low social trust. Center for Opportunity Urbanism describes, the new innovators “announce the availability of the upgrade People really have faith only in the relationships and then allow users to choose when to make the right around them, the change agents who are right switch.” There’s a conversation between the legacy on the ground. system and the innovator, as the former learns Since it will probably be the coming wave, I from and adapts to the alternative. Change happens thought it might be useful to make a few notes: through the conversation between old and new. ▪ Localism is truly a revolution. It literally means ▪ There is a different division of labor for making flipping the power structure. For the past several decades, money, talent and power have flowed to the change. As impact investor Deborah Frieze put it in a 2015 TEDx talk, change is led by Walk Outs. These centers of national power. Politicians tried to ascend are people who leave the legacy system and pioneer to national office as they advanced their careers. new alternatives. Then there are Illuminators. These Smart young people flocked to universities, and are people who analyze and bring attention to the then to New York and D.C. The federal government assumed greater and greater control of American life. change that is now available. I’d highlight two other social roles. Elders are But under localism, the crucial power center is the city mothers and fathers who hold sway in the at the tip of the shovel, where the actual work is town because of their established positions. The being done. Expertise is not in the think tanks but Elders support the Walk Outs, make room for them among those who have local knowledge, those with and reform old systems. Then there are Network a feel for how things work in a specific place and Entrepreneurs. They link the Walk Outs, who tend to an awareness of who gets stuff done. Success is be lonely, overworked and short-staffed. They help not measured by how big you can scale but by how the Walk Outs build a support system and a way to deeply you can connect. exchange knowledge and care. Under localism, national politicians are regarded Change in a localist world often looks like like generals in Tolstoy novels. They move pieces around the board, but the actual battle is nothing like a renewal of old forms, which were often more intimate and personalistic than the technocratic what they imagine. Wise young people leave the structures of the past 50 years. Localism stands centers for towns where they can make a difference. for the idea that there is no one set of solutions ▪ Localism is not federal power wielded on a to diverse national problems. Instead, it brings smaller scale. It’s a different kind of power. The conservatives and liberals together around the first difference is epistemological. The federal thought that people are happiest when their lives policymaker asks, “What can we do about are enmeshed in caring face-to-face relationships, homelessness?” The local person asks Fred or Mary building their communities together. what they need in order to have a home. These ■ different questions yield different results. David Brooks, New York Times The federal person sees things that can be reduced 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. 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.
