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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 16, 2019)
A4 East Oregonian Friday, August 16, 2019 CHRISTOPHER RUSH Publisher KATHRYN B. BROWN Owner ANDREW CUTLER Editor WYATT HAUPT JR. News Editor JADE McDOWELL Hermiston Editor Founded October 16, 1875 OUR VIEW Elected, public leaders answer to the public O ccasionally it is prudent to remind voters in Oregon of a few, fundamental elements regarding our access to government. In Oregon, the presumption is always government is, and will always will be, open to public scrutiny. This scrutiny promotes our form of democracy and also furnishes a degree of transparency. In short, all Oregonians have a right to know what their government is doing, how it is spending taxpayer money and what that money is spent on. This isn’t a nifty notion, or an aspiration. It is a right. Like the right to keep and bear arms. Like the right of free speech. It isn’t a debatable item. In short, every single Oregonian has the right to prepare and deliver a public records request to any government entity to seek specific records. Some records are inaccessible and are “exempt.” These exempt records are that way for a very specific reason with a narrow scope. The important question for readers is what is a newspaper’s role in such a par- Courtesy photo The Oregon Capitol in Salem. adigm. A newspaper — a good one at least — acts as a sort of de facto repre- sentative of the people. When matters that are important to the body politic as a whole come to light, the newspaper can act in the public interest and file a public records request. This action isn’t about pursing red herrings or hounding hard-working elected and public offi- cials. The process is designed to help inform the public — voters — so they can make good decisions about policy. That’s because elected and appointed officials — at least in our nation — don’t get to do whatever they want when they want. Our system doesn’t work that way. Every public and elected official is beholden to the voters. Every public and elected official has but one responsibility — to represent their constituents. That means, in the end, that public and elected leaders are required to be open with the public. Whether they want to or not, they must answer to the body politic. As a newspaper, our role is ensur- ing that those elected and appointed offi- cials don’t lose sight of that important fact and to certify they are being open and transparent. Occasionally, that system puts us at odds with people who have the best interest of the public at heart but don’t see why certain elements of their work should be open to the public. We take no pleasure creating more work for public or elected officials but we consider our role as a watchdog to be vital for not only the health of our little piece of the Republic but for the well-being of our system of government as a whole. We take our job seriously and read- ers should rest assured we will meet any challenge to keep our readers informed. After all, that’s our job. OTHER VIEWS Maybe the real Fredo wasn’t so dumb after all “F YOUR VIEWS Don’t blame the gun for mass shootings Well, here we go again with demands for taking guns from law-abiding citizens. These most recent, horrible shootings have sparked a new onslaught of rage and outcry to ban gun sales and ownership — especially of the category of “assualt weapons.” Many agree that something dif- ferent must be done; something to limit access to firearms for those suffering from mental illness is a good place to start. Most of the shooters are young men who have a track record of mental instability of some sort. Often they broadcast this online for the entire world to see. The Parkland shooter, Nikolas Cruz, had a long history of problems at school. He had actually been expelled for bringing guns to school. He had been in a fight not long before he killed fellow stu- dents, but was only referred to social workers and not the police. He stated more than once he wanted to be a school shooter. He purchased the murder weapon legally. I hope people understand that at one point Brower County recorded more school arrests than any other Florida district. To com- bat this embarrassment, the school board and disgraced Brower County sheriff devised a plan to artificially reduce in-school arrests to try and curb this “school to prison pipeline.” They basically just decided to forgive suspensions and expulsions, which resulted in a 63% reduction of in-school arrests from 2012 to 2016. Even Obama complimented this dis- trict on this drastic reduction and pointed to them as an example of how understanding and forgive- ness works so well — except for those students killed and their families. If Cruz would have been arrested for any of these griev- ances, he would have been pre- vented from legally buying a fire- arm. Would that have stopped him fromslaughtering so many fellow students? We won’t know, but it would have sure slowed him down and made it more difficult. This was the fault of many — the sher- iff, the school board, his parents — for not being willing to identify his obvious mental problems and deal with them before this hap- pened. It wasn’t the gun’s fault. David Burns Pendleton Don’t hide behind ‘the people’ in defense of stalling legislation On Sen. Bill Hansell’s decision “to leave”: Senator, you contend a prin- cipled objection to the refusal of 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. the Senate majority to refer a bill to the voters as the reason you left your post. I respect your conten- tion, which I assume is based on a belief in direct democracy. Oregon’s constitution to the contrary, the United States is not a direct democracy. It’s charming for small towns in New Hamp- shire deciding which days private contractors should pick up the trash, but it is absurd in the con- text of a complicated economy of 4 million people. The legislature spent months considering how to confront cli- mate change. After examining what was effective and politically possible, it wrote a bill and put it on the floor. That’s our system. I cannot imagine, much as I would love to, that “the peo- ple” have the time and exper- tise to weigh the pros and cons of the cap-and-trade bill or any other bill the legislature may consider. That’s why you are a representative. If you’ve got a better idea, put it in the marketplace of ideas, and stand by the results. But please don’t hide behind “the people.” Your job is to lead. Democracy works when gov- ernment fairly reflects the major- ity, with respect for the minority. It does not work when barely a third of one body of the legislature stalls the process. Bennett Minton Portland redo has a good heart but things, on a fairly regular basis. It’s not so bad. he is weak ... and stupid.” Years ago, when I was working as — Michael Corleone a reporter for the Fox TV station in Poor Fredo. Poor, poor Fredo. First, he’s talked into double-cross- Philadelphia, some guy I had never seen before called me a “pompass a — ing his own brother. dago. Now, that’s an ethnic slur. “I know it was you, Fredo. You In this case, Cuomo was giving the broke my heart. You broke my heart.” guy with the camera exactly what he Then his brother disowns him. wanted so he continued to taunt him. “Fredo, you’re nothing to me now. “You’re a much more You’re not a brother. You’re reasonable guy in person not a friend. When you see than you seem to be on tele- our mother, I wanna know a vision,” he said to Cuomo. day in advance so I won’t be “If you want to play, there.” we’ll play,” the anchor- And then he goes on a man responded. “If you’ve one-way fishing trip. got something to say about “I ordered the death of what I do on television, then my brother. He injured me. R ich say it.” I killed my mother’s son. I M anieRi A little later, he threat- killed my father’s son.” COMMENT ened to throw the guy down Now, his very name is the stairs. being misinterpreted as a I think I speak for most, if not all racial/ethnic slur. Someone with a camera saw CNN Italians, that if someone called me Fredo, I would assume he meant that anchor Chris — “Are you talking to I’m a dope. Not sure why Cuomo went me?” — Cuomo at a New York bar with the racial/ethnic defense right out and called the younger brother of of the box. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Yes, the outburst was over the “Fredo,” Michael Corleone’s simple, top. But maybe he got caught in an younger brother in “The Godfather.” unguarded moment, with his family, The video went viral, not because some jerk is trying to trigger an out- of the “Fredo” reference but because burst and Cuomo takes the bait. The of Cuomo’s reaction. The newsman video, by the way, had more than 3.4 didn’t exactly dismiss the insult as if he were shooing away an annoying fly. million views by Tuesday. And, of course, Twitter erupted, “No, punk-ass b--es from the right with President Donald J. Trump, call me ‘Fredo.’ My name is Chris who never passes on bait, leading the Cuomo. I’m an anchor on CNN,” chorus. Cuomo responded. ‘Fredo’ was from “I think what Chris Cuomo did ‘The Godfather.’ He was a weak was horrible. His language was horri- brother and they use that as an Italian ble, he looked like a total out-of-con- slur — are any of you Italian? ... It’s trol animal. He lost it, and frankly, I a f---ing insult to your people. It’s an don’t think anybody should defend insult to your f--kin’ people. It’s like the N-word for us. Is that a cool f---ing him because he spews lies every night.” thing?” Trump can’t stand Cuomo because Chris — paison, bubula (I’m of his politics and Cuomo hammers one-quarter Jewish so I’m covered) — take it easy. I know we Italians are Trump on CNN night after night. known for our passion and quick tem- These two won’t be ordering a mar- garita with two straws. per, but your blood pressure, son! So, to recap, we have some guy “Fredo” is not a racial or ethnic slur. If it is, it’s news to me. I just think with a phone trying, and succeed- it means, as Donald Trump Jr. pointed ing, to get under the skin of a network out, that you’re the meathead younger news anchor, who responds with a pro- fanity-laced tirade, to which the Pres- brother. That’s all. No need to get all worked up. Even the real Fredo under- ident of the United States responds by stood that much. calling the news anchor an “animal.” “I can handle things. I’m smart. Of all the characters in this whole Not like everybody says, like dumb.” drama, the real Fredo is starting to I’ve never been called “Fredo,” look pretty sharp. probably only because I don’t have an ——— Rich Manieri is a syndicated older brother. But I have been called columnist. a moron and an idiot, among other 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 the editor to editor@eastoregonian.com, or via mail to Andrew Cutler, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801
