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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 2019)
A4 East Oregonian Wednesday, November 13, 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 We can never forget their sacrifice T he local community came out in force Monday to honor area veterans, a clear sign that Umatilla County hasn’t forgot- ten those who made a sacrifice and a commitment to our nation. That says a lot about our area and a lot more about the type of people who live and work and play in our great part of the state. There are more than 18 million veterans in the United States, and Monday allowed the entire nation to take a collective moment to recog- nize their sacrifice and commitment. For many of us, Monday was a welcome day off or part of a three- day weekend. For millions of others, though, the day carried a special significance and marked one of the few times during the year when the great nation they defended stopped and tipped its hat. Veterans Day is more than just another day off. The day began as Armistice Day, which recognized the anniversary of the end of World War I. Later, the day was made an annual observance. The day is rightly a celebration to recognize our veterans for their patri- Staff photo by Ben Lonergan Bob Daniel carries the American flag as a part of the honor guard during a Veterans Day breakfast at the Hermiston Community Center on Monday morning. otism and service, but it should also serve as a reminder that we owe all of those who participated in our Armed Forces a debt we will probably never be able to repay. Men and women have gladly stepped forward throughout our his- tory to defend what is, in a real way, a collection of concepts. The Consti- tution and its Bill of Rights are words supported by a philosophy of democ- racy that remains an experiment. Yet each year millions join our Armed Forces, and they swear an oath. Not an oath to the president. Not an oath to Congress. They pledge their souls to defend the Constitution. That makes us unique in many ways from nations across the globe. Our men and women make a choice to lay it all on the line for words. For a philosophy. Our veterans deserve to be rec- ognized and lauded. Each one made a conscious choice to sacrifice their time — and in many cases their bod- ies — for their nation. While many of us built lives, raised children and attended youth sports events, our veterans were far away from home. They were sometimes stationed on foreign shores, in harm’s way, while the rest of us went along with our lives. We can’t forget their sacrifice. So as the 2019 Veterans Day recedes, we must all collectively remember their sacrifice and endeavor to ensure their needs — mental and physical — are met. OTHER VIEWS Republicans remain tethered to toxic Trump T Fallen journalists deserve a memorial ournalists relentlessly pursue the truth fice. Such a memorial would demonstrate to in order to provide citizens with the our citizens and to visitors from around the information they need to be self-gov- world that our country values a free press, erning. And yet, for journalists, doing that honors the sacrifices of journalists and sup- ports the family, friends and colleagues of work can be risky, dangerous and even cost the fallen. lives. Just 15 months ago the deadliest attack To make this memorial a reality, federal on journalists in U.S. history took place at legislation is needed but federal funds will the office of the Capital Gazette, the local not be used. The Fallen Journalists Memo- rial Act of 2019 would authorize the Fallen newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland, when a Journalists Memorial Foundation to lead the gunman shot and killed five employees and effort to design, develop, construct wounded two others. It is an all too frequent and and maintain a memorial on fed- eral land in Washington, D.C. The unfortunate reality that report- ers and photojournalists must face memorial would be funded entirely and even run toward danger when by private donations and without seeking the truth. That’s why so the use of any taxpayer funds. many have died while covering Once completed, the Fallen war and conflict, from Ernie Pyle Journalists Memorial will serve in World War II, to Francois Sully, as a reminder of the sacrifices that B arBara Larry Burrows and Dana Stone in have been made — and that will c ochran the Vietnam War, to David Bloom, continue to be made — to preserve COMMENT Michael Kelly, Elizabeth Neuffer a free press. It will also be a source and Daniel Pearl in the wars in Iraq of education, awareness and pride and Afghanistan. for our entire nation. It is also why so many have died around This important effort is only beginning. the world when the powerful wanted to We need the help of newspaper readers and silence them. Jamal Khashoggi was mur- others who value the role that journalists dered in the Saudi consulate in Turkey just play in our democratic society. We encour- age you to contact your representatives and over one year ago. Anna Politskaya was killed after her reporting on the Russian war senators in Congress (202-224-3121) and ask that they co-sponsor the Fallen Journalists in Chechnya angered those in power. Washington, D.C., has many monuments Memorial Act of 2019 and help us make this honoring those who have sacrificed their memorial a reality. lives to protect our freedoms; yet, there is ——— no memorial on public land to recognize the Barbara Cochran is the president of the journalists who have made the same sacri- Fallen Journalist Memorial Foundation. J 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. since the Civil War, captured a governing he lesson of the 2019 state elections confirmed the lesson of the 2018 con- majority in suburban Chester County, and gressional midterms: Donald Trump did the same in suburban Bucks County for can stage all the demagogic rallies he wants, the first time in 36 years. Those results may well foreshadow a titanic blue turnout when but he’s powerless to reverse the GOP’s Trump is (presumably) back on the ballot, hemorrhaging in the populous suburbs. where his rural and small-town fans may not Let’s borrow one of his favorite meta- phors. On Tuesday night, his captive Repub- be numerous enough to hold back the wave. licans died like dogs. Or, as party strate- And that’s the Trump team’s core quan- gist Alex Conant told the Associated Press, dary. It aims to maximize rural and small- “Republican support in the suburbs has basi- town turnout (especially among non-col- cally collapsed under Trump.” lege white men) in the handful of Today’s suburbs, once typi- states that will sway the Electoral cally lily white, are racially and College, in order to offset massive losses in suburbia and, of course, ethnically diverse, and bursting in the cities. But that math may not with people (especially women) work, because suburbia is where who have college educations. This the most votes are. Tom Davis, a means they’re bright enough to read former national Republican leader, the news, see Trump for what he warns: “What’s happening is that is, and be rightly repulsed by a cra- D ick ven Republican party that abets and the fast-growing areas (are) where P olman the Democrats are doing better. excuses his serial abuses of power. COMMENT There aren’t enough white rural And now we’re seeing the pay- off. One year ago, Democrats recap- voters to make up the difference.” tured the House in an historic blue wave that Dennis Bonnen, the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, recently put it subsumed Republican suburban seats even more bluntly. In an audio recording obtained in red redoubts like South Carolina, Kan- sas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Utah. by The Washington Post, Bonnen was heard And in this week’s 2019 elections, Virginia whining to an ally: “I just think we’ve got to Democrats snatched both legislative cham- get through 2020. … With all due respect to bers for the first time in a generation, wiping Trump, who I love by the way, he’s killing out every last Republican (including a state us in the urban-suburban districts.” House GOP leader) in the Washington, D.C., True that. Spiking Democratic turn- out in the Texas suburbs — and the defeat suburbs. A Muslim woman even won in the of two GOP House incumbents in the Richmond suburbs, ousting a Republican 2018 midterms — have prompted at least state senator who’d long sought to weaken five House Republicans to announce their Obamacare. Most of Virginia’s Republican candidates “retirements.” Reality-based Republicans are well aware tried to distance themselves from Trump, but the voters punished them anyway. Down that they need to reconnect with educated white-collar suburban voters, especially in ruby-red Kentucky, incumbent Repub- lican Gov. Matt Bevins tried the opposite women. But, alas, they’re tethered to a font of intolerance who becomes more toxic with tack, embracing Trump and stumping with each Orwellian lie. And they’re tragically an anti-impeachment banner, but voters in too timid to revolt. the Louisville and Lexington suburbs pun- ished him anyway. Most notably, in the vote- Twice now, in successive years, the sub- rich suburbs across the river from Cincinnati urbs have sent Trump a message, but he’s — the same suburbs he’d won easily back in too pig-headed to hear it. And I’m reminded of a scene in “Citizen Kane,” when a politi- 2015 — he was wiped out. cal boss warns the megalomaniacal mogul: Kentucky will surely vote for Trump in “If it was anybody else, I’d say what’s going 2020, but it’s far less certain that pivotal Pennsylvania will do so for the second time. to happen to you would be a lesson to you. Only you’re going to need more than one Republicans have long been losing clout in the Philadelphia suburbs, but Trump’s toxic- lesson. And you’re going to get more than ity has greatly accelerated that trend, espe- one lesson.” cially at the grassroots level. In the 2019 ——— elections, Democrats took control of sub- Dick Polman is a nationally syndicated urban Delaware County for the first time columnist. 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
