A4
East Oregonian
Thursday, November 21, 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
Fence proves both sides can work together
W
olves reintroduced
themselves to Oregon.
Ever since, there’s been
a lot of debate about what to do
about them.
They aren’t usually predators of
people, though don’t try to make
friends. As for ranch cattle, wolves
can treat them like a buffet.
Nobody knows that better than
rancher Ted Birdseye. His Mill-
Mar Ranch of 275 acres in Butte
Falls has had more losses to wolves
than any other rancher in Oregon,
according to Oregon Public Broad-
casting. Eight of his cows and
two of his dogs have been killed
by wolves. It’s the Rogue Pack at
work.
Is that bad luck? The cost of
doing business? Something the
government should compensate
him for?
Oregon has a compensation pro-
gram. It has paid out money to help
ranchers hire riders, buy radios,
hang flags from fences and com-
pensate for losses of cattle, sheep
and working dogs. That seems
absolutely justified if government
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Photo
A rancher is trying something new to keep the wolves away — something never before at-
tempted in Oregon. And he’s doing it with the help of some unlikely partners.
and Oregonians want this natural
predator to return.
What’s good is that people who
want wolves to thrive in Oregon
are working so hard to help Bird-
seye’s ranch from being the place
the Rogue Pack goes for meals.
A school group came to his ranch
and helped him remove some bone
piles, according to OPB. U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service wolf biologist
John Stephenson has spent nights
at the ranch to try to keep wolves
away. He helped Birdseye put up
flagging on its fences. Birdseye
even tried those inflatable dancing
men you see on car lots.
Thanks to Oregon’s compensa-
tion program, federal grants and
contributions from environmental-
ists Birdseye is getting 3 miles of
electric fencing around his ranch.
It cost more than $46,000. Made
from recycled steel posts spaced
90 feet apart, with eight strands of
high-tensile electric wire running
between 1-inch fiberglass rods,
Birdseye said anything that touches
the fence “is supposed to get the
shock of its life.” It is powered by
a 3-foot-by-3-foot solar panel and
battery.
“My big concern is I just hope it
works,” Birdseye said. “If it doesn’t
work, I don’t know what the other
options are.”
The same kind of fencing has
worked in Montana to keep wolves
out.
The return of wolves is a wel-
come sign to some and a bad sign
to others. But it is great to see dif-
ferent ends of the spectrum of
views cooperate. Prevention of
wolves killing livestock is key for
people on all sides of the issue.
OTHER VIEWS
Disney+ ruins classics with
new trigger warnings
I
YOUR VIEWS
Triebelhorn right on all
counts
I think Doug Triebelhorn hit he nail
on the head regarding every aspect he
addressed in the Other Views article in
the East Oregonian on Nov. 19. Kudos
to him, and I am sure hundreds of other
Pendleton residents agree whole-heart-
edly. He voiced very well the opinion
and feelings of us.
Seems like politicians and the city
just keep asking for more. Why don’t
they live on a budget like we do? Pendle-
ton should tighten its belt and not ask for
more taxes.
Joyce Gibson
Pendleton
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
U.S. PRESIDENT
GOVERNOR
Donald Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
whitehouse.gov/contact/
Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court Street
Salem, OR 97301-4047
503-378-4582
U.S. SENATORS
Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
La Grande office: 541-962-7691
Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753
Pendleton office: 541-278-1129
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
Greg Walden
185 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6730
La Grande office: 541-624-2400
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.
REPRESENTATIVES
Greg Barreto, District 58
900 Court St. NE, H-38
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1458
Rep.GregBarreto@state.or.us
Greg Smith, District 57
900 Court St. NE, H-482
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1457
Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us
SENATOR
Bill Hansell, District 29
900 Court St. NE, S-423
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1729
Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us
Kelly Clarkson recently recorded an
adored the story of “Cinderella”
updated version of the Christmas
as a child. The prospect of having
song “Baby It’s Cold Outside” in rec-
a man so in love with me that he’d
ognition of the #MeToo movement
crisscross the Kingdom searching for
and out of a desire not to offend those
my size 6½ foot was heady stuff. It
who said it conjured images of rape.
never occurred to me that Cindy was
But instead of improving the flir-
oppressed by the patriarchy or that
tatious holiday standard, they sex-
she should just buy her own darn pair
ualized it even more by adding the
of shoes.
line “It’s your body and your
Similarly, I was untrou-
bled by the fact that Snow
choice,” making what was a
White was victimized by her
clever back-and-forth between
stepmother or lived with a
two adults into a primer on
variety of short men to whom
consent.
she was not married. While
At least Disney isn’t mak-
ing “Cinderella” open her
the scenario seemed to pres-
ent a negative view of both
own shoe manufacturing
blended families and female
company or celebrating Snow
C hristine
sexuality, my 8-year-old psy-
White’s sexual liberation with
F lowers
che survived unscathed.
a scene where she distributes
COMMENT
I emerged from that Dis-
condoms to the dwarfs.
ney-centric childhood with
Perhaps that cautionary
happy memories and a deep apprecia-
language could be helpful to parents
tion for the power of imagination.
who think that some of the imagery
Sadly, the current employees of
might confuse their children, partic-
ularly in this day and age where gen-
Disney must think of me as some
der is a matter of opinion, race is still
aberration, because they have decided
a controversial subject, and sexual
to provide disclaimers with their new
stereotypes are forbidden.
streaming service, Disney+, which hit
But I can’t get my head around
the market last week week. Whenever
the idea that the stories that gave me
someone clicks on classic content,
such joy as a child are, to some peo-
they will find this language under the
ple, harmful enough to warrant a
Details tab:
cautionary warning. It’s one thing
“This program is presented as
to acknowledge that we made mis-
originally created. It may contain
takes in the past, and to seek a reck-
outdated cultural depictions.”
oning with our history. It is quite
The disclaimer is aimed primar-
ily at works that contain racial and
another to caution people at the out-
set that the magnificent piece of art
ethnic stereotypes, like the Sia-
mese cats in “Lady and the Tramp”
that they are about to see is actually
and “Dumbo,” which includes a ver-
riddled with racist, sexist, and “pho-
bic” tropes. This sets the viewer up to
sion of black face. (It’s worth noting
actually watch out for those trouble-
that Disney+ is not streaming “Song
some details and threatens to ruin the
of the South,” a film that has been
viewing experience.
widely criticized for racist portrayals
Isn’t it at all possible that the little
of black people.) Given the focus on
girl who sees the handsome prince on
cultural sensitivity in today’s society,
bended knee with the crystal slipper
it’s not difficult to understand why
will both sigh with delight and one
Disney would want to neutralize the
day grow up to be president? Must
negative impact of its masterpieces
every childhood memory be tweaked
without actually tinkering with the
so that it fits the evolved narrative?
works themselves.
Can’t we just enjoy the movie?
In fact, Disney deserves credit for
———
not censoring the films and cartoons,
Christine Flowers is a syndicated
and tailoring them to meet 21st cen-
tury sensibilities. John Legend and
freelance 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
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Send letters to the editor to
editor@eastoregonian.com,
or via mail to Andrew Cutler,
211 S.E. Byers Ave.
Pendleton, OR 97801