Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 2019)
A4 East Oregonian Thursday, December 12, 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 Northeast Oregon sending its best overseas T his past Tuesday’s front-page fea- ture story in the East Oregonian describing a Christmas celebration at the Oregon National Guard Armory in Pendleton was bittersweet to read. More than 60 members of the Ore- gon Army National Guard 168th Aviation Regiment enjoyed a communal holiday celebration with family and colleagues before preparing to deploy to Afghanistan for 12 months beginning in 2020. Why the U.S. is still sending state National Guard troops overseas to wage war after nearly two decades of hostilities in Afghanistan is a valid question to ask, especially now as the Christmas holiday approaches and our fellow Oregonians are being separated from their families. While this scene has become common- place, being replayed many times over at armories in communities across America during 18 years of war in Southwest Asia and the Middle East, we wish it were not so. We wish these brave men and women could remain at home to enjoy the holi- days with their friends and families. It is useful to recall that spanning nearly two decades of American involve- ment in the terrorist-infested and vio- lence-ravaged nation of Afghanistan, more than 700,000 U.S. military troops have been deployed, more than 2,000 killed, and more than 20,000 wounded. During that same period, more than 62,000 Afghan national security forces EO file photo Friends and family watch as four Oregon Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopters with the 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, fly in formation over the runway at the East- ern Oregon Regional Airport in Pendleton. have been killed, as well as more than 31,000 civilians and even more Taliban. We all know why former President George W. Bush initially committed U.S. troops — to hold Osama bin Laden and his dark minions responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that killed thou- sands of Americans. Former President Barack Obama’s administration finally nabbed bin Laden and he later promised to wind down the mission during his last term in office. Before taking office, Pres- ident Donald Trump promised to end for- eign military entanglements and further draw down troop levels. And yet, here we are. More of our friends and neighbors from Northeast Oregon are heading back into harms way on the far side of the globe. This is particularly troubling given the eye-opening reporting of the Wash- ington Post this past week in which it was revealed that the American public has been mislead by all three presidential administrations regarding the effective- ness of our prolonged war in Afghanistan. Quoting directly from the Post’s report- ing, “U.S. officials acknowledged that their war-fighting strategies were fatally flawed and that Washington wasted enor- mous sums of money trying to remake Afghanistan into a modern nation.” The report also highlights the U.S. gov- ernment’s failed efforts to prevent ram- pant corruption, rebuild the Afghan army and police, and diminish the country’s opium trade. In the meantime, it has cost much in lives and treasure. We’ve spent close to a trillion dollars in the effort. After all this time, it is the sending of National Guard units — not active duty front-line warriors — to the front lines that we question. These are men and women whose mission was once envi- sioned as a reserve military force, or mili- tia, to serve a dual state and federal role. These part-time citizen-soldiers hold full-time civilian jobs, have children attending school and serve integral roles in their respective communities. We should stop sending these highly trained and highly skilled men and women over- seas to fight endless wars and keep them here at home where they belong. Regardless, we have no doubt they will serve well and honorably. We wish each and every one of them safety as they ful- fill their mission and return to us whole and ready to resume their lives here in Northeast Oregon. FROM THE TRACTOR SEAT Remembering those special holiday gifts O YOUR VIEWS Wreath ceremony was lacking VFW support On Sunday, Dec. 8, I attended the Wreath Laying at Olney Cemetery in honor of deceased veterans buried there. This was sponsored by the Helix High School Euro Club. This was their 10th year in performing this service of remembrance for veterans and is part of the national Wreaths Across Amer- ica event that occurs on Dec. 14. The ceremony was brief, but moving, and was followed by the actual placing of the wreaths. It was nice to see that the East Ore- gonian again had a representative there to take pictures and write a story about it. The greatest disappointment for me was the absence of Pendleton’s VFW Post 922, which normally presents the colors and pro- vides support. There was only one mem- ber that showed up (Clifford Smith). He had to do all the setup by himself, and had to improvise the colors presentation (normally done by at least two members and properly done by four members). One representative of the women’s auxiliary was also there to lay an honorary wreath. I realize the local VFW post does con- tribute financial support to this program, and some of their individual members are also individual donors, but it really would have been nice to see at least three or four members there to properly do the color presentation. I offer a big thank you to all the indi- 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. viduals and businesses that did donate to this cause, but a “Kick in the Pants” to the local VFW. Actions speak louder than pocketbooks. Robert Park Helix Rotating the states makes primary voting more fair Every four years since 1972, Iowa and New Hampshire in tandem have repeat- edly been the first two states to vote in the American presidential primary process. Isn’t it time for the other 48 states to take their turns at being one of the first two states to vote? We should reform the presidential pri- mary process in time for 2024 by institut- ing a rotational centurial schedule whereby every state will finally have the opportu- nity to be one of the first two states to vote. Rotating the states would bring a much needed, overdue element of fairness to our primary system by giving each state (no matter how sparsely populated) a period of political relevance. Also, moving Iowa and New Hampshire out of their unwarranted privileged politi- cal positions at the front of the line would help make the process more demographi- cally representative of the nation at large. Jake Pickering Eureka, California n a recent foggy, cold, misera- enough to be picked up by the tail and tossed ble-weather day, I was enjoying like a Frisbee. Fun for all ages. the comfort of my heated shop. I When questioned the other day, Willie was busy working on a couple of projects, told me his favorite gift was the $200 Inter- national Harvester pickup I bought from a when the folks on the radio posed a ques- tion to listeners regarding their favorite toy favorite neighbor a while back and gave to him for Christmas. Though not driven in 20 that they had received as a child for Christ- mas. Responses ranged from Barbie dolls to years, it was parked under cover of a shed Hot Wheels miniature race cars. It prompted and was in reasonably good shape. He set up an “auxiliary” gas tank on the floorboard me to ponder favorite gifts, although I can’t recall too many from my childhood because, with a rubble hose to the carburetor and drove it home. Besides its classic boxy, styl- as I close in on the half-century mark in age, ing and smooth ride on the gravel childhood is becoming more and road washboards, he likes the more a distant memory as foggy as glass-pack mufflers through the the weather was that day. grill and the pristine “REAGAN” Certainly the toy John Deere bumper sticker. combine harvester I received from As I have “matured” (those who my grandfather 40-plus years ago know me well will attest to the ranks near the top. I still have it and gross misapplication of that term) it is in excellent condition, owing to my tastes in gifts have changed. the fact that I seldom took it outside. M att I now value things like the heart- My son, Willie, occasionally played W ood felt, hand-painted, one-of-a-kind with it, but shifted gears abruptly COMMENT Father’s Day and birthday cards at age 11 when he started driving from my daughter, Annie, and the the real thing during our wheat har- vest. A couple of years ago, I bought a well- impeccably detailed drawing of a machine- used toy combine at a farm auction so that, shed filled with old farm equipment from just like our fleet of full-scale machines, Willie. Old yardsticks advertising long-past we could have a “parts rig.” We had to buy businesses with two- or three-digit phone a spare Tonka dozer several years ago at a numbers have been given to me by neigh- bors to whom I can’t express sufficient swap meet when Willie wore out the origi- nal 30-year-old tracks on the Tonka T-6 he gratitude. I found, too, that the further I travel down inherited from my toy box. The dozer has been repainted at least twice and now resides life’s highway, the more I enjoy giving gifts rather than receiving them. I am not a very on a shelf in our farm shop with the “new” good shopper and my idea of gift-wrapping tracks from the swap meet find. is throwing something in a brown paper My favorite uncle built our kids a little bag or hastily covering a box in the Sunday toy duck mounted on the end of a stick that funny pages. However, if I find just the right was equipped with slotted wheels to mount junk (or treasure) to fulfill what I perceive to flapper-type simulated web-feet made out of be a need in the collection of a friend or fam- used inner-tube remnants. If the duck had ily member, then I’m buyin’ it. an odometer it would have registered the On a larger scale, in our communities, toy waterfowl equivalent of 100,000 miles. there are ample opportunities, be it through It was a favorite gift that has now become “giving trees,” food pantries or simple cash a family heirloom piece. Said uncle grew donations to worthy charitable causes, to up during the Depression and did not have attain true fulfillment by giving rather than many toys, to say the least. He began build- ing his own early in life and plied that trade receiving, especially during the holiday sea- son. After doing your part to help a neigh- almost until the day he departed this realm at age 89. One of his favorite stories from his bor, be it someone you know or not, cel- ebrate by buying a round at your favorite childhood was tossing a “sail-cat” with his establishment, and then leave a big tip. It’ll brother. A “sail-cat” was a feline who had help Clarence get his wings. met a sudden and ignominious end on the ——— highway. After days in the hot sun on the Matt Wood, a community columnist for pavement and frequent “re-flattening” under the East Oregonian, lives and farms near the wheels of passing cars, the cat could be Helix. pried free with a flat shovel and was stiff 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
