ANDREW CUTLER
Publisher/Editor
KATHRYN B. BROWN
Owner
PHIL WRIGHT
News Editor
ERICK PETERSON
Hermiston Editor/Senior Reporter
SaTuRday, SEpTEMBER 4, 2021
A4
Founded October 16, 1875
OUR VIEW
Education
still plays
key role in
mandates
matilla County Sheriff Terry
Rowan made probably the best
point lately when it comes to the
ongoing controversy regarding Gov. Kate
Brown’s mask and vaccination mandates.
Rowan made it clear his office doesn’t
have the statutory authority to enforce
any kind of mandate, so the expectation
was not to enforce the mandates but to
educate people about them.
Rowan is on the right track in two
ways. First, he seemed unwilling to step
into what is becoming a political quag-
mire regarding Brown’s recent edicts.
That’s a smart decision. That’s because
the governor doesn’t seem to have any
intention of backing off her decisions
to create the new mandates. In due
course the issue will probably end up in
the courts, which will create a lengthy
process with no clear end in sight.
Secondly, Rowan is right that law
enforcement — if it is to do anything —
should be a platform for education. The
job of providing information to citizens
is a crucial one, especially now that a lot
of the data available is either bogus or
slanted.
We believe the choice to get vacci-
nated is an individual one, a decision
between an individual and their health
care provider.
However, it is a growing concern that
information on the vaccines is frag-
mented and often twisted to fit an agenda.
Residents should be encouraged to
gather all of the information they possi-
bly can and then discuss their views with
their health care provider. Then, and
only then, should they make a judgement
about whether they are comfortable with
the vaccine.
It seems relatively simple, but an over-
load of bad information is clouding what
should be a routine decision by any resi-
dent.
Law enforcement should be involved
in the vaccine drama only in an educa-
tional way. Let’s face it, there are far
more pressing problems local police and
sheriff’s deputies need to address rather
than enforcing a mask mandate. Of
course, the governor has not ordered any
law enforcement agency that we know of
to enforce any kind of mandate, and that
is a good thing.
Providing a way to get information
— unbiased information — to residents
is a good plan, and we hope the sheriff
follows through on his words.
U
EDITORIALS
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.
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of 400 words or less on public issues and public
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Unsigned letters will not be published.
SEND LETTERS TO:
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or via mail to Andrew Cutler,
211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801
YOUR VIEWS
Show, community share
gifts and talents
We enjoyed a Wild West Show on
Main Street last Saturday, Aug. 28.
The cast of “The Ballad of Black Bart”
delivered their lines glibly and with
audience participation made the show
about a slice of life in the Wild West
very lively and entertaining.
It was a great pleasure for me to
share what we have here in Pendle-
ton with my brother and his wife who
arrived from Guam. A retired diplomat,
my brother and his family lived in Paki-
stan, Malaysia, Ottawa and Guam.
They both find our town welcoming
and its citizens generous about sharing
their gifts and talents
Zenaida M. Lyles
Pendleton
Science and faith
are intertwined
Where do you think the laws of
science and the laws of the natural
world come from? The Big Bang didn’t
create them. The Big Bang couldn’t
have happened without them. So what
created them? Here’s a hint though:
Almost every scientist who explores
this question turns to God. Inciden-
tally, many of the world’s first scien-
tists, teachers and doctors were priests,
monks and nuns. Most priests today
have a more thorough and well-rounded
education than most doctors.
The religious aren’t meant to just
blindly believe whatever they’re told.
God commands us to learn, discover,
understand and reveal his creation. This
includes the tools with which he brought
it all about. Do you honestly believe
mathematics just happens to be so
much more reliable than any man-made
language that it’s considered a universal
language? What caused these universal
truths to exist?
True faith cannot exist without
rationality, and true rationality cannot
exist without faith. As is often said on
the EWTN Global Catholic Network,
they’re two wings of the same bird.
Mark Elfering
Hermiston
Hermiston event an
example of area’s talent
I would like to take this opportunity
to commend the East Oregonian for its
coverage of the Greater Hermiston City-
Fest with Andrew Palau. CityFest is just
another shining example of the sacrifice
of time, talent and treasure that people
in the Greater Hermiston area will make
to bring an event of this magnitude to
benefit the people of our community.
If you were able to attend one of the
events, I am sure that you will agree
with me that the message was hope
filled and you left the event with a
greater appreciation for how our Lord
can work in our lives even during these
challenging times.
I also pray that many people were
touched by the message of Christ’s
saving grace and will put into action their
commitment to living a holy life (not just
for the Saints like St. Mother Teresa).
We are blessed in our area to have
a plethora of faith communities who
are more than willing to reach out and
welcome anyone who desires to grow
in their faith. Christ reminds us in His
parables that all we need is faith the size
of a mustard seed and a willing spirit.
I would strongly encourage everyone
to prayerfully consider strengthening
their faith by attending a church service
this weekend. Again, I thank the EO
for covering this event and, as Father
Maxwell prayed at Mass Monday morn-
ing at Our Lady of Angels Catholic
Church, let us all pray for the safety of
those who attended. May God bless you.
Kristin Smalley
Hermiston
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
U.S. PRESIDENT
Joe Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
GOVERNOR
Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court St.
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
REPRESENTATIVES
Bobby Levy, District 58
900 Court St. NE, H-376
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1458
Rep.BobbyLevy@state.or.us
Greg Smith, District 57
900 Court St. NE, H-482
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1457
Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
Cliff Bentz
2185 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6730
Medford office: 541-776-4646
SENATOR
Bill Hansell, District 29
900 Court St. NE, S-415
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1729
Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us