VIEWPOINTS
Saturday, November 6, 2021
DEVIN
PATTON
OTHER VIEWS
H
A5
Collaboration and community give
students opportunity to succeed
United we stand,
divided we fall
umans are communal beings. Healthy
communities provide individuals with a
sense of meaning, belonging and security.
Our innate longing to be part of a community goes
back thousands of years and is demonstrated in this
present age by the desire to connect with people
with whom we share common interests.
Some of the most enthusiastic communities
we see today are united around a shared love for a
sports team or a political ideology, but virtually any
sort of common interest can serve as the impetus for
the development of a community.
Until recently, the American Idea was one such
common interest. It united individuals with diverse
religious, cultural, geographical and political affil-
iations, and served as an example to the world that
a nation can thrive even when its citizens are not
united by a shared cultural heritage, religion or
geography.
Unfortunately, this sense of unity is being eroded
before our very eyes. Tribalism is destroying our
nation. If we cannot stop the descent into tribal
warfare, we will become an uncivilized nation char-
acterized by warring factions and disharmony.
The human drive for connection is evident at
birth and influences human behavior throughout the
course of development. As teens, we all witnessed
the power of “peer pressure.” Our instinctive need
for connection and social acceptance developed
over the course of thousands of years and serves
to protect us and provide meaning and a sense of
belonging. However, because this need for connec-
tion is so instinctive, we naturally fall into social
groups, cliques and clubs without much conscious
thought. We may even find ourselves a member
of a “tribe” or gang, pitted against groups that are
perceived as threatening.
Consultant and author Alan Weiss, of Summit
Consulting Group Inc., makes an apt distinction
between communities and tribes, stating: “Commu-
nities are inclusionary. They are characterized by
common attitudes, interests, and goals. Religion,
beliefs, kinship and opinions can differ starkly in
communities and, in fact, give them vibrancy and
dynamism, allowing for continued experimentation
and growth. … Tribes are exclusionary. They recog-
nize their own members’ similarities and common
background … generally seeing others as enemies
at worst and inferiors at best.”
Understanding the differences between healthy
community involvement and tribalism is vital to
a healthy civilization and protects us from unwit-
tingly becoming perpetrators of dehumanizing
behavior.
America, in her prime, was a community of
people united around the beliefs that “all men
are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among
these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happi-
ness.” Lady Liberty and the flag stood for some-
thing exceptional — an idea that transcended
culture, religion or political affiliation. Even from
the beginning, there has always been debate over
the relative effectiveness of a centralized govern-
ment as opposed to a decentralized government
emphasizing state sovereignty, but the principles of
America’s founding documents were never ques-
tioned. Until recently, political discourse centered
around how to best live out the tenets set forth in our
founding documents — the principles themselves
were not criticized or threatened. America was a
nation of rich diversity, strengthened by various
perspectives about how to achieve our commonly
held goal.
Today’s cultural and political climate is quite
different. Instead of lively discourse arising within a
community united around shared principles, a form
of neotribalism has taken root. The political elites
have skillfully taken advantage of our desire for
connection and have created new tribes, using fear
to pit us against one another. They’ve formed these
tribes based on characteristics such as race, sexual
orientation/gender identity and vaccination status.
They garner support by claiming they alone have
the solutions to our problems. They encourage us
to demonize members of other tribes, reminding us
that “the others” are threatening our well-being. It’s
the storyline from the Disney movie “Pocahontas,”
and it’s pitiful.
What’s worse, tribalism is impacting families
and small communities such as our own. We have
editorials in our paper that group nearly 40% of the
U.S. population into a neat little category called the
“unvaxxed,” which is basically the same as being
a murderer. Never mind that unvaccinated people
may possess natural immunity from a prior infec-
tion. Never mind that they have religious beliefs that
compel them to decline the vaccine. Never mind
that they may lack access to the resources needed to
get the vaccine. Never mind that they are humans
capable of making their own medical decisions.
We do the same thing with religion, politics,
abortion, Black Lives Matter and gay/trans rights;
we segregate people into categories created by the
political elites, label and dehumanize them, and
then disown them from our communities and some-
times even our own families.
It’s impossible to negotiate with someone seek-
ing your demise. Similarly, it’s impossible to engage
in productive discourse with people who believe
the American Idea is fundamentally corrupt. These
people fail to see that it is impossible to improve on
the idea that “all men are created equal.” The funda-
mental principles outlined in our founding docu-
ments should be the basis for political discourse and
decision making. Without unity around America’s
founding principles, we are vulnerable to influence
from divisive forces, both internally and exter-
nally. We need to unite around a common belief in
the American Idea, and save our tribal warring for
things of less consequence, like college football.
———
Devin Patton is a third-generation Wallowa
County native whose pastimes include the study of
ag economics, history and free thought.
East Oregonian
DIRK
DIRKSON
OTHER VIEWS
L
ook around the Morrow County
School District and you’ll see
more than just our teachers
and staff having a positive impact on
kids. You’ll find an entire commu-
nity supporting and encouraging our
students with their time and resources,
making sure they have abundant educa-
tional and growth opportunities.
I couldn’t be more grateful for this
atmosphere of collaboration in Morrow
County. It gives our students the oppor-
tunity to thrive and sets a model for
responsible citizenship and giving back.
This collaboration takes many
forms. Sometimes it’s a local grant to
make a school improvement, like the
Boardman Chamber of Commerce’s
recent funding for new equipment in the
Sam Boardman Elementary gymna-
sium.
Sometimes it’s a community part-
ner looking out for the safety of our
students, like the city of Irrigon’s
grant-funded walking path along Divi-
sion Street to give kids a safe path to
get to both schools in the community.
Sometimes it’s a club like the River-
side FFA Advisory Board raising funds
to purchase a greenhouse kit for the
high school FFA program or the North
Morrow County Arts Foundation
staging professional theatrical perfor-
mances in Irrigon and Boardman to
expose younger students to the arts.
And sometimes it’s a whole group of
generous citizens and businesses donat-
ing to a cause, like the countless indi-
viduals giving to the Heppner Backpack
Food Program to provide take-home
weekend meals for kids who need them.
The examples are too numerous to
list in full detail here, but in both small
ways and large, the community steps up
time and again to help. These projects
enrich the educational and development
process and wouldn’t be possible with-
out collaboration.
I’m particularly grateful for our
ongoing partnerships with the Port of
Morrow to create the Amazon Web
Services Think Big Space at the SAGE
Center.
This project brings cutting-edge
science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics programs to our students.
We’ve been excited to put this space
into practice, and this fall our kids have
been visiting the labs and had special-
ist educators come to their classrooms.
It’s a next-level educational opportunity
that not all school districts have.
At the high schools it’s supplemented
by initiatives like the Student Intern-
ship Program, which brings together
business partners in Morrow County
to allow students to explore career
opportunities through paid internships
and earn credits all while building their
resumes.
After all, the future is what it’s all
about. We’re always keeping in mind
the kind of place we hope Morrow
County will be decades down the line
and how we can help our young people
become the leaders they’re meant to be.
The COVID-19 pandemic will be
far in the rearview by then. But the
growth and development opportunities
our students are experiencing now will
stick with them. I’m extremely proud
of our class of 2021 for finishing strong
and maintaining a 92% graduation rate,
even under difficult circumstances.
Once again, I want to thank all of
the community partners who make this
possible and give the students of the
Morrow County School District the best
opportunity to succeed.
———
Dirk Dirksen is Morrow County
School District’s superintendent.
To our veterans: Thank you for your service
KELLY
FITZPATRICK
OTHER VIEWS
A
nd just like that, the calendar,
once again, turns to Veterans
Day.
For me, like many of my fellow
veterans, Oregonians and Americans, it
is a time to reflect and take stock. One
year ago, we “gathered” for a Veterans
Day unlike any before it, in a virtual
environment that gave us some flexibil-
ities that we never had before, but we
had to forego the warmth of being with
other people.
Now, as we cautiously return to an
environment more closely resembling
normalcy, it’s appropriate to take
stock of all that we have to celebrate.
We as a country have much to be
thankful for, and much of it is thanks
to our veterans who fought for free-
dom and stood guard over our peace,
and to our fallen heroes who made the
ultimate sacrifice.
We remember our World War II
veterans, the sadly dwindling “Greatest
Generation,” who have much still teach
us about the importance of self-sacri-
fice to a greater cause. Some 80 years
ago, these brave men and women left
their homes and families to answer the
call — not only for their own country,
but the world.
We honor our Korean War veterans,
who fought in the “Forgotten War,”
which came so soon after the Second
World War that it is often overlooked.
In a foreign land, they endured freez-
ing conditions and disease in addition
to an unrelenting enemy, often against
impossible odds, and made a lasting
contribution to world peace and pros-
perity.
We thank our Vietnam War veter-
ans, who, regrettably, did not receive
the heroes’ welcome that they deserved
upon returning home from battle, and
WE AS A COUNTRY
HAVE MUCH TO BE
THANKFUL FOR,
AND MUCH OF
IT IS THANKS TO
OUR VETERANS
WHO FOUGHT FOR
FREEDOM AND
STOOD GUARD OVER
OUR PEACE, AND TO
OUR FALLEN HEROES
WHO MADE THE
ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.
this remains a painful stain on our
national memory that we must work
hard to erase. Yet, these remarkable men
and women refused to turn their backs
on their fellow veterans. Vowing that
another generation of service members
would never face what they had to
endure, many of them remain engaged
in serving their fellow veterans.
We remember our veterans who
represent the peacetime era, serving
under the near-constant specter of the
Cold War and prepared to confront any
enemy that might threaten national
security around the globe. Many of
them engaged in so-called “small wars”
in Grenada, or other military operations
in far-flung nations such as Bosnia,
Somalia and a host of other nations on
the African continent.
And, we honor our veterans of
the conflicts of the Middle East and
Afghanistan. Many of these veterans
entered the Armed Forces in the wake
of the terrible attack on September
11, 2001, and fought and sacrificed to
ensure that the United States would not
experience similar attacks.
Thankfulness, gratitude, honor and
remembrance: This is the duty and
responsibility of all Americans who
have not worn the uniform — and it
is these principles that are embodied
in the more than 75-year tradition of
Veterans Day.
Originally known as Armistice
Day, the occasion celebrated the Allied
victory in World War II. It was moti-
vated by a simple, two-word phrase
from the heart of our country: “Thank
you.” Gratitude is a simple yet power-
ful thing. It has a way of humbling us,
bettering us and reminding us of what’s
most important.
We have much to be thankful for:
The freedoms and way of life that
we have long enjoyed, the peace that
has been secured for our children and
grandchildren — it is our veterans and
service members we have to thank
for that: Brave men and women who
answered the call, ready to face the fire
and, if necessary, pay the ultimate price
on our behalf.
That’s my message this Veterans
Day, and every day, to all who wore
the uniform, regardless of branch, era,
rank, duties, race, ethnicity, gender
identity or sexual orientation, religion,
creed or ability: Thank you for your
service.
Please consider joining me and
ODVA for our Oregon Statewide
Veterans Day Ceremony, which will
take place at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov.
10 — the day before Veterans Day —
at Oregon State Capitol Park, directly
across from the front entrance of the
Capitol Building.
The event will take place in person
and outdoors, with social distancing
and mask requirements in place. It will
also be livestreamed on ODVA’s Face-
book page at facebook.com/odvavet.
———
Kelly Fitzpatrick is the director of the
Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs
and Gov. Kate Brown’s policy advisor on
veterans’ issues. She is a retired Army
officer.
Heeding McCall’s words, Oregon needs two types of courage
KEVIN
FRAZIER
OTHER VIEWS
“ Y
ou could say that my admin-
istration produced a clas-
sic continuing example of
bullet-biting. In fact, we’ve bitten the
bullet so often, it’s a wonder we haven’t
contracted lead poisoning.”
Tom McCall, the two-time gover-
nor of Oregon, offered that quip during
a farewell speech in 1974. He then
lamented the seemingly incessant
presence of “reactors (to innovative
government ideas) who are barren of
imagination and courage in their own
right, that knock down everything you
try, with the languid flick of a finger.” In
those lines, McCall outlined two char-
acteristics that seem as hard to find as a
Nintendo Wii during Christmas 2012.
The first characteristic is the courage
to think over a longtime horizon. Gov.
McCall did not shy away from challeng-
ing the idea that the government could
solve every problem. Time and again, he
called for better coordination between
government agencies, for more transpar-
ent government and for more account-
ability in government. All of these
suggestions — requiring the hard and
time-intensive work of rigorously asking
which aspects of the government have
become too rusted to even turn — are
not short-term political winners.
Few communities mobilize around
the vague concept of “good gover-
nance.” That’s why upending ossified
state bureaucracies requires a deep
appreciation for the future well-being of
Oregonians. Yet, in recent decades, few
champions of an honest and thorough
reform of government have emerged.
Few have been willing to bite the bullet.
McCall went a step further than just
calling out the government for ineffi-
ciencies. He also broke what appears to
be a modern rule — asking civil soci-
ety and citizens in general to help solve
public problems. In calling for an “age
of volunteerism,” McCall celebrated
more than 2,000 Oregonians volunteer-
ing to assist the Department of Human
Services.
The people could have rejected
Gov. McCall’s invitation to serve, but
they instead welcomed the opportu-
nity to do work that’s likely best suited
for community members rather than
bureaucrats unfamiliar with the commu-
nity norms and values that exist around
the state. The second characteristic is a
willingness to call out those who prefer
to obstruct rather than experiment.
One of the greatest threats to solving a
problem is allowing too many parties to
veto any proposal ... in an age of special
interests, that power has been extended
to far too many groups and individuals
these days.
As McCall pointed out, improvement
and innovation require courage, but that
courage is in short supply these days.
Too often, it seems we prefer to imag-
ine worst case scenarios rather than
those which could unlock greater human
flourishing across Oregon.
McCall was not a perfect gover-
nor, but he was a governor that leaned
into these two characteristics, which
Oregonians desperately need to see
from our next leader. If we bite the bullet
on things such as heavily investing in
early childhood education, workforce
development and public health, and if
we channel the courage to again be a
model of good governance, then we can
all “feel certain that Oregon has a place
in the destiny of the world leadership ...
that this state is a lodestar for the waver-
ing pace of the American society.”
———
Kevin Frazier formerly led Passport
Oregon, which helped young Oregonians
explore the state’s outdoors. He operates
No One Left Offline, which has distrib-
uted nearly 100 Wi-Fi hot spots through-
out Oregon. Kevin will graduate from the
University of California, Berkeley School
of Law in May 2022.