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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (April 22, 2015)
A4 Opinion wallowa.com April 22, 2015 Wallowa County Chieftain Cameras can help police cops F or better or worse, cameras are all around us. We use them to take photos of ourselves over and over again, and we use them to ruin concerts for everybody else. Sometimes, though, we use them to record dramatic, eye-opening events that change a nation. That certainly was the case last week when an eyewitness with a cellphone recorded the killing of an unarmed man in South Carolina who was shot in EDITORIAL WKHEDFN¿YHWLPHVE\SROLFH The voice of the Chieftain RI¿FHU0LFKDHO6ODJHU The initial narrative about the incident was one we’ve heard nearly every time an XQDUPHGSHUVRQLVNLOOHGE\SROLFHWKHRI¿FHUZDVLQYROYHG with a struggle for a weapon, was in mortal danger and pulled the trigger to save a life, either their own or someone else’s. $FFRUGLQJWRSROLFHUHSRUWV2I¿FHU6ODJHUUHSRUWHGRQ KLVUDGLRPRPHQWVDIWHUWKHVWUXJJOH³6KRWV¿UHGDQGWKH subject is down. He took my Taser.” But later, when the bystander video was released and the narrative proved false, it was chucked aside and Slager was immediately charged with murder. That’s the silver lining LQWKLVDZIXOVWRU\LIWKHUHLVRQH$QRI¿FHUZKRVRFOHDUO\ erred in judgment and unnecessarily took the life of another person may face justice. That he will ever be convicted of the crime, however, remains unclear. 7KHUHDUHRWKHUSDUWVRIWKHYLGHRWKDWDUHGLI¿FXOWWR watch. The victim — 50-year-old Walter Scott — with ¿YHEXOOHWVLQVLGHKLPDQGKLVOLIHGUDLQLQJDZD\OLHV KDQGFXIIHGDQGIDFHGRZQIRUPLQXWHVEHIRUHRI¿FHUVDQG medics attempt CPR. By then it was too late, though it is unclear if — shot in the heart — he died immediately. Still, KDQGFXI¿QJDGHDGPDQLVLWVRZQNLQGRIVKDPHIXODFW 7KHYDVWPDMRULW\RISROLFHRI¿FHUVDUHUHPDUNDEOH KXPDQEHLQJV7KH\GRDGLI¿FXOWMREDVEHVWWKH\FDQ We couldn’t do it ourselves and are forever grateful that others are willing to take on that responsibility. But that responsibility comes with great power, and in this case LWLVKLJKGH¿QLWLRQFOHDUWKDWWKHUHVSRQVLELOLW\ZDVXVHG inappropriately. The death of Walter Scott is a tragedy. That it was caught RQ¿OPPLJKWKHOSFKDQJHSROLFHDFWLRQIRUHYHU That’s partly because it is another in a string of high- SUR¿OHXVHVRIOHWKDOIRUFHE\SROLFHRI¿FHUVLQ2NODKRPD &OHYHODQG1HZ<RUNDQG)HUJXVRQ0R²ZLWKWZRRI those deaths captured on heart-wrenching video. And for all the work we do trying to choose just the right words to get people to think differently about an issue, there is nothing like graphic video to make people totally rethink everything. The death of Walter Scott did that again. %RG\FDPHUDVDUHFRPLQJWRSROLFHRI¿FHUVEXWLW¶VQRW clear how much of that video will be available to the public. If police can choose what to release and what not to release, the usefulness of cameras diminishes greatly. At the same time, protecting victims is of utmost importance and there’s need for caution when releasing their identity to the public. But the prevalence of recording devices will continue to increase. A large percentage of our day and our interactions are UHFRUGHGZKHWKHULW¶VGXULQJDWUDI¿FVWRSRUJRLQJWRWKH grocery for a gallon of milk. That’s unsettling, for sure, but LWLVDOLWWOHUHVHWWOLQJWRNQRZWKDWDQRI¿FHUZKRPDNHVD fatal mistake will be faced with evidence of his deed. Correction There was a typo in a website address included in last week’s story about the ongoing trail study for the WURA railroad line. The correct address for survey forms is www.eou.edu/ rails-with-trails/. The Chieftain regrets the error. USPS No. 665-100 P.O. Box 338 • Enterprise, OR 97828 2I¿FH1:)LUVW6W(QWHUSULVH2UH 3KRQH)D[ :DOORZD&RXQW\¶V1HZVSDSHU6LQFH Enterprise, Oregon M EMBER O REGON N EWSPAPER P UBLISHERS A SSOCIATION P UBLISHER E DITOR R EPORTER R EPORTER N EWSROOM ASSISTANT A D S ALES CONSULTANT G RAPHIC D ESIGNER O FFICE MANAGER Marissa Williams, marissa@bmeagle.com Rob Ruth, editor@wallowa.com Stephen Tool, stool@wallowa.com Kathleen Ellyn, kellyn@wallowa.com Rich Rautenstrauch, rrautenstrauch@wallowa.com Brooke Pace, bpace@wallowa.com Robby Day, rday@wallowa.com Cheryl Jenkins, cjenkins@wallowa.com P UBLISHED EVERY W EDNESDAY BY : (20HGLD*URXS 3HULRGLFDO3RVWDJH3DLGDW(QWHUSULVHDQGDGGLWLRQDOPDLOLQJRI¿FHV Subscription rates (includes online access) Wallowa County Out-of-County 1 Year $40.00 $57.00 6XEVFULSWLRQVPXVWEHSDLGSULRUWRGHOLYHU\ See the Wallowa County Chieftain on the Internet www.wallowa.com IDFHERRNFRP:DOORZD_WZLWWHUFRPZFFKLHIWDLQ 32670$67(5 — Send address changes to Wallowa County Chieftain 32%R[ (QWHUSULVH25 Contents copyright © 2015. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. 2XUGHFOLQHLVVHOILQÀLFWHG This week began on the 240th an- niversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, American Revolutionary forces’ victories that launched Ameri- ca’s war for independence. A scant 15 months after those battles, the Continen- tal Congress would formally adopt the Declaration of Independence. The newly declared nation would wait more than a dozen years, however, for its Constitu- WLRQWREH¿QDOL]HG 6WDUWLQJ IURP WKH WLPH WKH ¿UVW VKRWV ZHUH ¿UHG RQ$SULO DQG FRQ- FOXGLQJ ZLWK WKH &RQVWLWXWLRQ ¿QDOO\ FRPLQJLQWRHIIHFWRQ0DUFKRXU nation’s founders invested 14 years of warring, debating, and other, less-publi- cized forms of hand-wringing in bringing the U.S., as we might term it today, “on- line.” In 2015, Americans of all political stripes aren’t shy about invoking the ideals that underlay the original urge to revolt and the subsequent acknowledged truths or principles — from the self-evi- dent variety to those that had to be well noted growing pessimism among these players concerning U.S. ability to contin- ue in the economic leadership the country has held since the end of World War II. It seems the U.S. and its client institutions Rob Ruth ²LQFOXGLQJWKH:RUOG%DQNDQG,0)² are being vastly outspent by China and its hashed-out among differing mindsets — own emerging institutions. Those vast but strategically targeted framed within our nation’s founding doc- uments. It has always been thus, and if expenditures are buying China more than the U.S. endures to the year 3000, no one PHUH LQÀXHQFH 6XUHO\ EXW QRW VORZO\ at that time, either, should be surprised China is purchasing control. Some of the worried observers who to hear political leaders and campaigners hold forth on their proposals’ solidarity were interviewed by the Times com- with the 1,200-year-old Founding Fa- plained the Obama administration hasn’t done all it can to effectively respond — thers. Given our present circumstances, failing, for example, to shepherd through WKRXJK LW¶V GLI¿FXOW WR LPDJLQH VXFK D Congress a long-proposed reform of IDUIXWXUH$PHULFDH[HUWLQJWKHLQÀXHQFH WKH ,0) ² EXW UHSHDWHGO\ ZH KHDU WKH LW FRXOG GXULQJ WKH QDWLRQ¶V ¿UVW TXDU- real core of the response problem is the ter-millennium. Just last week, a New now-too-familiar culprit that’s been York Times report on a Washington, crippling us on every front: a U.S. gov- D.C., gathering of world economic mov- ernment too bitterly divided to properly ers and shakers (they were at the nation’s function. capital for meetings of both the World See )5(('203DJH$ %DQN DQG ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 0RQHWDU\ )XQG UP WITH FREEDOM 0DVWHUVOLYHVXSWRLWVK\SH In the words coined by CBS sports- caster Jim Nantz, and now trademarked E\$XJXVWD1DWLRQDO*ROI&OXEWKH0DV- ters Tournament is “a tradition unlike any RWKHU´ 7KLV \HDU¶V 0DVWHUV JUDFLRXVO\ upheld its traditions by featuring some old favorites, while also stretching its limits by highlighting rising stars. The week’s festivities got off to a wonderful start on Wednesday at the Par-3 Tournament when six-time winner Jack Nicklaus proved that he could still conjure up some of his old magic. After he playfully promised ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt that he would try to score a hole-in- one for him (a feat he had never previ- RXVO\ DFKLHYHG DW $XJXVWD 1LFNODXV proceeded to deliver on that pledge just hours later — to the delight and amaze- ment of patrons and golfers alike. Then on Friday, another memorable moment came when two-time champion Ben Crenshaw saluted a cheering throng DWWKHFORVHRIKLV¿QDOFRPSHWLWLYH0DV- ters round, exactly twenty years after his second victory at Augusta. There was hardly a dry eye among the gallery, nor of Crenshaw, his longtime caddy, or his ultra-competitors could have felt thor- RXJKO\VDWLV¿HGZLWKDQ\WKLQJVKRUWRID victory, nevertheless both could take so- lace in their own personal rebounds and John strong performances. McColgan ,ZDVJODGWRVHH3KLO0LFNHOVRQLQWKH KXQW RQ 6XQGD\$V JRO¿QJ JUHDW &ROLQ wife and daughters, as Ben exchanged 0RQWJRPHULH UHPDUNHG ODWHU WKDW GD\ hugs and acknowledged the appreciation ³3KLOLVER[RI¿FH´+LVQLFNQDPH³3KLO of his family, friends, and admirers. At the Thrill,” has been earned by shots the end of that love fest, Ben said he felt like Sunday’s 40-foot birdie putt, that like he had won the tournament all over side-winded its way over a hump and down a bank into the hole, and his sand again. 0XFK RI WKH SUH0DVWHUV K\SH KDG VKRW WKDW VXQN IRU DQ HDJOH RQ WKH ¿QDO centered on how Tiger Woods would par-5. Phil is always fun to watch. %XWWKHVWDURIWKLV0DVWHUVIURPVWDUW fare after a two-month hiatus from com- petitive golf, and whether or not World WR¿QLVKZDV-RUGDQ6SLHWK7KLV\HDU 5RU\0F,OUR\ZRXOGEHDEOHWRFRP- ROG7H[DQZKR¿QLVKHGLQVHFRQGSODFH plete a career Grand Slam at the ripe old in last year’s tournament, jumped out to age of 25. Tiger, who had been plagued XQGHUSDURQWKH¿UVWGD\DQGVWUHWFKHG by the chipping “yips” when he was last that margin to 14-under by the end of on tour, greatly exceeded expectations two rounds. While his weekend scoring by displaying a much-improved short was not eye-popping, his play was still game, making the cut, and even work- rock-solid under the type of pressure that ing his way up to the third last grouping typically causes most early leaders to on Sunday morning. As fate would have wither on the vine. it, he was even paired with Rory in that See 0$67(563DJH$ ¿QDO URXQG $OWKRXJK QHLWKHU RI WKHVH POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY 9DOOH\KDVEHDXW\LQFRPPXQLW\ 7RWKH(GLWRU With a great sadness in my heart I traveled to the Wallowa Valley on Eas- ter weekend. As many of you know, Lee Phelps took his life as a way of dealing with his loss of life capacities that was robbing him of his sense of worth and his ability to interact with the world. , WUDYHOHG ZLWK /HH¶V 8QFOH 0DUN DQG several cousins who came to be with Kit and Kim, Taylor and Chris. Kit’s parents came, as did her brothers and wives. Kim’s brothers and sister were here and additional cousins, traveled to be with family. Lee’s sailing mates, both male and female, came from afar to say fare- well to their friend and kindred spirit. :KLOH WDONLQJ WR .LP E\ WKH ERQ¿UH on Saturday evening, I mentioned the support he and Kit were receiving from their friends and the entire Wallowa Val- ley community. He turned to me and said that that was the reason he and Kit had chosen to live here. The sense of friend- ship, concern and caring was evident IURPWKHLU¿UVWGD\VWKH\GURYHGRZQLQWR the valley. I was quite moved as I saw the out- pouring of love and the afore mentioned qualities come forth on Saturday eve- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ning as hundreds of folks from Lostine, Joseph, Enterprise and Wallowa came to the river to be with the dear friends and say goodbye to Lee, a boy that they had helped raise. This sense of community is often lost in the modern day rush of life. It is not lost in the Valley of the Wallowa. People drive through his lovely valley, and look with wonderment at the beauty RI WKH PDJQL¿FHQW VQRZ GUDSHG PRXQ- tains. But what they do not see is the true beauty of this place. The glorious sense of community nurtured by the people here in the shadow of the mountains. Rob Phelps (cousin) Sisters 7KLVKRVSLWDO RXWVWDQGLQJ 7RWKH(GLWRU I recently left a full-time position at :DOORZD0HPRULDO+RVSLWDOIRUSHUVRQ- DOUHDVRQV0\\HDUVWHQXUHWKHUH were the best years of my professional career. I was fortunate to work under the direction of Larry Davy and his ad- ministrative team, Jenni Word and Joe Wanner. During my 26 years working in the healthcare industry I have worked in many hospitals both small and large. :0+ LV E\ IDU WKH EHVW KRVSLWDO ,¶YH ever worked at. There was never a day I didn’t enjoy beginning my shift or com- ing in after hours to provide care to the citizens of Wallowa County. I’ve never felt more appreciated by my direct su- pervisor and by the administration. :0+ LV WUXO\ IRFXVHG RQ SURYLGLQJ high-quality care. This is evident by the dedication and commitment of the entire organization. We were always re- minded by Larry no matter how tough times were “remember who we are here for — the citizens of the community and the many visitors.” Everyone from the housekeeping staff, nursing, ancillary staff to the physician staff, live by this philosophy. I also had at the pleasure to interact with the hospital board. See /(77(563DJH$