Wednesday, July 7, 2021
A4
OPINION
VOICE of the CHIEFTAIN
Joseph,
it is time
to start
healing
I
t’s time to begin the healing process
in Joseph.
Last week, the City Council
voted to censure Councilwoman Kathy
Bingham for complaints filed against
her that alleged she acted inappropri-
ately for a city councilor.
Among other punishments, she was
removed from her role as mayor pro-
tem and removed from committees. The
full spectrum of her punishments are in
the Page 1 story in today’s Chieftain.
We have been consistent in this
space, saying that if the harassment
alleged over the last few months was,
indeed, harassment, then those involved
should step down.
However, the council, in its vote to
censure Bingham, noted the allega-
tions were unsubstantiated and did not,
in fact, reach a level of harassment. Had
they, we would be calling for Bingham
to step down.
As it stands, however, there isn’t
evidence enough to make this case.
Exactly what Bingham was charged
with by those complainants — aside
from claiming a businessman flipped
her off when it appears that wasn’t the
case — cannot be listed here, as those
details were shared in executive session.
And given what we know, we believe
she has been given a fair punishment.
Many who spoke up after the open ses-
sion last week also believe that to be the
case.
It would be easy to bash Bingham
publicly. But, that would detract from
the point of this editorial — as well as
the title of it — that healing needs to
start in Joseph.
The past couple of months have
been difficult for the city of Joseph, and
that is putting it mildly. Consider the
following:
• The original harassment allegations
in early April.
• Former city Administrator Larry
Braden resigning.
• More allegations from different
individuals.
• Learning, as we did just recently,
that claims stretched back to at least
February.
For the sake of the city, we cer-
tainly hope this is the end of the mess in
Joseph. We also hope the punishments
levied serve as a deterrent.
Hopefully, there are lessons that can
be taken away from this. One, the pro-
cess did play out, and did work. Two,
punishments were doled out.
But third and most importantly, that
it’s time to move on from this, and not
let the past three months fester. There
needs to be forgiveness. There needs to
be grace extended. And there needs to
be change — read this as people need to
see their actions won’t go unpunished
— so that this is not duplicated in the
future.
If this is done, the city of Joseph can
start to heal.
LETTER to the EDITOR
Trapping has no place in
Divide Camp therapy
It’s laudable that the Divide Camp
uses nature to heal the wounds of our
veterans, but trapping has no place in
this therapy.
Veterans, suffering from the effects
of military deployment and all the pain,
suffering and disorientation that can
cause will surely benefit from immersion
in nature.
But veterans who have experi-
enced physical and mental pain, anxi-
ety, anguish, desperation and the fear
of death are now being offered as ther-
apy the infliction of these same expe-
riences on others. How can this heal?
Looking into the eyes of a victim they
have trapped and seeing there the same
awful feelings they themselves have felt,
feelings that have caused the trauma
for which they are now seeking heal-
ing, is that right? Is it effective? Ethical?
Moral? I say no.
I expect trappers will say that it’s a
traditional pastime, and that’s true. But
so many traditional pastimes are loath-
some and have been rightly banned.
Dogfighting, cockfighting, bear and bull
baiting, bullfighting — all these tradi-
tional “sports” have been outlawed or
simply abandoned in most of the USA
and many other nations.
The skills trappers use — tracking,
knowledge of wildlife behavior and hab-
itat — can be taught without killing or
abusing wildlife. Tracking and observing
wildlife is incredibly satisfying. Camera
traps will capture animals in the act of
living their free lives.
For most, cruelty is no longer a spec-
tator or participatory sport, and that the
Divide Camp offers it as a therapy is a
mistake.
Wally Sykes
Joseph
Be mindful of rules at
Wallowa Lake
This seems to have become quite an
issue at Wallowa Lake, and needs to be
addressed. I am sick of trying to put in
or take out our boat at the boat launch on
the north end of the lake. People are sun-
bathing, diving or fishing off the dock (all
of which is illegal). Boaters are trying to
dock, while tripping over people appar-
ently not bright enough to get out of the
way.
The other ongoing issue are the brain-
dead people that park, lock and leave their
cars in the only boat prep area. The other
day I had to park out of the way, while tak-
ing out my boat trailer fender on a cement
border, trying to get around those parked
in the wrong place. These issues need
addressed and enforced.
The “No loitering” sign for the boat
dock needs removed and placed on the first
post at eye level. As it stands now, people
would actually have to make the effort to
look up to see the sign. Enforcement, how-
ever seems to be lacking at the lake. Been
there a number of times and have yet to see
the sheriff on the lake, or at the lake. I have
also noticed the county boat docks are still
in the south-end parking lot. All private
docks had to be on the lake by May 15, yet
there they sit. It appears the sheriff’s office
has yet to figure out its actual duties. Previ-
ously we never had this problem?
Doug Dutton
Joseph
EDITORIALS: Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the Wallowa County Chieftain
editorial board. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opin-
ions of the authors and not necessarily that of the Wallowa County Chieftain.
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P.O. Box 338 • Enterprise, OR 97828
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Contents copyright © 2021. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
To my amazed Republican and Dem-
ocratic friends, I did not switch parties. I
just mistakenly switched computer files.
And to my father who once gave me a
dictionary as a Christmas present, I now
know the definition of “hubris.”
And to the editor of the Chieftain,
thank you for you patience.
Now, here is the correct computer file
letter:
$500,000 For the upgrading of our
Fairgrounds! I welcomed that news.
During my tenure on the fair board,
we began the much-needed upgrading of
those facilities, scraping funds together
from the state, the county and donations,
and welcoming volunteers to do the work
when possible. $500,000 will go a long
ways toward ensuring our community
asset will be ready for events for many
more years.
But there is irony in this news. Our
Republican Rep. Bentz voted against the
source of this money — The American
Rescue Plan. In fact, all of the Repub-
licans in both the House and the Senate
voted against this act.
I guess giving huge tax breaks to the
wealthy politicians’ friends in 2017 was
an acceptable way to for Republicans to
add a trillion to the deficit, but money for
our communities (and us common folk) is
just not worthy of their votes.
June Colony
Lostine
Editor’s note: A letter received from
June Colony that ran June 30 was inad-
vertently sent, and was a letter previously
submitted in 2020. The intended letter is
above.
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