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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 2016)
4 A ❘ SATURDAY EDITION ❘ DECEMBER 17, 2016 Siuslaw News NED HICKSON , EDITOR ❘ 541-902-3520 ❘ EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM Opinion P.O. Box 10 Florence, OR 97439 VIEW FROM UPRIVER Serving all W ESLEY V OTH For the Siuslaw News S usie and I recently made a day of going up the coast while there were high surf advisories. What a froth seawater can be whipped into; in places, what coated the rocks and floated in the surf eddies was the color and texture of whipping cream, in other places the foam collected in high banks, creating drifts that looked like snow. It was seawater not looking like seawater at all. People seem in a similar frenzy following the election, amid rumors and fears, hopes and dire predictions. I find myself in an awkward place here as an older white male, one who has ben- efitted all his life from something he wishes did not exist — race, class, reli- gious, majority and gender privilege. At the same time, I’m trying to be open to the election and efforts of someone I did not support and whose public posturing is anti- thetical to my true tribe and family — all who yearn and strive for liberty and justice for all, and who practice a culture of kindness and inclusion. I’m challenged by trying to disassociate myself from the practices and rhetoric of other older white males who somehow feel threat- ened by the empowerment of anyone not like themselves, while at the same time not being unkind or unfair in my dealings with any actu- al people. I remember my alarm eight years ago when, upon the election of Barak Obama, some of the most vocal conservative pundits were saying that they could not allow the new president to succeed or they would all be doomed. They did such a good job of casting aspersions on his status as a native-born citizen and actual prac- ticing Christian that many people I know (and otherwise find sane) still believe he is a Muslim and born on foreign soil. And I heard many racist remarks thrown in for free by some who claimed that their major disagreement was about policy. I refuse to be a part of that kind of treatment of Donald Trump, while at the same time being clear that I do not — and will not — tolerate exclusionary words, policies and behavior. Nor will I tolerate backsliding on hard-fought rights and protections of any class or group, includ- ing the right of all to clean air and water. Donald Trump won the presidency and Republicans the power in every branch of gov- ernment. However, there is no majority mandate at work — even, as some claim, in rural America. Trump did not achieve 50 percent of the vote in the Mapleton precinct, nor in any other precinct in our area except for Dunes City proper. In the Mapleton precinct, which includes Swisshome, Indian Creek and Deadwood, 6 percent voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Detailed results can be found on Lane County’s new website under “elections,” although it is not currently possible to see back any further than the primary into previous his- torical data. Because of this lack of majority approval, and therefore more people in opposition than for some of the Republican platform ideas, I am hoping that pragmatism will prevail — and that priority will be given to things which either have a broad consensus or enough com- promise hammered out to achieve it. I wish our president-elect well, and hope he can rise above some of what he has said in order to serve us all. LETTERS Elvis is still alive Fake news? There’s nothing new about fake news. How long has “The Globe” and “National Enquirer” been around publishing fake news? Aliens taking over the world; Elvis still alive; two-headed babies with long tails; Hillary los- ing the election because of false FBI reports; Hollywood actors moving to Canada; grandma gives birth to octuplets at age 85; Nick Saban leaving Alabama to coach the Ducks. And people really believe that stuff! Dana Rodet Westlake Can’t be quiet In response to the letter from Donna Dobson (“No More Fighting and Hatred,” Dec. 7) regarding disrespect of Donald Trump, I feel compelled to note a few facts. Eight years ago, when Barack Obama was elected, the people who “weren’t happy” did anything but “give him a chance,” as we are being told Trump deserves. The Republican plot to obstruct President Obama began before he even took office. This obstruction included meetings by Republican leadership in the House and the Senate for all- L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR P OLICY The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the editor concerning issues affect- ing the Florence area and Lane County. Emailed letters are preferred. Handwritten or typed letters must be signed. All letters should be limited to about 300 words and must include the writer’s full name, address and phone number for verification. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and clarity. Publication of any letter is not guaran- teed and depends on space available and the volume of letters received. Libelous and anonymous letters or poetry will not be published. All submissions become the proper- ty of Siuslaw News and will not be returned. Write to: Editor@TheSiuslawNews.com USPS# 497-660 out resistance to a popular President-elect. Throughout his Presidency, if President Obama was for it, then Republicans were against it — even if it meant opposing their own proposals. This came regardless of the impact on the country and included everything from clean energy to Medicare cost savings. Many in the Republican party even voted against their own bill to create a deficit- reduction commission in order to thwart President Obama’s efforts. We have spent the last year listening to Donald Trump’s own words which, more often than not, could only be described as bigoted and divi- sive. We’ve listened to him foment violence with his inflammatory language and have witnessed his blatant disre- spect for women and the dis- abled. We have heard him declare intentions to suppress certain religious freedom and discriminate against minorities. His Cabinet selections confirm a disregard for the environment, a commitment to helping the rich get richer as the poor become poorer, and a willingness to disenfranchise stu- dents, people of color, low-income populations, seniors and so many others. All this and so much more, and some would like us all to sit down and keep quiet? Really? Dolly Brock Florence Saving our salmon The Umpqua region once abounded with free-ranging salmon. Now it does not. Perhaps it’s partly due to overfishing. But I also believe it’s in large part due to government agencies creating a monopoly on salmon rearing that continues to strangle the potential that privately funded free-range salmon rearing affords. It’s time Oregon voters demand legislative changes that can re-establish prosperity and support a privately funded free-range salmon rearing project on the lower Umpqua to feed our regions families. The Lower Umpqua Free-Range Salmon Project is an eight year, $15 million project that region’s commercial salmon industry; and cre- ate hundreds of jobs feeding thousands of peo- ple. But the project requires public input. Legislation is required to break the govern- mental monopoly and amend laws that prevent the regional prosperity this project could afford. I hope everyone will support this project and the legislation required to make privately fund- ed free-range salmon rearing legal. Demand our Congressmen, Senators and their parties to support the project with emails, letters or phone calls. If they can’t or won’t support such legisla- tion, we shouldn’t support them. A’eron Blackman Reedsport The First Amendment C ongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the free- dom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to peti- tion the Government for a redress of griev- ances. Copyright 2016 © Siuslaw News Publisher, ext. 327 General Manager, ext. 318 Editor, ext. 313 Advertising Director, ext. 326 Office Supervisor, ext. 312 Production Supervisor Press Manager DEADLINES: Wednesday Issue—General news, Monday noon; Budgets, four days prior to publication; Regular classified ads, Monday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Monday noon; Boxed and display classified ads, Friday 5 p.m. Saturday Issue—General news, Thursday noon; Budgets, two days prior to publication; Regular classified ads, Thursday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Thursday noon; Boxed and display classified ads, Wednesday 5 p.m. Soundings, Tuesday 5 p.m. NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In Lane County — 1-year subscription, $71; 10-weeks subscription, $18; Out of Lane County — 1-year subscription, $94; 10-weeks subscription, $24; Out of State — 1-year subscription, $120; Out of United States — 1-year subscription, $200; E-Edition Online Only (Anywhere) — 1-year subscription, $65. Mail subscription includes E-Edition. Website and E-Edition: www.TheSiuslawNews.com WHERE TO WRITE Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon. A member of the National Newspaper Association and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Periodicals postage paid at Florence, Ore. Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439; phone 541-997-3441; fax 541-997-7979. All press releases may be sent to PressReleases@TheSiuslawNews.com. John Bartlett Jenna Bartlett Ned Hickson Susan Gutierrez Cathy Dietz Ron Annis Jeremy Gentry entails building a salmon rearing facility near Gardiner, Ore. At the facility, Chinook and steelhead will be hatched and reared in tanks (similar to the oper- ation at Turner Creek on the Columbia) until they are sea worthy. Once sea worthy, they will be freed through a non-navigable artificial stream that feeds into Umpqua River. After release, they will then be allowed to range freely and mature in the pacific being treated no differently under law than either native or government reared fish — with respect to commercial and sports fishing — until their return to the private facility’s artifi- cial non-navigable stream. Upon entering the facility’s artificial non- navigable stream, ownership of the harvest will become the sole and unlimited property of the project. The facility will then breed and/or wholesale the harvest into the local and regional commer- cial salmon markets. Additionally, like the Turner Creek facility, the project facility intends to be open to visitors and tourist for the purpose of education. If successful, the project expects to generate in excess of $5 million annually from the sale of harvested returns; re-establish threatened Chinook and steelhead runs to commercially viable and sustainable levels; revitalize the Pres. Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 FAX: 202-456-2461 TTY/TDD Comments: 202-456-6213 www.whitehouse.gov Gov. Kate Brown 160 State Capitol 900 Court St. Salem, OR 97301-4047 Governor’s Citizens’ Rep. Message Line 503-378-4582 www.oregon.gov/gov U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden 221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5244 541-431-0229 www.wyden.senate.gov FAX: 503-986-1080 Email: Sen.ArnieRoblan@state.or.us U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley 313 Hart Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 202-224-3753/FAX: 202-228-3997 541-465-6750 State Rep. Caddy McKeown (Dist. 9) 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1409 Email: rep.caddymckeown@state.or.us U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (4th Dist.) 2134 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 202-225-6416/ 800-944-9603 541-269-2609/ 541-465-6732 www.defazio.house.gov State Sen. Arnie Roblan (Dist. 5) 900 Court St. NE - S-417 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1705 West Lane County Commissioner Jay Bozievich 125 E. Eighth St. Eugene, OR 97401 541-682-4203 FAX: 541-682-4616 Email: Jay.Bozievich@co.lane.or.us
