4 A
❘
WEDNESDAY EDITION
❘ JANUARY 11, 2017
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
LETTERS
Corporate bullying
in Lane County
Democracy keeps on taking hits from special
interests. Last summer, former state deputy
attorney general and Eugene attorney Stan Long
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poetry will not be published.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
attempted to grant power to the county commis-
sioners to decide what initiatives Lane County
citizens can and can’t vote on.
This came on the heels of a June proposal by
Eugene business owner and conservative politi-
cal fundraiser Dennis Morgan to block any local
initiatives that commissioners deemed not wor-
thy “of county concern.”
The community’s reaction was swift in
telling commissioners, “Don’t dare mess with
the People’s business.”
The commissioners dropped the plan which
many felt was clearly corporate-interest con-
cocted.
However, democracy in action was lost on
Mr. Long, who went on to file a lawsuit claim-
ing the county erred in approving an initiative to
ban aerial herbicide spray on private forest
lands in Lane County — in essence attempting
to override the people’s right to govern them-
selves over the interests of corporations.
The lawsuit is absurd, largely because Mr.
Long failed to voice his complaints within the
clearly allocated 60-day window allowed. I
can’t imagine the courts rewarding tardiness.
The hearing date is set for Feb. 3, and I hope
everyone marks their calendars to pack the
courtroom.
Mucking with direct democracy, whether by
changing the rules in the middle of the game or
gaming the courts, is bad news no matter what
one’s political stripes may be.
Muting people’s political speech and ulti-
mately the people’s right of self-government
brings us a step closer to the rule of the corpo-
rate class.
I won’t sit idle. Besides protesting this court
A different reality
I was bewildered by the assertions made by
Pamela Richardson in her letter to the editor
(“Not Grounded in Reality,” Jan. 4). She stated
that the spike in hate crimes and bigotry are
things she lays “...at Obama’s doorstep,” and
that “since he took office 8 years ago, the deaths
of law enforcement has risen dramatically.”
This inspired me to check her claim.
I went to the National Law Enforcement
Memorial Fund Website. They list the number
of law enforcement deaths, year by year, from
1791 to today.
What I discovered was that during George
W. Bush’s two terms, there were 715 deaths in
the first term, followed by 660 in the second
term — for a total of 1,375.
During President Obama’s two terms, there
were 594 in his first four years and and 489 law
enforcement deaths in his second term — for a
total of 1,083.
There were nearly 300 fewer police officers
killed during the last 8 years than during the
Bush administration.
These facts show a different “reality” than
the one suggested by Pamela Richardson’s let-
ter.
In regard to hatred and bigotry — things that
were also laid at Obama’s doorstep — most
Americans, have heard President-elect Trump
refer to people as “losers,” talk freely about
grabbing women, call Mexicans “rapists and
murderers” and suggested the creation of a
Muslim registry. As a fifth-generation American
of Mexican descent, I am deeply offended by
this.
My four uncles who served in World War II
would also be offended.
In short, he is pretty hateful in the way he
talks about some people. This includes the news
media, which he has called “disgusting” and
“liars.”
The Free Press was enshrined in the
Constitution by our forefathers to place checks
and balance on power in our country. It is chill-
ing to me how he continually denigrates the
press because it is something that many dicta-
tors do.
It’s our right as Americans to support who we
choose.
However, please don’t tell those of us who
did not support Trump that it was Obama who
brought the hate.
It’s not factual and definitely not “reality.”
Stephanie Spradling
Florence
The First Amendment
C
ongress shall make no law respecting
an establishment of religion or pro-
hibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridg-
ing the freedom of speech, or of the press, or
the right of the people peaceably to assem-
ble, and to petition the Government for a
redress of grievances.
Copyright 2017 © 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
case, I will do my part to make sure the the aer-
ial spray ban and the right of local community
self-government initiatives make it to the ballot
and are ultimately voted on by the people.
Corporate bullies beware.
Michelle Holman
Deadwood
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
202-224-5244
541-431-0229
www.wyden.senate.gov
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753/FAX: 202-228-3997
541-465-6750
www.merkley.senate.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. Rep. Peter DeFazio (4th Dist.)
2134 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6416
541-269-2609/ 541-465-6732
www.defazio.house.gov
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
State Sen. Arnie Roblan (Dist. 5)
900 Court St. NE - S-417
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
FAX: 503-986-1080
Email:
Sen.ArnieRoblan@state.or.us
State Rep. Caddy McKeown
(Dist. 9)
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1409
Email:
rep.caddymckeown@state.or.us
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