4 A
❘
WEDNESDAY EDITION
❘ JANUARY 18, 2017
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
LETTERS
“H ATE -F REE ” C OMMUNITY
I saw on the news that Eugene has a group of
people working to establish a “Hate Free Zone.”
I want to propose to the City of Florence, Mayor
Joe Henry and the council to officially proclaim
our town as a “Hate-Free Community.”
I’m very involved in the community, know
many of the residents and am certain we can do
it. With the help of our wonderful mayor, our
awesome Chamber of Commerce, churches,
schools, library and many social service organ-
izations, we could adopt the slogan: “Florence:
Proud to be a Hate-Free Community.”
During a recent visit from my children, I saw
that they had a bumper sticker on their mini van
that read: “Hate is not a Family Value.”
This is a message that not only bears repeat-
ing, but one that we can officially get behind as
a community for everyone else to see.
Denise Straws
Florence
L ETTERS TO THE
E DITOR P OLICY
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P OWERFUL
TRIBUTE
I’d like to thank Siuslaw News for its out-
standing and remarkably powerful tribute to Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. (Saturday, Jan. 14).
Our nation and each one of us in it will stand
taller if we reflect, in every thought and action,
on Dr. King’s deep and insightful words of wis-
dom.
I have had the privilege on several occasions
of visiting the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Memorial in Washington, D.C. On each occa-
sion, I have stood in quiet contemplation before
his words that are etched in the stone walls of
the memorial. I wish to share several of his
finest declarations:
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere.”
“We are caught in an inescapable network of
mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.
Whatever affects one directly, affects all indi-
rectly.”
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only
light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate;
only love can do that.”
“Make a career of humanity. Commit your-
self to the noble struggle for human rights. You
will make a greater person of yourself, a greater
nation of your country, and a finer world to live
in.”
Dr. King had “…a passionate desire to see
our beloved country stand as a moral example
of the world.”
May we never lose sight of that goal.
Robert Orr
Dunes City
L ET US NOT FORGET
In the Siuslaw News’ Jan. 14 edition,
there were two wonderful articles about
Martin Luther King Jr. by Wesley Voth and
Catherine Rourke.
When MLK gave his speech “I Have a
Dream” in 1963, I was stationed in the
Army in Germany until 1965, and did not
experience his speech until a few years
later.
In fact, while I was in Germany, we were
excluded from most news of what was
occurring back home, including things like
the Selma-to-Montgomery March in 1965.
Arriving back home in July of 1965, it
took me a few years to discover and learn
what I had missed and to form my own
opinions.
And let us not forget or overlook those
like Rufus Valentine.
Win Jolley
Florence
T RADING
GRACE FOR CRUDENESS
On Wednesday morning, I watched the spec-
tacle of the President-Elect’s press conference.
There could not have been a more stark con-
trast.
The President-Elect used his time at the press
conference to denigrate the press, just as he has
throughout his campaign and after the election.
He continued to call the press “dishonest” and
“unfair” when, in reality, it has merely pointed
out his often misleading or completely untrue
statements, or perhaps criticized one of his
many slurs against a group of people.
He also “detailed” his plan to keep his busi-
ness interests separate from his official duties.
He brought props to the press conference (a
table full of manila folders) to prove how hard
he and the attorneys have been working on this.
However, when reporters tried to look at the
folders they were denied. We will never know if
there was anything other than blank sheets of
paper in those folders.
His plan to let his sons run the family busi-
ness does nothing to separate his personal busi-
ness from the people’s business. It is a sham.
While it is true that there are no conflict of
interest laws as to a President, there is a clear
prohibition in the form of the Emoluments
Clause in the Constitution.
While I agree that Buzzfeed should not have
printed the unverified information, it is clear
that Russian officials are attempting to find
something to use as leverage against the
President-Elect.
Putin clearly meddled in the election process.
His goal to create chaos and doubt in the United
States has been successful. And yet, the incom-
ing President refuses to say a negative word
about Putin, a dictator known for his ruth-
lesness.
I feel grace and dignity are leaving the White
House; crudeness and impropriety are moving
in.
Marybeth Marenco
Florence
W ESTLAKE
HEROES
I want to acknowledge the heroes from
Darling’s Marina in Dunes City. Late on the
afternoon of Jan. 13, the fellows from Darling’s
swooped around Siltcoos Lake to rescue a man
stranded on a capsized boat near the Westlake
Public Dock.
Thank you. You really are Darlings! Oh, and
they make really good burgers, too.
Patricia J. Burke
Westlake
R EQUIRED
READING
Prior to 2015, I was not aware of Donald
Trump other than that he was a reality TV star,
self-proclaimed billionaire and had luxury
hotels and golf courses built around the world.
I recently discovered a book the “New” sec-
tion of the Siuslaw Public Library entitled:
“Trump Revealed,” published in August 2016
by award-winning political reporters, editors
and columnists Michael Kranish and Marc
Fisher.
They spent over 20 hours interviewing Mr.
Trump and countless additional hours inter-
viewing people who have worked with him in
business, banking, law and corporations all over
the world.
The book reveals how he thinks, what deals
he has made and how he plans to use his strate-
gies as President. It is my opinion that this book
should be required reading for every member of
Congress and any citizen who wants to learn
more about this man.
This is not a children’s book.
The language used by our President-Elect
borders on pornographic at times.
However, if you wish to read a book to your
children for a discussion about someone who
loves power and themselves more than anything
else, read them “Yurtle the Turtle” by Dr. Suess.
As your child grows older a comparison of
the two books would by interesting.
David Babcock
Florence
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