4 A
❘
SATURDAY EDITION
❘ JANUARY 21, 2017
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
The biggest part of democracy is that it starts small
Before putting the final
touches on today’s edition, we
did something we haven’t
done in eight years. At the bot-
tom of this page is a small sec-
tion with the heading “Where
to Write.” In it are the address-
es of your representatives at
the federal, state and county
levels.
At the top of the list is our
nation’s President, which has
been updated to reflect yester-
day’s inauguration of Donald
J. Trump.
The peaceful transition of
government has officially
been achieved for the 45th
time since George Washington
took the first — and very same
— Oath of Office some 227
years ago. At the time,
Washington remarked that it
wasn’t his inauguration but
the second inauguration that
would be the most significant.
He recognized one of the first
and most important tests of
Democracy would be the
peaceful transition of power
— something that had never
been achieved in human histo-
ry in such a way or on such a
grand scale.
Eight years later, when
Washington handed over the
presidency to the newly-elect-
ed John Adams in 1797, it was
proof that the “grand experi-
ment” of Democracy was
more than a notion; it was a
reality.
But, more importantly, it
was an example of how a
nation of people could partici-
pate in a process of discus-
sion, debate and even dis-
agreement but still emerge
unified as Americans thanks to
a shared belief in our nation’s
Constitution and what it repre-
sents.
However, yesterday morn-
ing as I sat listening to cover-
age of the inauguration taking
place in our nation’s capitol, I
was struck by the notion of
How every voice counts.
How voting is a part of that
voice.
And how participation is
important.
Grace and her classmates
already understand — and
have participated in — the
From the Editor’s Desk
N ED H ICKSON
another inauguration taking
place almost simultaneously
just a few miles away at
Siuslaw Elementary School.
As
President
Trump
addressed the American peo-
ple promising a new direction,
a “return to greatness” and
more accountability in gov-
ernment, 8-year-old Grace
Dotson stood before her third-
grade constituents and spoke
about the basic principles that
make a Democracy.
fundamentals of a working
and successful Democracy.
Like President Trump, an
Oath of Office was adminis-
tered to President Dotson. It
was done so without the level
of fanfare taking place in our
nation’s capitol.
No crowd control.
No military bands.
No live coverage on media
platforms around the world.
Because of this, we often
forget that the heart of democ-
racy isn’t in Washington D.C.
It beats within the hearts of
Americans of all ages through
their faith in, understanding of
and commitment to the ideals
we share as a nation.
Those ideals don’t begin in
grandeur within the halls of
the Capitol Building. Instead,
they start small, with citizens
and communities willing to
voice those ideals to their
elected officials at the city,
county, state and, eventually,
federal level.
It’s important to remember
that the biggest part of democ-
racy is that it starts small. It’s
not a large rock being lobbed
into the center of a lake; it’s
the ripple effect caused by
Americans willing to take the
time to toss enough small peb-
bles into the same lake.
For that reason, those who
supported President Trump
have a right to be happy; those
who didn’t support him have a
right to be unhappy.
But as Americans, we have
a much more important right,
which is to be active partici-
pants in our democracy now
and in the years ahead.
Yesterday, while our nation
participated in another peace-
ful transition of power in the
aftermath of one of the most
polarizing
elections
in
American history, a small
group of students some 2,883
miles away here in Florence
were participating in their own
version of the democratic
process — and beginning their
own ripple effect by embrac-
ing the ideals that have served
us well for nearly 230 years.
Ideals that live on in the
hearts of small pebbles like
Grace Dotson.
Write Siuslaw News editor Ned
Hickson at nhickson@thesiuslaw
news.com or P.O. Box 10,
Florence, Ore. 97439.
LETTERS
S IMPLE
LOGIC
My wife and I are writing to voice our oppo-
sition to having a marijuana operation at the
subject location. This location is in near prox-
imity to the Siuslaw School District’s school
bus barn, Alternative School classroom, high
school football and track fields, and grounds of
the elementary and middle schools.
Although approved by state legislation, exist-
ing federal law still provides penalties for pos-
session, sale and cultivation of marijuana and
marijuana paraphernalia.
Even if the proposed change of permit is
technically legal given Oregon Land Use and
Florence City codes as they apply to location of
marijuana businesses, if this Change of Use is
authorized, it will set a precedent.
We do not think Florence’s community
development department should allow for the
possible proliferation of marijuana operations
in close proximity to school grounds and facili-
ties.
Simple logic would dictate that we keep mar-
ijuana operations away from our schools and
children.
In the best interest of our city, schools and
children, the proposed facility
should be located at greater
distance away from our
school grounds.
Ray and Marilyn Ebert
Florence
W ONDERFUL
WORDS
L ETTERS TO THE
E DITOR P OLICY
Thank you so very much
for the Saturday, Jan. 14, edi-
tion of Siuslaw News. It drew
tears from me for the memo-
ries it brought back, and of
the wonderful words of
Martin Luther King Jr.
Also, tears when I read edi-
tor Ned Hickson’s very per-
sonal “Rufus Valentine”
story.
The articles caused me to
stop and think that, just
maybe, if we as a people look
within ourselves and take
hold of that “hope” that
Martin Luther King Jr.
inspired, we can make the
beautiful “Dream” come true.
Thank you also to our
city’s Mayor, Joe Henry, for
his stand and words.
Joni Glover Romano
Florence
The Siuslaw News welcomes letters
to the editor concerning issues affect-
ing the Florence area and Lane
County.
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Letters are subject to editing for
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Publication of any letter is not guaran-
teed and depends on space available
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All submissions become the proper-
ty of Siuslaw News and will not be
returned.
Write to:
Editor@TheSiuslawNews.com
It would be great to be guaranteed a “hate
free” community, everywhere. Unfortunately
an official proclamation is a collection of words
unless, as Denise Straws remarked (Siuslaw
News, Jan. 18), “we get behind it and with an
attitude that ‘we can do it.’”
And we must.
It will require an open mind and honesty of
heart.
If it means that public comments of disagree-
ment are perceived as motivated by hate, we
won’t get there.
However, if we remain silent, as many of us
have been for the past 40 years or so, we will
only have ourselves to blame if the quality of
our local air and water becomes unsafe; as our
oceans become increasingly more toxic to the
fish we depend on; when, unchecked, some of
the food on the grocery store shelf becomes
more of a threat to our health than it already is;
if our taxes, intended for public education, are
diverted to private and/or charter schools where
USPS# 497-660
VALUE IN THE COMMON GOOD
R EMEMBERING R ALPH
I met Ralph Ingram in 1955 and never
thought he would turn out to be such a good
friend.
I will always remember the good times we
had hunting together, which we did a lot.
Ralph was also a great neighbor, friend and
man.
He was like a family member and will be
missed every day.
Virgil Bechtold
Florence
The First Amendment
C
ongress shall make no law respecting
an establishment of religion or prohibit-
ing the free exercise thereof; or abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the press, or the
right of the people peaceably to assemble,
and to petition the Government for a redress
of grievances.
Copyright 2017 © Siuslaw News
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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
the curriculum could be restricted by those who
discredit science; and, if we lose our right to
health (insurance), either by rising costs for the
sake of corporate profit or because of pre-exist-
ing health conditions; then our civil rights will
have been subverted and our democracy will
have failed — because we failed to become
public about these issues.
Hate is not only what we say and do, but also
what we don’t say and do. I’m convinced racial
hate has played a role in much of the
Congressional inaction during the last adminis-
tration.
Based on what I’ve seen so far, the agenda of
the incoming administration will not be favor-
ing the common good.
Those of us who value the common good
cannot be spectators. We must rely on our local
free press to encourage dialogue and diversity.
This is a time to put our representatives’ and
senators’ telephone numbers on speed dial to let
them know we care when an issue arises —
something that is known to be an effective moti-
vational tool.
But most importantly, we must unite.
Nan Harvey
Florence
Pres. Donald Trump
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