4 A
❘
WEDNESDAY EDITION
❘ APRIL 19, 2017
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
Opinion
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
The First Amendment
C
ongress shall make no law respecting an estab-
lishment of religion or prohibiting the free exer-
cise 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.
The cultural dangers of social media without consequence
In the late 1950s, iconic
newsman Edward R. Murrow
recognized a paradox develop-
ing as the advent of television
was transforming news report-
ing from the purely word-driv-
en medium of radio into a
much more powerful visual
medium available in homes
across America.
Murrow understood that
news journalism would never
be the same. He also recog-
nized the responsibility that
accompanies that kind of
power.
In 1958, during a Radio-
Television News Directors
Association and Foundation
dinner where he was the
keynote speaker, Murrow
spoke of the new television
medium and the potential
effects it could have on jour-
nalism and our society as a
whole.
Known as his now famous
“Lights in a Box Speech,”
Murrrow explained how the
new medium had the potential
to teach, educate and inspire
— but that it would require us
to ensure it would be used
towards those ends.
“Otherwise,” he said, “it is
merely wires and lights in a
box.”
This past Sunday, like mil-
lions of others, I heard about
the murder of 74-year-old
Robert Godwin Sr., who was
randomly gunned down dur-
ing a live stream on Facebook
by Steve Stephens.
I chose not to watch the
footage, but millions of others
did, sharing it and tagging
people despite pleas from
Godwin’s family members not
to do so.
This horrific use of social
media came less than a month
after a live Facebook stream-
ing of a 15-year-old girl being
sexually assaulted by a gang
of six individuals in Chicago.
More than 40 people
watched the assault live.
media platforms such as
Facebook and others suc-
cumbing to the worst — rather
than the best — we have to
offer as a society.
It’s human nature to be
drawn to things that disturb us.
It’s the reason we gawk at the
scene of accidents; why there
are more NCIS spin-offs than
From the Editor’s Desk
N ED H ICKSON
No one reported it or called
police.
It wasn’t until the following
day, when the girl’s mother
reported her missing, that
authorities discovered the
video and eventually the girl’s
whereabouts.
In the months leading up to
the Presidential election, and
in the months that have fol-
lowed, I’ve watched social
any other genre on TV; and
why Greek mythology is full
of cautionary tales that end in
tragedy. We find a certain
comfort in recognizing when
the mistakes of others have
lead to their misfortune — and
how we can avoid making
those same mistakes.
But things are different in
this era of social media com-
munalism. It’s no small irony
that, while we have become
increasingly engaged in shar-
ing our thoughts and experi-
ences with more people than
ever before, we have simulta-
neously come to accept that
we are sharing those very
things with people we will
likely never meet.
Through that acceptance we
are slowly laying the ground-
work for the kind of social dis-
connect that we have begun to
see with live streaming of dis-
turbing events — and, perhaps
even more disturbing, having
them shared hundreds of thou-
sands of times by others.
In a way, social media is
promoting a culture of digital-
aged peeping Toms, encourag-
ing us to gawk through an end-
less array of partially open
windows into the lives of oth-
ers — many of whom we
don’t truly know.
We can leave comments and
engage in the conversations of
strangers without consequence
or accountability.
It’s an era of communica-
tion unlike any other, and ulti-
mate repercussions on our cul-
ture remain to be seen.
In the same way that
Murrow expressed the need
for us to have a willingness to
use the medium of television
to teach, educate and inspire,
we need to ask ourselves what
direction we will take with the
evolution of social media.
Will we succumb to the
worst of our nature or the best
of it?
Will our smartphones and
other digital devices be uti-
lized to improve the way we
communicate and broaden our
understanding of each other
and the world?
Or will they prove to be lit-
tle more than micro chips and
lights in an even smaller box?
Write to Ned Hickson at:
nhickson@thesiuslawnews.com
LETTERS
W E NEED YOUR HELP
I attended the recent Siuslaw School Board
meeting at the plea of a flyer bearing the above
title. We were asked to come show the school
board that Florence has neither a conservative
or liberal position regarding sanctuary schools.
I went to represent the caring, respectful
position; I went to speak for the importance of
creating a safe and welcoming school environ-
ment for all students, as well as their families.
I am a teacher who works with immigrants.
L ETTERS TO THE
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Write to: editor@thesiuslawnews.com
USPS# 497-660
I have found that they are my most respectful
and appreciative students. I also see how they
are extremely dedicated to helping their fami-
lies and their community.
I know how incredibly hard they work.
Many work two jobs and come to school. None
of my immigrant students receive social servic-
es.
Many immigrants have come to our country
to escape dangerous living conditions or pover-
ty. Some seek political asylum in our democrat-
ic country. In the majority of cases, those who
arrive without documentation did so because
they are lacking the funds, connections or time
to wait.
Most all of them would like to be legal resi-
dents and citizens, but there currently isn’t a
path for them — so they must live in constant
fear of being deported and being separated from
family members.
I believe our schools and community must
support and protect all of its children and their
families. Recently, the Springfield School
Board passed a resolution to support all stu-
dents and their families.
They reaffirmed policies and laws already in
place against discrimination and bullying, and
also added new language to address how the
district would protect student information and
interact with U.S. Immigration and ICE.
They didn’t use the buzz word “sanctuary,”
but instead were able to reestablish a climate of
safety and respect, given our present threat to
immigrant students.
I hope that our Siuslaw School Board will
see the value of creating such a resolution as
well.
Leonora Kent
Florence
P RESIDENT T RUMP ’ S
PEERLESS LEGACY
President Trump’s thoughtful tide of propos-
als of either restructuring or eliminating social-
ly provocative programs such as Meals on
Wheels, clean water enforcement and public
education must be compared to his attempts at
deregulating free-market forces reforming such
“give-aways” as Social Security, Medicare or
open internet access.
After lengthy research, the following list
seems to reflect which of his ideas meet cus-
tomary peer-reviewed standards:
Rand Dawson
Florence
I NTEGRATE THE FOURTH “R”
INTO EDUCATION
Timothy Tuttle’s April 15 letter in Siuslaw
News discussed “Larger Concerns About
Education.” He stresses the need for an over-
haul of schools to move them into the 21st cen-
tury.
I strongly agree with his views.
A number of years ago, I retired from the
University of Oregon. During my long teaching
career, I was first a faculty member in mathe-
matics, then in computer science, and then in
education. I founded the International Society
for Technology in Education, which is a large
nonprofit professional society dedicated to
improving appropriate use of computer technol-
ogy in schools.
I headed this organization for 19 years.
N OT A MILITARY TOWN
In response to “Not Glorifying War” (April 5
Siuslaw News), the group who came to support
an alternative to a military park went unnoticed
because there was no room in chambers. They
had to stand in the hallway unseen and not
called upon.
My main objection is that the City Council
displaying military weaponry in a city park is
not projecting the image of what our city repre-
sents. Nor do I feel it would serve to educate.
Mr. Spayd’s (Deeds of Valor, Inc.) letter to
the editor contains some alternative facts. One
is that “Florence is a military town.” Military
towns such as Colorado Springs, San Diego,
Mountain Home and such have thousands of
active duty personnel and a visible, economic
impact on the communities in which they are
located.
Florence, in fact, is a town of 8,000-plus peo-
ple; one-third are retired people of varying
backgrounds. A percentage of these would be
military; others engage in a wide spectrum of
volunteer activities, caregiving and art — to
mention a few. This would not affirm a military
designation to the City of Florence.
Honoring Brigadier General Benjamin King
is on target. Perhaps if they had Kingwood St.
between Ninth and 35th named in his honor,
that would bring more name recognition than
designing a military park around his name.
Nan Harvey
Florence
T HE FLAG IS THE ONLY SIGN WE NEED
Recently, at a city council and school board
meeting, as well as a town hall meeting with
Congressman Peter Defazio, it was noted that
there have been numerous raids by ICE agents
in Florence. There was one raid (reported in
Siuslaw News) that four illegal immigrants
were taken.
The issue of Oregon being a sanctuary state
and local schools needing to be declared sanc-
tuaries — and off limits to ICE agents — keep
coming up.
It has also been suggested at these meetings
that local businesses and the City of Florence
put up signs indicating Florence is a “safe
place” for all people (LGBTQ, anti-bullying,
etc.).
I don’t believe that putting up anti-bully or
anti-discrimination signs around the community
will make a difference.
I would really like to see this polarized coun-
try be united. However, there will need to be
compromise on both sides for whatever issues
(sanctuary, health care, taxes, etc.)
To do that, we must first remember why we
are united.
The colors of the U.S. flag have meaning.
White: Purity and innocence;
Red: Hardiness and valor;
Blue: Vigilance, perseverance and justice.
These characteristics include what the propo-
nents of safe spaces and sanctuaries are attempt-
ing to proclaim.
The American flag is the appropriate symbol
and therefore should be the only sign necessary
within our community display.
Virginia Reynolds
Florence
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WHERE TO WRITE
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Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439; phone 541-997-3441; fax
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John Bartlett
Jenna Bartlett
Ned Hickson
Susan Gutierrez
Cathy Dietz
Ron Annis
Jeremy Gentry
Both before my retirement, and in the years
since, I have written extensively about ways to
improve our educational system.
Our schools stress the first 3Rs — Reading,
WRiting, and ARithmetic. However, the fourth
R — Reasoning — seems to be left out. One of
the major goals in education is to help students
become better at solving the types of problems
they are currently encountering and/or will
encounter in their futures.
Nowadays, information and communication
technology is a very valuable and increasingly
powerful aid to learning about solving the types
of problems in every subject area taught in our
schools.
I recommend integrating the routine use of
computer technology into all grades and all sub-
ject areas, kindergarten through high school.
This includes integrating the fouth “R” into
reading, writing, and arithmetic.
David Moursund
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