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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (June 7, 2017)
4 A ❘ WEDNESDAY EDITION ❘ JUNE 7, 2017 Siuslaw News P.O. Box 10 Florence, OR 97439 NED HICKSON , EDITOR Opinion ❘ 541-902-3520 ❘ NHICKSON @ 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. Old battlefields of racism run deeper than the Deep South Nearly 30 years ago I stood in the shade of a wil- low tree overlooking a Civil War battleground in Georgia, contemplating the blood that had been spilled on those now lush, green grasses car- peting the rolling hills of Kennesaw Mountain. After living in the Deep South for close to 10 years, the last several of which were spent in Atlanta, I felt I had a different perspective from many southerners regarding that period of our nation’s history. Admittedly, having come from Oregon, I felt a certain kinship to The South’s identity as a rebel. Yet at the same time, I found it hard to walk the thin line between recognizing The South’s undeniable his- tory while overlooking the shadows of racism inter- twined with it. Last week’s senseless murders of two Good Samaritans in Portland who were trying to defend a pair of teenage African-American girls — one of whom was wearing Muslim attire — served as a reminder that the battlefields of racism run deeper than the Deep South. In the mid 1800s, when the Oregon territory was larger than Texas and includ- ed portions of five western states, the “Lash Law” of 1844 decreed that any black person, free or slave, could be whipped twice a year until he or she left the territory. Eventually, a law was passed simply prohibiting “black people” from living in the territory altogether. By the 1970s, hate groups like the Aryan Nations had followed suit, jackbooting themselves into areas of Oregon to spread their mes- sage of racial purity and the notion of establishing a From the Editor’s Desk N ED H ICKSON It was a climate that harkened extremists, racists and socialists to establish communities throughout the Pacific Northwest, along with an Oregon Legislature in the 1920s which, rife with Ku Klux Klan members, passed legislation that for- bade Japanese immigrants from owning or leasing land. white utopian society known as “Cascadia.” At a time when increased scrutiny of each other is slowly approaching that of the McCarthy era, the shad- ows cast by Oregon’s early history of racism are also slowly creeping over the les- sons of our past. The attack by Jeremy Joseph Christian on that Portland Metro Train wasn’t the result of a concerted campaign of hate. It didn’t stem from organized recruit- ment. It erupted from within a vein running just beneath the surface of our society, pulsed by an ever-increasing expo- sure to suspicion, mistrust and blame offered up as the “new normal” through media — social and otherwise. Christian expressed his rage against immigrants, Saudi Arabia, liberals, blacks, Muslims and a myri- ad of stereotypical targets of hate cherrypicked from an endless buffet of extremist ideologies available on the Internet. Ricky John Best, Taliesin Myrddin Namakai Meche and Micah Fletcher repre- sented a different kind of ideology when they stood up against Christian, in defense of two strangers who were being threatened by hate. Best and Meche each died from stab wounds inflicted by Christian. As we polarize ourselves and choose sides to be aligned with, we can’t risk forgetting the thing that defines us as Americans: The strength that comes from our unity rather than our division. It’s the kind of kinship that I want to have as an Oregonian and believe in as an American. Write Siuslaw News editor Ned Hickson at nhickson@thesiuslaw news.com or P.O. Box 10, Florence, Ore. 97439. LETTERS S TREET PAVING PROJECT IS TOP NOTCH Having spent several years as a county paving inspector in California, I recognize a beautiful paving job when I see one. The recent paving of our roads is absolutely excellent. Thanks to our Public Works Department staff, and especially to the outstanding job done by their inspectors. — Bill Craig Florence L ABELING ONLY PERPETUATES DIVISION It has been disturbing to read some of the let- ters directed towards Florence citizens. It has gotten so bad that people are being maligned because they attend speaking engagements and write newspaper columns. What’s really baffling to me is the outrage expressed at those who simply state the details of policy that many Republicans in the House voted for. For example, the health care proposal passed by the House on May 4 threatens to end Medicaid expansion along with many subsidies for working families, the disabled, the homeless L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR P OLICY The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the editor as part of a community discus- sion of issues on the local, state and national level. Emailed letters are preferred. Handwritten or typed letters must be signed. All letters need to include full name, address and phone number; only name and city will be printed. Letters should be limited to about 300 words. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and clarity. Publication of any letter is not guaranteed and depends on space available and the volume of letters received. Libelous, argumentative and anony- mous letters or poetry, or letters from out- side our readership area will not be pub- lished. Send letters to: nhickson@thesiuslawnews.com USPS# 497-660 and even veterans. President Trump ran a campaign on these cuts and on increasing military spending. I don’t understand why some are offended by others who merely point out the possible consequences of these policies. Ultimately, labeling opponents of Mr. Trump’s policies as “anti-patriotic” or “anti- American” does little but perpetuate the ani- mosity dividing our country. I believe Florence residents will continue to stand for fair budgets that protect our security, but also for the environment, education, seniors, working families and health care for everyone. popular vote in Florence. It is the truth and can be found at Lane County Elections. The Florence area precincts are 4500 (Dunes City), 4601 (town) and 702 (north and east). Within those precincts, Trump won by 3+ per- cent. There were some votes for other candidates as well. So, I don’t know what all the hate was about. But in a time when Florence is continuing to pull together for the good of Malakai Kirk and other caring community priorities, I think we will work together better if we don’t let this kind of bullying get between us. — Sandy Todd Florence — Sherry Harvey Florence L ET ’ S WORK TOGETHER WITHOUT DIVISONS I admit that I was the one who was booed at Sen. Wyden’s Town Hall. Not only booed, but called a liar and yelled at. I simply said that Donald Trump had won the I attended the David Barsamian lecture (May 19). I feel Barsamian’s was an accurate review of government spending lavishly on weapons and Pentagon expenditures while cutting social Oregon Group Publisher (541) 265 8571 Publisher, ext. 318 Editor, ext. 313 Consulting Editor (831) 761-7353 Email: echalhoub@register-pajaronian.com Marketing 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 Susan Gutierrez Cathy Dietz Ron Annis Jeremy Gentry — Mary Lehman Florence Copyright 2017 © Siuslaw News 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. James Rand Jenna Bartlett Ned Hickson Erik Chalhoub F IND COMMON GROUND WITHIN OUR THE BULLYING services across the board. Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, disabil- ity benefits, Meals on Wheels, mental health and housing expenditures all are now funded below need and severe cuts are expected with the House’s new healthcare proposal. Evidence of that here in Florence can already be seen in growth of social service agencies attempting to fill the gaps with limited funds, staff and volunteers. One of the “wedges” suggested in the lecture was for each of us to cease separating ourselves from others who have a difference of opinion. We can and must begin to speak with each other and find our common ground, which likely has to do with what we see as the future of the next generations. As for Socialism and Karl Marx, there was some enthusiasm for both, which I’m sure must have sounded alien to someone not accustomed to such thoughts. 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 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 www.merkley.senate.gov 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 ( 4 th Dist.) 2134 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 202-225-6416 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
