4 A
❘
WEDNESDAY EDITION
❘ SEPTEMBER 2, 2017
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
Opinion
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
NHICKSON @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
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L ETTERS
Texans are reminder of who we can be
in footwear while boarding Air
Force One to Texas — every-
day Houstonians have made it
clear that they will not only
rise above the floodwaters,
they are rising above the poor
example being set by those
elected to represent them.
I lived in Dallas, Texas,
between 1985 and 1990, and
can tell you there is no small
amount of pride among those
who have the privilege of call-
ing themselves a Texan. That
pride resonates from everyone,
regardless of age, race,
whether their boots are pol-
ished or dusty, Justin Ropers or
Tony Lamas.
And while opportunism has
already been taking place on
both sides of the political
divide — from partisan postur-
ing over a lack of support from
Texas Republicans for the
2013 Hurricane Sandy Relief
Bill, to the First Lady’s choice
to espouse their loyalty or con-
tempt for any group or affilia-
tion; and they aren’t being
asked for proof of citizenship,
to denounce white supremacy
or give their stance on climate
change as prerequisites for
being saved.
From the Editor’s Desk
N ED H ICKSON
As politicians and special
interest groups wrangle over
whether or not Harvey is a har-
binger of things to come,
Texans are launching bass
boats, canoes and jet skis to
answer the call of local offi-
cials in a grassroots response
to the catastrophe.
Those being plucked from
trees, windows and overturned
vehicles aren’t being rescued
because they are Democrats or
Republicans; they don’t have
Whether their necks are red,
brown, black or white, wearing
a blue collar or white collar,
Texans are coming together for
a higher purpose, demonstrat-
ing how quickly our divisions
lose meaning when we are
faced with a shared crisis —
and the need to know we can
count on each other as individ-
uals within a community rather
than splintering into bickering
factions.
As
Democratic
and
Republican leaders seem more
focused on pointing fingers
and posturing for political gain
than they are on rolling up
their sleeves legislatively to
provide assistance, they could
take a lesson from those who
are truly on the front lines,
demonstrating what happens
when you strive to be your best
for one another rather than
your worst.
Sadly, it seems to take a
catastrophe like Hurricane
Harvey for us to glimpse who
we could — and should — be
as a nation, and to realize how
our divisions aren’t nearly as
important as the things that
unite us when it really comes
down to it.
It’s a lesson brought to us
from deep in the heart of
Texas.
Write Siuslaw News editor Ned
Hickson at nhickson@thesiuslaw
news.com
LETTERS
H OW CAN WE HELP ?
As I watch with the rest of the nation in
shock and horror at the devistation in
Houston, I am wondering why I am not
seeing anyone in Lane County collecting
blankets, bedding, shoes, clothes, water,
etc., for the victims?
I am blood type O, Rh negative, which
I hear is being requested. But how do I
donate for that cause?
My husband and I are offering to drive
whatever we can collect to Eugene for
flight to Texas (where is that expensive U
of O plane?)
I know the Red Cross is asking for
financial donations but that won’t replace
a piece of cardboard under a child’s head
with a pillow.
How can we help?
—Phyllis Holmes
Florence
L IBERAL EXTREMISM
DESTROYING OUR FABRIC
In the recent letter to the Editor,
“Florence is Better Than This,” (Aug. 30),
I found it interesting how letter writer
Nancy Rickard managed to blame
President Trump for the actions of an obvi-
ously bigoted, ignorant individual in
Florence.
I feel this attitude that “it’s someone
else’s fault” has become a core principle
held
by
many
liberals
(aka
“Progressives”).
Just witness the ever-increasing number
of socialist positions espoused by liberal
Democrats. A good example is the ongoing
healthcare debate. Let’s say there’s some-
one in their 60s who smoked for 40-plus
years, knowing full well that they were
slowly destroying their health.
Why, then, should taxpayers contribute
to help that individual receive expensive
medical treatment for lung cancer or
emphysema that comes as a result?
Another blatantly socialist position has
been promoted by Bernie Sanders, Jerry
Brown and Andrew Cuomo, which is that
post-secondary education should be free
for all young people who graduate from
high school.
How nice of them to try and confiscate
even more money from the taxpayers who
didn’t even bring these children into the
world — all so they can attend college.
I sincerely believe that liberal extrem-
ism, such as the anti-Trump sentiment
conveyed by Ms. Rickard in her letter, is
slowly destroying the social fabric of our
nation.
From my perspective, liberal extremism
is more dangerous to our country than
uncontrolled immigration, white suprema-
cy or Islamic terrorism.
If I were president, I would issue an
executive order declaring liberal extrem-
ism a mental disorder, the treatment for
which would qualify for medical coverage
as part of a national healthcare plan.
— Stephen Johnson
Florence
S HELTER NEEDS CHANGES
The Oregon Coast Humane Society, in
its paid ad (Aug. 23) says “No audit was
conducted for several years.” What it
doesn’t say is, it hasn’t had an audit since
2005, and the most recent audit (2015) was
a Qualified audit — not the desired
Unqualified audit.
The difference is that a Qualified opin-
ion is a statement issued after an audit is
done by a professional auditor that sug-
gests the information provided was limited
in scope and/or the company being audited
has not maintained GAAP accounting
principles.
The paid ad also says that the “OCHS
has been providing spay/neuter assis-
tance.”
What it doesn’t say is that since
February of this year, they had only 1
spay/neuter clinic day, presumably
because the program hasn’t been able to
find a veterinarian to work with it.
In addition, the paid ad says the “OCHS
recently welcomed new board members.”
It doesn’t explain the carousel of board
members who have come and gone since
the beginning of the year, including the
mother of the shelter manager. As of late
August, its “new website” listed 8 board
members, 5 of whom have left between
late last year and July.
There were/are too many cases in which
animals have been there for 6, 8 and 10
years.
My wife and I have been involved with
this shelter since 2005 as volunteers. We
have put in a combined 3,700 hours since
November 2014. We met with the board
president and vice president in January of
this year to express our concerns about
mismanagement and volunteer treatment.
We found out in May that these board
members did not share this information
with the other board members.
The terms of the president, vice presi-
dent and treasurer were set to expire on
June 30. During the open annual member-
ship meeting held June 24, there was to be
a vote to renew the terms. Instead, the
board voted to delay the vote to a closed
meeting held June 29.
At that meeting, two board members
resigned.
This reduced the board count to four,
which was short of the minimum five-
member board required by the OCHS by-
laws.
Dedicated animal lovers and animal
behaviorists with legal and accounting
experience have organized as a group. We
hope to change the shelter’s reputation to
attract veterinarians to come back into the
fold, and we want to be an all-inclusive
organization instead of a closed, secretive,
authoritarian one.
—Robert Salvatore, CPA
Yachats
See
MORE LETTERS 5B
TO THE
P OLICY
E DITOR
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P OLITICAL /E LECTION L ETTERS :
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As with all letters and advertising content, the
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general manager and editor, reserves the right to
reject any letter that doesn’t follow the above crite-
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Send letters to:
nhickson@thesiuslawnews.com
WHERE TO WRITE
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, Ore. 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
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
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
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