4 A
❘
WEDNESDAY EDITION
❘ DECEMBER 13, 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
Current pendulum swing targeting sexual
harassment is wide — and necessary
As I sat at my desk lis-
tening to Monday’s edition
of NPR’s “On Point” news
program, I learned that its
highly respected award-
winning host of 16 years,
Tom
Ashbrook,
had
become the latest to be
accused of sexual harass-
ment.
The stinging sensation I
had felt following allega-
tions of inappropriate
behavior a week earlier by a
personal hero, Garrison
Keillor, had barely begun to
subside.
There’s no telling who
next will be caught up in
this wide — but necessary
— pendulum arc which,
until now, had been a whis-
per-quiet and sharp-edged
metronome rhythmically
slicing away at our culture.
I have honestly found
myself shocked at not only
the depth of pervasiveness
sexual harassment has been
allowed to take root, but
also by the array of individ-
uals who have been eager
participants in cultivating
my own oblivion to the
depth of this issue. It has
caused me to re-examine
where I may have unwit-
tingly been complacent in
recognizing or addressing
inappropriateness in the
past — and whether I had
overlooked opportunities to
uproot misconduct that may
From the Editor’s Desk
N ED H ICKSON
this vast landscape of mis-
conduct and deception.
And while some argue
that the accusatory atmos-
phere we are experiencing
is too extreme, I see it as an
equal and opposite reaction
to decades of fundamental
wrong within our culture.
Admittedly, part of the
stinging sensation resonat-
ing most has been realizing
have been growing within
my own landscape.
By the time you read this,
the Alabama Senate race
will likely have been decid-
ed. As an Independent
voter, I can say with con-
viction that I don’t care for
either Roy Moore or Doug
Jones.
But as an American con-
cerned with the heavily
frayed fabric of our culture,
I can say with equal convic-
tion that the thought of
sending anyone to — or
supporting anyone within
— our nation’s capitol who
is suspected of sexual
harassment or pedophilia
turns
my
stomach.
Particularly if the primary
reason boils down to parti-
sanship.
Ultimately, ignoring sex-
ual misconduct is its own
kind
of
partisanship,
whether it happens within
Hollywood offices, corpo-
rate
boardrooms
or
Congressional hallways.
Until we are willing to
accept that, the pendulum
will need to keep swinging.
Write Siuslaw News editor
Ned Hickson at nhickson@the-
siuslaw news.com or P.O. Box
10, Florence, Ore. 97439.
TO THE
P OLICY
E DITOR
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Send letters to:
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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