4A |
SATURDAY EDITION
| JUNE 2, 2018
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
Opinion
| 541-902-3520 | NHICKSON @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
C
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Publisher, ex t. 318
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Letters to the Editor policy
LETTERS
We are doing better
I would like to agree with Linda Abell
(“We Can Do Better In Florence,” May
30) up to a point. I also know folks all
over the country — and yes, some are of a
different political outlook than mine.
However, I am usually able to argue
my point up until they either start with
name-calling or simply quit.
Some are still friends; and others, well,
never really were.
As for the “until now” point made by
Linda Abell, we take different paths. Un-
like those on the extreme left, I see the
divergence of paths and objectives more
to policy than people. I understand that is
not where some would go, because their
policies more than likely would never
pass congress without deceit — as Obama
Care did.
As for degrading the discourse, I lived
through eight years of racially-based
excuses for everything from poverty to
policing. During that time, food stamps
went through the roof and every chance
was taken to blame criminal behavior on
one’s skin color.
And what do we have for it?
Record numbers of police killings by
thugs who think they are justified be-
cause of their social standing or the color
of their skin. We also have a group called
Black Lives Matter, which is essentially
akin to the “poor me” whites.
I detest anyone who uses their skin col-
or to justify their actions or their circum-
stances.
Lying and cheating are not new or un-
usual in politics. Most of us remember
President Kennedy's many affairs and
drug abuse. Or his brother, who should
have been in jail for manslaughter. Or
President Johnson, whose language by all
accounts could make sailors blush. And
how about Bill Clinton, who was convict-
ed of lying under oath?
And let’s not forget his wife, Hillary,
who is still under investigation. Even if
her criminality is proven beyond a rea-
sonable doubt, I doubt she would ever
spend a day in jail.
That is the swamp: All of those who on
both sides have been there so long that
the wheels are greased for them to get
away with almost anything.
The reason some only hear “sideshows
and propaganda” is because, oftentimes,
they only listen to those who parrot their
point of view.
Try listening to both sides and it will
become clear where the truth is.
Yes, ignorance is a fatal flaw in our sys-
tem. When it comes to policy, we must
use our brains first and above all else.
Linda Abell said we must have a heart
for the neglected and downtrodden —
and yes, you would be right.
The best way to help them is to make it
possible for them to help themselves.
That is why we are doing better now.
The current President is getting govern-
ment out of the way for those who want
to succeed at their chosen professions.
Burdensome regulations are being elim-
inated and the rule of law is once again
becoming supreme in this land.
I thank the day President Trump was
elected and am looking to four more
years when his first term is done.
It’s my hope that those who hate him
will come to see his greatness.
—David Eckhardt
Florence
Cycle of intollerance
is returning
I recently watched Steven Spielberg’s
movie “Amistad” for the fifth time. It re-
minded me of how intolerant our county
was and is becoming once again.
President Trump and his base have
been outspoken about immigrants when,
in fact, we are all immigrants. Even his
ex-wife, Ivana (Czech) and current wife
Melanai (Slovenia) are both immigrants.
You must go back in time to find the
names of native Americans who were
here long before us and died due to dis-
eases, warfare and slavery: Iroquois,
Mohawk, Seneca, Hurons, Algonquians,
Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Lakota, Apache
and Mohican, Siminole, Tillamook and
Chumash.
With the slave trade of African Ameri-
cans, I have no idea where to begin or end
because it was so egregious — and not
just “a Southern thing” because everyone
of wealth including our so called found-
ing fathers delved into the exploitation of
others for labor.
In the late 1800s, Ellis Island became
the mixing pot of immigrants arriving
in America. Between 1892 and 1897, 1.5
million immigrants arrived in this coun-
try. Then the Chinese migrated to the
West Coast to work in the gold mines and
railroads — and quickly experienced the
same inservitude and discrimination that
early white Americans placed on every-
one of color.
Not to be forgotten are the Japanese,
who traveled from Japan to the Hawaiian
Islands and then to our West Coast. They
were successful in farming and business
but experienced the same discrimination
during WWII with internment camps
through Executive Order 9066, which in
my opinion is the largest unlawful mod-
ern day blot on our government.
Approximately
120,000
Ameri-
can-born Japanese were put in camps
around 1943. I have two American-Jap-
anese lady friends my age who were in-
carcerated and sent to the Manzanar and
Minidoka interment camps at the age of
three with their families.
After WWII, white migrants from The
Dust Bowl found better paying jobs on
the West Coast. Then Mexicans migrated
to fulfill those jobs. They were not con-
sidered immigrants but migrants just like
my family from Oklahoma.
I went to grammar school and high
school with first-born American/Mexi-
can kids.
Today, we call them illegal immigrants
because, thanks to President Trump, the
cycle seems to be returning.
—Win Jolley
Florence
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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
Oregon 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
(4th 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@
oregonlegislature.gov
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