4A |
SATURDAY EDITION
| JUNE 9, 2018
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
Opinion
| 541-902-3520 | NHICKSON @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
C
The First Amendment
ongress shall make no law respecting an es-
tablishment of religion or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom
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people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the Government for a redress of grievances.
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Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon.
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Je n n a B a r t l e t t
Ned H ickson
Erik Chalhoub
Pu b l i s h e r, e x t . 3 1 8
Editor, ex t. 313
Co n s u l t i n g E d i to r 8 3 1 -7 6 1 -7 3 5 3
e c h a l h o u b @ re gi s te r -p a j a ro n i a n . co m
M a r k e t i n g Di re c to r, e x t . 3 2 6
O f f i ce Su p e r v i s o r, e x t . 3 1 2
Pro d u c t i o n Su p e r v i s o r
Pre s s M a n a ge r
Su s a n G u t i e r re z
Cat hy Di e t z
Ron Annis
Je re my G e n t r y
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Letters to the Editor policy
Graduates, allow yourself to be wise
shake hands with some of
those who have helped guide
you to this milestone and,
unless your last name begins
with a “Z,” you will return to
your seat as the rest of your
classmates step forward, one
at a time, to be recognized.
(Editor’s Note: Last night,
our family watched with no
small amount of pride as our
third child graduated from Siu-
slaw High School. In addition,
today I have the honor of giv-
ing the commencement speech
at Mapleton High School’s
graduation. What follows is a
portion of that speech, which
I'd like to share with graduates
from both of our local schools.)
T
o the Class of 2018, fac-
ulty members, parents,
dignitaries, honored
guests, misinformed wed-
ding crashers, and Visa/Mas-
terCard representatives who
have gathered here today:
I am honored to have the
opportunity to address the
Class of 2018 and impart the
wisdom I have gained since
my own graduation from
high school nearly 150 years
ago.
I see the anticipation on
your faces as each of you
comes to realize what sharing
my wisdom will mean: Possi-
bly the shortest commence-
ment speech in school history.
Before long, each of you
seniors will step forward and
receive the culmination of 12
years of education. You will
person takes ownership of the
things they know; a wise per-
son seeks the knowledge of
others when they don’t.
When I graduated from
high school in 1984, there was
no Internet.
No Siri.
From the Editor’s Desk
Ned Hickson
At some point it will finally
hit you — and you will silent-
ly think to yourself, “I really
shouldn’t have had that sec-
ond bottle of Mountain Dew.”
You will also begin to un-
derstand what this moment
means because of the chal-
lenges you have faced and
overcome together as a class,
and as individuals, to get here.
Starting today, each of you
is now officially your own
person — making your own
decisions, embracing the
rewards and accepting the
consequences of those deci-
sions — as you embark on a
journey of independence in a
world of your own making.
At least until laundry day,
when you will return home
to eat chocolate chip cookies
while mom gets the Cheeto
and pizza stains out of your
favorite shirt.
That’s because having wis-
dom isn’t about knowing
everything. It’s also about
recognizing and acknowledg-
ing when you don’t. A smart
No Pinterest.
And thankfully, no Kanye
West.
Therefore, the Class of 1984
was expected to know EV-
ERYTHING. The pressure
was tremendous!
We hugged our parents
goodbye and entered a dark,
Google-less world. We were
young pilots flying blind.
Dead stick. Rudderless. Bro-
ken-winged. And lots of other
euphemisms I am now able to
Google for occasions like this.
We had no choice but to
rely on each other. We pooled
our knowledge. Challenged
each other. Together, we ad-
vanced ourselves and society
by having the courage to an-
swer fundamental questions
like: What would happen if we
grew chia seeds on a clay pot
shaped like a farm animal?
Truth be told, it’s human
nature to want to know all the
answers. At the same time,
culture discourages us from
admitting when we don’t have
them.
You’ve now spent the better
part of your first 17 to 18 years
of life receiving an education.
Not so you’ll have all the an-
swers, but have the courage
and wisdom to ask the kinds
of questions that will improve
your life and, hopefully, the
lives of others.
This will take more than
Googling. More than Wikipe-
dia. Possibly even more than
how-to videos on YouTube.
It’s certainly going to take a
great data and texting plan.
However, most of all, it’s
going to take the kind of de-
termination that got you here,
sitting in these chairs, mo-
ments away from receiving
your diploma, and still re-
gretting that second bottle of
Mountain Dew.
As we look upon your faces
we see our own hope reflect-
ed in them. When you leave
here, be courageous and wise.
Never be afraid to admit you
don’t have all the answers.
Those who do are destined to
a life of empty promises.
Usually somewhere in our
nation’s capital.
Always remember the feel-
ing you have right now.
The anticipation.
The hope.
The unlimited possibilities.
It’s who you are at this mo-
ment.
It’s who you will always be
as long as you allow yourself
to be wise…
LETTERS
Thanks to community for
bringing cemetery history
back to life
The Deadwood Pioneer Cemetery
Board of Trustees wants like to thank its
friends, family members and supporters
for a terrific month of May. We held two
work days with at least 24 workers who
put in a total of over 140 hours to:
• Place almost 20 granite headstones
purchased with a grant from the Oregon
Parks and Rec’s Heritage Program to me-
morialize unmarked or poorly marked
graves
• Add a gravel path near the Ash Scat-
tering Garden area overlooking the river,
• Add row markers and a Directory
of the 275 known graves (with links on
FindaGrave.com),
• Add a fire ring surrounded by 10
1-ton rocks,
Plus all of the normal edging, mowing,
cleaning and trimming needed regularly
for a non-profit cemetery ... and that's
not including the many hands who con-
tributed to our yearly event during Me-
morial Day.
On May 28, we hosted over 80 people
for our fourth annual Pioneer Heritage
Day, starting off with a terrific potluck,
and featuring several actors from the
Siuslaw Pioneer Museum’s “John Quay
Players,” who brought history to life with
humor and amazing stories of some of
the local pioneers.
Several veterans shared a moving
flag retirement ceremony and stories of
their experiences. The day was topped
off with kids’ games by Guthrie Kush-
ner and Pat Rongey, wonderful old-time
music from Eric Sprado’s melodic voice
and dobro, John Riedel’s stand-up bass,
plus Guthrie singing folk songs with her
National Steel guitar.
We hope to post a video of the day
soon on our website at deadwoodcem.
org.
A great time was had by all, and the
board thanks everyone who came, and
especially those who helped and con-
tributed.
—Megan Gerber
Secretary
Illegal is illegal
I have to take exception to Win Jolley’s
letter of May 2 (“Cycle of Intolerance is
Returning”) when, in the last two para-
graphs (actually, I take exception to more
than just the last two) where he wrote,
“I went to grammar school and high
school with fi rst-born American/Mexi-
can kids and today we call them illegal
immigrants because, thanks to President
Trump, the cycle of intolerance seems to
be returning.”
Th e only persons called illegal immi-
grants by President Trump are those of
any nationality, not only Mexican, who
violate our sovereignty by crossing our
boarder illegally.
My father was an immigrant, a legal
one, by holding his 12-year-old head up
high and entering our country legally
through Ellis Island on a quota.
—Tony Cavarno
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