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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 8, 2018)
4A | SATURDAY EDITION | SEPTEMBER 8, 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 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. “I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.” —Thomas Jefferson (1800) ‘First Step’ program will off er better future for families (Editor’s Note: The First Step Pilot Pro- gram is seeking approval of a temporary Conditional Use Permit to allow three camp trailers on Presbyterian Church property (3996 Hwy 101), just south of the church's sanctuary. The proposal is for a one-year transitional housing pilot proj- ect, after which the permit would expire. A Florence Planning Commission meeting will be held Tuesday, Sept. 11, beginning at 5:30 p.m., at the Florence Events Cen- ter.) I am writing in support of First Step. This group has been meeting for some time to create transitional housing for Florence residents. I am impressed with the level of collabora- tion represented by the First Step Board, which includes civic groups, faith com- munities and other individuals concerned with the shortage of affordable housing in Florence. Their experience is broad-based, with members informed about non-profit or- ganizations, community resources, zon- ing regulations and more. As a lifelong educator and child ad- vocate, as well as a member of the Siu- slaw School District Board of Directors and president of the Siuslaw Education Foundation, my particular concern is focused on the impact unstable housing has on students. In a practical sense, stu- dents who do not have a stable home are challenged to have a place to study; to keep belongings organized; to have clean clothes; to have regular meals; and to have adequate sleep. Each of these conditions often results in poor school attendance too. In terms of psychological impact, these students find themselves unprepared for learning in a Guest Viewpoint By Suzanne Mann-Heintz President of Siuslaw Education Foundation school situation. Some become humiliat- ed or embarrassed by their circumstanc- es and unable to respond to assignments in typical ways (“Draw a picture of your neighborhood,” “Search your backyard for signs of fall,” “Write a descriptive story about your bedroom,” etc). Some, unfortunately, experience teas- ing or peer avoidance. These undermine confidence, self-esteem and motivation. I don’t want to assign that burden to any child. Research indicates that students who live in poverty are less likely to graduate from high school, less likely to pursue higher education or post high school training programs, less likely to maintain long-term relationships and are more likely to engage in problematic behaviors like crime, substance abuse and domestic violence. All of these conditions and be- haviors maintain generational poverty. The mission of the Siuslaw School District is “motivating and preparing all students to reach their greatest potential.” School staff, administrators and school board members want this for our stu- dents just as, I’m sure, many in our community do. Allowing First Step to develop its project is, indeed, a first step in that di- rection. Students are not the only beneficia- ries of First Step’s endeavors. Florence needs to be a city that is attractive to busi- nesses and professionals. The more we can provide a “leg-up” to those who need it, the better it is for the health of Florence overall. I am confident that First Step has the knowledge and skills to carry out its proj- ect goals. I believe that their site selection and operational guidelines are well struc- tured and doable. I believe that over time, this project will reduce the number of homeless families and empower them to break the bonds of generational poverty. Finally, I believe that this project will provide yet another thread for the strong fabric of community that makes Florence such a wonderful place to live. LETTERS Homeless trailer park will lower property value I live on Spruce Street and I was just informed that a trailer park for the homeless (First Step Pilot Program) is being proposed to go in behind where I live. Apparently, this is be- ing proposed in coopera- tion with the Presbyterian Church, which owns the property where the trailer park would be located. In addition to lowering my property value, what about the environmental damage? I know many bear and other wildlife live there. They say this will be through a tem- porary conditional use permit, but we all know what that means. Please go to the Florence City Plan- ning Commission meeting Tuesday, Sept. 11, beginning at 5:30 p.m., at the Florence Events Center. —Louise Barney Florence (Editor’s Note: The First Step Pilot Program recently applied for approval of a temporary Conditional Use Permit to allow three camp trailers on Presbyterian Church property (3996 Hwy 101), just south of the church's sanctuary. The pro- posal is for a one-year transitional hous- ing pilot project, after which the permit would expire.) Dehumanizing others who are ‘not like us’ I saw recently on Facebook a video of a man rescuing six puppies deposit- ed along a desert road somewhere in a Western state. How entirely cruel the owner of those puppies had to have been! Ah, but the puppies were not human beings; their owner surely would not have abandoned six children. In that same vein, President Trump and his administration deliberately sep- arated some 500 children from their asy- lum-seeking parents seeking entrance into our country at the southern border. His motive? It appears to be to send a message: Come here with your children; you lose them. How can he and his supporters mini- mize this horrendously cruel act? Heed David Eckhardt’s words in his Sept. 1 let- ter. “… it’s on the parents for committing a crime by coming to the U.S. illegally. [Forget the fact that seeking asylum is not a violation of U.S. law.] They knew what they were doing, just as people who commit crimes here and get sent to jail; they, too, get separated from their kids. Unless we do something worse by put- ting the kids in jail with their parents.” I am dismayed to suspect that there is a segment of our population that sees Latinos — and anyone else who isn’t “like us” as criminals and rapists, gang members, drug dealers and murderers. Thank you to our president, Fox News, Newt Gingrich and the rest of the polit- ical agitators on the airwaves who have not one scintilla of conscience, reducing “the others” to sub-human status. That mindset seeks to make it palat- able to the general population to sepa- rate vulnerable children from their des- perate parents in the same way as leaving unwanted puppies to die of thirst and over-exposure. —Harold Titus Florence Glad for Lucio meet-and-greet I recently had the opportunity to meet Florence City Councilor candidate Ger- aldine Lucio at a Bay Street meet-and- greet. I asked Ms. Lucio several questions on issues that affect us all and found her an- swers to be direct, thoughtful and hon- est. As a local business owner, Ms. Lucio is vitally interested in the betterment and growth of our community and local economy. I will vote for Lucio at the November election and urge others to do the same. —Ron Duzy Florence Take a knee There’s a Twitter movement afoot to “Boycott the NFL on Nov. 12 — Veteran’s Day” to protest players “taking a knee.” This one-day protest apparently is a counter-protest to another on Twitter protesting the NFL over its new policy that imposes fines on play- ers who protest during the national anthem. Calls to protest and counter-protest about players protesting gets a bit confusing. But, focusing on “taking a knee” may help sort it out. NFL players have the right as Americans to peacefully protest police vi- olence and systemic racism, real or perceived. In exer- cising that right by “taking a knee,” NFL players have successfully used a symbol to start a national conversa- tion — impossible to ignore — about anti-black racism and white nativism. Starting with the Boston Tea Party, protests have been a part of the political landscape in America, (valued enough to be protected by the Bill of Rights). In living memory, many protests have been prompted by racial injustice. Rosa Parks on the bus in Montgomery, Martin Lu- ther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, John Lewis on Bloody Sun- day in Selma — each became a symbol dramatizing the unfairness of discrimi- nation. As a marketing genius, President Trump has recognized that by conflating disrespect for the flag, the military and the country by ungrateful, millionaire (black) players, he could turn the “tak- ing a knee” symbol into a quintessential appeal to his base. His implicit message echoes in the language of the Boycott the NFL on Nov. 12 protest: “You who have insulted our flag, our country, our sol- diers, our police officers and our veter- ans. You are living the American dream, yet you disparage our great country.” You versus our. Other versus us. Out- sider versus American. Or, as President Trump said more directly on Fox and Friends to American citizens protest- ing by taking a knee, “You have to stand proudly for the national anthem or you shouldn’t be playing. You shouldn’t be there. Maybe you shouldn’t be in the country.” Boycott the NFL on Veterans Day or everyday if you like. It’s your right as an American. But understand what you are protesting and in doing so try not, in John McCain’s last words, to confuse pa- triotism with tribal rivalries. Whether to pray for guidance or to gain perspective, I suggest that President Trump — and the rest of us — would do well to “take a knee.” — Arnold Buchman Florence/Scottsdale, Az. USPS# 497-660 Copyright 2018 © 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. Jenna Bar tlett Ned H ickson Erik Chalhoub Publisher, ex t. 318 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 echalhoub@register-pajaronian.com M ar k e t i n g Di re c to r, e x t . 3 2 6 O ffice Super visor, ex t. 312 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 Cathy Dietz Ron Annis Je re my G e n t r y 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 classifiedad,sThursday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Thursday noon; Boxed and display classified ads, Wednes- day 5 p.m. Soundings, Tuesday 5 p.m. NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In Lane County — 1-year subscription, $76; 6-month in-county, $52; 10-weeks subscription, $23; Out of Lane County — 1-year subscription,$99; 6-month out-of-county, $65; 10-weeks subscrip- tion, $29; Out of State — 1-year subscription, $125; E-Edition Online Only (Anywhere) — 1-year subscription, $71. 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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
