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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (June 15, 2019)
4A | SATURDAY EDITION | JUNE 15, 2019 Siuslaw News P.O. Box 10 Florence, OR 97439 NED HICKSON , EDITOR | 541-902-3520 | NHICKSON @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM Opinion The First Amendment C ongress shall make no law respect- ing an establishment 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 Govern- ment 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) USPS# 497-660 Copyright 2019 © Siuslaw News 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 Pub- lishers 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 Bartlet Ned Hickson Susan Gutierrez Cathy Dietz Ron Annis Jeremy Gentry Publisher, ext. 318 Editor, ext. 313 Marketing Director, ext. 326 Office Supervisor, ext. 312 Production Supervisor Press Manager DEADLINES: Wednesday Issue—General news, Monday noon; Budgets, four days prior to publica- tion; Regular classified ads, Monday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Monday noon; Display classified ads, Friday 5 p.m. Saturday Issue—General news, Thursday noon; Budgets, two days prior to publication; Regular classified ads, Thursday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Thursday noon; Display classified ads, Wednesday 5 p.m. Soundings, Tuesday 5 p.m. NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In Lane County — 1-year subscription, $79; 6-month in-county, $56; 10-week subscrip- tion, $25; Out of Lane County — 1-year subscription, $102; 6-month out-of-county, $69; 10-week subscription, $35; Out of State — 1-year subscription, $134; E-Edition Online Only (Anywhere) — 1-year subscription, $65. Mail subscription includes E-Edition. Website and E-Edition: TheSiuslawNews.com Letters to the Editor policy American fl ag still represents notion of a people undivided in the pursuit of freedom It was 242 years ago yesterday that the Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolu- tion, officially adopting what would be the first of 27 versions of what we recognize as the symbol representing the United States. Less than two months later, on Aug. 3, 1777, sol- dier reinforcements ar- riving at Ft. Stanwix from Massachusetts brought news of Congress’s adop- tion of a flag consisting of 13 stripes alternating red and white, along with a smaller blue field with 13 white stars “representing a new constellation.” In that moment, while under siege from the Brit- ish, American soldiers cut up their shirts into white stripes while officers’ wives offered their flannel petticoats for red stripes. The blue cloth coat of Capt. Abraham Swartwout was utilized for the Union rectangle adorned with 13 stars — all sewn together in haste amid cannon fire before being hoisted in a symbolic gesture repre- senting a unified people under the United States of America. Over the course of more than two centuries, Amer- icans have waved our flag in celebration, hoisted it in defiance, wrapped them- selves in it to represent achievement on behalf of all Americans, and draped it over those who have sacrificed their lives for the values our flag represents. At the same time, some have even burned it in protest — an act that I personally find disgraceful and more than ironic, con- sidering it is the very ide- al our flag represents that affords them that freedom to begin with. Admittedly, as a kid, I ment to something — in this case, the American ideal of a democratic re- public founded on rights and freedoms that support the pursuit of happiness. I have no problem aligning myself with those principles. And while “under God” is also a part of our flag’s pledge, every American has the right to eliminate it if they choose, in the same way they have the freedom to practice a religion — or, if they so choose, practice no religion at all. From the Editor’s Desk Ned Hickson didn’t think much about those things as we stood — hand over our hearts — and gave our Pledge of Allegiance each morning in school. At the time, it was just something we did that ingrained within us a reverence for the flag I still carry today. Over the last few de- cades, I’ve watched that same reverence erode as the morning Pledge of Al- legiance in many schools has become optional — and in some cases chal- lenged or dissuaded — out of concern for political correctness. Granted, reciting the pledge to our flag contains the term “Allegiance,” which means loyalty, faithfulness or commit- Again, it’s because of what the flag represents that Americans — unlike many living in countries throughout the Middle East, Northern Africa and parts of Europe — have the right to make their own choice. In the same way that I didn’t think about these things as a kid, we seem to be thinking less and less about them as a nation. However, today’s lack of appreciation stems more from a growing indiffer- ence or apathy rather than a lack of childhood per- spective. While I recognize we are far from perfect as a nation, the American flag itself isn’t about repre- senting a particular poli- cy, election, partisanship, event or individual in his- tory. It symbolizes the ideal of freedom, the hope af- forded by that freedom, and our commitment as Americans in the endless pursuit of both. Ultimately, it stands for more than the past or even the moment we live in; it’s a reminder of the infinite notion of freedom. According to the New York State Historical Asso- ciation, Capt. Swartwout was eventually reimbursed with a voucher for the use of his coat in the creation of our nation’s first make- shift flag. Though the exact amount is disputed by scholars, the one thing they — and I’d like to be- lieve all Americans — can agree on is that the ideal which inspired the hasty patchwork of that first flag is something immeasur- able. Yesterday, as we rec- ognize the American flag in ceremonies across our nation, I hope we consid- ered the pledge to liberty and justice it represents, as well as the notion of a people undivided in their pursuit of freedom. Even when that freedom includes not recognizing our flag at all. Write Siuslaw News editor Ned Hickson at nhickson@the siuslawnews. com or P.O. Box 10, Florence, Ore. 97439 LETTER Thanks for supporting our graduates For the sixth straight year, our community has set a record for to- tal dollars provided in local schol- arships to graduating Siuslaw High School students. This year, our students received $244,950 in local scholarship funds, an increase of nearly $12,000 over last year’s total. As a result of this widespread community support, many graduating SHS students will be able to attend colleges or trade schools when such post-secondary education would not otherwise be possible. We wish to express our sincere gratitude to the community for giving so generously and thus mak- ing it possible for SHS graduates to pursue their personal and profes- sional goals. We live in a very special com- munity, and at no time is that more evident than at the annual scholar- ship awards ceremony. Thank you for your amazing support! —Steve Moser and Bob Orr ASPIRE at Siuslaw High School The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the edi- tor as part of a community discussion of issues on the local, state and national level. Emailed letters are preferred. Handwritten or typed letters must be signed. All letters need to include full name, address and phone number; only name and city will be printed. Letters should be limited to about 300 words. Letters are sub- ject to editing for length, grammar and clarity. Publication of any letter is not guaranteed and depends on space available and the volume of let- ters received. Letters that are anonymous, libelous, argumen- tative, sarcastic or contain accusations that are unsourced or documented will not be published. Letters containing poetry or from outside the Siuslaw News readership area will only be pub- lished at the discretion of the editor. Political/Election Letters: Election-related letters must address pertinent or timely issues of interest to our readers at-large. Letters must 1) Not be a part of letter-writing campaigns on behalf of (or by) candidates; 2) En- sure any information about a candidate is accu- rate, fair and not from second-hand knowledge or hearsay; and 3) Explain the reasons to support candidates based on personal experience and perspective rather than partisanship and cam- paign-style rhetoric. Candidates themselves may not use the letters to the editor column to outline their views and platforms or to ask for votes; this constitutes paid political advertising. As with all letters and advertising content, the newspaper, at the sole discretion of the publish- er, general manager and editor, reserves the right to reject any letter that doesn’t follow the above criteria. Email 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 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 @oregonlegislature.gov 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
