4A |
SATURDAY EDITION
| JUNE 29, 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 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.
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Letters to the Editor policy
LETTERS
facts crucial regardless
of political leanings
In the June 22 edition of the
Siuslaw News, one of your readers
misquoted President Obama as
having said that the Constitution is
“… an old piece of parchment that
needs changing.”
After researching this issue, it
appears that no such statement was
ever made by our 44th president.
Rather, in his final farewell speech
to the nation on Jan. 10, 2017,
President Obama offered a strong
defense of democracy, saying in
pertinent part, “Our Constitution
is a remarkable, beautiful gift. But
it’s really just a piece of parchment.
It has no power on its own. We, the
people, give it power — with our
participation, and the choices we
make …”
I write this not to call out the
letterwriter’s mistake, but rath-
er to remind others that critically
reviewing our news sources and
checking the accuracy of facts and
information presented in the me-
dia is crucial to a working democ-
racy regardless of one’s political
leanings.
—Jill Thomas
Florence
An American
horror story
Having been born after the
last internment camp for Japa-
nese-Americans was closed down,
I never thought I would see Amer-
ican concentration camps … for
children no less, in my lifetime.
Yet here we are.
For those who scoff at the use of
the term concentration camp, I use
this term unflinchingly. Let’s speak
the truth here; while the camps in
our southwest are not death camps
(yet), they are by every definition
and by history correctly labeled
concentration camps.
These camps are not “summer
camps” as some would have us be-
lieve. Conditions are at best miser-
able — and at worst a crime against
humanity.
Picture your children or grand-
children packed in 25 or more to a
cell, eating half-frozen food, sleep-
ing on a mattress on concrete (if it
isn’t taken away as punishment), a
thin aluminum blanket for a cover,
filthy clothes, lice, no way to wash
or comb or even brush their teeth.
Children under age 5 are being
cared for by 12-year-old children,
because no other care is available.
Now throw in the flu or other
communicable illnesses, and last
but not least, having no idea where
your parents are.
This is not propaganda. It is
happening as you read this, and on
American soil.
For those who say it is the par-
ents’ fault, I say this: Do we send
the children of our own convicted
felons to prison as well? Our own
convicts live in miserable con-
ditions in most facilities, but get
better treatment than these chil-
dren; the victim of Somali pirates
recently said he was given soap and
a tooth brush by his captors.
All of this is being done in our
names. Our vote in 2020 will speak
volumes about whether we support
this inhumanity.
—Raymond Plumery
Florence
Will we receive our fair
share of funds for park?
The North Jetty meeting (report-
ed in the Siuslaw News on June 26)
left many issues unanswered. I am
sure Lane County Parks employ-
ees mean well, but the ready-made
script they read from has nothing
to do with reality.
Over the past 15 years, I have
served on four county committees/
commissions. Public Works De-
partment personnel have told me
that West Lane “will never receive
its fair share of funds.”
Simply put, look at the way-
sides of West Lane County. If you
like craters to drive your vehicle
through, a “Made by Lane County”
sign should be put on them. Then,
there is the Lane County Sheriff ’s
Department for which we pay tax-
es for but don’t receive services.
The Parks Department depends
on other departments for the ser-
vices they talk about. If history
tells us anything, to expect West
Lane County will receive those ser-
vices is a fantasy.
We’d be fools to think otherwise.
The big issue is “charge-for-use”
fees. A resounding applause filled
the room when someone spoke
against those fees. Many visitors to
the Jetty are from out-of-the-area
and out-of-state. Can you see them
backing away from a fee station on
lands that used to be free?
I wonder, what will local busi-
nesses say about killing that golden
goose?
There were many ideas put forth
for us in West Lane to maintain
and improve the North Jetty Park-
land (as the City calls it).
Let’s explore ideas and look to
future uses of the area.
— George Goldstein
Florence
We need local wood
burning regulations
Friends and neighbors, our city
has come to the place where we
need wood fire regulations. Like
many other communities, it has
become a health hazard.
We used to be able to have our
bedroom window open for fresh
air at night. Now, there often isn’t
any due to wood burning.
Unless there’s a big wind or fog,
the still air traps these poisons
here. There is also business vent-
ing at night that contributes to the
problem. If you can smell it, you
are taking these pollutants into
your lungs, where it goes into your
blood stream and organs.
The reason we have to have laws
and regulations is because some do
thoughtless actions.
—Carla Green
Florence
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