4A |
WEDNESDAY EDITION
| SEPTEMBER 11, 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)
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Copyright 2019 © Siuslaw News
Siuslaw News
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Ned Hickson
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Seven more minutes of childhood
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Letters to the Editor policy
I’ll never forget how I
felt this day 18 years ago as
an American, a volunteer
firefighter and as a father
— and how each held its
own kind of hurt that has
never completely healed.
But of the three, being a
father watching the sparkle
in my then six-year-old
daughter’s eyes noticeably
fade just a bit continues to
be the memory that lingers
most.
My alarm clock went off
the same as it always did
back then, coming to life
with the morning news
— my preference over the
annoying,
high-pitched
alternative of chatter. In-
stinctively, I swatted the
snooze button and bought
myself another seven min-
utes of sleep.
In the years since, I’ve
thought a lot about those
seven minutes, and how
the simple push of a button
postponed a bitter reality
for just a little longer.
When the news came
on again, word of the
first airliner crashing into
the World Trade Center
stopped my hand just short
of another seven minutes
of blissful ignorance — a
time span that now seems
like an eternity.
Lying there, listening to
the details, I regretted not
pushing the button one
more time.
A hundred more times.
A thousand.
In that same moment, I
also understood that the
impassive gaze of terror-
ism could only be averted
for so long, and that, even-
tually, I’d have to meet it —
along with the questioning
gaze of my daughter.
As a parent, I debated
whether I should shield
her from these events,
playground conversations
as children put their own
interpretive spin on the
language of adults heard
from the radio, television
and from discussions be-
tween parents after they
thought their children
were asleep.
My daughter suddenly
appeared in the doorway,
and I realized that I was
still poised — frozen really
— with my hand over the
snooze button, still listen-
ing to the account of ter-
rorism on the radio.
From the Editor’s Desk
Ned Hickson
essentially pushing the
snooze button to allow her
at least a few more minutes
of childhood before wak-
ing her to this new, colder
world.
But how long, I won-
dered, would it be before
she discovered reality on
her own?
There are at least six
news stands near our
home, all with their front
pages displayed at eye level
for a child her age.
I thought about the
images that would be ap-
pearing in those small
plexi-glass windows in the
coming days and weeks.
I thought about what she
might overhear during
It was at this point that
fragmented accounts of
an attack on the Pentagon
began, along with word of
a downed jetliner some-
where in Pennsylvania.
And maybe a car bomb
near the capitol — a story
that was interrupted by
word of a second airlin-
er crashing into the trade
center towers.
“Dad, what’s happen-
ing?” my daughter asked.
She remained in the
doorway, a departure from
her normal routine of div-
ing onto the bed. I noticed
this instinctively, in much
the same way she must’ve
noticed my hand still hov-
ering above the snooze
button.
Neither of us moved;
neither of us wanted to. At
different levels, we both
understood that moving
meant setting things into
motion that could some-
how never be turned back.
Slowly, I drew my hand
away from the alarm clock
and gestured for her to join
me on the bed.
There was no running,
no broad-smiled dive
over the footboard. She
approached with obvious
hesitation, her eyes mov-
ing between the radio and
me.
“What’s going on, Dad?”
she asked again.
Pulling her close, we
listened to the radio as I
struggled to find the words
to answer her question. Af-
ter a series of false starts, I
decided there was really
only one place to begin.
As the events of that
morning continued to un-
fold from the radio, we al-
lowed our voices to carry
over the reports of terror-
ism — and spoke, instead,
of what it means to be an
American.
Today marks 18 years
since I’ve stopped setting
my alarm to go off with the
morning news.
I write this in memory
of those innocent lives that
were lost, as well as for the
loss of innocence we all ex-
perienced in some way or
another…
LETTERS
Smaller than normal
lots another option
Will the City of Florence consider
zero-lot-line homes on smaller than
normal lots?
These could be used for smaller,
less expensive “starter homes,” with
less house to clean and less lot to
maintain. It could provide more af-
fordable housing opportunities for
those who need that option.
—Paul Floto
Florence
Initially skeptical of
North Jetty stewardship
I am very appreciative of the hard
work the Lane County Park rang-
ers are providing in the North Jetty
area. As a daily beach walker, I see
firsthand the efforts that are being
made by Dan Anderson and his team
of rangers. So far, I have seen daily
inspections of the parking area (and
rangers picking up trash), improve-
ments in the pothole situation of the
lot itself, and the removal of large
tracts of Scotch Broom.
Trash receptacles have been in-
stalled in the parking lot, which facil-
itates myself and other walkers being
able to remove trash from the beach
without having to take it home to dis-
pose of (some of which I would really
rather not have in my car!)
Yesterday I observed a ranger re-
moving a dead and decaying sea lion
to a more remote location and bury-
ing it so that beachgoers (lots of chil-
dren on the beach lately) would not
be subjected to the possible spread of
disease.
Initially skeptical of the change
in North Jetty stewardship, I could
not be more impressed. Five stars to
Ranger Anderson and his crew.
—Cris Reep
Florence
Raising next generation
of terrorists
What more efficient way to breed
the next generation of fanatical ter-
rorists devoted to harming this coun-
try than to separate children from
their families and keep them in cag-
es?
As you sow, so shall you reap.
God help us.
—Edward Gunderson
Florence
Had enough TDS
I agree with Ian Eales’ response
to the Preislers letter “Have you
had enough?” (Sept. 4).
Well, I have had enough. Enough
of “Trump Derangement Syn-
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WHERE TO WRITE
drome” (TDS). If it’s not a Russian
conspiracy theory or obstruction of
justice, then it’s racism and sharp-
ie-gate — all foisted upon the pub-
lic with the help of the mainstream
media’s wild, ignorant claims with
little or no proof.
I’ve always tried to believe in the
words of Thomas Jefferson: “I nev-
er considered a difference of opinion
in politics, in religion, in philosophy,
as cause’ for withdrawing from a
friend.” You may have seen these
words before; they are written at
the top of each “Opinion” page
of this very newspaper. As an in-
dependent voter, I investigate all
sides, but the rampant TDS that
fills our lives today can make Jef-
ferson’s words nearly impossible to
complete.
Jefferson’s words also bring to
mind another proverb from the
past: “There are none so blind as
those that will not see. The most de-
luded people are those who choose
to ignore what they already know.”
Or, the biblical verse Jeremiah 5:21:
“Hear this now, O foolish people,
and without understanding; which
have eyes, and see not; which have
ears, and hear not.”
—Michael J. Davis
Florence
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