Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • November 25, 2015 4A
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Comments affect
public safety
I attended a Dallas City
Council meeting (on Nov.
16), where there were over
150 citizens in attendance
as well as reporters and
video cameras.
Typically, there are five or
six in the audience. Most
were there to listen and/or
comment on the commo-
tion created by the hateful
and bigoted anti-Muslim
generalizations that coun-
cilor Micky Garus posted on
his “Micky Garus Dallas City
Councilman” Facebook
page. I listened to com-
ments from the audience
and also the comments that
eight of the nine councilors
made regarding this issue.
What surprised and worried
me was that not one of
those that spoke made any
reference to the increased
security risks our communi-
ty now faces as news of Mr.
Garus’ comments spreads
around the globe.
In this day and age of
global communications, no
community is isolated or in-
sulated from the eyes of the
world. One of the best at-
tributes of living in Dallas is
the relative safety and secu-
rity from outside influences
that we, until now, have
taken for granted. All that
may have been changed by
Mr. Garus’ irresponsible
comments and the contin-
ued publicity that I’m sure
he and his supporters are
enjoying. Someone remind-
ed me of the bull’s-eye that
Mr. Garus featured on his
yard signs when he ran for
city council. Now, that
bull’s-eye is on the City of
Dallas. Great.
Joe Koubek
Dallas
Dallas deserves to
be ‘safe, livable’
As a resident of Dallas I
embrace the mission state-
ment of the city of Dallas
“to maintain a safe, livable
environment” for all its citi-
zens and its vision “to foster
an environment in which
Dallas residents can take
advantage of a vital, grow-
ing and diversified commu-
nity that provides a high
quality of life.”
How can we as parents
and residents claim to have
a “safe, livable environ-
ment” when our elected of-
ficials publicly threaten
physical violence against a
group of our most vulnera-
ble children and school ad-
ministrators who support
the rights and safety of
these children?
How can we have a “vital,
growing and diversified
community” when our
elected officials disparage
adherents of minority
faiths?
Will the new face of our
city be one of bigotry; one
where children are not safe?
How will this new image af-
fect the just adopted City of
Dallas 2015/2016 Economic
Development Strategy? Who
will want to stop or set up
shop in a city that has elect-
ed officials that at a mini-
mum practice permissive
bigotry or let threats of vio-
lence against children go
unchallenged?
The response of the city
of Dallas City Council to the
public rants of one self-de-
scribed bigot must not be
passive or sanitizing. In-
stead, the council needs to
forcefully speak out against
this type of behavior and
adopt a policy of conduct
for elected officials that
clearly ties their personal
behavior to the welfare of
our city.
Give the residents of Dal-
las the community we want
and deserve. A community
that has a “safe, livable envi-
ronment” and is “vital,
growing and diversified.”
Kelly Crawford
Dallas
Politics needs dose
of common sense
I’m curious to know if
anyone else has asked the
question, “How did France
immediately know where
the key ISIL targets were
after the Paris attacks?”
If this information was
obviously available, why
have these locations not
been targeted before by the
U.S.? What are we really
doing in the Middle East to
fight terrorism?
I believe we should cher-
ish the lives of the youth of
this country above playing
politics.
Let’s get them out of
harm’s way, tighten national
security at all levels and de-
fend our own borders. It can
be done!
God forbid logic and
common sense ever confuse
the realm of politics.
Joetta Chrissakis
Dallas
Leave councilor
Garus alone
I am writing to support
Micky Garus in what his
Facebook page statement
was. Yes, Islam is evil. Look
at what the terrorists did in
Paris, France, on Friday,
Nov. 13.
I know Micky is a good
citizen of Dallas, grew up
and attended schools here
and has a wife and children
in our community.
He ran for city council to
bring change to an other-
wise stagnant community.
We voted for him and now
we must stand by him.
He owns a business,
teaches concealed weapons
courses to members of our
community, and holds sem-
inars on emergency pre-
paredness training for the
public.
The people from the Left
that drove to our little town
to rally against him should
just go home and take care
of their own business. Leave
Micky and Dallas alone.
Nelda Carroll-Allegar
Dallas
Pedestrian wonders
why car hit her
I was in the crosswalk
going east on Washington
Street across from Jefferson
Street. I was in the middle
of the street when he hit
me.
Why did he not see me? I
was in a bright green coat. It
was not raining just a light
mist.
He hit me on my right
knee and I fell across his
hood. It made me so mad
he hit me. I just wanted to
go home. So I walked home.
My son was just leaving
for work, he said you should
have gone to the police.
What would that do? Was he
on his phone talking? Was
he texting? What kept him
from seeing me?
I have always walked all
over Dallas or rode my old
bike. I do it for my health,
but I could have been killed.
Alice Down
Dallas
Garus not a racist
Micky Garus said publicly
what most decent people
still think privately on two
topics, and got beat up for
it. His intolerant attackers
were all from the “toler-
ance” crowd. Go figure.
And no, pointing out the
violent and intolerant na-
ture of Islam is not “racism.”
Islam is not a race.
Tim Gratsinger
Monmouth
Bias is everywhere
Identifying bias can be a
difficult task. It is all around
us even if we choose not to
look for it. Journalists and
elected officials might claim
that their decisions are not
influenced by it but I don’t
believe that is possible.
Recently, we have seen
our very own city coun-
cilor’s bias. He has shown a
personal concern for Mus-
lims controlling our govern-
ment. He has also displayed
that he has bias towards the
safety of his daughter. He
worries that sexually de-
viant boys or men will claim
they identify as a woman to
give them a free pass to go
into the girl’s bathrooms
and locker rooms.
In the Nov. 18 issue of the
Itemizer-Observer, there was
a front-page story covering
the first Dallas City Council
meeting since Micky Garus
made the news. The num-
ber of supporters shadowed
the number of opponents
for Micky. Unfortunately,
the article seemed slanted
by the bias of the reporter.
All three of the people who
spoke before the council
against Micky were quoted
and only one of the larger
number who supported him
were quoted. Why should
this be presented to readers
in such a contrary manner?
I realize that it is not po-
litically correct what Micky
said, but it did take political
courage to voice his true
feelings. Come next elec-
tion, the voters will have a
better idea of where he
stands and if his views re-
flect their own like they did
at the council meeting.
Imagine if we knew where
all the other councilors
stood on important issues
so we could determine if
they will represent us well.
Isaac Maiden
Dallas
‘Merry Christmas,’
not ‘Happy Holiday’
Well, it is quickly ap-
proaching the end of 2015,
and there are only two more
holidays that I recognize be-
tween now and Dec. 31.
The first is Thanksgiving,
where I give thanks to hav-
ing survived another year of
increasing regulations and
intrusion on my personal
privacy here on the fruited
plain, and the other is
Christmas, where I cele-
brate the birth of Jesus
Christ.
Apparently, to celebrate a
holiday, everything that I
am supposed to say is gov-
erned by what a govern-
mental authority says is ap-
propriate and, for the first
time in my life, I do not be-
lieve what any politician or
government official says. I
do not trust any of them to
tell me the truth about any-
thing so I really don’t care
about the political correct-
ness of how I address or cel-
ebrate these occasions.
Everything that we are
told by the news media has
some kind of a political
slant to it, so virtually noth-
ing is being reported accu-
rately. And, we, the people,
are supposed to somehow
obey increasingly convolut-
ed regulations that are
passed by just a few of our
elected representatives in
secret meetings. We are only
made aware of what has
happened after the fact, and
then it is too late to make
any changes, regardless of
the bias or deceit that was
included in the legislation.
So, when I answer the
phone, callers will probably
hear me say “Happy
Thanksgiving” or “Merry
Christmas” or a combina-
tion of both.
But I have no intention of
wishing anyone a politically
appropriate “Happy Holi-
day.”
Richard Evans
Monmouth
Name calling
serves no purpose
Those who choose to dis-
agree with Micky Garus’s
comments certainly have a
right to do so, after all this is
America.
However those who at-
tack him personally and call
him racist and bigoted just
are not telling the truth.
Micky volunteers many
evenings and weekends
coaching youth sports.
Encouraging kids to do
their best, accept, support
each other, come together
as a team and be proud as
they build character.
This applies to all of the
kids he coaches and teaches
regardless of religion, color,
nationality, or ability.
This is definitely not big-
oted or racist!
He also volunteers as a
city councilman, runs a
business, employs people,
pays taxes, supports local
causes and charities. In
short, a credit to the com-
munity.
As to the Muslim threat -
just look at the millions of
refugees fleeing repressive
Muslim regimes in the Mid-
dle East and Northern
Africa causing absolute
chaos in Europe. Does any-
one not know that the “I” in
ISIS stands for Islamic?
Gene Henshaw
Dallas
More LETTERS, Page 6A
EDITORIALS
PUBLIC AGENDA
Just for today, give Thanks for all we have
Public Agenda is a listing of upcoming meetings for gov-
ernmental and nongovernmental agencies in Polk County.
To submit a meeting, send it at least two weeks before the
actual meeting date to the Itemizer-Observer via fax (503-
623-2395) or email (ionews@polkio.com).
—
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 25
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173.
TUESDAY, DEC. 1
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Dallas Urban Renewal District Advisory Committee —
5:30 p.m., City Hall, 187 SE Court St., Dallas. 503-831-3502.
• Monmouth City Council — 7 p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 S.
Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0722.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Monmouth Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Volunteer
Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0722.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiv-
ing Day, the national holiday
to give thanks and heal the
wounds of the nation.
The first Thanksgiving is
thought to be in November
1621, a year after the Pil-
grims landed in the New
World. After their first corn
harvest proved successful,
Gov. William Bradford or-
ganized a celebratory feast
and invited their Native
American allies — who had
taught them how to cultivate
the land — to join them.
The fourth Thursday of
November became the offi-
cial date of Thanksgiving in
1863, enacted by Abraham
Lincoln after a 36-year cam-
paign by Sarah Josepha Hale,
a magazine editor and writer,
author of the nursery rhyme,
“Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
Hale had published nu-
merous editorials and sent
many letters to governors,
senators, presidents and
other politicians to establish
a national holiday of
Thanksgiving.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
tried to move the holiday up
a week in 1939 in an attempt
to spur retail sales during
the Great Depression, but it
was met with opposition
and moved back to the
fourth Thursday of the
month in 1941.
In the Willamette Valley, we
have a lot to be grateful for.
We live in a great country and
a beautiful valley, where pret-
ty much anything will grow in
our gardens and neighbors
care for each other.
It’s not perfect, of course.
We have our struggles and
hardships. But for one day,
take a moment and be
thankful for what we have
rather than what we don’t.
We have some giant
hearts here in Polk County,
and this year we’ve started a
new series titled, “Commu-
nity Champions,” where we
get to highlight and honor
those people who stand up
and say “yes” to volunteer
opportunities.
We know there are many
more who give with no
thought of return, and hope
to share their stories with
you in the future.
HOW TO REACH US
Vol. 140, No. 47
(USPS) - 437-380)
The official newspaper of Polk County • Serving Polk County families since 1875
Winner of 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 General Excellence Awards
from the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
Periodicals postage paid at
Dallas, OR, Independence, OR and Monmouth, OR.
Published weekly at 147 SE Court Street
Dallas, Oregon 97338
Phone: 503-623-2373 Fax: 503-623-2395
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
Polk County — One Year $27
Other Oregon Counties — One Year $33
Outside of Oregon — One Year $38
POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to: Polk County Itemizer-Observer, P.O. Box 108, Dallas, Oregon 97338
The Polk County Itemizer-Observer assumes no inancial responsibility for errors in adver-
tisements. It will, however, reprint without charge for the portion of an advertisement
which is in error if the Itemizer-Observer is at fault.
NEWSROOM
Nancy Adams ...............Publisher/Editor .............................................................nadams@polkio.com
Lukas Eggen..................Sports Editor......................................................................leggen@polkio.com
Jolene Guzman............Dallas/Falls City/Polk County Reporter ................jguzman@polkio.com
Emily Mentzer ..............Monmouth/Independence Reporter ..................ementzer@polkio.com
DISPLAY ADVERTISING
Heidi Leppin .................Display Advertising Manager ....................................hleppin@polkio.com
Rachel Best ....................Display Advertising.............................................................rbest@polkio.com
Karen Sanks...................Client Services ...................................................................ksanks@polkio.com
CLASSIFIED LINE ADVERTISING
Dawn Ohren .....................................................................................................................ioads@polkio.com
PRODUCTION
Kathy Huggins ..............................................................................................................iosales@polkio.com
Karyn Pressel .................................................................................................................iosales@polkio.com
Web: www.polkio.com
Phone: 503-623-2373
Fax: 503-623-2395