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BAKER CITY
Opinion
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news@bakercityherald.com
Tuesday, November 8, 2022 • Baker City, Oregon
EDITORIAL
Democracy is
more robust than
some suggest
T
o read and listen to the words of certain pundits
these days, among them the president of the United
States, you might conclude that America faces a peril
unprecedented in its 246-year history.
This nation which survived a Civil War and two world
wars, a Great Depression and a decades-long Cold War with
a country that was pointing thousands of nuclear warheads at
our soil — that country is on the brink because a billionaire
bought a social media platform and seems less inclined than
his predecessors to censor people.
And also because a lot of voters are going to cast their bal-
lots for Republicans.
Which is to say, free speech and voting are going to bring
down American democracy.
A curious notion, considering those two rights have long
been considered among the stronger pillars that underlie the
constitutional republic America’s founders designed.
In the weeks leading to the Nov. 8 election, some political
commentary has reached a level of exaggeration that makes it
hard to take seriously. But the people expressing these beliefs
seem sincere.
The hysteria isn’t limited to electoral matters.
As mentioned, Elon Musk, after months of speculation, has
taken over Twitter.
This has prompted a spasm of rhetorical hand-wringing
based on the notion that Musk, because he has vowed to be
much less restrictive on what people can tweet, has America
teetering on the precipice of authoritarianism.
There are plentiful examples, but a column from Anita
Chabria of the Los Angeles Times captures the flavor.
Chabria started her Nov. 1 column with this: “Elon Musk
made it official Sunday — democracy is on life support.”
She also wrote: “An unmoderated Twitter may be the tip-
ping point of democracy if we don’t do something quickly.”
Chabria, referring to a conspiracy theory Musk linked to in
a tweet, wrote that it is “all part of the far-right attempt to top-
ple a democracy that I am personally fond of.”
Fondness apparently doesn’t equate to confidence.
To believe that a social media platform — even one as big as
Twitter — can dismantle America’s foundations is the conclu-
sion of someone who is either ignorant of the country’s history
or doesn’t trust in the solidity of its foundational principles or
the essential decency of a majority of its people.
Moreover, the notion that the far right, as it pursues its ne-
farious scheme to topple democracy, would use as a prime
strategy the easing of restrictions on free speech is plainly
nonsensical.
History, of course, shows that antidemocratic forces take
precisely the opposite approach — stifling speech, often le-
thally, rather than allowing it.
Chabria writes that she is a “firm free speech supporter.”
And she concedes that “there are no simple solutions here.”
Yet she also quotes in her column Brian Levin, director of
the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State
San Bernardino. Levin opines that companies that are “so big
and influential” — as Twitter indubitably is — should “act with
a sense of civic responsibility. And if not, the law should reg-
ulate them to the extent it can be done without violating the
First Amendment.”
The key part of that statement, obviously, is “to the extent.”
And when it comes to the First Amendment, that extent is
extremely limited. There is no shortage of offensive bilge on
Twitter and other social media, of course. But that sort of ma-
terial, and the ability of people to produce it without the gov-
ernment silencing them, is precisely what determines whether
the First Amendment remains a bastion of freedom.
(Whether social media platforms themselves choose to cen-
sor speech is, of course, a vastly different matter. Private com-
panies aren’t subject to the First Amendment.)
President Joe Biden also took up the issue of America’s fu-
ture during a Nov. 2 speech. He focused not on Twitter but on
the looming election.
“In a typical year, we are not often faced with the question of
whether the vote we cast will preserve democracy or put it at
risk,” he said. “But we are this year.”
Biden went on to talk about congressional candidates who
deny that Biden won the 2020 election and who haven’t com-
mitted to accepting the results this year.
That skepticism in the legitimacy of voting — particularly
when, as in most cases, it’s lacking compelling evidence — can
be insidious if it discourages people from voting.
But posing this as an acute threat to democracy itself, as
Biden did in his speech, is hyperbole.
Nor does his contention reflect the polling leading up to the
election.
It appears that Republicans are poised to make significant
gains in Congress — the same Republicans who, according to
Biden, don’t accept election results.
In the end, there is no compelling reason to believe America
is in jeopardy — not because Elon Musk bought Twitter and
not because some Republicans who denied the 2020 election
results might win two years later.
— Jayson Jacoby, Baker City Herald editor
YOUR VIEWS
Republicans’ voting
records are troubling
Voting records of Republican
members of the U.S. House of
Representatives in the last 2 years
(according to stats compiled by
the staff of Rep. Bill Pascrell, N.J.):
100% voted against cheaper
gas, cheaper insulin, cheaper pre-
scription drug prices, child tax
credits, stimulus checks, the vot-
ing rights act, ending gerryman-
dering, fighting climate change,
prosecuting rich tax cheats, and
saving Roe v. Wade. 99% voted
against banning assault weapons
& fighting domestic terrorism.
96% voted against keeping birth
control legal and against gun
background checks. 87% voted
against stopping domestic vio-
lence. 84% voted against veterans’
cancer care. 77% voted against
same-sex marriage. 68% voted
against upholding the election.
Are these really the people
you’re going to depend on to
keep our families safer and more
prosperous?
Llona Crane
Baker City
Time to do away with
daylight saving time
Last weekend was time to
change the clocks back to stan-
dard time. There has been some
controversy over the practice
of changing back and forth be-
tween standard and daylight
saving times. Also, there are bills
in Congress and many state leg-
islatures to make daylight saving
time permanent.
With reference to the Amer-
ican Academy of Neurology’s
October/November 2022 issue
of “Brain & Life.” In this issue of
“Brain & Life” there is an article
on the effects of standard versus
daylight saving time. The con-
clusion is that we should stay on
standard time as it best fits our
bodies’ natural internal clocks,
our circadian biology, which is
synced with daylight. With day-
light saving time we must wake
up earlier than what morning
light would dictate. In the eve-
ning we can’t get to sleep early
enough because afternoon light
is too strong or we get wrapped
up in our evening activities as
it is still light when we start and
consequently get to bed too late.
The result is sleep deprivation
which has been proven to lead
to all sorts of significant nega-
tive health issues, poor produc-
tivity and greater probability for
accidents.
I recommend that we each
contact our state and federal
legislators and request that the
state and nation stay on stan-
dard time permanently.
Ramon Lara
Baker City
COLUMN
New Zealand’s sad, silly rejection of Shakespeare
BY ADAM CARRINGTON
“T
hou art the cap of all the fools
alive.” So says Apemantus to the
title character in the William
Shakespeare play “Timon of Athens.” He
might also direct his insult at New Zealand’s
arts council. After 30 years, it has chosen to
end government funding for Shakespeare
in Schools, a program in which students in-
teract with the Bard’s works through acting,
directing, costume design and other creative
forms of engagement.
Among the reasons for not renewing
the grants, Creative New Zealand said the
Shakespeare program did not adequately
defend its relevance in “the contemporary
art context” and focuses on “a canon of im-
perialism.” This bow to political correctness
infects much more than Creative New Zea-
land. It sweeps across much of the West, in-
cluding the education system of the United
States.
The rejection of the Bard is sad and silly.
Shakespeare wrote and performed in a par-
ticular time: the late 16th and early 17th
centuries. He did so in a particular place:
the England of Queen Elizabeth I and King
James I. This particularity is unavoidable
and gives us a beautiful window into the
past. But do not make the mistake Creative
New Zealand made — Shakespeare is also
for the world. His greatness stems not from
his time and place but from how his works
have transcended both.
For English speakers, Shakespeare wrote
in perhaps the greatest era for beauty and
influence on our native tongue. This gen-
eral time frame also saw the creation of the
Church of England’s Book of Common
Prayer in 1549 and the King James Bible in
1611. Shakespeare’s corpus stands along-
side these works in the majesty of its poetry
and impact on subsequent English speakers.
The Bard is credited with introducing 1,700
words into English usage, including “bed-
room,” “critic” and even “puppy dog.” His
turns of phrase still fill our speech as well,
from going on a “wild goose chase” to “wear-
ing my heart on my sleeve” to “love is blind.”
But Shakespeare’s enduring influence
doesn’t end merely with the countries that
share his language. The themes he took up
are universal. They translate through time,
across continents, and penetrate all commu-
nities.
The rejection of the Bard is sad and silly.
Shakespeare wrote and performed in a
particular time: the late 16th and early
17th centuries. He did so in a particular
place: the England of Queen Elizabeth
I and King James I. This particularity
is unavoidable and gives us a beautiful
window into the past.
They narrate the culture-crossing feel-
ing of love: “Romeo and Juliet” tackles the
disastrous follies that can attend young ro-
mance. “Measure for Measure” teaches the
importance of marriage, not only for the
people involved but also to fulfill the needs
of their society. “Antony and Cleopatra” ex-
plores the way genuine but deeply flawed
lovers can destroy themselves and those they
adore. Shakespeare’s love stories immerse the
reader within the full expanse of experience
and feeling. Indeed, one may find a story like
their own was adapted for the stage.
Shakespeare also displays the travails
of politics. “Coriolanus” tackles intense,
class-based partisanships within a political
community. “Richard II” delves into intri-
cate debates over the divine right of kings.
“The Merchant of Venice” addresses the role
of law and its relation to community and
mercy. “Macbeth” showcases the way am-
bition can beget murder and tyranny. As he
does with love, Shakespeare encapsulates
the fundamental questions politics poses
— from who should rule to the nature of a
just society, from questions of what holds a
community together to the role of God in
political life.
Shakespeare doesn’t stay neatly within
the gender expectations of his time either.
His Beatrice in “Much Ado About Nothing”
shows wit and fierceness befitting — really,
surpassing — any feminist-inspired roman-
tic comedy of today. And in “As You Like
It,” a woman educates a man in how to be a
good husband.
Though accused by Creative New Zea-
land of being within “a canon of imperial-
ism,” Shakespeare’s history plays show the
problems that attend grandeurs of empire,
oppressing the conquered and eventually de-
generating the conquerors. “Othello,” more-
over, takes a hard look at the difficulties at-
tending a Black man trying to live a full life
— as a lover, citizen and soldier — in a pre-
dominantly white society.
Shakespeare’s universality manifests in
different cultures making use of his stories.
There is a Hindi adaptation of “Othello” and
a Chinese one of “Hamlet.” Japanese director
Akira Kurosawa stands among the 20th cen-
tury’s greatest interpreters of Shakespeare.
His films “Throne of Blood,” “The Bad Sleep
Well” and “Ran” transferred the stories of
“Macbeth,” “Hamlet” and “King Lear,” re-
spectively, into the context of Japanese his-
tory and culture. These uses are every bit a
legitimate — even integral — part of Shake-
speare’s interpretation, adaptation and ap-
propriation.
It’s a shame that New Zealand’s arts coun-
cil apparently can’t see these truths. In the
name of political correctness, it has short-
changed New Zealand students of a precious
heritage. Not only that, but by rejecting that
heritage, the council also risks forfeiting the
benefits current and future generations can
glean from Shakespeare’s works. It thereby
diminishes the rightful role of one of the
greatest wordsmiths and storytellers ever to
live. We would be fools to follow.
█
Adam Carrington is an associate professor of politics
at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan.
CONTACT YOUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS
President Joe Biden: The White House, 1600
Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. 20500; 202-456-
1111; to send comments, go to www.whitehouse.gov.
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley: D.C. office: 313 Hart Senate
Office Building, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C., 20510;
202-224-3753; fax 202-228-3997. Portland office: One
World Trade Center, 121 S.W. Salmon St. Suite 1250,
Portland, OR 97204; 503-326-3386; fax 503-326-2900.
Baker City office, 1705 Main St., Suite 504, 541-278-
1129; merkley.senate.gov.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden: D.C. office: 221 Dirksen Senate
Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-5244;
fax 202-228-2717. La Grande office: 105 Fir St., No. 210,
La Grande, OR 97850; 541-962-7691; fax, 541-963-0885;
wyden.senate.gov.
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz (2nd District): D.C. office: 1239
Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C.,
20515, 202-225-6730; fax 202-225-5774. Medford
office: 14 N. Central Avenue Suite 112, Medford, OR
97850; Phone: 541-776-4646; fax: 541-779-0204;
Ontario office: 2430 S.W. Fourth Ave., No. 2, Ontario, OR
97914; Phone: 541-709-2040. bentz.house.gov.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown: 254 State Capitol, Salem,
OR 97310; 503-378-3111; www.governor.oregon.gov.
Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read: oregon.
treasurer@ost.state.or.us; 350 Winter St. NE, Suite 100,
Salem OR 97301-3896; 503-378-4000.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen F. Rosenblum:
Justice Building, Salem, OR 97301-4096; 503-378-4400.
Oregon Legislature: Legislative documents and
information are available online at www.leg.state.or.us.
State Sen. Lynn Findley (R-Ontario): Salem office:
900 Court St. N.E., S-403, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-
1730. Email: Sen.LynnFindley@oregonlegislature.gov
State Rep. Mark Owens (R-Crane): Salem office: 900
Court St. N.E., H-475, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-1460.
Email: Rep.MarkOwens@oregonlegislature.gov
Baker City Hall: 1655 First Street, P.O. Box 650, Baker
City, OR 97814; 541-523-6541; fax 541-524-2049. City
Council meets the second and fourth Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
in Council Chambers. Councilors Jason Spriet, Kerry
McQuisten, Shane Alderson, Joanna Dixon, Kenyon
Damschen, Johnny Waggoner Sr. and Dean Guyer.
Baker City administration: 541-523-6541. Jonathan
Cannon, city manager; Ty Duby, police chief; David Blair,
fire chief; Michelle Owen, public works director.
Baker County Commission: Baker County Courthouse
1995 3rd St., Baker City, OR 97814; 541-523-8200.
Meets the first and third Wednesdays at 9 a.m.; Bill
Harvey (chair), Mark Bennett, Bruce Nichols.
Baker County departments: 541-523-8200. Travis
Ash, sheriff; Noodle Perkins, roadmaster; Greg Baxter,
district attorney; Alice Durflinger, county treasurer;
Stefanie Kirby, county clerk; Kerry Savage, county
assessor.
Baker School District: 2090 4th Street, Baker
City, OR 97814; 541-524-2260; fax 541-524-2564.
Superintendent: Mark Witty. Board meets the third
Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Council Chambers,
Baker City Hall,1655 First St.; Chris Hawkins, Andrew
Bryan, Travis Cook, Jessica Dougherty, Julie Huntington.