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Opinion
Blue Mountain Eagle
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t’s over. Finally, it’s over.
After 41 days that
alternated between hand-
wringing and heart-wrenching,
the occupation of the Malheur
Wildlife Refuge has ended.
Four protesters remained until
Thursday. Much of their last
12 harrowing, confusing hours
in the refuge streamed live and
unedited through the Internet. It
was a glimpse into paranoia and
fear, into anger and frustration.
We heard grievances about
this country — a lack of jobs,
a lack of purpose, a lack of
morality, a lack of future. It
was the cry of the fearful, the
pessimistic and the proud,
grabbing the bullhorn and the
moment and shouting straight
into our speakers.
Whatever it was, you had
to listen. At times it was scary
— the threat of violence both
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ever-present. And at times
it was farcical — the list of
grievances included Hillary
Clinton, the Middle East and a
lack of marijuana.
But there is no laughing off
the underlying issue.
This has been a traumatic
experience for Eastern Oregon.
The days sure were dark.
And now that the out-of-state
SOD\HUVKDYHOHIWWKH¿HOG
we’re left to sift through their
message and their actions.
For 41 days, Eastern Oregon
was a dangerous place to be.
Not because of the armed men
and women holed up at the
Malheur Wildlife Refuge, and
not because of federal and state
law enforcement swarming
around them. They posed
threats only to one another and
anyone who stood between
them.
But the weapons carried by
both sides isn’t what threatened
us.
The danger is the seeds,
already planted and beginning
to take root, now doused
with gallons of water and a
hefty heap of fertilizer. You
know the kind. The seeds of
mistrust for neighbors with
the wrong bumper sticker
on their truck. Of animosity
toward “the government” as a
bogeyman instead of an entity
that can and should be held
accountable by the people. Of
blatant disregard for reasonable
discourse — instead choosing
to cling to a single line from the
Constitution, an ugly prejudice,
or a stern glare and a wall of
silence.
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taking off from Malheur Lake,
the occupiers have left. It’s
up to us to decide what their
pattern in the sky means, and
which seeds we want to tend to
now that they’re gone.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
F ARMER ’ S F ATE
Mommy Milk Cow mom-isms
By Brianna Walker
For the Blue Mountain Eagle
I milked my first cow at my
grandparents’ house when I was
little. So little, I had a hard time
balancing on the little T-shaped
milking stool, and my fingers
didn’t seem to reach all the
way around the teat. Finally my
grandma sat on the wooden stool
and pulled me in front of her. She
wrapped her own hands around
my fingers, and “we” milked the
cow together. Filling up the buck-
et with warm frothy milk, while
every once in a while “shooting”
a stream into the cat’s tin.
Since then, my milking expe-
rience has covered sheep, goats
and dogs (don’t ask). Mostly re-
cently, with the addition of a new
baby, I have experienced life on
the other side of the fence, as my
family has began affectionately
(I hope) calling me Mommy Milk
Cow.
Within days of giving birth,
I came down with mastitis, and
soon learned that “feeding on
demand” has much less to do
with the baby’s demand than
the mother’s. As I
was trying (often
unsuccessfully)
to fill up the ba-
by’s walnut-sized
stomach with a
grapefruit-sized
Brianna
quantity of milk,
Walker
I realized that it
was from sore,
tired, engorged, nursing wom-
en that coined some of the most
common “Mom-isms.”
1. “Don’t play with your
food!”
Said the sleep-deprived mom
who just wants her baby to eat, so
she can go back to bed.
2. “You will stay there until all
your food is gone!”
Said the engorged mom who
came into her milk too suddenly
and is dying from the pressure.
3. “Think of all those starv-
ing children in (insert country of
your choice) that would be de-
lighted to eat your food.”
Said the mom who is part Hol-
stein and is swarming in milk
enough to feed twins.
4. “It’s no use crying over
spilled milk.”
Said the mom who accidental-
ly sprayed her crying baby in the
face with milk.
5. “You just ate an hour ago!”
Said the mom whose baby pre-
fers little snacks around the clock
instead of fewer, more hearty
meals.
6. You will eat it, and you will
like it!”
Said the no-nonsense mom
who has already been through
this four times before.
As the baby and I go through
the above steps, in no particu-
lar order, I am starting to think
I should get two henna tattoos
across my chest, giving the baby
the option between “Take It” or
“Leave It.”
As the Mommy/Baby dance
will continue as he grows, I look
forward to seeing what other
phrases or words of wisdom I
will start to view in a different
light. But until then, I’ll enjoy my
role as Mommy Milk Cow — as
long as my husband continues in
his role as Daddy Diaper.
Brianna Walker occasionally
writes about the Farmer’s Fate
for the Blue Mountain Eagle.
L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR
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no people at ambush
W HERE TO WRITE
GRANT COUNTY
Grant County Courthouse — 201
S. Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City
97820. Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax: 541-
575-2248.
Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon
City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0509. Fax:
541-575-0515. Email: tocc1862@centu-
rylink.net.
Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville
97825. Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541-
987-2187. Email:dville@ortelco.net
John Day — 450 E. Main St, John Day,
97845. Phone: 541-575-0028. Fax: 541-
575-1721. Email: cityjd@centurytel.net.
/ong CreeN — P.O. Box 489, Long
Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax:
541-421-3075. Email: info@cityoÀong-
creek.com.
Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monu-
ment 97864. Phone and fax: 541-934-
2025. Email: monument@oregontrail.net.
Mt 9ernon — P.O. Box 647, Mt.
Vernon 97865. Phone: 541-932-4688. Fax:
541-932-4222. Email: cmtv@ortelco.net.
Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie
City 97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax:
820-3566. Email: pchall@ortelco.net.
Seneca — P.O. Box 208, Seneca
97873. Phone and fax: 541-542-2161.
Email: cityseneca@centurytel.net.
SALEM
Gov .ate Brown D — 254 State
Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378-
3111. Fax: 503-378-6827. Website: www.
governor.state.or.us/governor.html.
Oregon Legislature — State Capitol,
Salem, 97310. Phone: (503) 986-1180.
Website: www. leg.state.or.us (includes
Oregon Constitution and Oregon Revised
Statutes).
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
P UBLISHED EVERY
W EDNESDAY BY
State Rep CliII Bent] R-Ontario (Dis-
trict: 60), Room H-475, State Capitol, 900
Court St. N.E., Salem OR 97301. Phone:
503-986-1460. Email: rep.cliffbentz@state.
or.us. Website: www.leg.state.or.us/bentz/
home.htm.
State Sen Ted )errioli R — (District
30) Room S-223, State Capitol, Salem
97310. Phone: 503-986-1950. Email: sen.
tedferrioli@state.or.us. Email: TFER2@aol.
com. Phone: 541-490-6528. Website: www.
leg.state.or.us/ferrioli.
Oregon Legislative Information —
(For updates on bills, services, capitol or
messages for legislators) — 800-332-2313.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
The :hite +ouse 1600 Pennsylva-
nia Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20500;
Phone-comments: 202-456-1111; Switch-
board: 202-456-1414.
US Sen Ron :yden D — 516 Hart
Senate Of¿ce Building, Washington D.C.
20510. Phone: 202-224-5244. Email:
wayne_kinney@wyden.senate.gov Website:
http://wyden.senate.gov Fax: 202-228-2717.
US Sen Jeff MerNley D — 313 Hart
Senate Of¿ce Building, Washington D.C.
20510?. Phone: 202-224-3753. Email:
senator@merkley.senate.gov. Fax: 202-
228-3997. Oregon of¿ces include One
World Trade Center, 121 S.W. Salmon St.,
Suite 1250, Portland, OR 97204; and 310
S.E. Second St., Suite 105, Pendleton, OR
97801. Phone: 503-326-3386; 541-278-
1129. Fax: 503-326-2990.
US Rep Greg :alden R — (Second
District) 1404 Longworth Building, Wash-
ington D.C. 20515. Phone: 202-225-6730.
No direct email because of spam. Website:
www.walden.house.gov Fax: 202-225-5774.
Medford of¿ce: 14 North Central, Suite 112,
Medford, OR 97501. Phone: 541-776-4646.
Fax: 541-779-0204.
7RWKH(GLWRU
I really enjoy Terry Steele’s
letters (The Eagle has no comic
section). Terry should get his facts
straight. The Grant County Sheriff’s
department had no people at that
ambush. Sheriff Palmer was at the
senior center when it all went down.
I wonder what Terry would say if he
needed Glenn and he wasn’t there. I
have plenty of guns and lots of am-
munition. If Glenn needed this rad-
ical individual, I would be right by
his side protecting people like you.
Joe Clarke
Long Creek
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speak up
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There are many differing opin-
ions circulating at this time. Many
are divisive, political and disturb-
ing to the local cohesiveness of the
communities involved. This is in
reference to the continuing occupa-
tion of the Malheur refuge.
We are all guaranteed the free-
dom of speech under Amendment
No. 1 of our Constitution and
should exercise that right when we
feel the need. Now instead of throw-
ing stones at individuals or certain
to Eastern Oregon. The misuse of
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substantiate their cause disturbs me.
I oppose their public lands agenda
and personally believe public lands
are for all, and a gift for future gen-
erations. Because I don’t like these
things, I am at odds with the politi-
cal agenda that seems to be the core
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Therefore, I don’t feel safe and
protected. In fact, I believe our
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and actually jeopardizes communi-
ty safety because it “doesn’t play
well with others.” Small commu-
nities have small law enforcement
:DQWHGUHDOVKHULII agencies. They have to work to-
gether, support each other, and most
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of all trust each other to be the most
Through the course of events effective in providing public safety.
It’s called “mutual aid.” Our
in the last month, a true patriot
emerged, Sheriff Dave Ward of Har- FLW\ RI¿FHUV 263 '$¶V 2I¿FH
ney County. He has stood his ground IHGHUDO RI¿FHUV YLVLWLQJ DJHQWV DQG
with the safety of his communi- neighboring county sheriffs all co-
W\ ¿UVW DQG IRUHPRVW 1R SROLWLFDO operate beautifully together to assure
agenda, just solid professional law the safety of all citizens. But guess
enforcement, with genuine concern. who is not asked to play because he
7KHPDQLVDKHURWKHWUXHGH¿QLWLRQ cannot be trusted to uphold the laws
of a patriot. Grant County needs a KHZDVVZRUQLQWRXSKROG"(QRXJK
is enough, the people of this county
sheriff the caliber of Sheriff Ward.
The events around the illegal oc- need, and deserve, to have faith that
cupation of the Malheur refuge has when they dial 9-1-1, a sheriff of in-
resulted in community polarization tegrity will respond. I believe Sher-
and has made me feel unsafe in my iff Palmer needs to be recalled, im-
RZQ EHDXWLIXO FRPPXQLW\ :K\" peached, voted out, whatever it takes,
Because I don’t agree with this in- to reinstall a sense of protection and
terpretation of the “constitutional- safety to all citizens of Grant County.
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ist” message. I abhor the violence
John
Day
and the stigma they have brought
L
etters policy: Letters to the Editor is a forum for Blue Mountain Eagle readers to express themselves on local, state, national or world issues. Brevity
is good, but longer letters will be asked to be contained to 350 words. No personal attacks; challenge the opinion, not the person. No thank-you
letters. Submissions to this page become property of the Eagle. The Eagle reserves the right to edit letters for length and for content. Letters must
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questions. We must limit all contributors to one letter per person per month. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Send letters to editor@bmeagle.com, or Blue
Mountain Eagle, 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845; or fax to 541-575-1244.
Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper
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MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
factions in our communities, we
should demand the right to hear the
ODZ HQIRUFHPHQW RI¿FHUV LQYROYHG
in the shooting of one of the occu-
piers that took place between Burns
and John Day. I know this has to go
through an investigation, but they
have free speech rights also. So
speak up, gentlemen. Where’s the
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public servants it is your duty and
your right — unless you are afraid
it may incriminate you.
0LFKDHO5&KULVWHQVHQ
John Day
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