A4
OPINION
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Balance is
important, even
if it’s unpopular
G
ov. Kate Brown’s
nomination of
Enterprise rancher
and big game hunter James
Nash to the Oregon Fish
and Wildlife Commission
shouldn’t have been contro-
versial.
Far from it, in fact. Vibrant
and varied engagement in
the lawmaking process has
always been critical to the
success of democracy. But it
only works when those fos-
tering such a venue exer-
cise the virtue and integrity
demanded of this ideological
hallowed ground.
Instead, Nash’s nomina-
tion was rejected by the Sen-
ate in response to complaints
by environmental groups.
The opposition to Nash’s
appointment — which came
loud and fast — stemmed
neither from incompetence
or a lack of prudential judg-
ment. Nash’s evident qualifi -
cations generated fear among
his ideological opponents.
From a young age, Nash
always led by the example of
his convictions. Convictions
not crafted by political expe-
diency but informed by gen-
uine reverence for the terrain
of Eastern Oregon and all
that comes with it.
Defi ned by courage, lead-
ership and fi erce passion for
the natural environment that
shaped his character, Nash’s
qualifi cations, evidenced by a
lifetime of experience, speak
for themselves.
But his nomination none-
theless enraged conserva-
tionists whose environmental
policy is to give no quar-
ter and offer no compromise
when it comes to the state
they believe is wholly theirs.
Steve Pedery, the director of
Oregon Wild, levied what
surely was the most devastat-
ing put-down he could mus-
ter — he compared Brown to
President Trump.
We struggle to follow
the analogy, as the nomina-
tion represented a willing-
ness on the governor’s part
to engage with ideological
opponents and offer a seat at
the table where actual policy
is debated and crafted.
The environmental groups
also objected to appoin-
tees Robert Spelbrink, a
retired fi sherman from
Siletz, and Mark Labhart, a
retired state forester and Til-
lamook County commis-
sioner, though with less vit-
riol. And the groups have said
they plan to run attack ads
against Brown for suggesting
a commission with balanced
membership.
Their argument is that
Brown is unwilling to pursue
the aggressive environmen-
tal policies that she affi rmed
during the campaign and is
more interested in placat-
ing rural Democrats whose
votes she will need to fulfi ll
other legislative goals. Even
if that is Brown’s only moti-
vation, it’s how a state should
be governed. If Oregon Wild
and the other seven groups
who opposed the nomination
were in charge, their deci-
sions wouldn’t come close to
representing all Oregonians.
Nash’s biggest liability
was a social media trail of big
game hunting photos depict-
ing him standing over slain
hippos, crocodiles and, most
notably, wolves. But the truth
is, no matter how reprehensi-
ble hunting may be to some,
it’s a big part of life for many
of us. Bringing that view-
point into the discussion on
wolves is essential, as long
as the everyone is willing to
work together.
Oregon can’t afford
to emulate the disturbing
national trend of blind and
automatic dismissal of oppos-
ing viewpoints. The politi-
cally cheap attempt to dis-
credit a combat veteran with
a profound understanding
of wildlife management is
a disgrace not only to Nash
but a slap in the face to Gov.
Brown’s judgment and a
declaration of war against
both fact and the diversity
so critical to effective deci-
sion-making at any level of
government.
Conjuring a false narra-
tive of a combat veteran like
Nash is not only negligent,
it’s a shameful waste of a rare
asset within Oregon’s politi-
cal climate. Nash came to the
table equipped with both the
intangible and tangible assets
essential to his proposed role.
He’s hardly a political ally of
Gov. Brown, but should have
been respected across the
political spectrum.
Nash’s reverence and pas-
sion for wildlife management
and the protection of natu-
ral order was matched by his
dedication to the rule of law.
His intellect was outshined
only by his prudential judg-
ment, integrity and enthusi-
asm for the natural world.
To allow political stunts to
prevent diverse voices in the
political process is a loss for
Oregon.
FARMER’S FATE
Infl ation and the
Tibetan memory trick
L
ate Thursday evening, I
TWO-derful lit-
separ-NINE ways.
receive a text message
tle farm. He had
But how would it end?
from my dad.
worked long and
Should the farmer fi nd a
“So I signed us up to do
hard and now
TWO-derful girl with THREE
eyes the color of blue waterfalls
something at a talent show this
had several PEN-
sitting in a diner eating thou-
Sunday afternoon and then I
TA-track tractors
sand AND ONE island dressing
forgot all about it. Would you
that he mounted
Brianna
while reading a book of poetry
be able to do something?”
his bale-FIVE-k
Walker
by Lord Afl red ELEVEN-yson?
“Sure,” I responded. Who
on. He also had a
Or should the Lieu-ELEV-
needs talent or practice to sign
hyster FIVE-klift,
EN-ant be a THREE-faced,
up for a talent show? With-
a TRI-cicle built for THREE
TRIPLE-crosser and the men
out more than a few texts, “Up
and even an orange-beaked
have to fi ght a TRIPLE, or
next, Steve and Brianna Walker THREE-can. It was now time
maybe a little taek-TWO-do
...”
FIVE him to get a wife.
action THREE see who will win
My dad and I gave each
He rubbed his FIVE-head.
her heart? This back and FIFTH
other “here goes nothing”
“How THREE best go about
would continue until she shouts,
looks, and we stepped out into
this?” he TWO-dered. Well,
“You lads are both DOU-
the spotlight, carrying chairs for SECOND, TWO can’t think
BLE-minded, and my wom-
a pretend car, having not once
str-NINE on an empty stom-
en’s in-THREE-ition says you
rehearsed.
ach, so he pulled his NINE-
THREE don’t have the DOL-
“Can you believe the price
TEEN-wheeler in-THREE the
LARS God gave a fl ea! Your
of fuel?” he asked as we drove
little 8-12 on the corner.
elev-NINE-rs don’t go all the
our imaginary car into a gas sta-
Standing in line FIVE an
way up!”
tion. “Everything just keeps
8-up and a marin-NINE-d
Perhaps I should stop
going up: fuel, mortgages,
THREE-na fi sh sandwich, he
be-FIVE another
the scales...” he
bites the
paused. “Every-
“SO I SIGNED US UP TO DO SOMETHING TWO
dust?
thing except
My dad rolled
language.”
AT A TALENT SHOW THIS SUNDAY AF-
his eyes at me,
“How’s that?”
TERNOON AND THEN I FORGOT ALL
fascin-NINE-ted.
I questioned.
know you
“Well,” he
ABOUT IT. WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO DO “You
can also infl ate
continued, “infl a-
tion affects every- SOMETHING?‘SURE,’ I RESPONDED. WHO birds,” he says.
it was my
thing else. Why
NEEDS TALENT OR PRACTICE TO SIGN UP turn Now
to question
not numbers?
Tuesday would
FOR A TALENT SHOW? WITHOUT MORE — “Birds?”
“Yup, it’s
become THREE-
sday. Forgive — THAN A FEW TEXTS, ‘UP NEXT, STEVE AND called the Tibetan
memory trick.
FIVE-give. Tulips
BRIANNA WALKER ...’”
You have to
— THREE-lips
repeat after me as
and so on and so
fast as you can. One hen—”
FIFTH?”
met a Lieu-ELEVEN-ant from
“One hen,” I said, slowly,
“I could make a great (er,
the nearby air-FIVE’s base.
questioningly.
gr-NINE) story with that!” I
The Lieu-ELEVEN-ant gave
“One hen. Two duck. Three
grabbed a notebook and began
the young farmer the TWICE-
scribbling furiously while my
over before introducing himself squawking geese.”
I look dubious, but tried
dad continued throwing out
as Don-TWO as he str-NINE-
keeping up with him as he con-
infl ated phrases: Behind the
tened his THREE-pee.
tinued on faster and faster.
NINE ball. On cloud TEN.
“Why does your cons-
One hen; two duck; three
EIGHTH Heaven. FOUR Dog
ti-THREE-tion look so down?”
squawking geese; four lim-
Night. The SECOND Noel.
the Lieu-ELEVEN-ant asked
erick oysters; fi ve corpulent
TRIPLED over with laughter.
the farmer.
porpoises; six pairs of Don
Stand at at-ELEVEN-tion.
So the farmer spilled out his
Alverzo’s tweezers; seven thou-
“Finished!” I shout. “Wanna
sad story about cre-NINE-ing
hear?
the perfect farm, but still sleep- sand Macedonians in full bat-
TWICE upon a time, there
ing DOUBLE in a TRIPLE bed. tle array; eight brass monkeys
from the ancient sacred crypts
was a farmer. His FIVE-fathers
Don-TWO said he would be
of Egypt; nine apathetic, sym-
had farmed in ELEVEN-nessee, more than happy to help teach
pathetic, diabetic old men on
but since you’re only young
the farmer the ba-SEVEN of
roller skates with a marked pro-
TWICE, he decided THREE go d-NINE-ing.
pensity toward procrastination
FIFTH and seek his FIVE-tune
“SECOND,” he said, “you
and sloth; ten lyrical, spherical,
in Cali-FIVE-nia.”
must get yourself a FOUR-
diabolical denizens of the deep
“THREE-da-loo, THREE-
piece suit and learn THREE
da-loo,” his mother called after
play an instrument. Women love who haul quay around the quo
of the Quivie of the quarry all at
him as he set off FIVE the wild
the THREE-ba,” he suggested,
the same time!
blue yonder. He didn’t believe
“or maybe the QUAD-ran-
Out of breath, and out of tal-
in Dolly Parton’s “Working
gle. You just need to get your
ent, we took our unrehearsed,
10-6,” he was more of a Beat-
hands on Love Potion No. 10.
magnifi -DOLLAR Tibetan
les’ “NINE Days a Week”
The men gave each other high-
memory trick off the stage and
kind of guy, so be-FIVE long,
SIX-es and agreed to stay in
home to recuper-NINE!
he had cre-NINE-d himself a
touch be-FIVE going their own
L
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