Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, October 14, 1992 - FIVE
Letters to the Editor
No on Measure 9
To
the
Editor:
Members and supporters of the
Oregon Citizen’s Alliance have
fallen prey to the mistaken notion
that America’s right to freedom
of religious expression grants
them license to curtail and/or
abort the civil liberties of an en
tire class of human beings.
Measure 9, based as it is upon
deliberate misinformation, con
stitutes the worst abuse of
religious freedom ever witness
ed in this country.
For example, the OCA defines
equal employment and housing
rights for homosexuals as being
“ special rights.” Having a job is
not a special right; having a place
of shelter, likewise, is not a
special right. These rights are, in
America, the guaranteed rights of
everyone, homosexuals included,
who is willing to work for them.
Unfortunately, without civil
rights, laws which specifically
ban discrimination based on sex
ual orientation, gay people can
lose both their homes and their
jobs, and be left with no legal
recourse to reclaim them,
regardless o f constitutional
guarantees.
The OCA contends that
homosexuals are not a legitimate
m inority
as
com pared,
categorically, to race, religion, or
ethnic creed. Each of these
categories is, of course, separate
and distinct, one from the other.
The issue, however, is not one of
categorical difference, but rather
one of discrimination, which
Measure 9 would legalize. (For
the record, Webster’s dictionary
defines minority as “ less than
half.” )
Contrary to another OCA
mistruth, homosexuality is not the
same as pedophilia, sadism, or
masochism. By incorrectly lum
ping these phenomenon together,
the OCA fosters the illusion that
overt prejudice against homosex
uals is necessary, in some inex
plicable fashion, to the
m aintenance o f traditional
American values. Since when,
one wonders, has the socially
destructive institution of prejudice
been a boon to this or any other
nation?
Additionally, it would well suit
the OCA to have us believe the
falsehood that homosexuality is a
matter of choice. Given the abuse
that homosexuals are subjected to
in our society (witness Measure
9), who would “ choose” to be
gay? Please reflect back to the
time when you first became
aware of your own sexual orien
tation. Did this awakening re
quire, on your part, a concious,
sitting-down decision making
process, as is necessary to the
making of a choice, or was this
awakening rather, for you, a mat
ter of discovery?
Finally, we come to the cruel
OCA argument that the inclusion
of the category sexualorientation
in hate crime laws “ promotes”
homosexuality. Statistically,
homosexuals are the most fre
quent victims of such crimes.
Their exclusion from hate crime
laws, as mandated by Measure 9,
promotes the sinful idea that it is
“ okay” to verbally and physical
ly assault a gay man or lesbian
woman. Existing laws, however
strict, are not strict enough, at any
level, to act as an effective deter
rent to the ever-growing number
of often violent gay-bashing
incidents.
In a recent letter to
“ Newsweek” magazine, one
Washington state resident made
the astute and honest observation
that the OCA is “ like the Ku
Klux Klan without the robes.”
Given that fact, and those above,
there is really only one question
left to ask of Oregon voters: How
will you be voting “ no” on
Measure 9?
(s) Steven M. Moore
Pomona, CA
Uffelman most qualified candidate
.
To the Editor:
Prineville Mayor Steve Uf-
fleman has been a very active
member of the League of Oregon
Cities and of the Oregon Mayor’s
Association over the past four
years and I am proud to call him
colleague and friend.
We have served together for
two years on the board of direc
tors of the Oregon Mayor’s
Association and I have had an op
portunity to appreciate his hard
work, dedication and grasp of
issues facing state and local
governments throughout the State
o f Oregon. Steve will have the
tremendous advantage as a new
state legislator of already know-
ing many of the policy makers
throughout the State and will use
his experience and knowledge
well to serve residents of his
district.
Even though I am active in the
other political party, I know the
most qualified person for the job
of state representative from
District 59 and I suggest you cast
your November 3, ballot for
Steve Uffelman as your represen
tative in the Oregon House of
Representatives.
Sincerely,
(s) Bill Morrisette,
President-elect Oregon
Mayor’s Association
Springfield
Payne has ‘A’ rating with NRA
To the Editor:
A Portland-sponsored gun ban
initiative recently failed to make
the ballot. Since too many
legislators from the Portland area
are anti-gun, we in eastern
Oregon must send a state
representative to Salem who will
strongly oppose the gun control
lobby.
As a lifelong eastern Orego
nian, Michael Payne shares our
values and will fight for our right
to keep and bear arms. Michael
has taken the time to go door to
door all over eastern Oregon-
even in small rural towns like
Durkee. and talk about the issues
of importance to us. We need so
meone with that kind of energy,
dedication and commitment to
counter the gun control lobby.
We need Michael Payne in
Salem.
Michael Payne has an “ A”
rating with the National Rifle
Association and he will work to
protect, not destroy, our Consitu-
tional rights. As a life member of
the NRA, I urge all concerned
with our right to keep and bear
arms to vote for Michael Payne
for state representative.
Sincerely,
(s) El wood Wirth,
Durkee
Wallace has right kind of experience
To the Editor:
I would like to set the record
straight concerning the upcoming
district court judge race. During
the primary, Jeff Wallace receiv
ed 25.3% of the total vote. His
opponent received 25.6%. That’s
a difference of 80 votes out of a
total of 11,197 ballots cast. That
looks like a virtual dead heat from
where I’m standing.
In the recent judicial preference
poll. Jeff Wallace was the choice
of area attorneys by a vote of 30
to 27. It looks like a real horse
race. It comes down to which
candidate's experience is the most
important to you. the voter.
You can vote for the candidate
who has 13 years of experience
as a legal aid lawyer and who
speaks fluent Spanish. Or you can
vote for Jeff Wallace, who has
been a prosecutor for 10 years,
was in private practice for almost
four years and who has ex
perience as a military lawyer.
Both of these candidates have
been active in their communities
and are good men. My choice is
Jeff Wallace because he has the
right kind of experience this posi
tion calls for. That experience
speaks volumes to me. I hope
you’ll join me in electing Jeff
Wallace as our next district court
judge.
Sincerely,
(s) Stafford Hansel!
Boardman
Re-elect Judge Carlson
To the Editor:
I am writing this letter to ad
vocate the re-election of Louis
Carlson to the position of Mor
row County Judge.
Judge Carlson has earned le-
election to that office He has
been in the forefront of ad
vocating much improved roads in
Morrow County-for examples,
working tor the completion of the
scenic road from the Columbia
River through the Blue Moun
tains to Sumpter, which has in
creased the tourist traffic through
Morrow County.
He lias vastly improved our
two county parks-Cutsforth and
Anson Wright parks.
The court has been of great
assistance working together with
the neighboring counties for joint
industrial expansion. He has ad
vocated additional assistance to
the senior groups in Morrow
County.
He is earnest and a hard worker
for school improvement in Mor
row County.
Having been a member of the
Morrow County Port Commis
sion, he has never lost interest in
the Boardman-Irrigon community
and the improvement of roads
joining those towns and ours
closer together.
I could mention other ac
complishments such as the im
provements to the fair athletics
and rodeo grounds.
Re-elect Louis Carlson county
judge.
(s) Paul M. Jones
Wallace best candidate
To the Editor:
I am writing in support of Jeff
Wallace for Umatilla-Morrow
County District Court Judge.
This is the court based in Her-
miston which also served Mor
row County one day a week.
I have known Jeff for over 30
years, going back to when we
were in 4-H together in the early
1960’s. Jeff was raised on a cat
tle, hay and wheat ranch near
Umapine. I also know Jeff as a
fellow attorney who is the current
Morrow County prosecutor in
Heppner. Having known him
both personally and professional
ly, I can safely say that he is the
best candidate for the district
court judge position.
Experience is critical to a judge
in conducting the co u rt’s
business. Jeff Wallace has the
kind of experience which a judge
needs. It’s a broad-based type of
experience not only in many areas
of the law (prosecutor, private at
torney, military lawyer) but in
many areas of this two-county
district. Jeff has practiced in
Milton-Freewater, Pendleton and
Morrow County. He’s practiced
real estate, divorce and criminal
law in many different courts.
He’s one of a few Eastern Oregon
DA’s who has prosecuted death
penalty cases.
Jeff is thoughtful and well-
organized in his approach to the
law. He is the best candidate for
the district court bench. Please
elect jeff Wallace on Nov. 3.
Sincerely,
(s) Andy Millar
Milton-Freewater
Wayne Fawbush tenacious legislator
To the Editor:
We are approaching election
time again and I want to take the
opportunity to talk to my fellow
voters about Wayne Fawbush,
candidate for State Senate District
28.
Having spent two terms as a
Hood River County Commis
sioner, I have seen Wayne at
work. Fawbush is a tenacious
legislator and one who cares
deeply about the people he
represents. He uses his position
in Salem to serve those of us who
placed him in office, and our trust
in him has paid off, big time.
Fawbush was bom and raised
in rural Oregon, growing up in
an economy that is very depen
dent on agriculture and timber.
He is a farmer himself and
knows, very well, the hardships
of earning a living from the land.
Fawbush faces all of the dif
ficulties that you do in dealing
with a government that is con
trolled by metropolitan Oregon.
Faced with those odds, Wayne
has delivered for us time and
again.
I remember how Wayne helped
re-open a local mill after it had
been idle for several years. I
remember the time he got the
Salem bureaucracy off the backs
of a local senior citizen’s group
when they decided that they no
longer wanted tax dollars to sup
port them. I am thankful for the
millions of dollars of lottery pro
ceeds Wayne has been able to
secure for our rural economies.
And, I am particularly pleased
with his efforts to bring affor
dable health care to us all.
O regon's economy is as
healthy as any in the nation but
we all know that major problem
face us. The health of our com
munities is largely dependent on
the health of our local economies.
Fawbush understands this and has
proven his ability to solve the
very difficult problems we face.
I have read many things writ
ten about Wayne recently which
would be laughable if they
weren’t so pathetically untrue. It
is sad that we voters are forced
to wade through all that garbage
to get at the truth. I guess that’s
part of the election process. My
suggestion to you is that we keep
Wayne Fawbush ‘in the hot seat’.
He has proven his commitment to
our rural communities, and he
gets the job done.
Sincerely,
(s) Rodger Schock
Hood River
Cooley favors term limits
To the Editor:
I attended a Chamber of Com
merce forum in The Dalles where
the program w as a presentation
by each of the two candidates for
Senate District 28. Wes Cooley
gave a factual presentation of his
educational background, his work
experience and ideas on state
government including how to run
it with only the available money
and no big tax increase.
Fawbush. on the other hand,
gave his usual mixture of hokum
and snake oil with “ something
for everyone" benefit ideas. Not
mentioning, of course, how he
has always voted for tax increases
and more pay for legislators.
Fawbush’s real thoughts came
out in a hurry when someone ask
ed about term limitations. He
gave the impression “ the sky
would fall” in a matter of hours
or days if we had term limits. The
hardship on deposed legislators
would be horrible to see and the
newcomers would be totally in
capable. Chaos would reign and
no new laws would be passed,
what a pity. Of course, nothing
was mentioned about how
Fawbush would have to look for
an 8 to 5 job in the private sector-
a situation he has never tried.
Might be good experience for
him.
Wes Cooley, for his part,
welcomes limited terms; gets
more citizens involved in our
state; will cut down on the
number of state pension free
loaders in the legislature, etc.
For these reasons, my vote will
go to Wes Cooley, and I urge
every other long-suffering tax
payer in District 28 to do
likewise.
Respectfully submitted,
(s) Dr. Stan Wells
Hood River
Seeks Matteson school house info
To the Editor:
I am compiling a list of the
Matteson (commonly known as
Madison) School House. I am
asking all who went to school
there or taught there to write an
account of your family's history.
Please include dates, names, pic
tures (duplicates or communicate
with me).
I will compile the history and
work with the historical society
with a goal of publication of our
forefathers’ heritage. Stuart Dick.
Rt. 3 Box 3246, Hermiston.
97838. 567-5056.
(s) Stuart Dick
Hermiston
Fawbush not good for rural Oregon
To the Editor:
There has been quite a lot of in
formation published recently
regarding the Fawbush voting
record over his 16 years in
Salem. It is true that he has voted
the Urban agenda almost without
fail. But the urban agenda isn’t
good for rural Oregon.
There is a wide discrepancy
between his campaign rhetoric
and his long and consistent voting
record. He claims to be a friend
of farmers, loggers, miners and
all other resource oriented in
dividuals and businesses. But he
has consistency voted for more
bureaucratic controls, more taxes
including a sales tax, and more
and higher government imposed
fees and fines.
If he objects, as he now claims,
to the stringent bureaucratic con
trols and high handed methods
used by DEQ, LCDC, etc., why
has he not voted to cut their
budget and impose legislative
controls? Further, as a senator,
why has he not voted against the
senate confirmation of governor-
appointed “ extremists” as com
missioners and for heads of state
departments? Obviously, he likes
the way things are going.
Changes he supports are not
changes for our benefit.
So, the signs along our coun
try roads supporting Fawbush do
surprise and concern me. The
people who fly his banner either
agree with the urban agenda for
rural Oregon or believe the tiger
will change his stripes.
I would like to help make sure
that those who do choose to sup
port the re-election of Senator
Fawbush understand that it is the
Urban master he has faithfully
served, not rural Oregon.
Sincerely,
(s) Donald E. Coombes
Baker City
McElligott best for Morrow County
To the Editor:
I want what’s best for Morrow
County, therefore I want to see
Don McElligott elected as coun
ty commissioner.
When Don was judge, I dealt
with him many times from my
position on Heppner City Coun
cil. I found him to be a person of
integrity, who wanted what was
best for the citizens of Morrow
County. Don is not a “ fence
rider," but a person that does his
homework and makes wise deci
sions. He’ll go the extra mile.
We need Don McElligott on
our county court and I would en
courage you to support him at the
polls. It’s in your best interest as
a tax-payer.
Sincerely,
(s) Bob Ployhar
Fels has ability to do job well
To the Editor:
Judge Peter Fels is doing a
great job as district judge in the
Hermiston area. He has rapport
with people of all walks of life
and a concern for the welfare of
all.
It is significant that Judge Fels
can speak directly with those in
the growing Spanish-speaking
community, a real advantage in
bringing about justice for all.
It was gratifying to me that
Judge Fels received the most
votes in the primary election and
I would urge his election in
November. Judge Fels will serve
very well in the future just as he
is doing at the present time.
Sincerely,
(s) Evelyn Hanks
Pendleton
Vote no on measure 9
To the Editor:
Ballot Measure 9 would amend
the Oregon Constitution to ex
clude homosexuals from equal
treatment under the constitution
and laws of this state.
I for one don’t believe a per
son’s sexual orientation should
make any difference as far as
equal protection under the con
stitution is concerned. Nor do I
think the government has any
business sticking its nose into a
pèrson's bedroom, whether that
person is heterosexual or
homosexual.
This measure should be
defeated because it is an
outrageous intrusion into an in
dividual’s private life and a
frightening attack on the fun
damental freedoms and values
this country is based on. Does
anybody remember “ with liber
ty and justice for all” ? Vote no
on 9.
(s) Mike Persons
Pendleton
Fels has efficient courtroom
To the Editor:
We are writing in support of
Judge Peter Fels. Judge Fels has
been district court judge since
January and was a part-time tribal
judge prior to his appointment.
We are voting for Judge Fels
because he is the only candidate
with experience and he has shown
an ability to do the job well.
Since taking office, he has
worked hard to be sure that his
court is run efficiently. He has
imposed stiffer sentences for
drunk drivers and he insist^ that
victims be allowed to testify at
every sentencing.
We have known Judge Fels for
over 10 years. He is honest hard
working and intelligent. We
know that he is dedicated to mak
ing our court run fairly and effi
ciently. Please v^te to keep Judge
Peter Fels.
(s) Sue Petcisor
Mark Peterson, PhD.
Pendleton
Ag-Pac explored
To the Editor:
Ag-Pac made its last primary
decisions as to which political
candidates it wished to support at
Hood River Oct. 7, 1992. for the
1992 elections.
Now that the selections have
been made it is important to at
tempt to analyze, as the OWGL
trustee and chairman of Ag-Pac
this year, what this political ac
tion of the agricultural communi
ty means.
First of all it is important to
understand the process, as defin
ed by the by-laws. A trustee, or
voting member, is there either
because they individually in
vested $3000 or their organiza
tion or the members of their
organization came up with $3000.
(An additional $5000 buys an ad
ditional vote.) At present there
are 22, or ic it 24, we are con
tinually growing. Our main ac
tivities have been receptions, field
trips and contributions to political
candidates It takes a three
quarters majority to determine
which candidate is supported
financially
or
with
an
endorsement.
What then influences that vote?
In that the meetings are open, can
be attended by anyone interested
in agriculture issues, who so far
have had the opportunity to
speak, therefore can influence the
trustees vote. Can overriding
concerns be expressed for the
welfare of the organizations
represented? That has come about
with the open expression of the
trustees. The trustees that repre
sent organizations serve at the
pleasure of lhat organization, and
yet are only one vote out of the
22 present eligible voters.
While your candidate, out of
the 60 House races or 30 Senate
races, may not have been endors
ed, the overall makeup of the
legislature is considered by Ag-
Pac. and in some cases that over
riding concern may influence the
vote on a particular candidate.
In that the legislative commit
tee chairmanships are determin
ed by the majority party, that has
to be one of the considerations.
This has resulted in placing some
funds in the hands of party
chairpersons, who actively par
ticipate in the process. Here again
the opportunity to participate is
open and your influence is
welcome.
With all this accomplishment it
still is only part of the process,
citizen involvement is required
and is enhanced with your con
tribution to Ag-Pac.
Sincerely,
(s) Don Peterson
Chairman Ag-Pac
lone