OPINION
A4 HERMISTONHERALD.COM
SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 2015
EDITORIAL • COMMENTARY • LETTERS
HermistonHerald
VOLUME 109 ɿ NUMBER 9
JESSICA KELLER
EDITOR
jkeller@hermistonherald.com
541-564-4533
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Critical thinking
I
am bringing to my
readers today a sad and
sorry confession. Several
weeks ago, I planted the
seeds of mental illness in the
minds of some unsuspecting
and otherwise innocent
young people, naive and
trusting students in my
Blue Mountain Community
College public speaking
class.
In mitigation, I will
plead that the planting was
a requirement of the course,
but that does not absolve me
of the crime. You see, one
of the course requirements
is to introduce and nurture
students into an attitude of
“critical thinking.” This is an
easy area for me to teach, as
I have been the little (or not
so little) dog pulling back
the curtain for as long as I
remember. Parent-teacher
conferences were tough for
my mother, as teacher after
teacher joined the refrain:
He won’t take anything
for granted and demands
explanations of everything.
But I digress.
Back to my poor students.
I explained that critical
thinking begins with a very
simple question, “Why?”
Everything has a reason, and
every actor (as in “someone
who acts,” not as in “movie
star”) should be able to
clearly describe the “why” of
his action. If his description
is muddled or nonexistent,
then the “why” is likely a
reason he won’t admit to,
one based on emotion, or
that he’s acting under the
direction of another. “Why?”
develops a long list of
addenda: “Why did you do
that? Why do you want that?
Why did you say that?” and
so on, all of which should —
if the actor is honest — have
answers.
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mental illness? Well it
seems the manual used by
psychiatrists to diagnose
mental illness lists something
FDOOHG³2SSRVLWLRQDO'H¿DQFH
Disorder.” ODD symptoms
include “questioning
DXWKRULW\QHJDWLYLW\GH¿DQFH
argumentativeness and being
easily annoyed.” Sounds
more like a typical 2-year-old
— or a trial attorney — to me.
In short, by telling my
students to ask “why?”
without saying “but not
of anyone in a position of
authority,” I have placed my
students at risk for a long stay
in a special room with very
soft walls. Bad instructor. No
cookie.
Letters Policy
THOMAS CREASING
OFF THE BENCH
Herald columnist
Yet, shouldn’t a free and
thoughtful human being
question authority? Serfs
and slaves have so-called
owners who don’t want
them asking questions. Why
should asking “why can
you tell me what to do?” be
grounds for mental health
treatment? Dissidents in
the Soviet Union were sent
to “psychiatric hospitals,”
which sounds like what’s
being proposed here, in
a quiet and understated
form. Or, if not a hospital,
mandatory medication for the
GH¿DQWSHUVRQ¶V³RZQJRRG´
This is not to say that
authority never has valid
reasons to exist, but it should
not fear “why” as much as it
does these days. For instance,
the answer to “why can the
FLW\¿QHPHIRUGULYLQJSDVW
a yellow light?” is simple:
You drove your car on a
public road and did not stop
for a yellow light. Go put up
a yellow light on your own
Hundred Acre Wood, and
you can drive past it to your
heart’s content.
I remember a
conversation early on with
other judges, discussing
verdicts. They were amazed
that I took time to explain
my decision to the losing
party, whether defendant
RURI¿FHU$QXPEHURI
them disagreed but had no
good answer when I asked
how (another good critical-
thinking question starter)
someone could be expected
to change his behavior if he
wasn’t informed why it was
incorrect.
Free people shouldn’t fear
critical thinking. Oligarchs,
on the other hand, should.
Given that one aspect of
critical thinking is now
described as mental illness,
a critical thinker would see
that as a serious clue as to
whether he’s seen as a person
— or slave.
That’s just the critical
opinion of a critically
thinking guy. You can get
critical by sharing your
opinions in response with
letters to the editor or by
email to hermistonherald
offthebench@gmail.com.
Names of the terminally shy
will be withheld on request.
— Thomas Creasing is the
Hermiston Municipal Court
judge and columnist for the
Hermiston Herald
The Hermiston Herald welcomes original letters for
publication on public issues and public policies. Submitted
letters must be signed by the author and include the city of
residence and a daytime phone number. Phone numbers
will not be published. Letters may be mailed to the
Hermiston Herald, 333 E. Main, Hermiston, OR, 97838;
or emailed to editor@hermistonherald.com
Hermiston lucky to
have animal shelter
T
he Humane Society
of Eastern Oregon
Pet Rescue has
come under attack
recently as concerned
residents have brought a
series of complaints to the
City Council who want
FLW\RI¿FLDOVWRORRNLQWR
the matter. This in itself
is not necessarily a bad
thing. The city, after all,
does contract with the
shelter to take in animals
that are found loose or
seized within Hermiston.
What is unfortunate
is the tone this issue
has taken, with genuine
concerns getting lost in
the anger or amid general
discontent with the
shelter based on poor past
experiences.
Another thing that
is getting lost in the
negativity is the fact that
Hermiston is fortunate
to have a facility like Pet
Rescue, regardless of
whether or not it practices
euthanasia, which appears
to be at the center of most
of the complaints.
Pet Rescue takes in
stray animals, primarily
dogs, or pets that owners
can no longer care for
or keep and gives them
a temporary home.
Essentially, Pet Rescue
takes in animals off the
streets, where they are in
danger of getting hit by
cars or causing trouble,
and provides people
with an alternative to
abandoning animals they,
for whatever reason,
cannot maintain as pets.
After these animals are
JESSICA KELLER
HERMISTON HERALD
Editor
brought to the facility,
they are cared for —
provided shelter that
keeps them out of the
elements and receive food
and water, no guarantee if
left to their own devices
on the streets. The ones
that are eligible are
placed up for adoption.
Numerous animals have
received a new lease on
life after being adopted
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home because of Pet
Rescue through the years.
Yes, some animals,
including the ones that
are sick or aggressive,
are euthanized. This,
however, is not unique
and is a standard
operating procedure at
many animal shelters
in large cities and
small. Unfortunately,
Pet Rescue is a small
operation — with limited
shelter space. It also
doesn’t have the money
or resources available to
provide medical care or
rehabilitation some of
the animals may need.
Just as it would be cruel
to let animals that are
sick continue to suffer,
it would be irresponsible
to place dogs that are
aggressive toward
humans in homes.
Overall, Pet Rescue
provides a very valuable
service to this part
of Umatilla County.
Without it, where would
Hermiston and the
surrounding areas, and,
more importantly, these
animals be?
That said, Pet Rescue
should not get a free pass
because it is providing a
service to the community.
If the animals were
mistreated or neglected,
obviously, that should
be reported to law
enforcement authorities.
Thus far, however, the
complaints about Pet
Rescue have not been
about criminal activity,
which is important to
note.
At the same time,
valid concerns about the
facility should not be
disregarded by the pet
shelter, especially when
they are accompanied
by reasonable solutions
that can be implemented.
Surely productive
suggestions would be
welcome.
Unfortunately, valid
concerns and solutions
are getting lost amid
those complaints by
people who dislike Pet
Rescue or its directors
on principle. Regardless
of how well meaning a
cause is, if the chorus
of general discontent is
so loud and negative in
nature, any positive or
productive suggestions or
measures generated may
be drowned out in the
process.
Presumably, all
parties involved in this
conversation are acting
out of concern for the
animals’ well being at
the pet shelter. In that
case, perhaps the most
productive course of
action at this juncture
would be for past
animosity and ill will to
be set aside and for the
various parties involved
to sit down together,
maybe with a neutral
third party, so legitimate
concerns and complaints
can be addressed,
questions answered and,
hopefully, solutions
amenable to everybody
can be found.
So far, one positive
change has come from
this largely negative
issue: Beginning in
February, Pet Rescue
will be working with the
Oregon Humane Society
for a van to regularly
come and take some of
the dogs at the shelter
and place them elsewhere
so they can be adopted.
This should ease some
of Pet Rescue’s burden,
especially in caring for
larger dogs, and also
free up space for animals
needing temporary
shelter.
This is a positive
step. Another positive
step would be for all
concerned parties to
work together in a
cooperative, rather than
antagonistic, manner to
make Pet Rescue an even
greater service in the
community.
— Jessica Keller is
the editor of the Herm-
iston Herald. She can
be reached at jkeller@
hermistonherald.com
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Tour of Knowledge
supports Pet Rescue
or injured animals or an emergency
rescue. They do so much with what
they have, even opening their doors
Last year, the Tour of Knowledge to pets that need a warm place on the
was able to take a tour of the Pet Res- evenings that the Warming Station
cue facility. All of those who took the opens. The adoption fees are set to
tour were impressed with the amount help cover the feeding, housing and
of work that is accomplished on a any medical costs for all animals.
daily basis at the facility. The facility Humane euthanasia is offered for a
was clean, and the animals were re- fee to pet owners who cannot afford
sponsive to the people visiting. The the cost of a veterinarian and is only
staff and volunteers at Pet Rescue considered for the residents of the
operate an open-door facility and do shelter if that animal is extremely ill
not on a daily basis know if they will or aggressive. Sometimes, as supplies
be dealing with owner surrenders, are available, Pet Rescue can help with
RI¿FLDOV GURSSLQJ RII VWUD\V VLFN emergency food for pets and vaccina-
tions that do not require a veterinarian.
Since the time of the Tour of Knowl-
edge’s visit, Pet Rescue has undergone
some renovations and held an open
house. Many of the core members of
Tour of Knowledge have had happy
and successful adoptions through Pet
Rescue. For all those reasons, the Tour
of Knowledge stands solidly in sup-
port of this organization that grew out
of one community member trying to
meet a need that she saw.
NANCY DUNCAN
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND SPOKESPER-
SON
TOUR OF KNOWLEDGE
ELECTED OFFICIALS
STATE
District 29: Sen. Bill Hansell,
R-Umatilla Co., 900 Court St. N.E.,
S-423, Salem, OR 97301, 503-986-
1729. 101 S.W. Third St., Pendleton,
OR 97801 (541) 278-1396. E-mail:
ssen.billhansell@state.or.us.
District 30: Sen. Ted Ferrio-
li, R-John Day; 900 Court St. N.E.,
S-223 Salem, OR 97301, 503-986-
1950. 750 W. Main, John Day, OR
97845, (541) 575-2321. E-mail: ferr-
ioli.sen@state.or.us.
District 58: Rep. Bob Jenson,
R-Pendleton; 900 Court St. N.E.,
H-480, Salem, OR 97301, 503-986-
1458. 2126 N.W. 21st., Pendleton,
OR 97801, (541) 276-2707. E-mail:
rep.bobjenson@state.or.us.
District 57: Rep. Greg Smith,
R-Morrow, 900 Court St. N.E.,
H-280, Salem, OR 97301, 503-986-
1457. P.O. Box 215, Heppner, OR
97836, (541) 676-5154. E-mail:
smith.g.rep@state.or.us.
FEDERAL
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
Sac Annex Building, 105 Fir St.,
No. 201, La Grande, OR 97850;
(541) 962-7691. E-mail: kath-
leen_cathey@wyden.senate.gov;
(Kathleen Cathey, community repre-
sentative); 717 Hart Building, Wash-
ington, D.C. 20510, (202) 224-5244.
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley
One World Trade Center, 121 SW
Salmon Street, Suite 1250, Portland,
OR 97204; (503) 326-3386; Dirksen
6HQDWH 2I¿FH %XLOGLQJ 6'%%
Washington, D.C. 20510. (202) 224-
3753.
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (2nd
District)
843 E. Main St., Suite 400, Med-
ford, OR 97504, (541) 776-4646,
(800) 533-3303; 2352 Rayburn
+RXVH2I¿FH%XLOGLQJ:DVKLQJWRQ
D.C. 20515, (202) 225-6730