OPINION READER’S FORUM
Founded in 1906
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2021
A4
OUR VIEW
Honoring veterans and police is the right thing to do
Hats off to American Legion Post No.
37 for conducting a ceremony last month
to honor the Stanfi eld Police Department.
The post’s honor guard showcased the
outdoor ceremony where post commander
Aaron Wettering presented each of the
police department’s offi cers with a certif-
icate of appreciation along with a small
monetary gift.
The small ceremony could have been
one of those events easy to miss, but its sig-
nifi cance was huge. The post and the police
department represent two elements of our
nation that often do not receive the kind of
recognition they deserve.
There are around 19 million veterans
in the U.S. and all of them deserve thanks
from a grateful nation. They don’t always
get that thanks. That’s a shame. As a nation
we should hold our veterans up as a shining
example of what it means to make a sacri-
fi ce for our republic and honor them on a
consistent basis.
Many of them not only sacrifi ced time
but many lost much more in combat, includ-
ing memories that will forever be a part of
their lives.
Police, too, in this nation face a diffi cult
task. They all too often are recognized for
the misdeeds of a few and then painted with
the same brush. Our police, especially in
rural areas of the state — face a diffi cult job
that can be made more diffi cult by chronic
PETERSON’S POINTS
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
I got a booster shot, and I feel fi ne
A
worker at a local
this awful pandemic began.
pharmacy gave me
He has made his rounds, he
a booster shot,
said, serving the West
further vaccinating me
Coast. He has had days
against COVID-19. It
where he vaccinated
is worth reporting what
hundreds of people.
he told me, just in case
More recently, he reg-
there is someone out
ularly gives around 20
there who has not yet
or 30 shots each day.
made a fi nal decision
In total, he said, he
Erick
about it. Also, I would
has given thousands of
Peterson
like to thank the heroes
shots during the pan-
who are engaged in this,
demic; he is not sure
and other, work.
of the exact number.
First of all, I had received
In all of the shots he has
my fi rst vaccination, which
given, he has not had anyone
was the Johnson & Johnson
report a major negative reac-
shot, back in March. It was
tion, he said. There have been
the single-shot one — one
sore arms, and other minor
and done, I had thought.
reactions, but nothing that
Discovering that another
rivals the disease he was help-
shot was recommended, and
ing to fi ght.
mix-and-match was OK, I
COVID-19 remains worse
made my way to Hermiston’s
than our vaccines, he said.
Rite Aid store. There, without
After receiving my latest
any sort of appointment and
shot from him, I thanked him
a short line, I waited and got
for his service, and I left with-
the jab. This one was Pfi zer.
out any sort of feeling that
The man who gave me the
would have diminished his
shot was friendly and profes-
perfect record. My arm did
sional. In preparing it, he told
not ache, and I did not feel
me of his experiences since
woozy. After getting my vac-
cination, I felt no diff erent
than before.
As I write this, I still am
feeling fi ne. I know other peo-
ple who have reported minor
illness and aches following
their vaccination, but I am not
one of them.
If I were suff ering as a
result of a vaccination, I
would write of my bad expe-
rience. And if I were hearing
of terrible reactions, I would
be sharing those too. I would
even recommend for people
to skip this vaccination.
Instead, I am healthy and
happy, here recommending
the shot and feeling grateful
to the people vaccinating us.
The man who helped me
at the pharmacy is one person
of many who are the frontline
of making us well, and their
work does not seem easy. At
pharmacies, fairs and drive-
thru clinics, they come in con-
tact with many people. They
put their own health at risk for
the purpose of helping oth-
ers. Meanwhile, they main-
tain professional and warm
demeanors. I have never seen
one of them lose their cool.
And they are not alone in
their heroics. Excellent people
are now standing up where
they are needed. Medical pro-
fessionals have been among
the most visible, and they are
due credit, but there are more.
Government offi cials,
teachers, cooks, gardeners,
police and fi re personnel,
retail checkers, maintenance
workers, librarians, business
owners, lawyers and more are
providing essential services.
Also, unpaid volunteers
deserve praise for their work.
Our food banks, hospitals and
schools, just to name a few
institutions, function on their
labor, too.
This terrible pandemic
has revealed the characters
of many of us. When this
depressing time is over, the
people who proved their met-
tle should not be forgotten.
———
Erick Peterson is the editor
and senior reporter for the
Hermiston Herald.
COLUMN
Finding ways to give back
L
ike many families
arrive at my feet so I could
in our area, we just
kick it (it rarely did), I wasn’t
wrapped up the
sure whether our sim-
annual ritual of the fall
ilarly passive kids
youth soccer season. It’s
would have the drive
a mix of growth oppor-
necessary to get into
tunity, spectator enter-
the game.
tainment, and commu-
I also wondered
nity building.
what kind of coaches
For the ultra-com-
they would have. I
Daniel
mitted, the youth soc-
won’t go making a ret-
Wattenburger roactive assessment of
cer experience lasts a
decade or more. It starts
my own coach’s abil-
with a mob of cleats and shin
ities, but I will say I remem-
guards swarming the ball and
ber the tone of her direction
culminates with year-round
far clearer than the directions
travel teams and high school
themselves.
league play and tournaments.
Both of our kids landed on
For the rest, it’s a handful
teams with coaches who very
of falls spent toting pop-up
clearly understood the princi-
chairs and fruit snacks each
ples of developmental league
Saturday, crossing our fi ngers
soccer and off ered equal parts
for a late start to winter as we
grace and opportunity to every
watch our kids learn team-
player, understanding their
work and sportsmanship.
diff ering levels of ability and
This fall was pristine.
intensity. And both our kids
Almost every Saturday was
truly enjoyed the experience.
sunny and calm, and Butte
Soccer’s simplicity is the
Park in Hermiston made an
reason it’s the most widely
outstanding venue for sharing
played sport in the world. But
comfortable space with other
for it to work well you need
families of fans.
dedicated volunteer coaches
As a one-and-done youth
and refs. Youth sports can
soccer player myself after a
bring out both the best and
single campaign that involved
worst in people, and these vol-
me waiting for the ball to
unteers often take the brunt of
the darker side.
It’s no wonder youth
sports leagues struggle to fi nd
enough referees and umpires
to fi ll out a full schedule.
Coaching a team with your
own kid on the roster is a time
commitment; showing up to
try to impose structure on a
children’s game while being
reviewed by an audience of
very partial observers is some-
thing else.
For everything our kids
learn on the fi eld, we can learn
something from the sidelines.
Among those lessons is
gratitude, a key part of sports-
manship. It’s fi tting that we’re
entering November, a month
where we’re reminded of
thankfulness as a virtue.
Gratitude is not something
that comes easy for me. Those
who have read this column
in the past might be quick
to point out that in March I
spent the entire space grous-
ing about the month’s worth-
lessness. I spend too much
time thinking about the way I
wish things were, rather than
appreciating the way the way
they are.
But I do believe that gen-
uine gratitude has the power
to not only change my inter-
nal perspective, but to spread
good vibes to others as well.
Nobody signs up to ref youth
sports for the applause, but
a quick thank you after the
game goes a long way.
This translates to every-
where else in life. Our indi-
vidual acts of gratitude can
start to off set the selfi shness
and vitriol that seeps into
our lives. Rising above sim-
ple good manners and sharing
your appreciation for the peo-
ple around you has a cascad-
ing eff ect. We can all pay it
forward while improving our
own outlooks.
Being grateful also helps
me think about the tremen-
dous amount of time and
eff ort it takes to make a com-
munity run. Rather than just
enjoying the benefi ts of oth-
ers’ generosity, I’m inspired to
fi nd ways to give back.
———
Daniel Wattenburger is the
former managing editor of the
East Oregonian. He lives in
Hermiston with his wife and
children and is an account
manager for Pac/West Lobby
Group. Contact him at daniel-
wattenburger@gmail.com.
CORRECTIONS
Printed on
recycled
newsprint
VOLUME 114 • NUMBER 43
Andrew Cutler | Publisher • acutler@eomediagroup.com • 541-278-2673
Erick Peterson | Editor/Senior Reporter • epeterson@hermistonherald.com • 541-564-4536
Audra Workman | Multi-Media consultant • aworkman@eastoregonian.com • 541-564-4538
Tammy Malgesini | Community Editor • community@eastoregonian.com • 541-564-4532
Andy Nicolais | Page Designer • anicolais@eomediagroup.com
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underfunding and the wavering nature of
dangerous crime.
They don’t receive the kind of recogni-
tion they should, and that is why the cere-
mony by American Legion Post No. 37 was
signifi cant and a very good way to shine a
little light on a profession we depend on.
Our police and veterans will never get
the type of recognition they not only deserve
but the Legion post’s little ceremony goes a
long way toward fi lling that gap.
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SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Letters Policy: Letters to the Editor is a forum for the
Hermiston Herald readers to express themselves on local,
state, national or world issues. Brevity is good, but longer
letters should be kept to 250 words.
No personal attacks; challenge the opinion, not the person.
Kids should simply get off
social media
I just read “Equally good and equally
horrible,” (published in the Oct. 13,
2021, Hermiston Herald) and it just
makes my blood boil.
If the adults are not going to man
up and put some serious guardrails on
social media; if they fl at out refuse to
protect kids from all manner of bullying
and meanness and cruelty, then there is
still something very powerful and eff ec-
tive kids can do for themselves and each
other. They can simply shut off all social
media — I mean it.
If they can get through the fi rst week,
then the withdrawal of the fi rst two to
three days will be the hardest. But then
they will experience a new peace that has
been longed for but missing for a very
long time. They will surprise themselves
by fi nding other ways of fi lling their time
and connecting with their friends.
I hope they do it en masse. They will
be doing themselves and each other a
huge favor — and who knows, they
might even inspire some change with the
groveling social media owners.
Renee Lovejoy
Hermiston
We cannot ignore the cost
of obesity
The cost of obesity is an emergency
we cannot ignore. Despite the conclu-
sive evidence that obesity is a treatable
disease, Medicare rules impede mil-
lions of Americans from receiving clini-
cally eff ective and cost-eff ective obesity
solutions.
Medicare currently does not cover
safe, Food and Drug Administration-ap-
proved anti-obesity medications, and
only covers obesity services and treat-
ments called Intensive Behavioral Ther-
apy if it is provided by a primary care
physician or other primary care practi-
tioner in a primary care setting. This pre-
vents registered dietitians like me and
other specialists from providing eff ective
treatment to older Americans living with
obesity.
These laws are rooted in erroneous
views of obesity as the result of individ-
ual choices. In reality, obesity is a treat-
able disease, stemming from genetic, bio-
logical and environmental factors. For the
nearly 100 million Americans living with
obesity, a lack of access to aff ordable care
means they are at high risk for some of
the leading causes of death like heart dis-
ease and stroke.
Congress has a fi x at its fi ngertips, the
Treat and Reduce Obesity Act. TROA is
a bipartisan bill that will allow registered
dietitians and other health experts to inde-
pendently provide IBT counseling ser-
vices and will provide access to Food and
Drug Administration-approved anti-obe-
sity medications.
The rate of obesity among Medi-
care benefi ciaries doubled from 1987 to
2002 and nearly doubled again by 2016.
Congress should work to pass TROA as
part of reconciliation to ensure Medicare
recipients have access to the treatments
and the health practitioners that can help
them eff ectively treat obesity.
Christine Guenther
Pendleton
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length and for content.
Letters must be original and signed by the writer or writers.
Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers should include
a telephone number so they can be reached for questions.
Only the letter writer’s name and city of residence will be
published.
OBITUARY POLICY
The Hermiston Herald publishes paid obituaries; death
notices and information about services are published at no
charge. Obituaries can include small photos and, for veterans,
a fl ag symbol at no charge.
Obituaries can be submitted via the funeral home, by email
to obits@hermistonherald.com or in person at the Hermiston
Herald or East Oregonian offi ces. For more information, call
541-966-0818.