HERALD
OPINION
and
reader’s
forum
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
OUR VIEW
Visitors show
a positive
way to relate
with others
L
et’s all be friends. At the Eastern Oregon
Economic Summit, held last week at Hermiston
High School, some of the state’s top political
bigwigs gave us insight into how our government works.
Their revelation might be surprising to some people. It
certainly gives us some food for thought.
The news, according to top Oregon legislators, is that
they are friendly toward one another. They travel to-
gether, visit each other’s districts, share meals and stay
over at one another’s houses.
This wasn’t just Republicans communing with other
Republicans, and Democrats connecting with other
Democrats, either. Republicans, Democrats, conserva-
tives, liberals and moderates are all united in friendship,
they said.
The picture that they shared of government was of one
big love fest, at least within the state of Oregon. They get
COLUMN
together, and they make friends.
Such behavior is useful, they said, as it facilitates gov-
ernment action. This is how business gets done in the
state.
In a world that seems so divided, it is useful to remem-
ber that most of us share the same values. People on both
left and right want healthy societies, good schools and
solid bridges. Also, in most cases, we even agree on how
to get those things.
By creating friendships, as is done by our state legisla-
tors, we can take positive actions. We can do the things
that are necessary to improve our communities.
Yes, many of us disagree with one another on import-
ant issues. By forming friendly relationships, we can un-
derstand each other.
We may even change the minds of people with whom
we disagree. Or, they may change our views. Either way,
we all grow and come to a stronger consensus.
To paraphrase one of the speakers at the summit, we
should be opponents with people with whom we dis-
agree, not enemies.
PUBLIC OFFICIALS
Learning doesn’t have to
end when summer begins
S
chool is out for the summer. This
doesn’t mean learning has stopped,
however.
Summer can be a great time where not
only educational learning can take place but
life-learning, too.
Technology is fully part of our culture,
and we need to help our children embrace it
in a positive way. Have your children make
short videos for you. Have them do a video
of retelling a story or book review.
The only evaluation words you need to
use when you watch the video back are,
“Wow, that’s great, what do you think?”
The “what do you think” places any eval-
uation back on the child and will begin to
develop their own self-evaluation process
on their own work. If they say it’s great, go
with it, there will be a turning point when
they may do it over or create a different
video.
The objective is self-evaluation, and it will
become an innate evaluation process you
are helping them refine.
It’s hard not to assist them with ideas
The Herald’s new look
Gov. Kate Brown
160 State Capitol, 900 Court St.
Salem, OR 97301-4047
503-378-4582
I have been impressed with the Herald’s
new look. It looks sleek and clean, the left
side column with info regarding what’s in-
side is eye-catching and, overall, the paper
looks terrific.
One thing that bothers me is that there
are no sports. I am the last person to read
a sports section, but why aren’t local sports
in the paper? Not enough room? No reve-
nue for sports? I would think sports pages
practically pays for itself. You have plenty
of room for ag stuff that doesn’t appear to
pertain to us.
Karen Hutchinson-Talaski
Hermiston
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
La Grande office: 541-962-7691
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Pendleton office: 541-278-1129
HERMISTON
HERALD
Volume 115 • Number 25
Andrew Cutler | Publisher • acutler@hermistonherald.com • 541-278-2673
Erick Peterson | Editor • epeterson@hermistonherald.com • 541-564-4536
Angel Aguilar | Multi-Media consultant • aaguilar@hermiston herald.com 541-564-4531
Audra Workman | Office Manager • aworkman@eastoregonian.com • 541-564-4538
Tammy Malgesini | Community Editor • community@eastoregonian.com • 541-564-4532
To contact the Hermiston Herald for news,
advertising or subscription information:
• call 541-567-6457
• email info@hermistonherald.com
• stop by our offices at 333 E. Main St.
• visit us online at: hermistonherald.com
The Hermiston Herald (USPS 242220, ISSN
8750-4782) is published weekly at Hermiston
Herald, 333 E. Main St., Hermiston, OR 97838,
541-567-6457.
EDUCATION CORNER
and have them produce a perfect video.
Learning and development comes from
within, as do self-evaluation and self-sat-
isfaction. You can always point out great
things you see.
Asking children to send you a short video
of what they are doing is a great activity for
everyone. This is engaging their ability of
comprehension along with being a point of
connection with the child.
The video can be about an activity they
did, a story they read or that was read to
them or just how their day was. Any of these
skills helps the student build the ability to
communicate, evaluate and learn. Watch
over just a short period of time how their
short videos will improve.
█
Scott Smith, doctor of education, is a 40-plus year
Umatilla County educator and serves on the Decoding
Dyslexia Oregon board as its parent/teacher liaison.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
President Joe Biden
Comment line: 202-456-1111
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz
2185 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Medford office: 541-776-4646
SCOTT
SMITH
To get started, do a quick check on You-
Tube of kids doing explanation videos and
watch a couple with the child. Ask them
if they would like to make a video about
something they are currently experiencing.
Chances are strong they will. You’ll have
them hooked.
It may take a couple of times asking, but
once they feel this is important to you, they
will most likely take an interest. In most
cases, children want two things, to please
you and to be in control.
If they say no, just tell them to let you
know when and allow them to go off on
their own. Chances are high they will want
to take on making a video.
All these activities build the child’s ability
to expand their understanding and explain
in their own words their perspective. These
skills are key in school.
Have fun and watch the learning take
place before your eyes.
Periodical postage paid at Hermiston, OR.
Postmaster, send address changes to
Hermiston Herald, 333 E. Main St.,
Hermiston, OR 97838.
Member of EO Media Group Copyright ©2022
Door-to-door ministry,
an important freedom
June 17, 2002, was just another
day for Hermiston and the nation.
But for me, as one of Jehovah’s Wit-
nesses, this day significantly im-
pacted my life and in ways every-
one in the United States. That day
a landmark Supreme Court case
affirmed the rights of Jehovah’s Wit-
nesses to engage in our hallmark
door-to-door ministry. Significantly,
a facet of free speech was protected
for all citizens.
The door-to-door activity of Jeho-
vah’s Witnesses was almost banned
by one U.S. village in the late ’90s. A
case challenging the town’s actions
(Watchtower v. Stratton) went all the
way to the Supreme Court.
This paved the path for all US
residents to maintain open dia-
logue with their neighbors on any
number of issues including envi-
ronmental, civic, political or edu-
cational.
Now, 20 years later, I think back
on the impact of this case on me,
fellow Witnesses and my commu-
nity. I have seen first-hand how
people change their lives because
they received a knock on the door
from Jehovah’s Witnesses. In fact,
CORRECTIONS
Printed on
recycled
newsprint
It is the policy of the Hermiston Herald to correct
errors as soon as they are discovered. Incorrect
information will be corrected on Page A2. Errors
committed on the Opinion page will be corrected on
that page. Corrections also are noted in the online
versions of our stories. Please contact the editor at
editor@hermistonherald.com or call 541-278-2673 with
issues about this policy or to report errors.
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. The Hermiston Herald reserves the right
I recently spoke with a friend who
as a college student was worried
about where the world was headed
and pondering life’s meaning
when witnesses knocked on her
door. She feels that visit saved her
in numerous ways. It feels good
to freely share a positive message
with my neighbors, knowing my
rights are protected by that legal
precedent.
While our door-to-door ministry
is temporarily suspended due to the
pandemic, I look forward to resum-
ing this volunteer work.
Jim Westin
Hermiston
to edit letters for 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 flag symbol at no charge. Obituaries and
notices may be submitted online at hermistonherald.
com/obituaryform, by email to obits@ hermistonherald.
com, placed via the funeral home or in person at the
Hermiston Herald or East Oregonian offices. For more
information, call 541-966-0818 or 800-522-0255, x2211.