Letters to the Editor for March 6

Tracie Hornung

Parkdale

Editor’s note: The Polluted by Money series can be found online at projects.oregonlive.com/polluted-by-money.

In Support of HB 3063

Right now, Oregon and southwest Washington are seeing firsthand the effects of the current measles outbreak on individuals, families, our caregivers and our community. This outbreak was preventable.

Those who opt out of vaccinating their children could place other vulnerable members of the population, including infants and those with compromised immune systems, at greater risk for exposure. Vaccine exemption rates are skyrocketing in Oregon. Right now, 7.5 percent of children in kindergarten are unvaccinated, putting us below the community immunity threshold and endangering vulnerable populations.

This isn’t about removing choice, this is about protecting those who have no choice: Individuals with compromised immune systems, infants, cancer survivors, transplant recipients and many others have no protection against certain diseases. As a conscientious society, it is our responsibility to protect those who cannot protect themselves by getting vaccinated.

Despite what you may have heard, vaccines do not cause autism in children. Scientists at the CDC, the Institute of Medicine and other reputable entities have never found a credible link between the use of vaccines and autism in children. Vaccines save lives and we are facing a public health emergency today. Oregon is seeing the impact of high vaccine exemption rates in the Portland area as over 61 individuals have contracted the measles, an extremely contagious disease with devastating effects.

Please support HB 3063. Write your legislators and let them know that the majority of voters agree with stopping the philosophical exemption that puts people at risk in our community.

Health Professionals at One Community Health 

Hood River

City council meeting

If you care about green space and parks, attend the City of Hood River Council Meeting: March 11 at 6 p.m., City Hall, 211 Second Street.

The district-wide Community Survey on Parks and Recreation conducted last fall indicated that 90 percent of us think that there are not enough parks or just the right amount of parks, and 87 percent of respondents consider parks essential.

Almost 86 percent would pay an additional $4 to $5 a month for parks (49.9 percent would pay $10). Despite this community consensus and despite being told by the Oregon Court of Appeals that Morrison Park could not be rezoned to allow for a low income housing project, the city plans to do just that on March 11.

Yes, we need low income housing; even more so, we need affordable housing for the folks that do not qualify for low income housing but struggle to afford market-rate rent. However, we all need fresh air and green space to truly live, not just a place to live. On Feb. 28, the mayor and council met prior to a joint meeting with Parks and Rec. During their discussion, concerns were expressed by councilors that the city did not have enough parks and there was no funding source to purchase any land for any additional parks. Please come to the meeting on March 11and ask the city why it is giving away a five-acre park that requires minimal maintenance if there is no plan or money to replace it?

Carolyn Smale

Hood River

‘Scum’

In the beginning, scum formed on the top and declared itself cream. It realized it could only maintain this delusion if it could recruit/con enough sediment into believing it too could be cream if it pledged allegiance and fought the “other” sediment. An alliance forged in hell: The rich and the righteous. Never have so many fought so hard to be scum.

David Warnock

Hood River

Sore butts

Hard-soled footwear applied to hard frozen water may lead to an unsuspected “downfall.” Two solutions: 1. Shoe chains, or 2. heavy duty men’s stockings worn over your shoes will keep you upright.

Alan Winans

Hood River

Not journalism

I have received a letter promoting a “kids’ campaign,” soliciting citizens to purchase subscriptions to Hood River News. As a parent and grandparent, I am concerned about whether or not the children understand what it is that they are selling. Hence, they need to be made aware that the word “journalism” should not be used in any way to describe this publication.

If your content were remotely reflective of a journalistic piece, it would offer articles that are informative for the reader, so that they may draw their own conclusions about the issues. Your agenda of page after page of political propaganda is not journalism.

Your content is unashamedly biased, damaging and contrary to a nation struggling for unity. Your editorials are extremely flagrant and divisive...as are the cartoons chosen to berate and denigrate our leadership and our country.

Simply stated, the political bias of your organization and its liberal agenda supersede any hint of true journalism.

I have asked not to be gifted any more subscriptions and certainly will never pay to have your political agenda so blatantly shoved into my face in the future.

Linda Snyder

Mt. Hood-Parkdale

‘Useless fuss’

In reply to Eric Strid’s Letter to the Editor, “Footprints in the Air,” in the Hood River News on Feb. 27, I have some questions and comments: He writes, “Our climate emergency is worsening…” “Everyone needs to understand the severity and causes of and solutions to the climate emergency.”

He doesn’t define what the emergency is but seems to blame “pollutants,” “greenhouse gases,” and carbon dioxide (CO2). Greenhouse gases included CO2 (0.04 percent). Methane, nitrous oxide and water (95 percent); and greenhouses consist of only 2 percent of the atmosphere. This makes CO2 very minimum in concentration. Yet, CO2 seems to be chosen as the culprit.

According to various investigators, it also has minimal effect on the climate. Also, many other factors influence climate. The most consistent ones are the sun’s activity and complicated cycles of the oceans.

In the past, “We had both higher temps and an ice age at a time when CO2 emissions 10-times higher than they are today. There is no scientific proof that human emissions of CO2 are the dominant cause of the minor warming of the Earth’s atmosphere over the past 100 years…” (Patrick Moore, Greenpeace co-founder and ecologist).

High CO2 levels are good because they help to increase plant growth. I understand that this is used sometimes in nurseries to stimulate plant growth.

So, it appears that a great deal of fuss, cost, inconvenience and harm would be administered for a useless approach.

Donald Rose

Hood River

Editor’s note: Patrick Moore is not a credited founder of Greenpeace. A 2010 statement by the environmental group describes Moore’s relationship with the organization as “long-gone ties” and states that they have opposed his beliefs since the 1980s. Moore’s PhD is in forestry.

Support local theater

Local theater offers something for everyone this month — a children’s mystery at CCA, stagings from classic British literature at HRVHS and the Adult Center Theater, a rousing musical at Wy’east Performing Arts Center and a radio broadcast at Zion Lutheran Church, The Dalles. Local artists have spent hundreds of hours preparing for these performances to share their talents and timeless messages with Gorge-area communities. Please support our theater companies with your attendance and enjoy the magic they bring with the coming of spring.

Lynda Dallman

Artistic director, Plays for Non-Profits

Gratitude

The Cold Snap of 2019. If you are a skier, I hope you are enjoying it. The snow banks on Highway 35 by Teacup Nordic are over the height of a car and the snow has stayed cold and squeaky underfoot, even in the sun. Get up there, either at Meadows or Teacup, while it remains cold.

I saw Mayor Paul Blackburn cross country skiing up there yesterday and appreciate his leadership both as the president of Teacup for the past 11 years and as our mayor for the last five. I know from my time on council that he runs an efficient meeting, works hard to find solutions and is a fair arbitrator, in addition to his outreach to the Latinx and indigenous First Nations communities.

Both he and Mosier Mayor Arlene Burns traveled to Salem on Feb. 7 to advocate for safer Oregon oil train laws. They were interviewed there by KATU TV. This Friday, both mayors attended a hearing in The Dalles of the Oregon Legislatures Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction and spoke in favor of taking a strong statewide stand on carbon pollution.

This committee has spent days and driven many miles to craft a bill that would drive greenhouse gas emissions down 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Recently, they have traveled around the state, holding hearings. Ten Oregon senators and state representatives attended Friday’s three hour hearing, including Rep. Anna Williams, who received the loudest applause during the introductions and wore a sticker supporting the Clean Energy Jobs bill. Senator Michael Dembrow, co-chair of the committee, ran the meeting in a kind and respectful way, allowing everyone to voice their opinions.

A little more than half the testimony was in favor of the bill, including members of the Columbia Gorge Climate Action Network and Protect Oregon’s Progress, the Indivisible Group from The Dalles.

Peter Cornelison

Hood River