Your Voice: Feb. 16, 2022

When the shutdown first happened in 2020, I don’t think any of us imagined that we would still be struggling with the pandemic two years later. Despite the difficulties, I couldn’t be more proud of the agency and the work that we continue to do. WAGAP has experienced tremendous growth. With growth comes change, and we have experienced some hardships in the last year. Our staff have been stretched thin, learning new grants, navigating the waters and keeping our employees and community safe.

It was no easy decision to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine, but it was one that we stand behind. At the end of the day, the safety of our employees and clientele (who are often among society’s most vulnerable) matter the most.

Last year also marked WAGAP’s greatest number of clients ever served. When our communities needed us, we stepped up for them in a big way.

We know that we couldn’t do any of this work without you, so it is with heartfelt gratitude that I say thank you. Thank you for supporting us, thank you for supporting your community, and thank you for continuing to help us help people and change lives.

Our 2021 Highlights:

• Strengthening connections with our Spanish speaking neighbors.

• Bringing CPWI funding to White Salmon School District.

• Going above and beyond, with Community Health Workers delivering groceries and essential items to people in quarantine.

• Partnering to bring vaccination clinics to our underserved populations.

• Operating Warming/Cooling Shelters.

• Helping the greatest number of clients ever served.

Leslie Naramore, executive director, Washington Gorge Action Programs

Vulgar displays

I live up Snowden road outside of White Salmon quite happily and get along with a wide variety of neighbors and friends with differing religious and political beliefs from my own. We can usually discuss those and other topics and agree on some things and agree to disagree on others.

I am a Democrat and did not vote for or approve of most of the former president’s actions and policies, to say the least. But what I did not do was to put a large flag out on Snowden Road that the school bus and children drive by every day that says “F@CK BIDEN” with the “@” being represented by the single-digit salute.

I do think that people have a right to their opinions and beliefs, but vulgar displays like that in public spaces are usually treated like graffiti and cleaned up, and the wider community often condemns those kinds of coarse proclamations. I am more in favor of civic engagement, civil discussion and voting to let your opinions be known.

Mark Browne

White Salmon

Who is my neighbor?

Who is my neighbor? In the Bible there is the account of a man robbed, beaten and left half dead. Two men of importance passed by him and did not help him. A stranger stopped and did help. The wounded man needed help and got it in his time of need. That account is found in Luke 10:26-35.

I experienced a somewhat incident on Jan. 26. I left “Restore” on W. Sixth around 11:25 a.m. and on my way, I tripped on the sidewalk and fell. I know someone driving by saw the incident, the traffic was not heavy, but no one came to my aid while I lay there, trying to get up. I saw a UPS truck go by along with other cars. As I was getting up, the UPS driver came to help me. He said he tried to get there to help me up but I had gotten up by then. And he wanted to know if I was alright and wanted to know if I needed anything. I told him I just needed some calm nerves. He made sure I was OK before he left. And I went on my way.

In the verse Matthew 25:40, Jesus is speaking: “In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” He also says in verse 45, “In as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.”

Who was my neighbor?

May Samples

Goldendale

Jail time

The Republican National Committee (RNC) has resolved that the people who violently over ran the U.S. capitol were engaging in legitimate political discourse.

The rioters’ goal was to halt the peaceful transfer of power, which was and remains legitimate according to then current authorities certified by former President Trump, despite his blatantly false assertions to the contrary.

History will judge those who side with insurrection.

The law should judge those in the RNC who upheld the resolution based on 18 USC 2383: Whoever engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the United States, or gives aid and comfort thereto ... shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.

Here in Oregon, that means Dallas Heard, Solomon Yue and Tracy Honl must never hold federal office, and could and should serve jail time.

Jim Appleton

Mosier

Abandon politics

What I am attempting to do is offer a relatively quieter option. A worthy honorable option compared to political gang warfare that has no solution or answers for humanity’s dilemma.

Question: Is it reasonable that once all the legislative offices are held by intelligent, loving Democrats our environmental problems will be eliminated? Is it fair to think this would happen soon, since humanity only has a few “minutes” left?

I question this bold effort to incite thought and maybe change. The Democrats’ hope is to dominate enough legislative bodies to implement “fix’em laws.” While waiting for this political miracle they wallow away their time by scorning, condemning and denouncing the enemy of the environment, the Republican fossil fuel “lover.” Constantly. Then the Democrat environmentalist gulps down their 100 gallons of petroleum while simultaneously injecting their 100 KW of electricity into their veins …every day.

The Democratic gang claims to be morally purer and smarter than the other gang because they liberally paint their campaign slogan with love. Question: How does someone demonstrate their love? They sacrifice something important … of themselves. I never, ever hear from Democrats how their gang, some 70 million strong, could help the environment they love by making suggestions to eliminate their consumption of … anything! All we hear is how brain-dead the Republican is. When are the Dems going to demonstrate that true love and that creative intelligence and actually do something substantial by way of physical effort for the environment? Do Dems honestly believe that their “voice vote” rights will fix it?

Oh, to sacrifice something of yourself in order to make a positive contribution towards healing the environment? What? “The hell with that, John Kerry will fix it.”

Denouncing the Republican over masks, weapons, gender diversity, immigration or race is a cowardly smoke screen Dems use to cover up their failure in actually “doing” something to ensure clean air and water. They personally contribute to the environment’s destruction but do nothing. They could, but don’t. Why? Does anyone see it yet? Abandon politics. Try the other option, if you love. Finally an intelligent, courageous response.

Gary Fischer

The Dalles

Insurrection

I notice lots of excitement in the letters in the paper from Democrats on the anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection!

Can’t blame them though. What else are they going to talk about? Afghanistan? The border? Inflation? Crime? Civility? Energy independence? Women’s sports? Homeless? Deficit? Dementia? So much to choose from. There’s always Trump, but then people are starting to notice he’s not the president now, so that’s beginning to wear a little thin.

But there is always Jan. 6, the most benign and ineffectual insurrection in history. Next thing you know they’ll be building a monument in DC and making it a national holiday.

The thing that stands out though, is the astounding hypocrisy on the part of Democrats. The fact is nobody of substance is defending the lawbreaking, and Republicans are universal in their condemnation. But that’s after more than a year of Democrats excusing, defending, rationalizing and ignoring the “mostly peaceful” BLM/Antifa riots that resulted in 25 deaths and the destruction of $2 billion in private and public property.

Then they go on to lavishly praise the “heroic” officer who shot and killed an unarmed protester for sticking her head through a window. The one and only 100% justified killing of an unarmed lawbreaker in the last century (according to Democrats).

Then they unleash the full power of the Federal Government to track down and imprison everyone involved. More than 535 have been arrested, and many have been held without bail for over a year now. And that is from the same people who failed to prosecute thousands of career criminals involved in violent crimes connected to the riots, and tout “bail reform” measures that put thousands more violent repeat offenders out on the street within hours of their arrests.

It’s been said that if Democrats didn’t have double standards, they wouldn’t have any standards, but this really is off the charts. But then if that’s all you got, I suppose you have to go with it. I don’t think it’s working though. The American people are not that dumb, and the midterms are coming.

Steve Hudson

The Dalles

Gilliam recall

I would like to address the recall of North Gilliam County Health District President Mark Mitchell. I have known Mark for many years and have never seen anything in this man but excellence of character. His strongly held Christian beliefs are the foundation for his character and his actions. Those beliefs do not, thankfully, change with the tide of public opinion or fear of retaliation. This is a man who has served this community well for over 30 years both in law enforcement and as a community volunteer. Now he is being rewarded with a recall.

I have never been a board president, but I have been a volunteer and I know the amount of time, energy, and stress involved. I also know that not everyone will agree with every action you take or appreciate everything you do. We all have different opinions due to different perspectives and varying amounts of credible information. Decisions still need to be made by those in positions to make them. Trusting them to make the best decision with the resources available to them is important.

I believe character is paramount in any situation. If you can’t trust someone, you have little else.

If we are going to look at the actions and character of this board president, I suggest we use the same scrutiny in evaluating those who are demanding this recall. There are people in this community who have been fed lies. Some have worked hard to perpetuate those lies. This makes their reasoning and motives questionable.

If this recall is successful, it would not only be damaging to a longstanding community member and honest man but it would also give power and credence to a vindictive mob mentality. This would be an atrocity.

Susie Crosby

Heppner