Your Voice: Jan. 21, 2026

Every single one of us is directly or indirectly impacted, and that is a bushel of avoidable tragedies.

Jim Tindall

Husum

To Bentz

My latest letter to Representative Bentz:

“Dear Rep. Bentz, In the first week and a half of this new year, President Trump has declared himself president of Venezuela, cheered on the murder of American citizens deemed “disrespectful” to ICE officers, and threatened to charge the chairman of the Federal Reserve with a crime because interest rates are higher than he (Trump) thinks they should be. All these actions should be understood as both a threat to everything that has ever made America great, and mainly a hope by the administration to distract from the fact that Trump is a rapist and likely pedophile based on his past public statements and various court cases. The question for Rep. Bentz is thus: Are you still all in on him? Thanks, Caleb Woodruff”

I do not know if we can muster enough concerned citizens to vote this walking rubber stamp out of office but we must act as our health, freedom, and bank accounts depend on some branch of government stopping this fast walk into authoritarian rule by the least competent and most racist.

Caleb Woodruff

The Dalles

‘Crossing a line’

Dear Sen. Christine Drazan,

I am your constituent.

On Jan. 7, Renee Good was murdered in Minneapolis by an agent of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The president and many of his subordinates claim forcefully that Ms. Good was a clear threat to the agent and others. They do so despite clear evidence to the contrary.

Video of the incident clearly shows that Ms. Good meant to leave the scene without any contact with law enforcement, and that she was shot and killed while doing so, without provocation and, apparently, quite gratuitously.

She was not a threat.

She was murdered in cold blood.

The agent who did so acted with the knowledge that he would not face consequences because federal charges will not be brought.

That’s where you come in, Sen. Drazan.

If you agree that things like killing Ms. Good should be illegal, you can and should advocate for legislation reinforcing that this murder is illegal.

If you choose instead to do nothing — tacitly approving Ms. Good’s murder in the course of legally questionable immigration enforcement — we know which fascists you side with.

That you do so in the case of a middle class white mother, not a brown person, crosses a line many more of us will not forget.

Jim Appleton

Mosier

You were warned

I warned you all that this was going to happen. Let the record show that I was writing letters of warning to this paper during Trump’s first term, and while there was a period of time where it seemed as though we might mitigate some of the damage that had been incurred against our institutions, the reality of the second Trump administration is far worse than I thought possible.

Consider that in the past weeks:

The DOJ has reluctantly released some of the files (redacted, in opposition to a law signed by Trump himself) related to Epstein and possibly the most significant sex trafficking operation in human history, with Trump featuring prominently;

The Trump administration has goose stepped this country into an illegal invasion of a sovereign nation with promises of the annexation of Greenland, among others, justifying this incursion with the age old rationale of “might makes right;”

And most recently — as of writing this — an ICE agent named Jonathan Ross has allegedly shot and killed American citizen Renee Nicole Good, with multiple angles, including the cell phone footage taken by the shooter himself, corroborating this. I’m not going to say anything except that law enforcement aren’t allowed to flee the scene after discharging their weapon, nor are they assisted in fleeing their home by ICE in order to evade prosecution. That is, of course, assuming they’re innocent.

What we are now experiencing is an unaccountable executive branch with their own paramilitary, accountable to nobody, now with “absolute immunity” as the vice president stated, to kill American citizens without probable cause or due process. Additionally, the administration was out in full force within 24 hours to spin a story about a paid agitator and domestic terrorist, a story contradicted by every piece of footage.

As a result of the administration’s refusal to vacate the state of Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz has placed the Minnesota National Guard on alert in preparation to potentially have to remove ICE from the state.

It is the opinion of this author that Governor Tina Kotek follow suit before it’s too late.

Benjamin Sheppard

Hood River

(This B. Sheppard  is not affiliated with  Sheppards Tractors)

Must stop

The recent killing of Renee Good by federal ICE agents in Minneapolis was a horrible tragedy, made doubly so by statements made in the immediate aftermath by President Trump, Vice President Vance, and Secretary Noem. These statements seemed intended to simultaneously portray Ms. Good as a “domestic terrorist” and exonerate the actions of the ICE agents on the scene, claiming that the slain mother of three was shot in “self defense.” This is completely contradictory to the abundance of evidence provided by multiple videos of the tragedy from multiple angles ... information that I presume the president and Noem had access to.

Noem’s “explanation” of the event was particularly notable for being demonstrably false, a complete fabrication of what actually happened per the video evidence. This attempt to place the blame for the use of deadly force on the victim is a typical tactic of domestic abusers, an attitude I find particularly despicable, and unconscionable.

All of this has been preceded by a mounting number of verifiable cases of ICE agents using violence, intimidation, and prolonged detention without due process against not just immigrants, but also against peaceful protesters and American citizens.

When a federal law enforcement agency moves from actual law enforcement to the tactics of state-sanctioned thuggery and homicide, it is the duty of the people to speak out, protest, and resist. It is a moral imperative.

What we have witnessed and experienced for nearly a year now must change. The rampant terrorizing of our populace by gangs of masked men who seem to have little to no proper training, more desire to instigate needless (and deadly) confrontations than to de-escalate, and who are operating without any degree of meaningful accountability for their actions, must stop. I would ask my neighbors and fellow citizens to stand up, to speak out, and demand full, transparent accountability and justice. Enough is enough.

And lastly: Congress, especially you in the GOP majority ... do ... your ... job. We are tired of this, and will not tolerate rank sycophancy, silence, or inaction.

James Brauer

Hood River

Have we learned nothing?

On Nov. 20, 1943, in the Gilbert Islands of the Central Pacific, landing craft holding the Marines of the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Regiment, owing to a miscalculation by the Navy’s Hydrographic Department in forecasting the tides, began hanging up on the coral reef 1/4 mile off Betio Island, an islet the size of New York City’s Central Park.

Thus began the battle for the Tarawa Atoll.

Among those in the initial assault wave and who joined his fellow Marines in going over the side to begin the wade in through the machine-gun and shrapnel laced lagoon was Colonel David Shoup, commander of the 2nd Marine Regiment.

The Betio “beach head” was 10 feet in depth, from water’s edge to a bamboo-log seawall, 4 feet high. Those brave enough to put their hand up over the top of the sea wall could feel the heat and muzzle blast of Japanese weapons bunkered-in mere feet ahead.

Seventy-two hours after landing, the Marines had secured the island at a cost of 1,009 dead, their bodies floating in the lagoon or washing back and forth in the shallow surf or otherwise variously distributed around the islet like rag dolls discarded in attitudes which, since the beginning of time has always signified battle death.

For his heroism, valor and judgment, Colonel Shoup was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Later, then General Shoup, Commandant of the Marine Corps and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was consulted by his close friend, President John F. Kennedy as to whether or not the United States should invade Cuba. General Shoup counseled against invasion. In like manner, General Shoup later spoke out against involvement in Vietnam.

President Trump, please heed the lessons of history and do not, as you have expressed a desire to do, attack Cuba and / or Columbia and / or Mexico and / or Greenland, the latter representing an attack not only on Greenland and Denmark but also on each and every member of NATO.

Robert White

Mt. Hood-Parkdale

Evidence

Such a furious flurry of letters from liberals righteously indignant over the death of an immigration activist in Minnesota. Not a moment’s hesitation to condemn the officers involved along with anyone and everyone who supports enforcement of immigration law. First there was the conclusion, THEN the search for evidence to support that conclusion, and it was there IF you ignored the videos that established she did in fact strike the officer in response to her parters’ “Drive baby drive” exhortation. He was admitted to the hospital and did experience internal bleeding.

Interestingly, the one video that would definitively settle the question, that taken by her partner from the passenger seat, is conspicuously absent. Wonder why?

Then there’s the (curiously precise) claim 73.46% of those “held” by ICE “have no criminal convictions”. That misleading statistic is based on the number actually “held” in custody during a single month last year. The reality is ICE arrested 595,000 immigrants between Jan. 20 and Dec. 11, 2025, 416,000 of whom had criminal convictions or charges pending just in the U.S. That works out to 70% with criminal histories and does NOT include those wanted for violent crimes or terrorist activities outside the country.

Obama deported 3 million during his term, many apprehended by going into neighborhoods and picking up whole families — moms and children. But I understand, he was Obama, so that doesn’t count.

In non-sanctuary states the apprehension and deportation of criminal aliens is orderly and safe. By forcing ICE into communities to apprehend the criminals, sanctuary jurisdictions are dramatically increasing the danger to everyone involved, including non-criminal migrants caught up in the sweeps and liberal women who are otherwise immune from migrant crime.

Sanctuary cities were originally promoted on the basis of encouraging the VICTIMS of crime (sometimes committed by other migrants) to talk to law enforcement without fear of deportation. Democrats are now devoting enormous energy shielding the CRIMINALS from immigration enforcement. In what bizzarro world do you prioritize keeping migrant criminals in this country?! Seriously, can someone explain that to me?

Source: “Seven in 10 ICE arrests under Trump have criminal histories,” Washington Examiner, Dec. 26, 2025.

Steve Hudson

The Dalles

Speaking while I still can

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, a liberal or a conservative. Anyone who watches Trump speak can see that he no longer has sound judgment. He started a war in Venezuela because Maduro mocked his dancing. He stated he did it to stop drugs but changed the reason to oil. He fully embarrassed his party when giving an incoherent speech before Congress about the invasion of Venezuela. During his remarks he complained about his own staff’s cataloging of his light daily schedule, about Obama, about his “aced” cognitive tests and how all presidents should have to take one. (Medical providers don’t typically give those tests unless they’re worried. He’s had three so far).

This is unhinged behavior. It is frightening, embarrassing and humiliating to our citizens to have a demented man-child as our president. Fortunately, there is bi-partisan legislation that could signal some hope. So far our Congressional District 2 Rep. Cliff Bentz has not had the temerity to speak out for our democracy. He needs to be held accountable.

As citizens it’s becoming more dangerous by the day to speak out and defend our neighbors. I feel I need to do it while I still can. The murder of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis must be a warning, a tipping point — that it’s time for us to join together as a country to speak out against the terrorism being wrought on our communities by this administration. Any human being of conscience can see what a future like this will bring if we can’t stop it.

I had a long ride just before the presidential election with a high school student. He told me his family was voting for Trump. I asked him if he knew about fascism, Hitler and the holocaust. He said he didn’t and so received a short history lesson that I hope changed his understanding. Chilling indeed! This is a new world we’re in America. We’re the strongest guardrails left unless Congress takes a firm stand! Let’s do our best to ensure they do!

Sarah Bellinson

Hood River

Moving towards dictatorship

Most Americans have probably seen video footage of the Jan. 7 killing of Renée Nicole Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis. At least three videos show the incident from different perspectives. None of them show Good’s vehicle “running over” Ross, as asserted by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Donald Trump.

Noem, before any inquiry into the incident began, described Good as a “domestic terrorist.” In contrast, Good was described by those who knew her well as an exceptionally kind, compassionate person and mother of three who was not a political agitator. She was a prize-winning poet and a hobby guitarist, who was also a legal observer of ICE activities (BBC News, Jan. 9). She merely tried to slow the incursion of ICE in her neighborhood by positioning her vehicle in the middle of the road, and she was attempting to drive away when she was murdered. Nevertheless, Noem, doubling down on her lies about Good, now seeks her post-mortem prosecution as a domestic terrorist.

One of the Jan. 7 videos shows Ross getting into his vehicle and driving away from the scene within about a minute of his shooting of Good. If there was criminal activity during the Jan. 7 incident, it was perpetrated by Ross, not by Good. It seems highly unlikely that Ross will be investigated or prosecuted, however, because the FBI, led by Trump toady Kash Patel, will not allow local law enforcement to participate in investigations of the killing. Moreover, Vice President J.D. Vance contends that Ross has “absolute immunity” from any prosecution (New York Times, Jan. 12).

The killing of Good and its aftermath illustrate how our country is moving toward dictatorial rule, facilitated by ICE thugs in much the same way as the Brownshirts facilitated the rise of Nazism in Germany. Don’t be surprised if Trump and his henchmen continue to foment violence in America. Trump may use such violence — real or imagined — as an excuse for declaring martial law, calling off the midterm elections this November, and then attempting to make his presidency permanent.

Richard Iverson

Hood River

Mask filp flop

Remember back during COVID when people were complaining that wearing masks made it hard to breath, that the government couldn’t tell them what to do that and it was bad for kids and contributed to societal isolation? Now, some of those same people who couldn’t be forced to wear a mask before are boldly masking up and heading out to terrorize society. If they are so proud of the job they are doing, why do they wear masks, obscure their names and drive unmarked cars?

As a citizen, it is scary enough to be suddenly stopped by a clearly identified member of the police. But how do you tell an ICE agent from someone who just wants to wear camo, carry a gun and kidnap or harm you? If they are going after real gang members, they may need that protection. But masked up to go into a Home Depot, a supermarket or a suburban home with kids? Overreaction!

Three things to help deescalate all the violence from ICE: 1. No masks; 2. Clearly identified uniforms with badges; 3. Clearly identified cars. We don’t want a secret, authoritarian police. We want a clearly identified, constitutional law enforcement entity.

Leanne Hogie

Hood River