11-18 Letters to the Editor

  • Published: 11/17/2009 7:47:11 AM
School superintendents thank all for last week’s Crystal Apple ceremony
 
To the editor:
As superintendents in the three area school districts, we would like to publicly thank West Coast Bank, the platinum sponsor of the Crystal Apple Awards, the gold sponsor, Bowman Family Clinic, the bronze sponsors, Hank’s Photography, YG Media, Lord High School, Wellspring/Silverton Hospital Network, as well as the local businesses and organizations that sponsored individual awards: Abby’s Legendary Pizza, Bank of America, Yes Graphics, GW Hardware, First Student Transportation Services, Key Bank of Woodburn, Legacy Financial Management, Woodburn Tax Service, Dulle Olson and Weekes Architects, French Prairie Kiwanis, Woodburn Rotary, Mid-Valley Plaza, Hubbard Chevrolet, Hillyer’s Mid-City Ford, Sysco Food Services, MaPS Credit Union, North Marion High School Boosters, Walmart, Winco, US Bank and Willamette Education Service District.
 
Over 60 individuals from our school districts, as well as St. Luke Catholic School and Lord High School were nominated and 21 received the Crystal Apple Award. The award winners were teachers, administrators and support staff, who all contribute to the education and well-being of our students. Our school districts and area schools are fortunate to have such high quality, caring individuals helping our students achieve their dreams and aspirations each day.
 
Every year the Crystal Apple Award ceremony reinforces this fact and serves as a memorable evening for all honorees and guests.
 
A special thanks goes to Ruby Wolfer, manager of the east branch of West Coast Bank, Ferren Taylor, manager of the west branch of West Coast Bank, who once again organized the event, Rhonda Judson for overseeing the ticket sales and other details, Don Judson, executive director of the Woodburn Area Chamber of Commerce, who emceed, and Det. Rick Puente of the Woodburn Police Department, who provided a perfect blend of humor and inspiration in his keynote address.
 
It is so reaffirming to live and work in a community that is so supportive of our schools. We appreciate your efforts and look forward to continuing the relationships.
 
Lin Reeves 
North Marion School District
 
Rick Hensel
Gervais School District
 
Walt Blomberg
Woodburn School District
 
 
Being politically correct
 
To the editor:
Everywhere you hear about being politically correct. Well let’s be politically correct.
Everyone that lives in North, Central and South America are Americans. They just live in a different country in one of the Americas.
 
I am tired of hearing everyone calling the United States of America, just plain America. Or just saying (I am an American citizen).
 
Everyone born or naturalized in the United States of America are now called American citizens. This is politically incorrect, they are United States of America, or U.S. citizens.
We call people who have ancestors that came from the African continent African Americans.
 
If they were born here or naturalized here, they are United States of American citizens with African ancestry not African Americans.
 
People with ancestry from south of the border are called Latinos or Mexican Americans. If they were born here or naturalized here, they should also be called United States of America citizens, not Latinos or Mexican Americans.
 
I am a citizen of the United States of America and my ancestry is Dutch, Irish, English and Danish.
 
Norris M. Seaton
Woodburn
 
 
Marysville school fire a teaching moment for the entire state?
 
To the editor:
Predictably, the deciders said it was too expensive to install water sprinklers and amend the heating plant to reduce a fire hazard. So now, the initial damage of the Marysville Elementary fire is estimated at $4.5 million, plus, no doubt, about another cool million or two to relocate the students and provide for their mental and emotional well-being. Then, of course, there is the new national motto, “Every crisis is an opportunity to reward those who elected you and put you in charge.”
 
So the taxpayers should expect the cost to replace or restore the school to be, who knows, generally three times what they claim it will be, because you have to line the pockets of the pals and supporters of the deciders, too. Trot down to take a peek at the granite and marble office buildings that accommodate the deciders, they probably all have modern heating plants and water sprinklers, you think?
 
The parents and taxpayers might ask that all of the deciders be fired and that all of the political leaders in charge be voted out of office for putting so many children’s lives in such grave danger. Perhaps in the next election, incumbent means incompetent and the parents and taxpayers should be the deciders to vote against another term for the incompetent decider.
 
You have to wonder when all legal, honorable citizens will grow the spine, come to the aid of the country and force the deciders to respond and address only vital priorities.
 
Where is the outrage? How many students’ lives were at risk? Should heads roll? Why is this presented as a joyous crisis opportunity? The deciders were extremely fortunate that no child was physically harmed.
 
However, that is no excuse; luck is not a sound strategy especially when putting the lives of children at such grave risk.
 
As a grandparent, like so many other grandparents with grandchildren in the Portland  Public Schools, my heart went through my throat when the first news accounts broke.
 
Letty Bromenschenkel
Woodburn

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my2cents from woodburn
11/17/2009 3:01:05 PM

Dear Mr. Seaton - Thank you for shedding light onto the intricate protocol involved in how we should or should not identify ourselves and each other. I say we just stick with two ideals: 1) The Constitution, which insures each of us the inalienable right to self determination, included in that is the assumption that each of us has the mental capacity to determine for ourselves our prefered "identity;" and 2) good old fashioned manners. I was born in the United States of America. My mother is of Mexican decent, my father is of Irish decent (straight off the boat). Since my Mother's family had the most profound interest and impact in my life, I have always, and will always, identify myself as a Mexican-American. Sometimes I even speak Spanish in public! Sacre Bleu! I will not apologize for either of these two choices if they offend you or anyone else. Moreover, the U.S. Constitution guarantees that I will never have to.
 
KarenW from Woodburn
11/20/2009 10:29:03 AM

Dear Mr. Seaton - Right on!! My father came over(straight off the boat also) from Denmark 70 yrs or so ago legally and with a sponsor. He was proud to call himself a United States Citizen - NOT nor Ever a Danish-American. Yet he is still proud of his Danish ancestry and speaks fluid Danish - WHEN in Denmark. Although now he has homes in Mexico(of course he can NOT really OWN them there!) and people around here sure give him Dirty looks when he say's he is now Mexican. Hum- So maybe he could be 'politically incorrect' by saying he is a now Danish-American-Mexican?

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