Hood River, Oregon and White Salmon, Washington are across the Columbia River from each other. But that isn’t the only thing they have in common. Sunday night about 5,000 of their residence lost power to heat with natural gas. Those residence are serviced by the Williams NW Pipeline Company.

At 11:50pm Sunday evening, a vehicle crashed into a district regulator station causing the company to shutdown their pipelines. NW Natural is working with emergency officials to determine the impact to customers and on a plan to reactivate gas service.

Customers are being cautioned to not relight their equipment, but wait to be contacted by NW Natural. Technicians will go door-to-door to affected customers to restore service.

Outages aren't foreign to Hood River residence having frequent power and technology disruptions. But they usually come with a weather warning. A sudden disruption in natural gas isn’t typically what they expect. NW Natural will continue to provide updates on Twitter and www.nwnatural.com.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-12-21 13:35:50

As the Oregon Legislature convened a one-day special session, crowds of citizens entered the Capitol building as the morning organizational session concluded. Oregon State Police responded with pepper spray, riot gear and SWAT vehicles, barking instructions at protestors through bull horns. Two arrests were made.

There were no injuries reported and a report of a small amount of damage to an internal door on the first floor. One woman was detained by the State Police when she attempted to enter the Capitol through an open window.

The Oregon State Police issued the following statement:

On December 21, 2020 around 8:30 A.M. during the third special session protesters where able to gain access to the Oregon State Capitol. The Oregon State Capitol is closed due to Covid-19 restrictions. Oregon State Police and Salem Police were able to get everyone out of the building. Two individuals refused to leave the building and where taken into custody.

The Oregon State Police encourage people to exercise their first amendment rights, but it must be lawfully. Please, discontinue the acts of vandalism or destruction of property. If you commit a crime you will be subject to arrest.

Legislative deliberations are required to be open to the public, according to Article IV, Section 14 of the Oregon Constitution:

Section 14. Deliberations to be open; rules to implement requirement. The deliberations of each house, of committees of each house or joint committees and of committees of the whole, shall be open. Each house shall adopt rules to implement the requirement of this section and the houses jointly shall adopt rules to implement the requirements of this section in any joint activity that the two houses may undertake.

Early in the afternoon, the State Police put out another statement:

While dealing with individuals that had gained entry into the Oregon State Capitol, OSP Troopers where sprayed with some kind of chemical agent on two different occasions.

At 8:30am, when protesters entered that capitol building, at least one of the protesters used chemical agents on the police. That person is still outstanding. OSP used inert pepper ball, while dealing with these protestors.

At 10:30am, when there were enough resources available between OSP and Salem Police Department, they started to push the crowd out of the building, when another individual used bear spray against police officers. That person, who has been identified as Ryan Lyles, has been taken into custody. He is being lodged at Marion County Jail on multiple charges including trespassing and assaulting a police officer.

OSP has not deployed any CS gas.

Many noted that the police response was disproportionately harsh in light of the police response to protestors in Portland during the summer in which public property was targeted and police officers' lives were purposely threatened.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-12-21 07:30:19

Last Update: 2020-12-21 13:35:50

The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup gave their seal of approval on federal work concluding that the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is safe and efficacious for use in the Western States, just as they did earlier this month for the Pfizer vaccine. The Workgroup, formed to add a layer of review to the FDA, provided its confirmation to the Governors of California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington making the Moderna vaccine the second COVID-19 vaccine supported for use in these states. Shipments are expected early this week.

“After thorough scientific review, here is what the doctors and health experts have told us: the Moderna vaccine is safe. It is effective. And, it gives us the ability to reach communities across rural Oregon and the West that don’t have easy access to cold storage," said Governor Kate Brown. "Now, we must do everything we can to distribute vaccines as quickly and equitably as possible, to protect our frontline health care workers, long-term care residents and staff, and the communities most at risk from COVID-19.”

In a press conference last Wednesday, Governor Brown said regarding the Pfizer vaccine, "This is the moment we have all been waiting for. We kick off this historic vaccine campaign in Oregon with our health care workers, who have been our first line of defense against COVID-19. Today they received the first vaccinations in our state. These heroes have poured everything they have into this fight. And to all our health care workers, we thank you.”

“The last week has made it clear that we also need accurate information from our federal partners about vaccine distribution,” said Governor Brown. The Pfizer vaccine is temperature sensitive and delivered by military units, and in some areas FedEx and UPS share in delivering the vaccines under the oversight of US Army General Gustave Perna.

“With these first vaccinations comes a great sense of hope,” Governor Brown said, “but we still have a long road ahead before we’re out of this pandemic. And, until vaccines are widely available, we need all Oregonians to do everything we can to protect our families and loved ones from this deadly disease. Wear a mask, avoid gatherings this holiday season, and stay home when you are sick.” The Federal Food and Drug Administration has issued a five page fact sheet for the vaccine.

The hope is that Governor Brown will trust the vaccine as much as she indicates and lift her emergency order so Oregon can join other states well on their way to financial recovery.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-12-21 07:17:55

OSP Detective, assigned to the FBI Joint Task Force was contacted by Horry County Police Department in South Carolina to assist in locating and apprehending a man wanted for attempted murder of his mother and stealing her car. The suspect identified as James Shawn Nichol, age 48, is from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Horry County Police Department in conjunction with the U.S. Marshals Service believed the subject may be traveling through Oregon.

On December 17, at approximately 5:50pm, Sgt. Aydelotte and Sr. Troopers Hagendorn and Macy located the suspect in the stolen car at the Baker Valley Rest Area located on the westbound side of I-84 near milepost 295. They initiated a high risk stop and the suspect was taken into custody without incident. The suspect is lodged in Baker County jail on attempted murder warrant. The stolen vehicle was towed from the scene to be held for the owner.

The Horry County South Carolina Police Department, who had contacted OSP for help, was extremely impressed with how quickly the Oregon State Police worked to get the mission done.

In a release, the Oregon State Police remarked that, "This is a great example of interagency partnerships and how Law Enforcement across the states work together to get criminals off the streets." They did not comment on the unwillingness of local District Attorneys to prosecute the people they apprehend. Since Nichol will be extradited to South Carolina, he's looking at a less-than-merry Christmas.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-12-20 17:57:00

Last Update: 2020-12-20 18:10:08

Governor Kate Brown has announced additions to her leadership, policy, and legislative staff.

In addition to Connie Seeley, special advisor to the Governor on vaccines, and Gina Zejdlik who recently took over as chief of staff, the following staff will join the Governor’s team.

Andrea Cooper will join the Governor’s Office on December 21 as a deputy chief of staff. Cooper has worked as the political director for the SEIU, Local 503 since 2018. She has extensive experience in government and politics in and out of the State Capitol, including as chief of staff for the Oregon House Democrat Majority Office from 2015 to 2017. She managed Governor Brown’s reelection campaign in 2018. She has served on the boards of the Alliance for Youth Action, Bradley Angle, and Emerge Oregon. She is a graduate of the University of Portland.

Christian Gaston began serving as budget director and an executive team member in the Governor’s Office on December 7. He has served in the Governor’s Office as a policy advisor since 2018, in the areas of revenue, workforce, and labor. He worked previously for Governor John Kitzhaber and Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury, and was a reporter for the Oregonian and the Forest Grove News Times. His predecessor, Debbie Koreski, joined Columbia Public Affairs in December after serving for Governor Brown since 2016.

Jennifer Baker joined the Governor’s Office as labor and workforce policy advisor on December 15. She served previously on the Governor's policy team in 2019. She returns to the Governor’s Office after serving as the director of the SEIU Oregon State Council. She has also worked as the executive director of Future PAC, and the director of government relations and health policy for the Oregon Nurses Association. She has served on the boards of Our Oregon, NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, and the Oregon AFL-CIO. She is a graduate of the University of Portland.

Christopher Madden joined the Governor’s Office as deputy legislative director on December 15. He has worked for the Oregon Health Care Association since 2016, most recently as the director of legislative and political affairs. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon. He joins legislative director Elana Pirtle-Guiney.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-12-20 12:25:18

Last Update: 2020-12-20 14:36:21

Editor's note: This article has been updated. The story is still developing

The Oregon State Police, the Portland Police Bureau and the FBI's explosive technician teams are back on scene at the residence in Scappoose, Oregon on Sunday, December 20, 2020 to secure the residence location where multiple explosive devices have been discovered. The teams are continuing the investigation and might need to do more controlled disposals. The neighboring homes were evacuated.

A search warrant was initially served on December 18, 2020, by the Oregon State Police at a residence in the 33000 block of Sequoia St., Scappoose, Oregon. During the execution of the search warrant, Investigators encountered the substance that could present an explosive hazard. Investigators had secured the scene for the night and left to return in daylight hours with explosive experts.

OSP has not yet provided any further details concerning the warrant that was served.

Oregon State Police explosive technicians along with teams from the Portland Police Bureau and the FBI have so far disposed of 4 devices during the execution of the search warrant at the residence. Neighbors are now being notified that they may return to their homes, after some initial confusion.

The drama started on December 18, when an OSP from the St. Helens worksite stopped a vehicle operated by Richard Gundy-Hampton in the 33000 block of Sequoia St. in Scappoose, Oregon. The stop occurred next to the residence where Gundy-Hampton lived. Gundy-Hampton was a subject of interest in a domestic violence incident that occurred in Clackamas County.

During the contact with Gundy-Hampton, Troopers discovered evidence of methamphetamine possession, weapons possession and that he had been potentially manufacturing a destructive/explosive device. Detectives from OSP Criminal Investigative Division responded to the scene and obtained a search warrant for the residence and vehicle.

Soon after beginning their search, Investigators located suspicious items in the garage indicating that Gundy-Hampton had been manufacturing highly explosive materials inside the garage of the residence. The search of the scene stopped and explosive experts from Oregon State Police, the FBI, Portland Police Bureau and Gresham Police Department responded to the scene to assist. Explosive experts and investigators continued their investigation Saturday and Sunday, identifying six items containing explosives, which were disposed of on scene. Numerous other items were also transported from the scene by the OSP Explosives Unit for later disposal off site. The safe disposal of the items discovered in the residence required approximately 10 neighboring residents to be evacuated from their homes during the day Saturday and Sunday. In addition to the explosives, Investigators seized a large number of firearms, illegal firearms parts and illegal drugs from the scene.

Gundy-Hampton was lodged at the Columbia County Jail and is currently being held at the Columbia County Jail on $5,000,000 bail.

As of this release all the residents displaced by the investigative activities and explosives disposal have been allowed to return to their homes. The investigation into this incident is ongoing.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-12-20 11:12:48

Last Update: 2020-12-20 17:57:00

The Sherwood Ice Arena is now among the latest round of businesses in Oregon being forced to close their doors due to ongoing government mandates of closure in the state of Oregon. The owner of the establishment has released a statement directed to state government officials. His frustration is palpable:

Since March, Oregon Ice Entertainment (OIE) has been a valued partner in the battle against the Covid 19 virus. OIE instituted protocols more stringent than the State requirement for schools,restaurants, hair salons, and prisons. We also implemented a contact tracing system, which will identify all contacts of a customer with in 15 minutes. You could ask why a business would do that, because it is the right thing to do.

During the time since March, we requested the State to follow the science. It is a fact that the covid Virus cannot exist in an environment below freezing. The ice in an ice rink is at -8 °C. In addition, an ice rink must have an ACPH double or even triple of what the State is accepting from school districts in their reopening plans.

We have begged, pleaded, sent emails and left countless voice mails asking for a hearing to share our knowledge about the science of operating an ice rink. The silence from the State has been deafening. During this time, there has been 12,332 entrances into the Sherwood Ice arena. There has not been Covid origination nor spreading occurrence at the rink while our employees (none test positive for the virus), happy to be at work, fighting Covid.

The State on the 17th of December forced the Sherwood Ice Rink to permanently close laying off17 employees.. This comes 7 days before Christmas. Iam sure the government employees will be having a joyous holiday season. OIE also had to inform our customers they could no longer use our facility to “escape” from the realities of Covid.

OIE only wanted to provide a safe outlet for a community, that has largely been ignored and forgotten by the State. The notice sent to the rink, would be a $70,000 per day fine unless we closed. There were no options offered.

By forcing the rink to close the State is not reducing the spread of Covid, but promoting the at home social gatherings. This we all know are super spreader activities.

This all could have been avoided if the State of Oregon would have followed the Science and listened to their constituents.

Regretfully,

Owner Sherwood Ice Arena

Roy macMillan

--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-12-19 15:49:54

Last Update: 2020-12-19 21:30:30

Despite massive push back, stalling efforts and rhetoric by chair Casey Kulla, Commissioners Rick Oslen and Vice Chair Mary Starrett passed a resolution in a 2 to 1 vote, during Thursday's Board of Commissioners meeting. Commissioners Olsen and Starrett hope to give business owners a tool, amidst expanding restrictions. This tool, by way of resolution, might place small business owners on a level playing field with large corporations.

According to data compiled by OSHA and the OLCC, small business owners are being cited and subjected to fines at much higher rates than their corporate, conglomerate competitors.

Inspections prompted by Governor Kate Browns COVID-19 lockdown orders are complaint driven, and result in either a surprise visit, or an inspection scheduled ahead of time. Larger retail stores appear to have several advantages over mom and pop businesses. One advantage, denoted by the data, is a scheduled inspection, rather than a surprise visit. The other advantage seems to be that small businesses are being fined at higher rates, and cited for bizarre things, some seemingly unrelated to Covid-19.

One example is a small general construction company in Multnomah County, cited for a "serious" covid-19 related violation. The citation reads "An employee was exposed to an uncontrolled fall of approximately 11? feet measured from the eave to the ground. No form of fall protection was in use by the employee engaged in activities related to the tear off and re-roofing of an existing multi-story single family dwelling." For this they were fined 1500 dollars, and another 875.00 for " An employee was exposed to an uncontrolled fall of approximately eleven 11? feet. The employee used a Gorilla band multi-position ladder, model GLMPXA-18 to ascend and descend from a roof. Due to the ladders length only approximately 24 inches of side rail extended past the upper landing." That's a whopping total of 2,375 dollars for violating Covid-19 restrictions. Conversely, a Safeway grocery store in Clackamas County received a planned inspection, where inspectors found that the store wasn't holding monthly safety meetings, and employees had no idea a safety committee even existed. The fine? 0$.

Similarly in Yamhill County a small franchise of Planet Fitness Gyms have not been allowed to open or operate, while their corporate competitor, 24 Hour Fitness, true to its name, has never closed.

With seemingly arbitrary application of the rules, it's no wonder business owners are desperate for remedy. Especially when taking into consideration the new infographic released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, addressed by Commissioner Rick Olsen in the board meeting. FEMA warns that "Following a disaster, 90% of smaller companies fail within a year

unless they can resume operations within 5 days." The new infographic has been updated to add closures as a result of illness or the Flu.

The evidence in support of passing the resolution was presented by Dr Henry Ealy, the lead author on a peer reviewed paper which outlines how changes to death certificate reporting were made mid pandemic, for Covid-19 only, and how those changes are inflating the reported death toll by leaps and bounds. Dr Ealy disclosed during the meeting another recent finding, exclusive to Oregon. In Oregon, anyone can submit an active case of Covid-19 for reporting to the Oregon Health Authority.

Dr Ealy also addressed facts by demographic, and expressed concerns over the accuracy and integrity of current data being collected and provided. The test being used to determine active cases has also been called into question. During the meeting Commissioner Starrett read aloud a disclaimer that accompanies Covid-19 test results, "These results are not intended to be used as the sole means of diagnosis". The PCR test is no longer being used in other Countries due to the margin of error, and was recently taken to the floor by Austrian MP Michael Schnedlitz, when he showed colleagues in Parliament that the drink Coca-Cola will test positive for Covid-19, by current PCR methods.

The Resolution which had been proposed in the weeks prior, was postponed by Yamhill County Chair Casey Kulla, to ensure a member of Oregon's Health Authority could be in attendance for questions and clarity related to the challenges to data, and lack of transparency brought up in the passed Resolution. For undisclosed reasons, OHA was notably absent, and left unrepresented during the meeting.




--Breeauna Sagdal

Post Date: 2020-12-18 11:24:56

Last Update: 2020-12-23 04:15:33

So why is it being proposed as an Emergency?

The Oregon Health Authority finally released, long anticipated data on Oregon's non medical exemption rates for children entering Kindergarten. According to Attorney Robert Snee of Oregonians For Medical Freedom "This data is of vital importance as it gives the State an accurate understanding of what to expect in terms of medical vs non medical exemption rates. When a child is going into Kindergarten fully vaccinated, according to the CDC recommended schedule, that's usually a good indication those children will stay on the schedule."

In the Oregon Health Authority's April 30th report, just released publicly, the data clearly shows Oregon Kindergartners are entering schools at 93.1% fully vaccinated. It's also important to note that the 6.9% entering school with a non medical exemption, aren't necessarily missing all vaccines on the CDC schedule. OHA lumps together all students, missing one or more, vaccines, to calculate the percentage rate. It's also likely, non medical exemption rates have more to do with Covid-19 restrictions, than it does vaccine hesitancy. According to a joint prediction made by the World Health Organization, GAVI and UNICEF millions of children in 68 Countries are at risk of missing their vaccines on time "due to disruptions in the delivery and uptake of immunization services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic". In fact a new set of codes were recently issued, updating the ICD-10 procedure coding system, for vaccine injury due to "underdosing". Underdosing is a relatively new concept in medicine to describe why a patient failed to comply. As of October 1rst 2020, ICD coding was updated to include vaccine underdosing due to manufacturer supply shortages.

Regarding disruptions to uptake, rural Oregon clinics have had to close their doors, while larger urban area CCO's have limited in person client services, and appointments. Oregonians have endured massive barriers to routine health services after Oregon Governor Kate Brown halted care, in order to preserve personal protective equipment for a surge in hospitalizations, which never actually materialized.

"Chances are, we will continue to see a decline in non medical vaccine exemptions as schools open, and healthcare providers wade through backlogged procedures" says Alsea School District Superintendent Marc Theilman. "The Alsea School District has had our brick and mortar school open throughout this entire pandemic, due to increased safety protocols, and our vaccine exemption rates have remained well within normal range. The new school vaccine bill seems opportunistic, and overreaching, at a time when our communities are already struggling. We might do well to build back trust within our communities, first, before introducing new laws requiring vaccines." Suggests Theilman.

SB254 starts out with "Removes ability of Parent to decline required immunizations against restrictable diseases on behalf of child for reasons other than child's indicated medical diagnosis."

The legal concept is slated for the 2021 regular session, where it's questionable if the public will be granted access to the Capitol under ongoing Covid-19 restrictions. Like most bills these days, it's also been declared an "emergency", where, upon its passage, it will take immediate effect, bypassing voter opposition in the form of a referendum.

It's unclear if this new legal concept will allow Doctors to write medical exemptions for vaccine injury, medical history, sibling injury history, PANS/PANDAS, MTHFR genetic mutations, or children who are immunocompromised. These contraindications and precautions are not covered under ACIP/CDC guidelines for medical exemptions, leaving frustrated parents to homeschool, or, for states that allow it, to use the non medical exemption option. These decisions must be weighed carefully, by parents, ultimately tasked with the lifelong care needs of vaccine injured children. Especially when considering there is no manufacturer liability for injuries caused by vaccines.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Is this really an emergency requiring State involvement, or a moot point, in terms of data? The question seems omnipresent as the new Covid-19 vaccines have been added to the childhood schedule for ages 16 and up.


--Breeauna Sagdal

Post Date: 2020-12-18 06:40:21

Last Update: 2021-01-12 17:55:12

Governor Kate Brown today extended her declaration of a state of emergency regarding COVID-19 for an additional 60 days, until March 3, 2021. The previous executive order was set to expire on January 2, 2021. The declaration is the legal underpinning for the Governor’s COVID-19 executive orders and the Oregon Health Authority’s health and safety guidance.

“As we near 100,000 cases of COVID-19 in Oregon, and with hospitals and health care workers stretched to their limits, there is no doubt that COVID-19 continues to pose a public health threat,” said Governor Brown. “We continue to lose too many Oregonians to this deadly disease, including over 100 reported deaths in the last two days.”

“These are the darkest days of this pandemic. And yet, hope has arrived. Beginning this week, each time another Oregonian is vaccinated against COVID-19, we are one step closer to the day when we can return to normal life. In the meantime, we must keep up our guard. Protect your friends and loved ones by continuing to follow health and safety protocols. Wear a face covering, avoid gatherings, stay home when you are sick––and, together, we can drive down COVID-19 infections and save lives.”

The state of emergency declaration is the legal underpinning for the executive orders the Governor has issued to keep Oregonians healthy and safe throughout this crisis, including her orders concerning the risk level framework that establishes essential health and safety protections for Oregon, as well as orders around childcare, schools, and higher education operations. Extending the state of emergency declaration allows those orders to stay in effect.

The Governor reviews and reevaluates each of her emergency orders every 60 days, to determine whether those orders should be continued, modified, or rescinded. The findings of this review process are listed in the executive order.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-12-17 13:52:30

Last Update: 2020-12-17 14:49:11

In the wake of the 'catch-and-release' policies of Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt, it appears that progressives who wish to see the same elsewhere may be spreading their lawlessness into neighboring Clackamas County.

District Attorney-elect Wentworth will now be assuming the office of District Attorney of Clackamas County early in order to fill the vacancy that has been created by the retirement of the current Clackamas County District Attorney, John Foote.

The Governor thanked District Attorney Foote for his many years of dedicated service to the people of Clackamas County.

Governor Kate Brown will appoint John Wentworth to be District Attorney of Clackamas County, effective January 1, 2021. Wentworth recently won election as District Attorney for a term that starts January 4, 2021. Longtime Clackamas County District Attorney John Foote recently announced his retirement, effective December 31, 2020. With this appointment, Wentworth will be able to assume the office a few days early, to ensure a smooth transition in the District Attorney’s office.

The bad leadership of Multnomah county has brought national disgrace recently to the area surrounding Portland for many violent acts that commonly occur there. The refusal to prosecute those criminals seems to be an obvious potential reason. Observers in Clackamas County Oregon are hoping that the lawlessness does not spread their way.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-12-17 13:12:10

Last Update: 2020-12-17 14:52:22

This year, Oregon and Oregon State played the latest installment in the longest lasting college football rivalry in college football history. In the months leading up to the contest, under some fanfare, and with no input from fans, the universities’ made a joint announcement that the contests between the two would no longer be referenced as “the Civil War”.

The President’s of the University of Oregon and Oregon State University stated that because the American Civil War to which the name referenced was a “war fought to perpetuate slavery”, they could not in good conscience keep the name.

It remained to be seen if this would really sit well with the public, and in light of everything else going on in 2020, it almost seems like a trivial thing one way or the other. Without people gathering together, its difficult to gauge how much fans will embrace a rivalry game with no name.

Perhaps a more thoughtful approach could not have been taken. It's astonishing where the history and philosophy departments at these schools find themselves. How did a president of a higher institution of learning not take a moment to consider what was being said? How do these people have no historical understanding of the American Civil War? How is nothing being said about how the basic tenet of dialectic discourse, one which says nothing can be fought for unless someone is also fighting against it?

How can the Civil War not be seen as a war fought to end slavery just as much as a war to perpetuate it? To be totally fair, it wasn't as if the Confederacy trying to force their way of life on the Union. In fact, it was the Union fighting a war to end slavery, and force their values on the Confederacy. So if anything, the war for change, fought by the Union, was fought to end slavery.

History has certain precepts. One of the most important is that history is written by the winners. So how did we get here? To a place where history is apparently written by the losers. How did the Union win the war, end slavery on a national level, and allow the rhetoric to be that the war was fought to perpetuate slavery? For the record, upwards of 1.1 million casualties were a result of the Civil War. About 600,000 of those were on the Union side.

What would it have been like to tell those men -- some of them African-American -- that the war they were fighting was to perpetuate slavery. Historical truth should be about focusing on a frame of reference that includes the narratives of both the winners and losers, and the perceptions thereof. This is not that. If anything, this smacks of an attitude of "easier to leave it alone."

Part of what has happened is that the massive majority of people who are fascinated with the Civil War are Confederate apologists, and that those people present that side of the narrative aggressively. The perception has become that the Civil War was therefore fought to perpetuate slavery, instead of to end it. This is of course allowing the Civil War to be established as a single issue conflict, which it was not. If it was though, two universities managed to state publicly, something which is philosophically and historically inept.

We could use the game every year to actually raise awareness for Civil War history. We could use it to glorify Union soldiers that lost their lives to end slavery. It could be used as a platform to raise awareness for racial issues, and to teach real history about the actual Civil War. We might even talk about Oregon's incredibly awkward racial history. We could have a trophy called the Union Cup, or we could name it in honor of African American soldiers. We could talk about why the games started to be called the Civil War in the first place. Instead we are getting a bad historical erasure foisted on us by people that are claiming a narrative in that is largely opposite of historical accuracy.

The world’s history is not dying of shock. It’s being willfully erased by people who entertain poor history and cultural/ historical snap judgements which don’t just paint with broad strokes, but in monochrome as well. The truly sad result of this will be that history becomes far more likely to repeat. Or as a favorite historian says "history does not repeat, but it rhymes a lot."

It’s a small thing, isn’t it? What we call a game? The truth is it does not have to be small. We could make it big. The intentions of this move were for the “right reasons,” and that the intention is pure. Those good intentions are misguided and paired with gross misinformation.

Many will never call it the Platypus Bowl. Oregon and Oregon State have a hard enough hill to climb to get national respect in the sports world. We don't need to make ourselves a laughing stock with such an oddball name or likeness. Plus the name is just weird and does not roll off the tongue.

This has been a bizarre year to say the least. COVID-19 has made life tough on many, as have public and government responses to it. Oregon is now in the Pac 12 title game, and Oregon State will hopefully get a bowl game or another chance to play. No matter what we call it, it would be nice to we enjoy our rivalry games in person. If we get to, it would be nice to talk about what to call the game, and how that might be used. That said its always easier to not have hard conversations. And using these rivalry games which have been called Civil War for a long time, as teaching moments and a way to honor history is not easy. That would take something more than whiteout or an eraser.

Lungs locked, lips locked, join the renaissance

Italicized lyrics from Amanda Palmer and the Dresden Dolls

--Jeremy Kropf

Post Date: 2020-12-17 06:57:55

Last Update: 2020-12-17 07:25:16