Letters to the Editor 08/15/2018

To the Editor:

This Friday, August 17, the Sisters Veterans Group (VFW, American Legion and Band of Brothers) will be posting flags along Cascade Avenue to honor law enforcement personnel in Central Oregon, throughout our state, and across the nation.

These men and women put their lives on the line every day, on and off the job. They are the ones who enforce the rules and laws that help maintain a civil society and help to keep us safe. Together with other First Responders they work to help protect us and our property.

Wherever you are, please step up and make the effort to thank them for their service to us.

Art Buell

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To the Editor:

This is in regards the August 8 letter to the editor written by Jerry Wright, which I found confusing, to wit, and I quote: " I for one look forward to his (Craig Rullman's) thoughts each week as a breath of fresh air and reason amid the political correctness and downright mean-spirited animosity that is too prevalent through-out our society,...."

I do not understand how he can lump the two terms together. Political correctness would prevent a prominent figure from mocking someone with a disability; doing so is very mean-spirited and promotes bullying. Political correctness would not denigrate a veteran who was captured and tortured; doing so would create mean-spiritedness and suggest that POWs were less than worthy of our compassion and praise. Political correctness would not tell a Gold Star family that their much-beloved child who was killed defending our country had no right to be here; doing so would certainly create mean-spiritedness and further break the hearts of those who lost loved ones.

Political correctness would not lump an entire ethnic group into a class of rapists and murderers, while doing so has clearly created mean-spiritedness and promoted violence against that ethnicity.

I could go on (God knows there's a plethora of examples) but hopefully the point has been made: "Political correctness" is basically another term for respect, consideration, kindness, and generosity towards others despite their race, ethnicity, gender, or disability.

Interestingly, it is a term rarely used by people who espouse those values; on the other hand, I hear it often used by those who say it with a derisive sneer, denigrating the very ideal which would prevent the mean-spiritedness that Mr. Wright eschews.

Really can't have it both ways.

Michelle Tormey

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To the Editor:

Once again we would like to say a big thank-you to the first responders who tackled the fire that started on Rabbitbrush Road on Saturday, August 11. Without them we and a lot of our neighbors might not have our homes.

We have had two fires close by in the last 2-1/2 weeks. The fire on Saturday called for Level 3 evacuation (GO NOW!) in which we had to go. The problem we have seen with both fires is people coming into the area who have no business there other than to try and get a better look at what the emergency is. This not only puts them in danger, they could be hampering the efforts of the first responders plus the people needing to evacuate.

I understand the curiosity factor, but for all you "Lookie Loos," if you don't live in an area where there is an emergency, please stay away. You would probably see more on social media anyway.

Jo Kilmer

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To the Editor:

Three-hundred-and-fifty fabulous meals, 12 vendors, four presentations, and two musical groups all packed into two hours of non-stop fun. On behalf of the Sisters Park and Recreation District board of directors, I would like to thank the entire Sisters community for making the inaugural D-ATE (Appreci-ATE, Congreg-ATE, Particip-ATE, Recre-ATE & Grab a Pl-ATE) Night community dinner a huge success.

When the board decided at its July 24 meeting to hold a recreation-focused community dinner in place of the cancelled August 9 Hawaiian luau, I knew we had our work cut out for us. We had just 15 days to organize a major public event from scratch. Was that even possible?

Not to worry. When word got out that SPRD needed help, the community stepped up. Old friends of SPRD said, "Whatever you need." Folks who had not volunteered for SPRD before asked how they could help. Eight sponsors, both long-standing and new, said, "Of course, we'll contribute to support this event." Vendors, invited with little advance notice, altered busy summer schedules to participate. And city public works staff could not have been more helpful.

In the midst of this outpouring of help, two people deserve special shout-outs. Without event coordinator Jodi Winnwalker, an organizer extraordinaire, the event would have been far less successful. And board member Peggy Tehan went above and beyond when she and her crew of volunteers prepared those 350 delicious rice bowl

meals.

Not only was it good for the community, the event was good for the organization. Every SPRD staff and board member, including our wonderful cadre of teachers, enthusiastically pitched in to get us across the finish line. It was truly a team effort.

Jeff Tryens

Board President