Letters to the Editor: Jan. 31, 2025
Mail balloting attack
Many people have been attempting to blame Kamala Harris’ loss in the 2024 Presidential election on one group of people or another, thus further dividing us. The actual culprit is Republican vote suppression tactics.
Vote suppression has been a Republican tenet for decades. Paul Weyrich explicitly said so back in 1980.
Investigative reporter Greg Palast recently released the results of his examination into vote suppression in the 2024 election. He took the time to get the numbers right, rather than, as some do, pull numbers from a certain body part.
His report is too detailed to recount here. If you are curious, and want to do your own research, check www.Greg Palast.com.
Suffice it to say, vote suppression tactics are being used at scale across the country, and we Oregonians are not immune. Some Oregon Republicans have filed Initiative Petition 26-037, which would restrict our right to vote by mail.
Although 26-037 is an initiative rather than legislative effort, I think it’s reasonable to know whether or not our Republican state legislators are in favor of this attack on our voting system. I will be contacting Rep. Elmer and Sen. Starr regarding this petition, and encourage everyone who values their right to vote to do the same.
Alisa Owen
McMinnville
Curtain of silence
Part of a paper’s responsibility is to inform the public about important issues. But so far, nothing has appeared to inform us as to what churches, mayors, city councils, county commissions and local law enforcement agencies intend to do about the Trump administration deportation dictate.
Oregon is a sanctuary state. So what are they going to do to protect our friends and neighbors?
If this is a white Christian right thing, as many think it is, are members of that constituency willing to fill the vacancies and work in the fields to put food on our tables? And what part is the newspaper playing in its silence?
Perhaps a Q&A town hall meeting is appropriate, so we can hold our elected officials’ feet to the fire and make them accountable?
Sheila Hunter
McMinnville
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