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July 16, 2009 Opinions |
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—Editorial—
Freedom Of Speech Does Not Give The Freedom
To Make Libelous Comments
We have had some comments recently on the editing of letters to the editor from people who are upset that their letters are not printed word for word.
All newspapers reserve the right to edit submitted letters, press releases and articles, and even those written in-house by staff. At The Record-Courier everything the editor writes gets edited as well. Even this editorial will get edited before it appears in print. Every item that is placed in this newspaper is read by at least two, sometimes three members of the news staff, including the editor, and sometimes everyone in the office reads it if there is any doubt as to whether or not it should go in the paper. As you can see, we don’t take this aspect of our job lightly.
We are diligent in our editing because we truly don’t want to defame or damage anyone’s character or offend our readers, regardless of the possibility of a lawsuit. The newspaper is ultimately responsible for what it prints no matter who said it.
People can usually get away with saying things in person that may be less than kind, but once it is in print, it is a permanent public record and much more damaging in the long run.
We also have certain style and grammar guidelines that we adhere to as well as content when editing items for the paper.
We don’t allow cuss words, we don’t allow rude and vulgar remarks, we don’t allow cleverly disguised unproven insinuations, we don’t allow falsehoods, we don’t allow racist or sexist comments, and we don’t allow just plain mean or derogatory comments that could cause injury to someone. Call us old-fashioned, but we think a point/criticism/opinion can be made without resorting to these tactics. Freedom of speech does not give the freedom to say/write libelous or untrue things about others.
We also don’t allow people who write in to use the newspaper as a venue to seek revenge for some wrong they feel has been done to them without having concrete facts to back it up.
We try our best to clean up some letters to make them printable, but occasionally we run across one that we feel is just too far away from what we would consider newspaper worthy and choose not to run it.
The newspaper, although very public, is first and foremost a business like any other business. We provide services, which we get paid for, but the decisions on what to include and what policies to adopt are up to the owners and staff, just the same as owners and staff of a store would decide what items they should carry.
However, we do appreciate public comments and constructive criticisms and will try our best to meet the needs of our community just as any reputable business would.
A couple of last words about letters to the editor:
• Please keep in mind the audience you are writing to, which is diverse in both age and culture.
• Aim to make your point as concisely as possible, however we don’t have a word limit. As long as the information is relevant and follows the afore mentioned guidelines we will try to print it, as space allows.
• If you are writing about a local, state or national issue, please do your research to substantiate your claims.
• Please use the newspaper as a public forum to express yourself, your opinions and ideas, but always be fair and accurate.
And most importantly, keep writing letters to The Record-Courier, and keep exercising your right to voice your opinion. (DS)
—Guest Opinion—
The Heart Of The Matter
By Larry D. Cole
It was a hot August afternoon in 2007. The shop was locked up and I was finishing up a couple of things on my engine before I too would go home. Standing at the work bench I suddenly felt invisible hands tightly gripping my throat and lacing a strait jacket so firmly around my upper torso I couldn’t breathe. I tried to walk but my legs felt weak, strange, and unable to carry me forward. My mind was racing, thoughts screaming “what’s going on here” and I wondered if this was it. Fighting for breath I managed to get to the sink, grab a cold glass of water, and sink into the nearest chair. There I sat for over 2 hours sipping my water until the episode passed by and I felt steady enough to walk home. I searched my mind trying to find answers for this episode but couldn’t find even one. Could this have been a heart attack? Heavens no, I felt no searing pain or numb arms as many friends have told me about. This had to have been one of those isolated moments associated with the aging process. I went to the doctor Monday and they couldn’t find a thing wrong with me. That suited me just fine as I felt wonderful and certainly wasn’t ill.
I experienced a couple of minor episodes between August and December that I ignored.
December 13th and 14th I experienced major episodes that always began with the invisible hands clamping down on my throat and neck accompanied by a hand width band that strangled the top of my shoulders and collar bones that slowly worked its way down to my waist. These episodes were now lasting 4 or more hours. On the 14th I had another one of these episodes and I went to the doctor. He promptly admitted me to ICU at St. E’s hospital where they performed every test imaginable for heart attack and related issues. All test results came back negative. They did not find any problem and I definitely did not have a heart attack. So home I go, scratching my head, and wondering if the rest of my life would be “between episodes”, thankful I had not had a heart attack but praying for answers.
I experienced weekly episodes of varying intensity and duration from December 2007 through February 2009. During this time I learned to pace myself, keep my aspirin bottle close by, and stay away from activity that tended to initiate an episode. I did obtain the greatest relief from using aspirin when it was necessary. Never during this entire time frame did I ever experience sharp piercing pain, just bone crushing ache with the tightness of the neck and throat feeling like you were having difficulty breathing or swallowing.
February 16, 2009 added some new symptoms. Deep breathing caused a severe ache in center of the back, feeling like a giant fireball was sitting on the spine and my stomach joined in with a dull stomach ache. The large neck muscles were stiff and ached continuously and I experienced all of my lower jaw teeth aching worse than I ever knew was possible. These symptoms combined with the ones already mentioned were reducing my quality of life and I was accepting the fact that I probably would just have to live with it.
My doctor had been checking anything that might cause all these symptoms and he came back with cardiac troubles, which I questioned. After all, my heart had passed all the tests before. However, he told me he was going to make an appointment with Idaho Cardiology and I darned well better be there. They are very busy people and the earliest they could do an angiogram was May 19, 2009. The angiogram confirmed their suspicions and I was not allowed to come home. They had me in pre-op the 20th and operated on the 21st. I now have a “Bovine aorta valve” with a double bypass, and hopefully I will be good as new someday.
I hope this will be of some help to those who have brushed off the warning signs and still have time to correct any problem.
The recovery process ? That’s a story for another time. Thanks for listening.
—Letters To The Editor—
No Double Standards
To The Record-Courier and State Attorney General John Kroger:
This is an excellent opportunity for you to "walk the walk" on your pledge to get tough on environmental crimes.
Unless you intend to maintain a double standard in your treatment of Oregonians under the law, the actions taken by protesters on the Elliot State Forest certainly qualify as environmental crimes including trespass, destruction of property and physical damages caused by overturning a vehicle to use as a barricade. These crimes occurred on state lands.
I would be interested to know the cost of the arrest operations and whether or not those costs could be recovered.
Michael James Scarpitti (alias Tre Arrow), Angela Marie Cesario and Jeremy David Rosenbloom all did time for arson and related crimes. The FBI investigated and closed more than a dozen eco-terrorism crimes dating back a decade including bombings, attacks on research labs, destruction of logging equipment and attacks on federal facilities. Many of those convicted are still serving time.
The ball is in your court!
Ted Ferrioli
State Senator, District 30
Not Just Anyone Can Claim To Be A Social Worker
To The Record-Courier:
If you receive help from someone calling themselves a social worker, wouldn’t you expect them to have the appropriate education and training? Until now, Oregon was one of few states that did NOT offer such protection.
One of the best consumer laws passed this year is SB177b, guaranteeing anyone who uses the title “Social Worker” has a degree in social work and is regulated by the state. This law also requires a license to practice clinical social work and prevents people with a revoked clinical license from continuing to practice.
This is a victory for consumers, and for our profession.
Stacey Skala Orr, M.S.W.
Executive Director
National Association of Social Workers, Oregon Chapter
Wagons Ho, Or Cycles Ho
To The Record-Courier:
You know in reading the latest on the closures with all the happenings downtown at various times during the summer, I think it is a good thing for all of Baker County whatever they rally up for. It is a big booster to the businesses no matter what others think of it being a problem for some on regular and everyday business to get to and from there are always ways of getting around the events. Although, we do participate at times in some of the events we manage to schedule our times whether it be eating out whatever around and do business like any other day, and have dinner at home and closer to our premises if not at home to begin with.
One year we even ate at a local restaurant and managed to get a picture with one of the motorcycles and all and very friendly people, he even encouraged me to get on one. I said it would be hard to get off without having undue problems at that but how nice of him to offer and meeting his wife. It does put a little excitement in one's well being when these people are around and helping the businesses. I do know these people travel to the Burns and Diamond Lake areas and have been great supporters of my family's restaurants that they own in the area. One even mentioned about Diamond being out in the middle of nowhere, but hey, the food is good and excellent servers and all especially when it is family.
I don't think we need to be spoilers of having such fun events, especially with Miners’ Jubilee coming up. One of the eating establishments informed me from the flea markets that they will be setting up at the park for the first time and boy do they make wonderful corn dogs, homemade and dipped right in front of you at that. I plan to get one in all the excitement myself. I remember when we as kids would get them at the Portland Zoo.
So planning activities in and around these happenings should be no problem to complain about the closure of streets for the fun things to take place thru the summer. The one thing even for my services I can keep things going at night time to meet the needs of those requesting my ironing services. I even had one show up that I hadn't seen since last year. I don't think we want to have strangers think that they are not welcomed and when they should be no matter what.
Coffee Anyone?
Brenda Dickison
Baker City, Ore.
Obama Enables Adversaries
To The Record-Courier:
President Obama damaged the CIA when he released memos describing the “enhanced interrogation techniques” used on high level terrorists. He weakened the CIA when he said he would release photographs showing abuse of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan, but then under pressure he decided not to release the photos.
This is typical flip flop behavior by the Administration: hold a press conference, berate and expose people for political purposes, profess it is about change and transparency, and then back off and shift positions when called to task for inept decisions that hurt the country.
The weakening of the CIA will have serious adverse consequences for the gathering, analysis and dissemination of intelligence. CIA officers will be looking over their shoulders at blabbermouth Administration officials and Congress, will not trust them, and will be more concerned with covering themselves than doing their jobs. Plus rogue countries and terrorist organizations have gained valuable information from the release of the memos.
President Obama’s lack of national security experience, poor judgment, and appeasement philosophy are hurting us. He is undermining our intelligence apparatus and enabling our adversaries, and our country is less safe under his watch.
Donald A. Moskowitz
Londonderry, NH
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