Editor's note:
Where did the summer go? To a whirlwind of protests, demonstrations, press conferences around the virus... to spending more time cleaning and Zoom-ing and Slack messaging—or perhaps worrying and job hunting—that's where....
As September begins, some of the usual rituals a lot of families participate in—school-supply shopping, that final trip "before we're stuck at home"—have been skipped over. Others—like the endless Zoom meetings, or the trip to the food bank to get the week's groceries—remain.
For local families, there may be the usual jitters around a new school year, but they're rivaled by jitters around covering child care and bills, by the unknowns around what the whole school year will bring. There's so much to cover when it comes to a pandemic school year, and the stories inside this issue tackle just a few pieces. But if there's a catchphrase we can glean from families as we embark upon a new school year, we think we've nailed it with this week's cover: "They're. Still. Here." Kids are still at home... for better or for worse, and for whatever time frame the virus dictates.
RE: Primer on Immigration Law, 8/20
I just wanted to commend Laurel Brauns for her article "Primer on Immigration Law." It was neutral, educational and covered the bases of the current local situation while providing a factual background.
Other interesting topics: comparison of immigration laws in the U.S. vs. other first world countries (for instance, in Germany one would be automatically deported if their stay was one day over the three-month visa and possibly banned re-entry), comparison laws for hiring illegal immigrants as well as the legal costs incurred, etc.
But those are not really local topics. ;)
Thanks again for the great reporting.
—Carrie Corliss
RE: Guest Opinion: Bend ICE arrests highlight continued trauma inflicted on our immigrant communities 8/27
Both the Source and writers like Kelsey Freeman seem to advocate for open borders, yet never explain the probable result if that policy were to be implemented. Ms. Freeman also states that we need "sensible solutions," but doesn't explain what they are.
Carrying Capacity is defined as the number of individuals that can be supported by a particular environment and is determined by the amount of space available, food supply from that environment and water. Many countries have exceeded their carrying capacity for humans and experience famine and large-scale poverty as a result. It is natural that many wish to immigrate to less densely populated countries like the U.S. I invite the Source, or Ms. Freeman to advise us as to the carrying capacity of the U.S. given that our population is climbing to 350 million, up from about 80 million at the time the Statue of Liberty was erected. If we open the borders, our population numbers are sure to accelerate even more, so what is acceptable, 400 million, one billion, what should it be??
It just seems like our capacity should be determined before we throw open the borders. Of course, this does not take into account the social implications of allowing so many poor from many diverse counties to flood our country.
—Bill Boyd
RE: White Bus Driver Puts Black Passenger in Chokehold, 8/27 published on bendsource.com
Force is seldom the best solution. As a people, Americans, police and others in authority, need to rethink how we obtain cooperation with less force.
Flip-flops. For one dollar, this problem could have been avoided. A bus driver was determined to force a neighbor to comply with the bus driver's interpretation of his employer's rules; when a pair of flip-flops from the nearby market would have solved the problem.
We must stop thinking force is the only solution.
—John Foote, via bendsource.com
This is a perfect example of not proper training to stay calm, knowing the rules and powers you actually have in your position of work and where in this case, the bus driver feels the need or entitlement to overstep his actual authority or power (he stated a rule that wasn't an actual rule). It appears the passenger was under the influence as well, so that makes for a difficult situation. Just watching the videos and exchange, you can see both men have control issues and are not at their best mentally. And this is also an example of what is getting police officers in so much heat these days. They are over-stepping their power using excessive force, not being consistent in how they treat others (racial bias etc.), at times having bad attitudes because they feel they can and overstepping their actual power and taking things into their own hands because they are wearing a badge. It's a tremendous amount of power you give someone when they wear a badge or hold a high position and I do think we need to do more psychological profiling when hiring people obtaining jobs where they are given positions of power. I would imagine if you were to take profiles of police officers who overstep their power or anyone for that matter that has a high power position (i.e. president of U.S.) you would see they have power/control issues and many are narcissistic and are not fit to manage people or wear a badge, hold a gavel or sit in the Oval Office. We need proper screening tools and training tools using methods such as restorative justice methods or non-violent communication training if you are wanting to have a position of power such as president, judge, police officer and yes even bus drivers where you are holding space for other people. We need stable, logical and mentally sound people working in our communities and nations.
—Nicole Perullo, via bendsource.com
RE: The Acolytes of Mr. Anderson 8/27
Thank you, Jim, for making our lives so much fuller. I have learned so much from your writing and adventures. We will all miss you mightily, but only hope your remaining years on this planet are filled with the joy that you have given us with each of your stories!
—Cheryl Schadt, via bendsource.com
No one mentioned the Glider flying. My parents and I moved to Bend in 1974. While outside I saw the tow plane and glider above. I was 15 at the time. I made someone drive me out to the Bend airport and went on my first glider flight with James Orville Anderson. I still have the log book. He had me soloing in 11 lessons. The next summer I worked as 'line boy' at Sunriver for Jim. Super fun times! One last great memory: driving to Sunriver one morning in Jim's Westfalia VW van, he goes screeching off the road into the dust... jumps out and picks up some roadkill and yells "We eat tonight!" For one of his raptors back home of course. I will be 62 in October. Time does fly.
—Doug Warren, via bendsource.com
Letter of the Week:
Thanks for the memories, Doug!
—Nicole Vulcan
