Comment on dog training in the community
I just wanted to speak out about a popular form of dog training in Bend known as “shock collars.” This is a form of training that I have seen frequently while visiting the many dog parks in town. While I understand that sometimes these devices may be called for in rare circumstances, the amount of people casually using them is actually disturbing. I have witnessed some people shocking their dogs for almost no apparent reason and unfortunately even seen some shock their dogs simply for playing with another dog. This is pretty outrageous because people take their dogs to these parks to socialize them and it is baffling to me that so many do not seem to understand the concept of dogs playing. Most dogs can play very rough and aggressively and that is just in their nature. There is an obvious difference between a dogfight and dogs playing but I have seen so many people punish and apprehend their dogs simply for playing.
How can someone treat their best friend like this and think it is truly okay? I think it is time that we start understanding that these creatures are living beings that deserve respect and are not here on this planet to simply be ordered around like slaves. If you yourself, cherish your own freedom, then please consider toning down any sort of over-controlling behavior towards your dog. They are so extremely helpful to humanity and deserve just as much love as they put out.
—Andrew Roe
Letter of the year
I’m just sick and tired of the elitist attitude of those on the west side, including the Source. “Not on the west side anyways” is a stereotypical remark assuming that those of us who choose to live on the Eastside are less sensitive, less educated and less open-minded than you are. Wrong! How about a little respect?
—Mike Kelly
Redmond airport expanding flights
I am 100% opposed to the Redmond airport expanding in any way, shape, or form unless and until a real TSA-Precheck lane is opened. I have flown in and out of Redmond six times in the last two years (I’m a partial year resident of Bend) and every time the security line has been a joke. I will not soon forget my October 2018 trip when numerous people were in tears in the boarding area because they missed their flight due to the pathetic security screening process.
—David Jankowski
Storm sewer charges
If anyone knows the legal justification for the City of Bend’s storm sewer utility charges to residents of neighborhoods without storm sewers, would you please explain it in a letter to this Editor? I have lived in many different places and this is the first place I have received utility billings for non-existent utilities. Since this is a utility charge and not a tax, I don’t understand its legitimacy. Wouldn’t it be more logical and fair if the determining factor for storm sewer utility billing be the physical existence of neighborhood storm sewers rather than the location of the boundary line of the city?
Since private companies cannot charge for services or products not provided, why is it permissible for the City of Bend to do this? This billing policy has been in effect for many years and I am curious as to how it became established. Did citizens or the city council vote for it? Was it an arbitrary decision by a past city manager or utility department manager? I have repeatedly requested this information from any city representative but have received no response other than more storm sewer bills with more added late fees.
If this city-wide billing policy has never been truly legitimized by popular vote, it should have been. If it is legitimate, will someone please enlighten me with an explanation? I will end my payment protest once I am convinced that this seemingly unfair and illogical billing policy is truly legitimate. Thank you.
—Eddie Kinnamon
National Women’s March
Race issues in women’s movements is nothing new. Ida B Wells—educator, investigative journalist, editor, author, abolitionist and feminist spent four months in Great Britain advocating for the anti-lynching movement and the rights of Afro-Americans in 1893. How did she start? By calling out Frances E. Willard, national president of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, who “unhesitatingly slandered the entire Negro race in order to gain favor with those who are hanging, shooting and burning Negroes alive.” The Suffragette movement in America was tainted by racism and Wells knew that in order to create equality ‘she needed to expose the truth: that too many white liberals were doing nothing to oppose crimes against black Southerners.’
Today the Women’s March organizers have the same conflict: the unwillingness of white activist to acknowledge the role they play in a white dominant culture that maintains racial inequities. When Tamika Mallory, a black gun control activist, and Carmen Perez, a Latina criminal justice reform activist, told Vanessa Wruble to confront her own role in racism, their feedback didn’t come from antisemitism as the spin media will have us all believing but from the overly and self-evident truth; if you are a white Jewish, Christian or non-religious woman, you may have difficulties, but having the barriers of imbedded racism within the culture won’t be one of them!
If you stand for social, racial and economic justice I urge you to keep having bold conversations to unearth racism’s roots and thank you for being an ally!
—Joanne Mina
Joanne—Thanks for your comments, and for the reminder that the next Women’s March is coming up on Jan. 19 nationwide. Come on in for your gift card to Palate!
Readers: Check out womensmarch.com for info—and mark your calendars for Sat., Jan. 19 at 12pm in Drake Park for the local march. Here’s hoping for an expanded view of what allyship is during this year’s march.
—Nicole Vulcan
This article appears in Jan 9-16, 2019.
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Eddie Kinnamon:
It works like this – the City of Bend charges you money for simply living in the city. Think of it like a “privilege tax”. The city will take your money and use it to provide services for new development. Later, when it’s time to actually provide similar services to your neighborhood, they’ll come back and assess you further charges. Just look to the recent sewer connection issue in SE Bend for an example of how that works.
And don’t forget in some people’s mind you’re a freeloader and a lowlife if you object to all these connection charges and fees for phantom services.
But ain’t life in Nuevo Bend just grand?…
I work out of town so I was unaware of the fake utility the city made up. I found out when the city sent a sheriff to my house to serve me with a judgement against my property. I’ve been contacted by the city police after discussing the fairytale charges on a utility. If anyone ran a business the way the city of Bend operates they would be shut down , fined and do hard time for strong-arm robbery.