It’s an interesting thing to write a monthly column. Each passing week I think I know which event or topic I am going to write about. I start typing on a subject and get the column mostly laid out, then that idea is usurped by another event or topic.

The cancellation of Round-Up and Happy Canyon and the establishment of the Let’er Buck Cares Fund was the first topic I planned to write about. When I was on the Happy Canyon Board of Directors, one of the stories I always wanted to tell was how important Round-Up and Happy Canyon week is to local service groups and not-for-profits. They are able to leverage Pendleton’s premiere event to do their many good works, like providing scholarships, books and experiences to those in need within our community. I had hoped to write an impassioned plea that would make the readers of my column log in to the website and donate. Then other things came along, but please just assume there were 700 words here that would make you want to donate.

Go relieve my guilt at not submitting that column and click that donate button at pendletonroundup.com right now.

Out of right field came the mask mandate in Oregon. I’m a fairly conservative person, especially on taxation and spending issues, and somewhat left leaning on others. I would probably be classified as a right-leaning moderate. I decided to ditch column No. 1 and write about personal responsibility. The Republican Party has long espoused personal responsibility as one of its core values. Although government is necessary for a good many things, conservatives believe the individual is capable of self-governance without a nanny-like government necessary to ensure the individual does the right thing. It’s why Republicans favor less regulation.

Unfortunately, it seems personal responsibility has given way to, I’m not sure what to call it, a false liberty argument? How is it that the party of personal responsibility fumbled the mask thing so badly? In every conversation I’ve had with my fellow Eastern Oregonians we have complained about wearing masks. They’re hot and not very comfortable, but we also don’t want to be the reason our friends get COVID-19 and the reason clients’ businesses get shut down again. Whether masks work to keep us from passing the virus on to one another or not shouldn’t be the debate that divides us. That masks might be helpful should unite us.

I had about 600 words written about personal responsibility, then out of left field comes the Jonathon Lopez letter. When I read that, I was appalled. I had respected Mr. Lopez’s efforts to help in Pendleton during the flood. While it was obviously self-serving for a politician to do so, he used his social media to solicit volunteers and supplies for those affected. I wanted to write about the callousness it takes to pen a letter like that, but I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t believe the Aryan Nations had somehow taken over the mind of the letter writer so completely. Then out of the left field bleachers comes the news he wrote it himself. Talk about callousness. While I don’t believe in “cancel culture” it’s awfully clear that Mr. Lopez’s lies, actions and lack of concern for his community absolutely preclude him from serving in any governmental capacity, from elected leader to volunteer.

About 400 words into a column about the “fake news Lopez letter” comes Holly Jo Beers’ comments. I have struggled with what to say about her views of the tribal members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. I think the reason for that is I don’t want to make it worse. I worry about how those comments impacted the many people I care about who may have read them. I worry about how the lack of empathy Holly showed to the people who work so hard in fisheries, economic development, Wildhorse, Cayuse Technologies, Yellowhawk and Tribal government impacted them.

Her comments reveal her belief that they might not be the best choice or candidate for their jobs. I can assure Holly that, in my experience, she is wrong. I watch Brent engage his students, Jeremiah work to protect many species of fish. I see Marissa working for the betterment and health of her community. I am in awe as Deb builds a strong business employing folks throughout Umatilla County. I see Bobbie sharing tribal culture locally and nationally. I watch Chuck effectively protect his community from the threat of a pandemic. All of these folks, coupled with their education and experience, have done their very best to not only improve their community, but all of our lives. The tribes have a history of sharing their resources even in the poorest of times. If the greatest resource on this planet is people, I am thankful for their generosity.

As I see it, we have a responsibility to be our best for each other. Let’s put that into practice by donating to good causes, wearing our masks, doing our civic duty by voting and sharing the best of ourselves.