I was amazed at the statement in your editorial of Aug. 19, 2021, that the failure of those in Umatilla County to get vaccinated against COVID-19 was “more a matter of personal choice than an ideological statement.” Personal choices are not made in a vacuum but, rather, are very much grounded in personal values.

If a person bases their choice on an ideology of individual rights, then they also need to accept that with rights come responsibilities to others. Since none of us live on an island, the right not to get a vaccination does not give one the right to infect others.

Unfortunately, the stubborn resistance to vaccination in Umatilla County will have a big impact on the Pendleton Round-Up. Do the people of Umatilla County really think that those outside of the county will come to a virus super-spreader event, such as the Round-Up, when it is obvious that most attendees will not be wearing masks? The latest science indicates that the delta variant of COVID-19 is highly contagious and easily passed by the aerosol spray of those who have it, even in an outdoor setting.

The tragedy is that it didn’t have to be this way. Having growth up in Pendleton and having roots in Eastern Oregon that go back three generations, the current situation saddens me a great deal.

Bill Willingham

Portland