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In all honesty I am fairly certain I will be voting for Obama. I was less certain prior to the debate tonight. I thoroughly dislike personal political attacks but particularly when they have no relevancy to critical issues such as the economic, financial, health care, etc problems we face. As a Viet Nam veteran I began this political cycle predisposed toward Senator McCain. He really, really shook my belief in him with his selection of Palin. But Senator McCain's pattern of negativity as demonstrated in tonight's debate has put the lid on any possibility of my supporting him. I have not missed an election since President Nixon; and I would rather not vote than assist Senator McCain into any elected office. It blows my mind that such an honorable man can become so dishonorable in the persue of an elected office. Something is terribly wrong with the process, the system or both.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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Journalist,regardless of orientation, are unoficial representatives of larger communities and should be treated differently from citizens with respect to access to official representative of communities, events, and others. They are not entitled nor should they be given more respect and consideration than other human beings.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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On the face of it this should be a relatively simple answer. Leaders have followers and journalists have readers. The debate rests almost entirely on the tipping point and quality of the reporting. How many readers does a writer need to have to be recognized as a journalist instead of someone who shares their private thoughts and observations with a group of people; and does the writing meet the specific criteria of being factual, objective, fair, balanced, and understandable. Perhaps a critera not often mentioned, but not necessary required or even desirable, is whether the journalist community recognize the writer as a member of their community.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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Alejandra you make some excellent points. However, I believe you have not effectively addressed the primary concerns. The concerns is about competition for resources. You cannot reasonably expect to win others to your point of view unless this is address during these difficult times. The fact is, these programs do take a great deal of resources. Citizens are upset they are forced to make sacrifics regarding the education of their children for the children of non-citizens. People are also upset regarding the failure of many in the Latino community to learn English even after being in the country for many, many, years. I hear this all of the time from a wide variety of otherwise socially progressive people. People want to understand. When people do not understand they feel frustrated and become negative or oppositional. It does not help the Latino community when the community label people as racist because they oppose ESL programs and/or react because resources are reduced for their children while hundreds of millions of dollars are used to support ESL and bilingual programs. I do know know a single person who has voiced support for Measure 58. But I know dozens of people who have voiced frustration for the reasons I have given.

Why is the focus almost exculsively on Spanish ? Is it because the other ethnic groups tend to isolate while the Latino community both isolates and interacts with the larger community ?

Every student is different. But we set timelines for each grade with the expectation that students will develop specific educational skills within the time limit set for that grade. Why is bilingual any different ? During these difficult economic times people are afraid and react negatively to what appears to them as a blank check for a group who are not generally citizens.

Personally, I would like to learn and hear more about what the larger Latino community is doing to promote English. Its now possible in many states for a native Spanish speaker to live their entire life in their community without ever needing to speak English. I also believe until the larger community views the overall Latino community as becoming fluent in English that community will always remain suspect as not wanting to become a part of this country and the suspicion will remain with resentment when resources are exclusively directed to this community.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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Firt off, anything with Bill Sizemore's name on it illicits an automatic "NO!" from me. But Measure 58 does raise some questions to which I have never been able to find an answer.

1. When I was a child a Polish family moved into my neighborhood two homes downs. No one, as far as I could tell spoke English. The parents almost never spoke to anyone. The two boys (two daughters were never out alone) my age attended my middle school and were speaking English with some ease within 2-3 years. The two boys played with my group after a few months and we helped them.
2. I enrolled my 1st daughter in Spanish immersion in 3rd grade when the program began. When she entered high school she tested out of all of the Spanish classes and dual enrolled at the university where she continued. She has a Masters Degree in Bilingual Secondary Education before getting her PH.D and teaching at a major Eastern university.

3. I social work I have worked with the Spanish population who have lived in the U.S. 20-30 years who do not speak English and request a translator for meetings. Often, not always, teenagers in the family who participated in ESL in elementary and high school also request translators.

4. Some of my friends children who are native English speakers are enrolled in language immerson classes and are quickly speaking the language, especially the younger children.

5. I have new adult friends from Russia, Ukraine, & Croatia who took ESL classes at PCC and are fluent in speaking and writing English in less than two years and especially enjoy the comics. Minor mistakes in written grammar but always getting better.

I do not have any answers, only questions. Something is terribly wrong with ESL in elementary, middle, and high school. I do not know what or why. I do know its not always racism to question ESL.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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The question is and always has been, "Why are Home Care Workers necessary ?" Home Care Workers are necessary because we have structured our lives in such a fashion that family members are seldom and/or generally unavailabe to provide basic care for their members who need care and assistance. Despite a generally negative attitude toward and about government we turn to government to solve some of our most personal needs and problems. Passing a criminal background check and participation in 35-75 hours of training does not ensure ethical and caring behaviors or the ability or willingness to apply such training to the care of clients. Such checks only reduce the probability of unethical behavior. Training only increases the probability that the necessary skills to care for a client will actually take place. Every day their are family menmbers who behave unethically toward immediate family members and who exhibit uncaring behaviors in their care of family members.

I have had personal experience with and contact with dozens of Home Care Workers, Adult Foster Home Providers, and Child Care Workers. On the whole they are a group of deeply caring and dedicated people. I would have tremendous difficulties performing their joys. Each group saves the state thousands of dollars per client and the citizens of Oregon and Washington valuable tax dollars. We reward each of these groups with ongoing abuse by failing to provide adequate pay to them and wonder in amazement why their is such a high percentage of turnover. Clients are not sacks of potatoes who can be passed from one person to another without regard for the client's needs and feelings. Caring for another human being requires compassion, trust, understanding, and commitment/dedication. Clients deserve no less from anyone and everyone. These are the most vunerable members of our family and society.

The woman who is behind the Washington State measure would do well to concern herself with adequate pay and health care first before developing additional requirements for the people who care for the most vulnerable members of our society. Show these groups the money and health care and they will lead the charge for the development of skills far in excess of what she could imagine. The competition and quality of people seeking to enter these careers will be awesome. I have met Mary several times and know her to be a caring and passinate care giver. Oregon is lucky to have her. I was deeply impressed by the other care giver in Lincoln City as well. Another lucky stroke for Oregon.

For the record, I am not a paid care giver and neither do I play one on tv. I have been a social worker for a number of years but have not played one on tv.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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This statement is applicable to any profession or job for that matter. Doctors, politicians, roofer, CEO, dentist, plummber, etc. The problem appears to be inadequate and/or ineffective supervision and/or management from the legislature to the principal. Teachers, as any and all workers should be held accountable to perform at an acceptable level. But such accountability must be fair and effective. Given the host of factors outside of the classroom which significantly affect students ability to benefit from classroom instructions even from the most dedicated and gifted teacher, merit pay as currently presented is neither fair nor effective. Merit pay must be structure and based on the factors over which teachers have contraol. To date I know of no such system or plan. I am not a teacher and I do not play one on TV; and neither is any member of my family or close friends involved in the profession. I have a daughter who successfully completed a public education before going to graduate from Reed College and graduate degree from Princeton. I have another one who is just beginning her public education.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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Reply to hb1736. You have stated many of my points in an exceptionally well composed response. I have spent the majority of my adult life in social services which has included schools, prisons, private and public social service agencies. I have repeatedly questioned the popular position of expecting teachers and schools to be responsible for a wide range of factors outside of their control. Its not politically correct to hold parents responsible on a daily basis for their children entering school prepared and motivated to learn. The pint elephants in every school and classroom are the family culture of each child with respect to their attitude toward education and learning, whether the child regularly gets enough sleep, a structured household which requires the child to have a home environment which supports opportunties to study, and a host of other factors which impact the child's ability to benefit from school. And yet, schools and teachers are the only ones who are held accountabie ?

During the course of my career I have entered many homes with children in which the family household was in such disarray and confusion it would be impoosible for any teacher or school to effectively address on an educational level.

I speak with some authority as I came from such a home. But one teacher in 7th grade took an interest in me and became my mentor. He had the permission of my parents on several occasions to take me to his home to visit his family. Such visits sparked my interest in reading and learning. He mentored me through high school and my undergraduate education. I went on to complete graduate school. One teacher made the difference in my life. I have passed it on several times. Given today's climate no teacher would put such energy into a child and certainly not take them home. I will forever remain thankful to that teacher and remember him until the day I die.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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How do you outlaw a bioloigcal function ? How many centuries have various societies/communities attempted to outlaw the selling of sex without success? Somewhere between the free and open selling of sex and imprisonment of every prostitute, John, and pimp there has to be a reasonable solution. Significant segments of our country opposed gambling, alcohol, use of illegal drugs. And yet, society has found a way to accommodate each of these activities. Why not prostitution ? Prostitution is not the problem.

The problems rests with our attitudes toward sex. In this regard, as a society, we are mentally ill. We are at the same time fasciated, attracted, fearful of, and repulsed by sex. Until and unless we come to terms with these conflicting attitudes and beliefs about a natural human function we cannot hope to effectively address prostitutions in all of its manifestations.

I first realized the absurdity of sex in our society when I served in Vietnam. Hundreds of soliders each month were incapacitated for combat duty and killed due to seeking sex and/or obtaining sex. Incapacitated by sexual disease for several weeks or killed seeking sex. An Army field grade officer recommended the establishment of a safe area in Vietnam were military personnel could obtain permission to spent a night or few days with a licensed prostitute who was monitored by a medical staff in a secure area. The prostitute would receive a good rate of pay in a currency approved by the military which to have the added benefit of preventing MPC (Military Pay Certificate), the currency used within the military, from circulating in the Vietnamese communities. Afterall, when a solider paid for a prostitute he paid with MPC as it was illegal to have any U.S. dollars.

The response the army officer received was a definite "NO" out of concern and/or fear of the reaction by the news media, churches, political leaders, and citizens "back" in the "world" (America). My country was willing to accept the death and incapacity of service men before it would accept military sponored prostitution. Even at 19 yrs of age with a high school education I thought this was crazy. Following a graduate education I realized it was symptomatic of mental illness at a societal level. And yet, the military, political leaders, church goes, media, and citizens were willing to allow service men to be flown at least once during their tour to another country which sponored, tolerated, or accepted prostitution to entertain visits by these service men. An industry existed to support this trade wich included transportation to and from the airport, hotels, restaurants, and tourism places. Hundreds of thousands of service men made these trips.

Nevertheless, these trips did not prevent service men from seeking prostitutes in Vietnam. Many Vietnamese women saw prostitution as a way of making a great deal of money in a short period of time and may have had husband or pimp bahind them. It also allowed them to establish relationships with service men to use the MPC to purchase goods from the PX, military only store. I am sure many of the purchases were then re-sold at a profit.

And of course, few people will talk about the female nurses and aide workers who charged thousands of dollars for a night with breakfast. These nights were frequently limited to officers but a few enlisted service men at least claimed to have enjoyed such company.

Portland cannot stop prostitution it can only limit and/or accommodate it. The real question is how ?

posted 4 years, 8 months ago
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Now for my personal comment. I worked for the State of Oregon for 18 years. I was a union activist and leader for 12 yrs. Unions are required to represent all employees even non-members by federal law. Unions are a necessary evil just as government is a necessary evil. Because most if not all people tend to promote their own personal interests. This becomes a problem with people have power over others. Unions have a mission to level the playing field between employer and employees.
Its been my experience that American workers are terrified and apathetic; and have been successfully brained washed by corporations to view unions and the American government as evil. It was the American government and unions who stood up to corporations. Many were killed. But in the end workers got the weekend off, 8 hour days, work place safety, and fair wages. People resent unions even when they have not had any personal experience with unions. People believe they do not need a union because they will not get into trouble. But they quickly grab every benefit and pay raise the union bargains. When trouble finds them, they quickly run to the union. You see, sometimes it not what you do or haven't done. Sometimes events just happen and employees face trouble.
I have represented employees who faced termination. Many who violated critical policies accepted termination or resigned. Others who were not guilty or who violated a minor policy also faced termination. Even when factual evidence supported the employee many were terminated nonetheless. Their entire live was disrupted. Loss of income. Loss of health insurance. Blow to their self esteem. Loss of co-workers. It takes about 7-9 months for the grievance process to work through. At any point the employer can voluntarily reinstate the employee. However, they seldom return to their original job because its been filled. They frequently return to a less desireable job or location. The employer gets to substract any wages they earned from what they would have earned had they not been terminated.

A quote from Vietname can also be applied by union leaders to member led unions: We are the unwilling, led by the unqualified, doing the unnecessary, for the ungrateful.

posted 4 years, 8 months ago
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Silvertea, you obviously have some strong feelings about unions. Its unlikely that anything I say will have a positive impact on how you feel. But I "feel" compelled to say something anyway. I would recommend you read "The disposal American by Louis Uchitelle. There is a story about a woman worker who saw the future at Stanley Works and up graded her skills to meet the needs of the company but was eventually overtaken by factors far beyond her control. The fact is, the world has changed and continues to change at an ever increasing rate. Far faster than workers can re-educate themselves.

The tragedy is that there is a need for unions at all. Perhaps you can suggest critera by which workers can be judge which are not subjective. Subject criteria are easily manipulated. Perhaps you should also rent an old movie "On The Water Front" and get a more clear understanding of what workers went through before unions. Unions are far from perfect. But so is democracy. A union is only as good as its members. demoncracy is only as good as its citzens. Both leave a great deal to be desired. Both provide a level of protection from a greater evil. As the workers in "Right-To Work" states which do not allow collective bargaining were wages are generally lower, 15% on average, that in states with collective bargaining. University of Oregon in Eugene offers courses. For eight years I attended a summer (August) weekend program on a wide variety of labor and employer topics through LERC. I wish you well and hope you find peace (even if we never agree).

posted 4 years, 8 months ago
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Thank You. I am on it. I knew about Gordon Parks and his career but not Dorothea Lange. Again, Thanks

posted 4 years, 8 months ago
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According to my mother, whom I have full faith and credit, the depression was different for Black folks (Negroes was the operative word then) than for White folks. This was particularly true for Black men. My grandmother would go to the corner in the open air market with other Black women and compete for a day job to clean the house of a White woman. If selected my grandmother was worked hard for 10-12 hours for only a few dollars. In several instances the White woman would insist my mother have something to eat and would later deduct the food from my grandmother's wages. Eventually, my grandmother was hired as a permanent domestic by a wealthy family. A job my grandmother kept well into her 70"s When my mother was an adult and married my grandmother told my mother stories about Black women who were taken to a home to clean and returned to the open air market later without being paid. She also told my mother as an adult of several Black women being sexually assaulted by an adult male in the home. In both such instances no reports were made to the police for obvious reasons. Little changed for Blacks with Present Roosevelt New Deal and Civilian Conversation Corps. Such jobs primilary went to the White communities. When I watch the video movie on the building of the lodge on Mt. Hood and workers in Government Camp, I see no Black faces, only White.

posted 4 years, 8 months ago
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The minimum wages begs a fundamental question. Is it a tenet of our society to provide employment at a rate insufficient for a person to be able to meet their basic needs for food, shelter, and clothing ? If a business cannot provide adequate wages for its employees does that business have a right to employ people ? Are such businesses the root of proverty ? Without government standards below which businesses cannot (in theory) pay, what would be the minimum wage ? There was (and may still be) a CEO of a large corporation who received hundreds of millions of dollars as an annual salary (not including bonus) with thousands of minimum wage workders. This same CEO spent millions to prevent the workers from forming a union. Business as usual ?

Why is it that the people who claim the power of the free market for determining the price of products and wages run to the government for help to import workers rather than raise the wages of workers with skills in short supply, like nurses. Many of these same people run to the government to put barriers (import fees) in place to prevent cheaper products from being imported, such as sugar.

Shouldn't minimum wage jobs be limited to teenagers, college students, people with living wage jobs who seek additional income, and retired people seeking additional income or something to do.

As far as I am concerned minimum wage jobs is slavery by more polite name but slavery nonetheless. It traps people into a life of poverty from which few escape. For the record, I do not have a minimum wage job - yet.

posted 4 years, 8 months ago
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With all due respect, I believe this discussion completely misses the point. I struggle with the vast contradictions. Political leaders who strougly advocate against government intrusion into the lives of citizens and especially into families advocate government intrusion into some of the most private and personal lives of its citizens and especially families. What and how families should teach their children about sex. The decision of whether or not to have an abortion. There are numerous examples of these contradictions and political leaders, in this case, Sara Palins, should be asked how she comes to terms with such contradictions. It has implications for many of her other positions and provide information about her leadership abilities.

As for the daughter of Sara Palins being pregnant: So what ? Who cares. Once a child reaches a certain age parental ability to control that child decreases and continues to decrease. Whether Sara Palins could have had greater influence such as to have prevented such pregnancy if she had been more actively involved instead of being the leader of the state of Alaska, maybe and maybe not. This is something only her daughter can make a valid guess. The only thing we can guess with certainty is that it may have increased Palins chances to have influenced her daughter in a different direction. Much depends on the type of relationship Palins has with her daughter.

posted 4 years, 8 months ago
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It saddens me to watch the slow and seemingly enevitable demise of our great country and feel so powerless to stop and/or prevent it. Neither the Obama or McClain national convention offer any hope outside of the very real prospect of more of the same. Because the problems are much deeper and greater than any single candidate or political party, for that matter.

How can individual people, group, party, state, region, or country adhere so strongly to destructive ideas and politices. Can abortion or its polar opposite be so important relative to everything that it determines the course of action for a person, a group, a party, a state, and/or region of our country ? Given its history of polarization and destructiveness how can it so dominate the course of events. A view held by many who just as strongly advocate individual rights and opposition to government intervention into the affairs of individuals.

To what extent can government be held responsible for individual choices which results in and sustains a lifestyle of poverty? Is it the responsiblity of government to care for people who have been abandoned by their family and/or community ? Can government pay again and again for addicts who repeatedly relapse ? How can a political party golorify and not challenge such people to accept personal responsibility?

How can an entire region of our great nation base its political opposition to another party primarily if not completely on that party's relatively recent support of voting and civil rights for a group of oppressed citizens. Can the lost of slavery and Jim Crow so disenfrancise the south? I struggle to come to terms with these issues particularly in a group and political party which wears the American flag on their clothing and believe in individual freedom.

How does such narrowmindedness get transmitted and sustained throughout the years ? How is it that so many citizens of Alaska voted for Ted Stevens ? Is it reasonable to expect politicans and/or our leaders to be better than most of us ? Perhaps we, the citizens of America have become far too corrupt ourselves to save our country

Although my family and the community of my childhood were Democratic supporters I became a Republican in my college years. As an adult I became and remain an independent. I see nothing in either party which reflects the values and beliefs upon which our country was found. This is particularly true for the Republican Party. But I will closely follow the Republican convention in the hopes of being surprised not with an expectation of hope. If John McClain mentions his POW status one more time I will stop.

posted 4 years, 8 months ago
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I am equally disturbed by the idea of Home Schooling and Unschooling but can appreciate why this may be a desireable option for some parents. I have been a professional who works closely with children and families for several decades in three different states. It continues to amaze me the vast majority of parents continue to view their children as their property to do whatever they believe without being challenged by anyone for anything. Not all parents are loving, caring, or act in the best interest of their children. This includes parents who home school and unschool. In the public school system children have the opportunity to develop relationships with other adults, observed by other adults, monitored by other adults. Its an inadequate "safety net" by a safety net nevertheless.

I do not believe or advocate interference in the relationship between a child and their parents. What I do believe and advocate is that the community has an interest in the welfare of all of its children. The fact that so many home schooling and unschooling parents will not even register with their local school district is a significant disturbance to me.

The Home Schooling and Unschooling parents have a right to return their children to the public school system at any time for any reason. If a child has been inadequately educated the responsibility for correcting any mistakes then rests with the public school system with no accountability or consequences to the parents. In fact, this issue will not even become a topic of conservation between the parents and public school. Where is the accountability ? Because ultimately it is the society which must accept the burden and responsiblity if the parents were wrong for whatever reason.

posted 4 years, 9 months ago
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Stacyb, sincere "thanks" for the additional information. I appreciate the fact that you have a challenging task regardless. The bottom line is that girls are not born with a predisposition to become victims or abuser and neither are boys. Many, many boys respond to certain life and environmental events and patterns with aggression and acting out which often triggers discipline or negative consequences. Many, many girls respond with aggression and acting out and/or tears which often results in emotional support. There is a societal predisposition to care for girls regardless of their behaviors. The same societal predisposition is not present for boys. As the guest from K-Falls stated, boys are expected to behave like men. Unfortunately, the adult men and women in our society frequently fail boys. This is not likely to change anytime soon. Thanks for your efforts on behalf of the boys in your county. I sincerely hope and pray you are success.

posted 4 years, 9 months ago
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This is a great discussion which is long overdue. I have spent the majority of my adult life counseling children, especially teens. A consistent theme throughtout my career has been to label girls as the victim and boys as the perpetrator. Lip service, as noted in your current program and demonstrated by your guests (except the man from K-Falls). Why are so many resources exclusively directed at girls and little for boys? There is no excuse for anyone to abuse anyone or be abused by anyone. It takes two to play the game and sometimes girls are not as innocent as we paint them and boys not as evil as we paint them. All teens need the services which parents, for whatever reason, seem unable or unwilling to provide. In the long run, its cost effective for society.

posted 4 years, 9 months ago
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I would very much like to hear a discussion on the impact "political correctness" on the lack of open and honest discussion in the public square. My personal experience indicates large numbers of people only verbalize their heart felt deespest beliefs, if ever, among their closses and likeminded family and friends who frequently share such feelings and beliefs. This, I believe, contributes to a lack of learning and evolution of our thoughts and feelings on a wide range of social and political issues. For example, I was a very strong supporter of Al Gore presidential campaign. I learned a great deal in my visits to Lack Oswego and Clackamas County talking to Republicians to understand why they were opposed to Al Gore. It was not only very educational but enjoyable as well. For the record, I have been an independent for the vast majority of my adult life after having been a democrate and a republican. Or is it not politically correct to talk about political correctness ?

posted 4 years, 10 months ago
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