Resigning from school board

Dear Editor,

To the community: I am a man of principles. I hold honesty, truth, integrity and obeying the law to a high standard. I only see right or wrong, black or white. There is no middle ground. Born in Okanogan County, I was raised with these values and taught to defend them. Yes, these are old fashioned morals but they have served me well. When I see wrong doing, I move to fix the problem. Sometimes this involves asking questions and confronting these problems head on.

I was elected to the school board to help bring these values to our school. I have done just that. But, I

guess my John Wayne style just isn’t suitable for the politics I have witnessed and for some people this makes me unsuitable as a school board member. I don’t blow in the wind enough or change my color to suit my surroundings. I refuse to budge on honesty and truth.

I am resigning at the next board meeting. Thanks to all my supporters. I appreciate your support and

loyalty.

Thanks again.

Phil Barker

Oroville

Friends on the Okanogan

Dear Editor,

Thank you Boots! Our own Joyce Emery has always been clear to label gossip and/or rumor as what it is. If she doesn’t see it with her own eyes or hear it from “the horse’s mouth” it’s not a fact and she tells us so. It must have something to do with Missouri. If you care to as whom ever is telling you what is REALLY going on, where they heard that and they won’t tell you or say “they said” well, that’s a rumor or gossip. Ya’, some of my grandparents are from Missouri too. All the “I heards” and “they says” are not facts and we should not repeat them. Not without a disclaimer.

I, like Joyce, got caught in the “not the right place” last week so Eagledom at Work this week will have two weeks worth of information in it. Correspondents, remember we can’t really ask for our money back.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I don’t believe our local newspaper being printed in Canada is “out-sourcing.” I believe our neighbors to the north are much closer to us than anyone on the “west side.” Until the border got so sticky about crossing, and trying to get back, our northern Okanogan neighbors were much closer. I miss that. Friends and family used to buzz back and forth to eat, play and visit, and terrorism and drugs were the last things on any ones mind. When I was a kid, deer hunting up the Similkameen, the border was a barbed-wire fence and most of the time the fence was down. Any one else remember that?

Okay, so times change and we need to thank all the people who do remember and try to learn from them. Our May Day Festival is one of those things that need some younger people to take part in and learn about and take over from the people who have been doing it for so long. We like to keep our traditions and our Okanogan life, but without the younger generations walking in our footsteps, it ain’t gonna happen! We have lots of younger people out there to start with and they can carry on too. Even it they have to come back after 30 years to do it.

Our traditions are important, our neighbors are important and our speaking the truth to one another is important. We on the Okanogan River are friends and family and we are important!

Gai Wisdom

Oroville

Preserve marriage, sign petition

Dear Editor,

The Washington State legislature has passed a bill #6239 and signed into law by Gov. Christine Gregoire redefining marriage. State law previously defined marriage as a “civil contract between a male and a female.” Should the new law be implemented, marriage would be defined as “a civil contract between two persons.”

This bill will allow same-sex couple to marry. R74 is a referendum petition which would allow all the people to vote to accept or reject this law in the November 2012 general election. In order to qualify for the ballot, 120,577 valid signatures of registered Washington voters must be collected by June 6, 2012. If a sufficient number of signatures are gathered by June 6, the law will be put “on hold” pending the outcome of the vote in November. If the referendum does not qualify for the ballot, the law takes effect June 7, 2012. Petitions and info can be obtained at Preserve Marriage Washington; PO Box 13350; Mill Creek, WA 98082 or www.preservemarriagewashington.com or (425) 608-0242.

Churches are in no way restricted in their ability to discuss ballot measures or collect signatures with the permission of the pastor, but care must be taken to do so in a spirit of love and respect, befitting our faith. I also have these petitions for your convenience if you would like to sign them. You must be a registered, legal voter. Please sign only one petition and only one time. Please sign as you are registered to vote.

Please stop in at ALJU Stove and Fireplace, 550 Riverside Dr., Omak.

Alfred Bosco

Omak

Constitutional authority and intent

Dear Editor,

There is an opening statement, so to speak, in the U.S. Constitution before the numbered articles are noted, part of which reads: “…to insure domestic tranquility…promote the general welfare…” This statement is obviously intended to apply to the workings of the national government and is as important or even more important than the numbered articles, otherwise the words would not likely have been used by the framers of the U.S. Constitution at all.

It would not be far off the mark to conclude that a majority of American citizens would not describe our society today as tranquil in nature.

Keeping America free from terrorist attacks since 9/11, although very positive in nature, is not in and by itself enough any longer to fall under the heading of to insure domestic tranquility.

And the actions of the national and some state governments, in regards to our present economic recession, does not qualify as promoting the general welfare.

For the founding fathers to have put in place a Constitution that they expected to still be fully functional 225 years later is equal to those of us today putting place a new and improved governmental structure then insisting it will still be functional 300 years from now. It isn’t possible for any society or group of individuals to see that far into the future.

What the Constitution does do, and does it very well, is to show that The Declaration of Independence is the best written document the founding fathers ever wrote and signed off on. It is easy for most Americans to find inspiration and even some wisdom in The Declaration. Let us view that document as our guide in discovering the path to wisdom while also moving forward in an effort to experience personal inspiration and societal revival nationwide. Nothing less will do.

Ray Gattavara

Auburn, Wash.