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Opinions and Commentary

Opinions and Commentary

The Hard-to-Grasp Business of Patriotism

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THE GOLDENDALE SENTINEL — This year I worked on the Fourth of July which, as a newsie, means driving around the county to see what people are up to. I wanted to get to each part and had mapped out an extensive route, beginning in the east and heading west with checkpoints along the way. I began in Bickleton for the town’s Patriotic Pig Roast. The scenes heading out there were pretty typical: kids playing...
Opinions and Commentary

Freedom Vs Safety: Where Do We Draw the Line?

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THE GOLDENDALE SENTINEL — When I was nine years old, I was the Seat Belt Girl. I say this not only because I wore my lap belt religiously as a child, but because Oregon at the time was trying to introduce mandatory safety belt laws and they had these campaign ads during the election with a montage of child voices and faces. I was the kid in the magenta jumpsuit who...
Opinions and Commentary

There’s Fun and Then There’s Army Fun

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THE GOLDENDALE SENTINEL — Watching the U.S. Army’s recruitment video on their website is really, really fun. I discovered this yesterday, after hearing a blurb on the radio about a new military fun center to open soon in Florida. “Army fun center?” I thought. “Hmm.” Being raised...
Opinions and Commentary

In Modern Society, Has the Consumer Become the Consumed?

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THE GOLDENDALE SENTINEL — Last week, a security guard was trampled to death at a Walmart in New York. There, beneath a mass of a 2,000 shoppers, a man lost his life to a mad stampede of pounding elbows, knees, and feet. CBS News reported items on sale at that particular Walmart during the infamous “Black Friday” rollbacks included...