Letters to the Editor for Aug. 6, 2020

Reader responds to ACLU guest columnist, questions 'peaceful protesters' in Portland Having read (ACLU of Oregon staffer) Doug Brown's hit piece, "Constitutional crisis in Portland" (published on the Opinion page of the July 30, 2020, Camas-Washougal Post-Record), against the police and federal officers' response to the "peaceful" protesters, journalists and legal observers, I would like to express my opinion on Portland's situation. It's acknowledged that the killing of George Floyd was reprehensible and justice must be served against the perpetrators of his killing. Having peaceful protests against such actions is legal and understandable but, unfortunately, there are groups whose intent is to carry those protests beyond the legal peaceful protests, attacking the principles of our democracy, laws and history. The protests occurring late at night no longer are about Floyd. The destruction of statues, our flag and private properties, vandalizing businesses and attempts at destroying federal buildings are not peaceful protests but anarchists out to destroy our way of life. It's not just Porland but throughout our country in those major cities run by liberal mayors. These riots have little to do with Floyd and Black Lives Matter, as is demonstrated by the myriad killing of Blacks, being minimally reported. Brown knows that the federal authorities are here to protect federal property that the "peaceful protesters" are trying to destroy. A great deal of praise needs to be given to our police who have exercised restraint until being attacked and having to defend themselves. The calls for defunding our police, the destruction of our statues and rewriting of our history, removal of our guns, control of our media, thugs running rampant in our cities -- these were the tactics Hitler used to gain control over a once civilized Germany. Interesting how earlier in the day, protests are peaceful. As darkness descends on the city, many of the protesters leave and smaller groups, now armed with Molotov cocktails, bricks, bats, commercial fireworks, gas-filled balloons, etc. continue the "protests," and things become violent. Pepper spray and tear gas by our police is used to defuse the crowds while being attacked with more violent arsenals. Brown's portrayal of militarized agents terrorizing the community needs to be reassessed. Those agents are the ones looting and burning buildings, beating up people defending their properties and defacing and destroying the city. It's an amazing thing to watch the various news media characterize the protesters as innocent, peaceful demonstrators and ignore their violent and destructive behavior while continuing to demonize our law enforcement agencies. Ron Child, Camas Congresswoman should act on words showing support for police reforms Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler concedes we need to modernize policing. Yet she supports a Republican-backed bill purporting to address police misconduct that would not do any of the following: establish national standards for law enforcement; prohibit use of chokeholds or no-knock warrants; require use of federal funds to expand body camera use; fund community programs to change law enforcement culture; or create a public nationwide police misconduct registry to prevent problematic officers from moving around to other agencies. Another bill, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, would do these things and much more. Why can't JHB match her words with action? Ellen Sward, Vancouver

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