The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Misplaced anger over masks

To the Editor:

I was deeply saddened to hear of all the misplaced anger at the SSD meeting about masking in school this fall. As an RN (with a background in public health) who cares for all types of patients, including those with potentially infectious diseases, I can tell you that I have been exposed in numerous situations but have remained safe because I wore the correct equipment.

Having our school children wear masks during this time of uncertainty and change is the prudent thing to do. This is not a political issue. It is a public health emergency.

Who really hates wearing masks? EVERYONE. Who hates everything about this pandemic and this virus? EVERYONE. Who is charged with stepping up to do that which is difficult and uncomfortable? EVERYONE. There needs to be more thought about the WE and not the ME in this crisis. There have been times in our country’s history where the people were asked to sacrifice, to put their wants aside for the well-being of the whole.

The leaders of our schools should not be treated like the bad guy in this conversation. The virus is the only enemy here. Our school leaders are using the most up-to-date guidelines and are only doing what is in the best interest of ALL of our children. As parents and community members we need to be supporting our schools, not using them as an outlet for our frustration.

We all hate what is happening. We all see the toll it takes on our kids. Masks, distancing, missing school, all of it affects our kids. I choose to use my anger as fuel to keep fighting, to do whatever is in my power to help stop this pandemic. If this is more than what some parents are willing to do, then there are resources and programs for home to continue school. I support the hard decisions our schools have to make in the best interest of our whole community.

Thank you for keeping the health and safety of our kids first.

Angela Buller

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An eight-legged wonder is saved

To the Editor:

Another great column from Jim Anderson with his educational and interesting stories about the animals and insects we share our world with (“An eight-legged wonder,” The Nugget, August 18, page 4).

Because of Jim, I always put spiders out. I keep a paper coffee cup marked “Spider Cup” both at work and at home for that purpose.

The other morning as I stepped into the shower a 50-cent-sized spider was lurking there in my tub. He was huge! (Jim called his visitor a beautiful beast.) I grabbed a bath towel, wrapped it sarong-like around myself, and scooped the invading giant European house spider up into my spider cup, and hurried to the front patio to toss him out.

As I opened the screen door to fling him out I could feel and hear him jumping, trying to exit the cup. I did not know spiders could jump like that! It startled me, so of course I screamed and flung the cup, spider and all, out into the yard — and off fell my orange towel!

I apologize to my neighbors and also apologize to the spider who took one look and ran away as fast as his eight legs could carry him. As he departed, I yelled, “Don’t come back and please tell your friends they’ll be sorry if they come into this house!”

Thank you, Jim Anderson, for continuing to educate and delight with your tales. I never kill a spider because of you.

Karen Keady