Some Oregon Reactions to the 1918 Flu

I was doing some research on two of my relatives (my grandmother's uncle and first cousin) who died in the Dallas area in 1918 from the flu. The uncle was 46 and the first cousin was 19. I came across these newspaper articles and found them an interesting backhanded comment on today's reaction. Most of the articles are from the Polk County Post. The last one in three parts is from the Oregon Journal.

Polk County Post, December 6, 1918

Polk County Post, December 13, 1918

Polk County Post, December 13, 1918

Polk County Post, January 3, 1919

Polk County Post, January 10, 1919

Polk County Post, January 17, 1919

Oregon Journal, January 12, 1919

Oregon Journal, January 12, 1919

Oregon Journal, January 12, 1919

Despite Lowest Oregon Coronavirus Hospitalizations Gov. Brown Extends State of Emergency Powers

Though there is no current factual reason for a state of emergency, Gov. Kate Brown has extended her executive power to July 6th. But, a state of emergency requires an emergency. Currently, coronavirus hospitalizations are at "a new low"--less than 100. A hundred people hospitalized in the state is not an emergency--especially when it is a 40% drop with no facts to indicate a rise is likely.

This is clearly a grab for continued executive power without the normal legislative power to balance executive authority. If this were a Republican governor locking out the current Democrat controlled state legislature, there would be howls of protest by politicians and press. But, because Oregon is a one party state, there is SILENCE.

The Oregonian's take can be seen below. A tiny article on a major extension of executive power and a medium-sized article on the declining danger of coronavirus in Oregon. Both should be front-page news, and their significance should be discussed in the editorial pages. But, they aren't.

Oregonian, May 3, 2020, p.11

Oregonian, May 4, 2020, p. 6

Oregon COVID-19 - The Victims

Here are the numbers as of April 24, 2020: 

Total number of positive tested cases in Oregon: 2,177

Total number of deaths from Coronavirus in Oregon: 86

Total number of unemployment applications in Oregon: 329,093

The week ending 3/14/20 reported 4,000 claims filed which is the normal number for this time of year.

What interests me is the fear that many of those under 40 have and the take-it-in-stride attitude of many over 60. I think it may be due to the fact that under 40's are more tuned into the news/social media and so are bombarded with fears and cures from "experts" and the media.

Unfortunately, the experts haven't done so well on curbing the 24,000 - 62,000 US deaths from regular flu even with annual free vaccination programs.

Not too many of the experts seem to have done real research on the 1918 flu or figured out that in all probability many if not most of us will be exposed to the Coronavirus sooner or later (as happened with the 1918 flu). What will truly be helpful is not social distancing or closing down businesses and jobs. The main benefit of that will be to spread out the number of cases so that hospitals won't be overrun in a given time period. What will truly help is better antibiotics and vaccines with "immunization strategies that mimic the often impressive protection that early childhood exposure provides".

In Oregon 2,177 cases have obviously not overwhelmed medical facilities and hospitals. But cancelling "non-essential" surgeries and treatments have negatively impacted tens of thousands of people who might have had relief had they been able to get treatment in the normal time period.

There are lots of victims. Victims of the Coronavirus as well as victims of public fear and public policy.

He is risen!

Happy Easter!

This day we celebrate Jesus' resurrection from the dead.

He gave Himself up to crucifixion in order to pay the price of death for our sins.

Overlooking Ephesus: view to the harbor and Aegean Sea

He rose from the dead to give His new life to all who love Him, receive Him, believe in Him.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

Fresco of the anastasis in the Church of Chora depicting the risen Christ
destroying the gates of Hell and leading Adam and Eve into His new life

Joy to the World!

Merry Christmas! The Savior is born!

 

Oregonian Circulation Continues Decline in 2019

[The 2020 report is here.]

I'm a little late on reporting this, but I try to keep up the Oregonian's yearly paid circulation trend. So, here's the sorrowful news.

The Oregonian's paid circulation for its August 23, 2019 issue was 59,988. This is down from 68,704 for its single daily issue in 2018. That's a 12.7% drop.

Paid circulation for the Oregonian Sunday August 25, 2019 edition was 82,054. This is down from 96,283 for its Sunday issue in 2018. This equals a 14.7% drop.

If there's a bright spot in the daily paid circulation data, it's that the 2019 12.7% drop could have been much worse. The average daily paid circulation was only 39,631 in the preceding 12 months. That it jumped up to 59,988 in August showed a significant comeback after a steep drop.

By contrast, the Sunday yearly paid circulation average of 88,473 is above the August 25, 2019 issue's paid circulation of 82,054.

Since Audit Bureau of Circulations data has been useless since 2013, I now use the annual Statement of Ownership numbers required by the U.S. Post Office for any publications that mail at periodical rate. These are usually published in an October edition of the publication. The Oregonian's reports were published in its October 11, 2019, daily edition and October 13, 2019, Sunday edition.

USA TODAY Reporters Marisa Kwiatkowski and John Kelly Have a Moral Blind Spot

The front page story in yesterday's USA TODAY caught my attention. It was written by Marisa Kwiatkowski and John Kelly and titled COPY, PASTE, LEGISLATE The Catholic Church and Boy Scouts wield unique influence in opposing legislation that gives child sex abuse survivors more time to sue. This is their playbook.

The thrust of the article is that the Catholic Church and the Boy Scouts are putting negative pressure on legislators and supporters of child abuse legislation that extends the time period in which the abused may sue private abusers and private organizations in which the abuse occurred.

The reporters never make clear what the legislation actually says. Here's the closest they come:

In his sermon, the priest talked about a bill pending in the state Legislature that would give survivors of child sexual abuse more time to sue their abusers – and the institutions that hid abuse.

The Catholic Church was being mistreated, the priest said. Legislators were being particularly harsh toward the church while leaving public school teachers who commit crimes off the hook.

The vast majority of the article tells about how pressure is being put on legislators who support such bills and that those who oppose it feel they may go broke having to pay penalties assessed in those suits.

At the end of the second paragraph above is an interesting charge: "while leaving public school teachers who commit crimes off the hook."  The reporters never say how protecting public institutions and abusers who work in them is handled and why it would ever be legitimate to make legislation that protects the people who are doing the legislating from the consequences of sexually abusing children. After all, legislators are part of a public institution--and as we know with Senate pages legislators have a role in sexual abuse of the young.

So, why protect public institutions and their employees from legal action that private institutions and their employees are subject to? More importantly, why legally consider children abused by people in public institutions to be unworthy of legal redress?

Marisa Kwiatkowski and John Kelly never address those issues. Apparently, they find nothing unusual about absolving politicians and people in "public service" from having to answer for their sexual abuse of children.

Personally, I'm for this sort of legislation for all victims--not just those of private organizations. In fact, I think the punishment should be stricter for public entities because children are legally forced to go to public schools unless their parents can afford an alternative. It is immoral to the core when a child has been legally forced into a dangerous situation that legislators turn a blind eye to.

I feel sorry for Kwiatkowski and Kelly and all the legislators and support groups who find child abuse by public employees to be a non-issue and their child victims unimportant. They have a moral blind spot that fouls their reporting and legislative efforts.