MLK day 2014 in La Grande

MLK Day 2014 La Grande

Woke Up This Morning, With My Mind on Freedom!
Bill Whitaker shared the song, the spirit of song in general, and some flashbacks to his own marching in Atlanta in the 1960s to our small town gathering in which close to a hundred people joined for a march from Max Square to Ackerman Hall.

The event was headed by Jamarkus Springfield and the Black Student Union in collaboration of the anti-bullying cause of Faces For Change. There was also the presence of Bill Whitaker and with Health Care for All Oregon (HCAO).  Jamarkus put the lens of community support on the causes. Even MLK did not work alone.  He needed the help of the masses who demanded and deserved justice.  HCAO then reminded us that part of the reason MLK had a target on his back was of his support for universal rights, health care, and his being anti-military industrial complex.  Dr. King raised the question to Lyndon Johnson, why are we fighting a war in Vietnam?  Why are we not fighting a war on poverty, on injustice?   Bud Hill, speaking for his organization, Faces for Change, has witnessed the effects of hateful attitudes to an extreme level and has brought the message to the community, for it to be heard and experienced by all.   A gathering (tentatively June 7) in the planning stages to include a walk, concert and other activities to spread the message of the inclusion of all people into society. We, as a society, seem to need continual reminders of this sort of thing.  It is my hope that such events continues to push these messages into the public consciousness.
Other events of social conscience nature coming up include:
Walk for Warmth, Febraury 15 from 10am – noon, beginning at the Senior Center.
George Mann in concert, McKenzie Theatre April 17 at 7:00pm, by Health Care for All Oregon as a benefit for healthcare reform organizing.
Spring Fling by Eastern Student Entertainment, May 30 and 31.

Last Monday's march ended in Ackerman Hall, where the new dean of education, Dr. Easton-Brooks, gave a speech about community togetherness and the need for action. It is our responsibility to be involved. It is our responsibility to respond to the world with our privilege.  What do you do with your privilege?  How do you respond to the world?   What part do you play?   He shared this MLK speech:

 “I choose to identify with the underprivileged. I choose to identify with the poor. I choose to give my life for the hungry. I choose to give my life for those who find themselves seeing life as a long and desolate corridor with no exit sign. This is the way I’m going. If it means suffering a little bit, I’m going that way. If it means sacrificing, I’m going that way. If it means dying for them, I’m going that way, because I heard voice saying, do something for others.” 

Dr. Easton-Brooks shared the four classical responses people have to the world around them.
1. None. These people take care of themselves and as long as their needs are met, the world is a great place to be.
2. Acknowledging that other people struggle.  However, the predominant feeling is that they need to be able to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. “I did it, you can too” mentality, which takes too far to heart that ‘all men are created equal’ and not enough compassion to the fact that everyone is different.  The world is complex, yes people struggle, but problems are not that simple.
3. Respond to people in need.  But with reservations.  Some people are willing to help others if those people convert to their own way of life.  For example, religious groups that will help others in exchange for them adopting a new faith, accept Jesus, become Christian, etc.  The idea is that ‘if someone mimics my life, theirs will be better.’  Such views are based on personal values, which is not a complete openness to others.
4. Going that way!  This idea is responding to people as they are, who they are, where they want and need to be in life.   This is meeting people at their level of needs and letting them use their own morals, standards.  In other words, letting them keep their dignity and personal liberties.  Dr. Easton-Brooks left us with the message to think about our own blessings and what we are doing to empower other people and then handed the mic over to Bud Hill, who started with a quote from Nelson Mandela.

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion, [or his sexual orientation as Bud Hill ad libbed]. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”  

Other speakers brought up excellent points that thread together pretty nicely.
What is activism good for?   That’s like the opposite of asking what is war good for.  Sometimes, it feels as if we are preaching to the choir.  That’s OK.  The choir needs practice.  There needs to be a strengthening of ability to make impact, to have discussions, to know we’re not alone.   In this way also we may become more prepared for when we do leave our comfort zone.  And we do need to leave our comfort zone to gain new experiences and insight, knowledge and understanding.  We need to understand to have a sensitivity, an empathy.  No change will happen unless we demand it.  People in power do not give power freely.

“Power concedes nothing without a demand,” W.E.B. DuBois. 

Should we examine the causes of why someone is bullied?  Or do we examine the causes of why someone bullies others?   This probably needs to be examined on individual case by case basis for the best approach, but a sensitivity to all the causes of a problem should be addressed.  What’s perhaps more important is that we do not let abuses go unchecked.  When we see an abuse occurring, we must stand up and say something.  Not everyone is aware they are being hurtful.  They sometimes need reminders and direction.  And we need people to know that things matter, that others are watching. Society needs those continual reminders. They need to remember that even things that seem to not affect them at all are, in fact, intimately connected with their own lives.

 “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe,” John Muir. 

There is no reason not to try to make a positive change.   There is no reason to be a non-factor in the world.  By sitting idle, the world’s problems are further complicated and the inactive person's position is weakened.

“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors,” Plato.

With a little work, a lot can be accomplished. “It always seems impossible until it’s done,” is another Nelson Mandela quote that was shared. In addition to a treasure trove of quotes and unique perspectives on the world, the event provided me the impetus to remember why I wake up everyday, why I go to work, why I do the work I do, why I volunteer at the places I do.  Because the doing matters.  Never lose sight of why you started the fight in the first place.  Always strive to get better and better, do more and more.

Here are a few examples of inequality and aggressive bullying going in the world today that needs demands made, just from my first four twitter feeds alone…  so, when you read the paper, watch the news and wonder what is going on in the world, ask yourself why you are reading the paper or watching TV and instead get active.
- The wealthiest 85 people in the world make more money than the poorest 3.5 billion people. That is the wealthiest 85 people make more than half the rest of the world.  From Forbes.
- In West Virginia “regulation” is a dirty word. From Crooks and Liars.
- Emails show that the UK helped shale gas companies manage fracking opposition. From the Guardian.
- Dr. Carl Hart: drug policies need to change. From the Sobriety Solution. (It’s been said forever as to be made cliche, which takes the importance from the movement. And if you think drug laws in this country are ridiculous, look at southeast Asia.)

That’s for starters…four simple twitter feeds with links to injustice. Until people start standing up to injustice, everyone, including you, will continue to be consumed by it. 

Notes on the EOU losses at OIT last night

Last night, the inevitable happened to the EOU women's basketball team in Klamath Falls. And the unfortunate reality happened to the men's basketball team. The women lost their first Cascade Conference game since February 2012, snapping a 29-game conference winning streak. It was the longest win streak in conference history. That's OK. EOU is still the cream of the crop in the CCC. Following that game, and despite some pretty good moments under first year Coach Barrett, the men's team saw their season effectively come to an end. With a 3-7 conference record now, the loss to OIT pushed EOU further back into 8th place. Barring an 8-game win streak to close the season, there will be no place in the conference tournament this year.  Seeing the troubles EOU has had with the 7th place OIT Owls, looking ahead to those road games vs. SOU and College of Idaho makes the post season prospect seems quite unlikely. EOU can, however, still salvage a decent season out of things and a win vs. SOU would still be beautiful no matter how many other losses.

So, we should not be discouraged about all of that. I do have two beefs with last night's women's game at OIT.

1. I couldn't watch the live stream online, though I was able to listen (which isn't possible tonight vs. SOU). Those dudes at that other radio station told me that it doesn't cost money to watch these games, though after two years of trying, I now beg to differ.  Stretch Internet was charging $9.95 for pay-per-view of last night's game, and the College of Idaho vs. SOU game cost $7.95.  Gee, what a deal!   I know I promote these games to the end of the earth and I, personally, value the the entertainment level over pro sports or NCAA, but the reality of it is that this is NAIA Div II women's basketball! It only costs me $10 to sit a couple feet behind the EOU bench at home games and I rarely even do that.  I typically pay the $6 to sit anywhere else in the arena.  So, that necessarily means I won't pay $10 to watch a two-angle video taken from the upper deck with hardly any sound (unless they patch in the radio announcers, which I suppose they would). I don't care about the road games that much!   The most I would pay is about $2 and only because of the particular matchup and importance of last night's game.  I have only watched EOU games online twice and those are free! Why would I pay to watch the OIT Owls?? (This beef will be revisited when I get to that blog on net neutrality...)

2. OIT radio announcers need to do a little more homework before getting all excited.  Not that they are bad announcers.  They put EOU's part time announcers to shame.  I have all the respect for the way OIT was able to shut down EOU on offense, but the reality is that EOU's offense has had to fight hard most of the month. (It's certainly awful when you're in a slump and still win five out of six games.)  At the end of Friday's game, the announcers were all gushy over the fact that OIT was able to shut down the fourth leading scorer in the NAIA.  Maybe, they should take into consideration that a couple weeks ago, Brittney Newcomb was the second leading scorer in the NAIA.  The last few games, every team has shut Newcomb down and forced her to throw up some of the gaudiest shot selections. Sure, OIT held Newcomb to 3-18 for 11 total points, but a look at her stats from the rest of the month indicate that is not terribly unique.

                                          FG       3P     FT      Points
Jan 24 vs OIT                   3-18    1-8     4-4        11
Jan 18 vs Corban              1-9      0-5     7-7        9
Jan 17 vs Northwest         5-18    2-9     0-0       12
Jan 10 vs C Idaho             9-23    6-15   9-10     33
Jan 04 vs Warner P           8-18    6-13   5-6       27
Jan 03 vs Concordia         7-16    5-9     0-0       19

As is apparent, OIT's biggest advantage was that Newcomb came to town in a slump.  Even that game versus College of Idaho where Newcomb blew up for 33 points was a blessing and a curse.  The Yotes forced her into some severely ugly three point attempts.  Sure, she made six three pointers that helped EOU back into the game, but she also missed nine pretty ill-advised shots that got EOU in a hole to begin with.  Plus, the 9-23 field goal rate is still under her season average.  Her best games came at the beginning of the month vs. the two teams tied for last place.  So, OIT can't get all warm and fuzzy feelings because they shut down EOU's shooting guard when everyone else seems to have figured some things out as well.  Especially when considering, yes, Newcomb was neutralized, but then freshman Payton Parrish made OIT pay with three outside money shots and 10 points of her own to pull EOU up.  And if Parrish can do that, EOU has a lot of weapons at their disposal that OIT didn't even get a glimpse of on Friday night.

What OIT did have going for them was the home court advantage.  They are now 11-0 on the season at Danny Miles Court. While they obviously have some things to be excited about, now is not the time to get all juiced over the fact that EOU finally lost a game.   In the last two and a half seasons, EOU has lost a total of six conference games, winning forty.   OIT has lost three conference games so far this season and nearly lost to Evergreen.   This means that OIT will have to win out the next eight and hope EOU stumbles with tonight's game at SOU and the Feb 7 game at Idaho.   Otherwise, OIT will be coming to La Grande for a rematch in the conference tournament.   Taking down a 29-game conference winning streak is one thing.  Taking down an even longer EOU home winning streak will be much harder, particularly in the post season.  If OIT can pull that off, then the announcers have my permission to go ape on the radio.

 Dixon slicing through EOU defense, 

as it sounded like she did too many times last night. (Photo: Kelly Caleb)

January 27 Update: Ha!  The four best teams in the conference go to Ashland/Klamath Falls for the weekend and win one and lose one. EOU put the hurtin' to SOU on Saturday, while College of Idaho let OIT have the business.  Things sit where they were before the weekend.  EOU has a 3 game lead with 7 games left to play.

EOU ladies edge College of Idaho to keep the streaks alive

When a team has won 26 straight conference games and 30 straight home games, records enough to stand for several decades, that makes the target on thier back a little bigger. However, you don’t just win that many games by chance alone. It takes a formidable opponent to hit the bullseye. The EOU ladies have consistently proven to be just that much btter than the rest. At the same time, College of Idaho Lady Yotes have proven they are not that far behind. In the three matchups between the two teams last year, the games were decided by 12 total points, the last being the conference championship in Quinn that EOU pulled out by one point.

As the season has gone this year, EOU has been owning up to their part of again leading the conference from the get go. Idaho stumbled a bit with the two conference losses, but the only thing keeping them from a national ranking was the fact that they had played so many tough out of conference teams. This is to say that Coach Rossi’s team is fearless and daring as well as having acquired some very valuable skills from their experience. There was no doubt that these two teams meeting for the first time this season was bound to be an epic struggle. And a fan like me loves the tough games, this one especially because there can be some pleasure in seeing either team win. More pleasure in Eastern Oregon of course, but if/when the winning streaks fall, I would rather see Idaho be the victor than SOU.

I somehow managed to get in this game for $4, so it was totally worth it. It was the youth/senior ticket, though I am quite obviously neither. Panda says that me being kid yoshida counts for something. Fair enough. The fact that I often pay the full price to only watch the ladies and end up leaving when most people are still coming in is probably worth a few free admissions on its own.

The game was good, but only lived up to the hype in terms the final scenes and EOU's comeback struggle. EOU really got beat bad in the first half. In fact, they beat themselves as bad as Idaho beat them. This was the most fundamentally sloppy game the Mountaineers have played in the last two years. The mistakes were beyond comprehension. The lack of ball handling, the overly aggressive throws, the ugly open shots was part of it. Then, the intimidation factor of a very pesky perimeter Yote defense. Half of every pass EOU attempted in the first half was tipped or picked off.

Only a few things saved EOU in the first half. Defensive rebounding and a fair amount of turnovers by Idaho as well. Malloree Moss and Nicole Redd were steady running the offense as usual, with Redd also hitting some timely shots. The big threes, with the fouls (and never missing free throws) by Brittney Newcomb provided the points EOU needed to close the gap so quickly, though her shooting behavior from outside this night was both a blessing and a curse. But make no mistake, Nikki Osborne was the main player in the first half. She’s always been able to position underneath and has been quite studious in keeping to her assignments. She did that versus Idaho, but so much more. Her hands looked twice as big as usual. She grabbed the ball anytime it was in her neighborhood. Then, her shot at the end of the first half left the deficit at a managable three points.

Second half, EOU came back out on a mission and controlled the pace fairly well, but still struggled on the scorebaord. Idaho started falling apart through the middle of the second half, which helped EOU stay in the game, but the Yotes still got some big scores to keep the pace. Up stepped pretty decent team effort by the Mounties and everyone was playing their part, such as Kelsey Hill and Payton Parrish kept the ball moving around and pulled in some key loose balls and rebounds in short sub assingments.

Kassy Larson became the second half go-to person, and performed with the same blessing/curse results that Newcomb had in the first half. Instead of forcing long shots, EOU forced passes inside, which EOU could get away with because Larson is so big. However, once she got the ball, it was at times disastrous. She didn’t handle the ball particularly well on offense and might have hit under 20% of those close shots with clear looks. Idaho feasted on all her missed shots and that kept them in the game. However, Larson was big money on defense late in the game. She saved EOU when they needed possession to close the deficits. We made up about 8 points in the last five minutes and that was thanks mostly to Larson underneath on defense.

Osborne was still around and back in the game with under two minutes to play. She had the most incredible ending play that EOU has seen this year. With EOU struggling hard to get and hold a lead, the first big play came on yet another foul of Newcomb during a three point shot with the game tied and under half a minute left. The typically automatic free throw shooter missed one, although it appeared intentional. The miss certainly worked out in EOU's favor. Larson rebounded and EOU was able to spend more time to get the last shot or go to overtime. Had Newcomb made the point, the possession would have gone back to Idaho, who figured to have at least a 50% chance to score the last basket for the win. Instead, EOU ran off the clock in a rather frustrating way. Having touble trying to get the ball inside, EOU turned it over and Idaho came back down, but missed two shots. With 15 seconds remaining, Newcomb brought the ball down and straight inside as would have been expected. She forced an off balance shot, which was knocked out of bounds by the Yotes. With only about three seconds left, the inbound pass to Osborne cutting under the basket was put easily in for a two point lead.

Nikki Osborne's game winning shot from www.eousports.com

Idaho inbounded with two seonds left, and brought down a half court attempt which bounced off the rim. It was beautiful. EOU had a party at center court. Idaho was stunned. I don’t blame them. It was a sloppy game, but sweet in the end. It was also packed, thanks in part to the huge fan base Idaho brought with them that basically co-opted the upper deck of the southeast side. Can’t wait for Caldwell. The rematch. February 7.

After the ladies game, everything fell apart. I should have stayed to watch the guys game, but I had other plans to attend a concert. And I could have made the date, had I gone only to the gas station and straight out of town…however, being hungry, I tried to fit in "wins equals wings" at Benchies. Note to self, bad idea. But nevermind. The night was worth it enough for the ladies game. This and more on La GrandeStand, Mondays at noon.