To the Editor:

If you attended the town hall meeting hosted in Prairie City today (Saturday, April 21) you would’ve seen the profligate Sen. Merkley presented with an opportunity to simply state that his values don’t (generally) align with those of Grant County’s population. He could’ve plainly stated reasons for misrepresenting this part of Oregon since 2009, or he could’ve apologized, and honestly explained that we don’t have enough people in this county to influence his decisions. He did neither.

Virtually no conservative citizens were in attendance to show a demand for accountability. Instead, Merkley seemed to be surrounded by supporters. Approximately two dozen people applauded him, encouraging increased abortion access and continued funding of the war in Ukraine.

So, on the occasion of a missed opportunity, I have this to share with the conservative people of Grant County:

We reap what we sow. An immoral society cannot sustain. When someday it seems we have been abandoned by the last of the liberties we once had, it would behoove us to recognize that we knowingly ushered them away. We know the debt we pass to future generations is borrowed by our laziness and spent funding yet another immoral, unnecessary conflict overseas. We know our apathy will eventually be reflected as an increase in number, and decrease in age, of girls aborting their babies. Our inaction will be accompanied by a disaffection of our communities, lives and values.

Make no mistake, our choice to remain silent is intentional. Days like this should serve to remind us of that intention when our guilt and shameful excuses tempt us into misremembering.

So, when we lie down tonight and search for the good reasons that God gave us the gift of drawing breath this day, I beg we humbly recognize the choice. Today, we did not put that sacred breath to purpose. Today, we chose not to speak.

Jake Little

John Day