Local year better than nation’s

Published 4:48 pm Monday, January 12, 2015

Well, it’s that time of year. Time to say adios to 2014 and maybe reflect a little on the past year. One thing about January, all that depressing Christmas music is over till next Halloween. Ebenezer had it right, bah humbug. Have you ever considered that letters to Santa might just be collecting intel as to what will sell? The best thing about Xmas is that the days have been getting longer for four days.

It’s been a pretty good year here in Wallowa County. Record cattle prices and good hay and grain prices have sure helped the mood and economy of this county. The Dow Jones average is over 18K and the Nasdaq is ready to set a record. The fact that this has all happened during a Democratic administration has yet to cause a stampede to the county clerk’s office for local voters to change registration. The cattle market has been propelled by the perfect storm, low numbers and cheap corn. Maybe some of these ranches for sale will come closer to penciling out.

Watching the news I have come to the conclusion that racial diversity is over-rated. The only graffiti I see here is on box cars passing through and our county hasn’t seen the demonstrating and looting other parts of the country are dealing with. It’s time for the inflammatory rhetoric about police racism to calm down. Two NYPD officers have been ambushed and died because some zealot became inflamed by all the hateful rhetoric. New York City hate demonstrators chanting, “What do we want – dead cops; when do we want it – now!” on network TV is counter-productive.

Let’s face it, that thug in Ferguson and the guy in New York would be alive if they hadn’t been breaking the law and resisting arrest. We can’t have two sets of laws, one for minorities and one for the rest. This is a nation of laws and when the grand jury arrives at a conclusion we shouldn’t have anarchy because some of the populace disagree. For several decades minorities have been moved to the front of the line by laws like affirmative action and several other programs. These advantages were totally needed when enacted but there comes a time when you have to do something for yourself. Ferguson demonstrators and looters, put your hands down and get a job.

I realize that anyone who dares to criticize this problem is immediately labeled a racist. That may not be the case. Maybe they just want everyone treated fairly and equally.

We were talking about New Year’s resolutions and Don Kiser has resolved to let himself go and try to take it easier in 2015. Lowell Lewis and I have resolved to quit borrowing Steve Zollman’s equipment until he gets better machinery and the list I spent considerable time developing for my wife continues to be ignored. Brian Bjornson, a former Marlboro Man living in Wallowa, and myself are looking into filing a disability claim now that age has damaged our good looks and modeling careers.

A local dignitary told me he went out New Year’s Eve and had a few cocktails followed by several glass of wine. Despite his jolliness, he still had the sense to know he was over the limit. That’s when he decided to do what he had never done before. He took a cab home. Sure enough there was a DUI check-point but, since it was a cab, they waved it past. He arrived home without incident.

This was both a great relief and surprise because he had never driven a cab before. Now he has a cab in his garage and doesn’t even know where he got it.

Hope 2015 is a good one for all.

Open Range columnist Barrie Qualle is a working cowboy in Wallowa County.