/01302011-SLS-A01 by Salisbury Post

INSIGHT

Chris Verner, Editorial Page Editor, 704-797-4262 cverner@salisburypost.com

Books Memorable reflections from Nora Ephron/5D

SUNDAY January 30, 2011

SALISBURY POST

www.salisburypost.com

Bloggers

Corner And you thought Smokeout was wild This is an excerpt from “Outside Insight,” a blog by Salisbury Post webmaster Jeremy Judd. You can read more blogs by staff and community writers at www.salisburypost.com. enerally, I tell people I’m a native Oregonian, but that’s not entirely accurate. I was born in a small town in Eastern Washington called Omak, only 41 miles from the Canadian border. I lived there until I was 10-years-old. Most of my extended family still lives in Omak. One of the bragging rights of this small town is the World Famous Omak Stampede and Suicide Race. I thought an animal rights activist on care2.com wrote a compelling description of the event: Over a span of four days and nights, riders repeatedly run their horses off Suicide Hill with a 120-foot galloping start. Horses blindly plunge more than 210 feet down a slope that event organizers have boasted is an “almost vertical 62 degree angle.” At breakneck speed, the horses then meet the Okanogan River. Entry into the river is narrow, often causing bottlenecks and horrendous multiplehorse spills. If both rider and horse JEREMY do make it to the river, they face a JUDD treacherous and often panicked swim about the length of a football field. The final grueling sprint is a 500-foot uphill climb to the finish line. As I understand it, the Colville Indian Tribe has held the suicide race for hundreds of years. It’s long been rumored that for the tribe it is a rite-of-passage, but I don’t know if that’s true. I do know that most of those on the hill were Colville Indian or Nez Perce, and that they always seemed to take the event very seriously. It was moved in the early 1900 due to the Grand Coulee Dam flooding the original site, but the tradition has continued. Growing up, I watched the Suicide Race every year. Beholding the event was a strange, almost eery experience. In description the event sounds like complete stupidity but, somehow, in living color, it seemed more like bravery. Proud native Americans with their faces painted, cowboys with their hats resting on their heads (they always came flying off only 10 feet down the hill), all of them hooping and hollering. But before the This is a promotional poster for starting gunshot, the stampede and suicide race, silence. held annually in Omak, Wa. Eyes focused only on the river below, all stoic and somehow committed to a cause beyond my comprehension. When the starting gun rang out, a few horses always quickly broke into the lead. Horses tripped, rolling ahead, behind, and sometimes over top of their riders. My eyes would follow the rest of the horses down the hill and over the river, straining to make out the victor on the other side. The rider in the lead would stand tall in his saddle. bursting into the rodeo arena to a cheering crowd. Those that had lost their mount or met another fate on the way down were gathered on stretchers into the back of an ambulance parked nearby and driven away. I always had mixed emotions at the end of the suicide race. Shame for enjoying such a strange, dangerous and cruel spectacle, mixed with disappointment that it was over, a vivid memory of men sitting up straight on their horses prepared for the worst still lingering in my mind. In the off-season, my cousin Brien and I would ride our bikes past the hill. It was strange how it would transform from a mystic place alive with anticipation and tradition, wild men with something to prove surrounded by nervous fans, to nothing but a treacherously steep dirt hill with a river at the bottom. I remember stopping along the way and pedaling my bicycle to the edge of the hill, peeking down into the river. My tires sank deep into the soft dirt; I could almost hear the spectators breathing. I could tell by the gleam in Brien’s eyes he was having the same thought I was: What if we went for it? We laughed loud and let out war whoops. I could imagine the air across my face, and I could almost feel my baseball hat flying off into the wind and landing in the dirt behind me as I hurtled toward the river. Then I pictured my bicycle crashing into the swift water, and myself flailing, trying desperately to swim across to the other side. Brien and I were both quiet as the scenario played through both of our heads. We’d been so caught up in the fantasy, we were surprised when the moment passed. A gunshot didn’t ring out. Quiet, sobered, we both rode home. I’ll never know how it feels to conquer the suicide race, but that day we both felt the suicide race conquer us.

ASSOcIATed PReSS

Rep. Thom Tillis is sworn in as House speaker by N.c. Supreme court Justice Bob edmunds Wednesday in Raleigh.

7 issues to watch As Republicans take the legislative reins in Raleigh, look for these areas to be at forefront of debates state and U.S. Supreme Court, combined Social issues with increased voter consolidation in urTillis and Berger have tried to dampban areas, give lawmakers less wiggle Budget en the expectations of social conservaroom than ever to gerrymander disClosing a potential $3.7 billion gap be- tricts. tives for quick work on a constitutional tween expected revenues and expenses amendment that would ban gay marfor the year starting July 1 will be the riage. Previous legislation that would Charter schools top priority for lawmakers. The gap inseek to change the state constitution recludes setting aside $200 million each to Eliminating North Carolina’s 100ceived 66 House sponsors in 2009 but cover expected additional costs to the charter cap in place since 1996 seems Hackney won’t let it be heard. Legislastate employee health insurance plan, like a foregone conclusion since Republi- tive leaders have said such issues will be Medicaid and enrollment growth in the cans made the issue one of the 10 policy left until after the budget and other matpublic schools and University of North items they pledged to do while camters are considered. North Carolina is Carolina and community college syspaigning this fall. The North Carolina As- the only state in the Southeast that hasn’t tems. GOP lawmakers and Democratic sociation of Educators has backed off its approved an amendment restricting Gov. Beverly Perdue both have said they opposition to the idea. Charter school marriage to one man and one woman. don’t want to extend temporary sales and support from black Democrats also Tillis also has mentioned his support to income tax increases approved in 2009 could create a veto-proof majority that limit abortion in North Carolina. and set to expire this year, but that will avoid any concerns by Perdue about means $1.3 billion in lost revenue. Some lifting the cap. Senate leader Phil Berger Voter ID Democrats and liberal-leaning advocacy has said he expects quick action on liftAs another item on the GOP’s camgroups argue extending the taxes or clos- ing the cap, along with potential changes paign policy list, Republicans will begin ing what they define as tax “loopholes” that could shift governance of charter an effort to require registered voters to would save thousands of jobs and preschools away from the Department of show a picture identification before they serve needed services. Expect GOP Public Instruction. Other groups are inbudget-writers to use more zero-based terested in providing tax credits for low- vote. Berger said he expected such a law to pass in one chamber in the session’s budgeting, consider privatizing some income parents or parents of children services and experiment with disbursing with disabilities so their children can at- opening weeks. Tillis said he wants enough discussion on the matter to add to government funds to find cost savings. tend private schools. the comfort levels of critics who say it Perdue will present her own two-year will discourage voting and could become budget later this winter. Property issues a Jim Crow-era poll tax if people must The General Assembly is likely to ap- pay to get an ID. Redistricting prove a constitutional amendment to The Republican victories in Novemsend to voters that bars land condemnaVideo poker ber mean they’ll get to control the once- tion solely for private economic developThe North Carolina Legislature has a-decade remapping of General Assem- ment. Similar bills have been approved approved three laws since 2006 designed bly districts and those for North Caroli- by the House in 2007 and 2010, only to na’s 13 congressional seats. Senate Redie in the Senate. The eminent domain is- to ban either video poker or sweepstakes districting Chairman Bob Rucho, Rsue is among the GOP’s top policy items. machines, but legal challenges have allowed certain kind of games to remain in Mecklenburg, has said that the GOP will Berger and new House Speaker Thom place. Perdue has suggested she’s willing draw fair districts. Democrats, who Tillis both have said that changes are to hear ideas on whether to legalize video have owned the pens to draw the disneeded to involuntary annexation laws tricts, for a decade aren’t persuaded that limit the say residents have in areas poker-style games, but hasn’t staked out a spot on the issue. Berger said regulaand have pushed for an independent re- about to be assumed by municipalities, tion of the machines may be necessary if districting commission. Court rulings but the extent of changes are unclear the law can’t ban the games completely. over the past decade that went to the and whether they would occur in 2011. The Associated Press

ASSOcIATed PReSS

Members of the local legislative delegation are: Sen. Andrew Brock (above, with daughter Scarlett); Rep. Harry Warren (right, with cell phone) and Rep. Fred Steen (below).