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EDITORIAL: Catch bomb bullyNov 26, 2012 (The Observer - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Here's hoping the person or persons responsible for Monday's wave of bomb threats across Oregon are caught and given all the punishment the law allows. Here's wishing the punishment included tarring and feathering, then a long term in stir. Whenever one thinks back on that day when 28 Oregon courthouse facilities got the anonymous threatening calls, a whole raft of stock adjectives like cowardly and despicable come to mind. Those words fit, but in the end they fail to describe the act for what it was. Plain and simple, it was bullying. By some anonymous person or person playing with a phone, police officers were bullied into evacuating buildings and searching for bombs that weren't there. People staffing county offices were bullied into leaving their jobs. Newspapers that hate to give bad people the favor of big headlines were bullied into doing so, just because of the enormity of the deed. Danced helplessly All did what they had to do, given the circumstances. All danced helplessly to the tune the bully called. And as for the rest of us, we were bullied into feeling fearful and uncertain. Just as no one knows who the bully or bullies were, no one knows the reason behind the giant hoax. Jihad The Red States Secession movement A disgruntled taxpayer or some sick ex-convict The bully or bullies never bothered to state a cause, so one is left to wonder whether it was just bullying for bullying's sake. There are people like that in the world. Scaring others and disturbing the peace makes them feel big. Other states endure incidents At least two other states, Washington and Nebraska, endured incidents like this in recent weeks, and no doubt investigators from all three states are comparing notes. With three states involved, it seems some case might be made for federal assistance in the probe. Bringing the FBI into it doesn't seem like a bad idea at all. It's certain that if those responsible aren't caught, they'll do this again and again. Whenever they feel like it, they'll pick up the phone and bully us some more. They've seen it works. The sooner they're dragged from their dark hiding hole and brought before the judge, the better. ___ (c)2012 The Observer (La Grande, Ore.) Visit The Observer (La Grande, Ore.) at www.lagrandeobserver.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |