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HARASSING MUSLIMS Recent news articles raise concerns about the treatment of American Muslim communities. Since 9/11, Portland's Muslim community has been targeted for profiling and special attention. Brandon Mayfield's harassment is only the most recent example. In Idaho, a Muslim webmaster for fundamentalist Islamic websites is being prosecuted as a terrorist for exercising his freedom of speech. This past week we were warned of impending terrorist action, serious enough to warrant additional intrusion into Muslim communities, but not serious enough to stop Americans from spending money on summer vacations and tourist opportunities. We sing about ourselves as the land of the brave and the home of the free. We lost sight of that when we imprisoned Japanese-Americans during World War II, and we may be losing sight of it yet again. Christian terrorists bombed the Oklahoma City Federal Building, yet our government allows websites to promote neo-Nazi propaganda and preach right-wing rebellion, and allows fundamentalist Christians to terrorize abortion providers. However, Muslims are being suppressed for far fewer overt reasons. Are we brave enough to allow freedom of expression to those who have different religions and cultures? Or only to those who fundamentally agree with us? Having failed to find WMD or prior links to al-Qaeda in Iraq, our government is now looking closer to home where it has greater control of the evidence and publicity. The American people are bigger than their government. I urge you to call your senator or congressman to stop the harassment of our Muslim friends and neighbors. Michael Williams, Eugene
LOST LEGACY I am writing in response to a short news brief in your May 27 issue, "Logging Fuels Fire, Doesn't Prevent Them." Since I moved to Eugene three months ago, I've been regularly astounded at the widespread conception that logging is necessary to prevent wildfires. In the brief, Duke University Forestry scholar Norman Christensen correctly notes that the debris exposed by logging causes fires to escalate and spread. This summer, the Bush administration plans to remove the Roadless Conservation Rule, which protects the 1.9 million acres of Oregon's last remaining unspoiled National Forests. He will be giving this power to the governor, who will then have the opportunity to lift the Roadless Area conservation rule, or stand by it. The reason these ancient trees still exist is the vigilant protections that we have in place, yet now logging and road building threaten them. However, last week Gov. Kulongoski stood up to the president's shortsighted jabs at Oregon's heritage, saying he was against logging in roadless areas. The Governor needs the support of the public if he's going to stand his ground, and last week we finally went one step in the right direction. Many area residents are torn between saving these areas for future Oregonians, and logging them in the hope that it will stop fires and save timber jobs. In truth, it will do neither. The timber industry is already logging 16 million acres of our national forests. Why do they need to go into the last 1.9 million acres? How much more of Oregon's legacy will we lose to misconception? Erin Betters , Eugene
BE GOOD JOLIE On Wednesday, May 26 I learned that Jolie Holland, former member of Be Good Tanyas, was performing that night at Sam Bond's Garage. I was excited and decided to go listen to and support this wonderful musician from the great Northwest. Upon entering Sam Bond's, my friends and I were treated to an amazing opening act, Gloria Deluxe. The band hails from Brooklyn and is led by Cynthia Hopkins. Their performance was the highlight that night, especially considering what happened when they left the stage. Jolie took the stage next and started playing, then stopped and asked for the sound to be adjusted. She continued to do this a number of times, losing all flow to her songs. Slowly over the course of her performance a frown grew over her face and it was obvious she didn't want to be there anymore. But the attitude she took with a fan in the front row who requested a Be Good Tanyas song was totally inexcusable. After coldly saying, "I'm not in that band," Jolie went on to mutter under her breath, a little too close to the mic, "Fuck off!" It was quite sad and has left a bad taste in my mouth all week. That a musician could become that upset at a fan who had paid money to see her perform astonished me. Just needed to get that off my chest. And to that fan who was the object of such disrespect, I'm sorry. Justin Miers, Eugene
NO WONDER Iraqi prisoners abused, tortured, killed by U.S. soldiers. Oh, now I get why President Bush opposed U.S. involvement and support for the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague. Pete Mandrapa, Eugene
AIR QUALITY MATTERS The proposed 900 megawatt gas fired West Cascade Energy Facility is worth knowing about. Nearly as large as Trojan was at 1,100 megawatts, this facility has been designed to produce far more power than the 175 megawatts needed to handle Lane County's projected 10-year growth. It is designed to sell power on the open market. That's OK if every place that bought the power took their portion of emissions with them. While clean water is currently a plentiful resource, clean air is not. Selling your abundant resources makes some sense, but we live in a smog-trapped valley half the year. Tons of emissions including biocides to clean the stacks and ammonia to neutralize some of the nitrous oxide are among the pollutants this plant would emit. With 30 jobs offered, we'd do better to encourage businesses that improve or have lesser impact on our air quality, not greater. If the 108-acre proposed site were farmed conscientiously, it could employ more than 30 people and clean rather than dirty our air. Because Marcus, the applicant, has chosen to avoid the county process and go to the State Energy Facility Sighting Council we need to ask the commissioners to "hold a hearing" and "make a recommendation on our behalf to the EFSC." Please write or e-mail the commissioners. Our air quality is worthy of our efforts. Kevin Jones, Eugene
WHAT MATTERS MOST In memory of Patrick E. Allison who attended and graduated the UO: Patrick was struck and killed by a train Saturday, May 22, in Davis, Calif. He was 24. Apart from being a student, Patrick, aka pinesap, was a forest defender who spent countless days and hours saving Fall Creek, Winberry Creek and the Umpqua wildlands from 1998 to 2003. Apparently this was his way of trying to make the world a better place for us and all life on the planet. He had attained the knowledge of not only academia but what really mattered, the love and continuation of all life. He also learned that the survival of natural ecosystems around the world appeared bleak. The knowledge that our modern culture is continuing to kill the living planet (and each other) at an ever quickening and seemingly callous pace may have sent him over the edge of hopelessness. Most of us can maintain a state of denial to continue our struggle and hope for a just world, but maybe Patrick couldn't. His presence will be sorely missed. Thank you, Patrick, for giving your heart, soul and life for what you truly believed in. We will continue the struggle for a just world in your memory. Viva Cascadia! Shannon Wilson, Eugene
HEMP MEMORIALIZED Did everyone notice the inclusion of hemp in the new World War II Memorial? There are 56 pillars representing the states and territories of the U.S. in the installation and in between each pillar is a bronze impression of rope connecting the pillars. And every student of history knows that during World War II the U.S. government repealed the prohibition against hemp for the war effort. If it is rope and it is 1942, that rope is hemp. Chris Pender, Eugene
HAMILTON'S CHOICE I was relieved to learn that the federal abortion ban signed into law by President Bush earlier this year was found unconstitutional last week by Federal District Court Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton. I was outraged when Bush supported a law that contains no exceptions for cases where a woman's health is at risk. In addition, the language of this law is so vague that it could be applied to abortions as early as the 12th week of pregnancy. It appears that the law that Bush signed is just one piece of an ongoing and increasingly aggressive campaign to invade women's privacy and eliminate the right to choose. I applaud Hamilton for finding the federal abortion ban to be unconstitutional, making a landmark victory for medical privacy rights and women's health. Anti-choice lawmakers have been wasting tax dollars for years in efforts to spread inaccurate information denying the need for safe and medically appropriate procedures. Hamilton's decision further confirms that the federal abortion ban poses a threat to women's health and violates the Constitution. President Bush will not let anything stand in the way, not even the Constitution, of eliminating a woman's right to choose. Unfortunately, these efforts come at the price of women's health. Rose Kelsch, Eugene
DIGGING DEEPER After his death, many people have praised Ronald Reagan. They have elevated him to the level of saint, citing such things as ending the Cold War. In my opinion, he was a snake oil salesman that sold us happy propaganda to distract us from some of the things that he and his cabinet achieved. He promoted the Soviet Union as an enemy to justify a massive increase in military spending, tripling our country's deficit during his years in the White House. Moving to probable criminal activities, there was substantial evidence that pointed him and his cabinet to dealing with Iran in trading arms for hostages. Folks, please do not plead coincidence that the American hostages in Iran were freed within 30 minutes of Reagan's inauguration. There is also his support of the freedom fighters known as the Contras in places such as Nicaragua, causing mass murders in such countries under the name of democratic freedom. It saddens me that so many Americans will just look at the slick Hollywood president that was Reagan and not dig deeper for his legacy of lies, blood, and criminal manipulation. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain in this country we fondly call Oz. Brian P. Ellis , Eugene
THE REAL RONNIE Time to say good-bye to Ronnie Reagan, the "Great Communicator." A hand-picked B-movie mouthpiece who delegated authority to people like Spencer Abrahms and James Watt. Union buster. Supreme commander of the invasion of Grenada (a real threat to national security). Always willing to sell TOW missiles to Iran for hostages, and chemical weapons to Iraq. Always ready to destabilize freely elected governments, like the one in Nicaragua. The first manifestation of the proto-fascism of Bushes I and II and the neocons, who are now, as we speak, preparing to lock down the U.S. with fright tales about more terror attacks and the need for national I.D. cards. Good-bye, Ronnie — and good riddance! Michael Anderson, Oakridge
NO NADER NOW I voted for Ralph Nader in the 2000 election because I believed that a Bush administration would not be substantially different from a Gore administration. I was catastrophically wrong. And despite my former protestations, Nader really did cost Gore the election: If Nader had backed out and endorsed Gore, the margin of victory would have been wide enough to eliminate any doubt of who won. Nader's campaign is going to have exactly the same effect in 2004. I am a progressive liberal, and I have no illusions about Kerry's centrism — I know that I'm not going to get everything I believe in from John Kerry. But I also know that Kerry is vastly preferable to Bush. And if Nader continues his campaign, we will get four more years of Bush. It's as simple as that. Nader should pledge his time and energy to reforming the Democratic Party so that it reflects progressive values and is less beholden to the same corporate interests that own the Republican Party. He should urge his supporters to vote for Kerry and then immediately begin pressuring him to adopt more progressive policies. If Nader continues to run, he must do so knowing full well that he is handing Bush four more years to wreck our country and our planet. And if that's acceptable to him, then he doesn't have a shred of integrity. Jeremy Jacobs, Eugene
LETTERS POLICY: We print as many letters as space allows. Please limit length to 250 words and submissions to once a month. All letters are subject to editing for length and clarity, and must include address and phone number. E-mail to editor@eugeneweekly.com, fax to 484-4044, or mail to 1251 Lincoln, Eugene 97401.
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