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YEAH, GO TORREY! As a progressive political activist, I am thrilled to hear of Jim Torrey's flirtation with a mayoral write-in campaign for several reasons. First, as the most polarizing, conservative, Bush-supporting Republican politician in Eugene, Torrey will inspire progressives to vote. This means more votes for Kerry, DeFazio and even Nader. In fact, Eugene progressives will be more motivated by Torrey than by anyone since Lon Mabon, whose last anti-human-rights measure brought out vast numbers of Clinton voters in '92. Second, a Torrey campaign will inspire progressives not just to vote, but to contribute time and money to Piercy and other candidates. This letter, for instance, and the check I'm about to write to Piercy's campaign, are but the beginning of the contributions I plan to make, if Torrey runs. Third, a Torrey campaign would do much to continue the traditional entertainment value of Eugene politics. Running again after announcing his retirement is a little silly, but running against Piercy after congratulating her on her victory is downright absurd. We progressives have too often played the fool in the
past; it's nice of the In short: Run, Jim, run. Martin Champion, Eugene
REPUTATION SUFFERS Indeed Jim Torrey worked hard to establish his reputation as a community leader who strove to build consensus and create a climate of success through innovation. Every day that passes without his denouncing efforts to conduct a write-in mayoral campaign diminishes his reputation. Contrary to a full page ad in the R-G (8/17) which states, "Since his name wasn't on the May primary, only one name will appear on the November ballot," Kitty Piercy will be the sole candidate on ballots this fall because the democratic process is alive and well in Eugene. The voters were faced with a choice in May: Nancy Nathanason, who was endorsed by Torrey and thereby presumably expected to carry his strategies and agenda forward; or Kitty Piercy, a candidate who offers the community a fresh approach to civic matters and leadership. Eugeneans chose Piercy by a clear majority. Since the May primary, Piercy has been working hard – identifying issues, assessing needs, building coalitions, and forging partnerships all with a respectful and responsible demeanor. The rest of us would do well to follow her example. Laurie Trieger , Eugene
ANOTHER INDY Comments regarding Seth Walker's "Facing the Music" article (8/12): It is 100 percent negative. It does not accurately acknowledge the breadth of indy record stores in Eugene and assumes that they are all failing. The article is laced with falsities. Walker's article refers to CD World and Face the Music as independent and Green Noise as large. All false. It fails to acknowledge that all small businesses are suffering under the weight of corporate domination of the retail world. Not just record stores. There's no justification for one store to take center stage in our weekly newspaper to whine about how difficult it is to be in business. It doesn't mention what is apparently Eugene's only growing indy record store, The Museum of Unfine Art and Record Store, now in its third year of business. I make no bones of saying that the Museum takes pride in stocking the most independent and least commercially viable/subsumable musics that there are: avante, no-wave, noise, free jazz, skronk, glitch, electro-clash experimental, etc. Maybe the Museum isn't going under because it doesn't pander to the outmoded aesthetics of the rock 'n' roll industry and offers music that is not only economically independent but aesthetically independent of pop-rock. People are tired of generic indie rock and bratty punk-rock. They're tired of being condescended to by an industry that favors image over substance and marketing by genre over ingenuity. I must say that I agree with Bob Lee, when he says that "independent music stores like mine are toast." But saying your store is "indy" doesn't make it so. If Face the Music stocks music that is primarily corporate shlock, then I say you are a dependent record store! Dependent on the MTV marketing machine. Take a look around. Shawn Mediaclast owner, Museum of Unfine Art and Record Store
FIRE MY BOSS I'm a 25-year-old Eugene native who just recently became one of thousands of Oregon National Guard soldiers activated to support Operation Iraqi Freedom the third round. Instead of serving Oregon in times of a state emergency like fighting wild fires, I am spending 576 days supporting the decision of one guy, George W. — a decision that met not only national disapproval but international as well. So many organizations and people have set up troop support programs like the Yellow Ribbon Campaign, phone cards for soldiers to call home, and basic care packages for us. Well, those are nice, but that's not going to get me back in Eugene any sooner. If you want to support our troops then I urge you to support the candidate who will bring us home the fastest. Support the candidate who will quit activating National Guard and Reserve members at alarming rates for foreign and international affairs. What do they use active duty soldiers for anyway? As of Aug. 4, there are more than 150,600 National Guard and Reserve soldiers activated and they make up a growing 43 percent of the U.S. forces in Iraq. George W. can't even verify his own military service, casting a huge doubt on his ability to appropriately lead this nation in times like this. Kerry, on the other hand, is a decorated Vietnam veteran. The best way you can support our troops is by starting to bring them home. Please fire my boss on Nov. 2. I might have to salute the commander in chief, but I sure don't have to vote for him. Noah L. Mrowczynski, Soon to be in Iraq
REPUBLICAN FAILURES In the EW last week (8/12), Rep. Phil Barnhart's opponent would have us believe Barnhart is responsible for the problems Oregon's schools and health care systems have. In fact, the hard right wing Republican Party, in control of the Oregon House for the last 14 years, is responsible for the mess. Barnhart has been a champion of our schools since 1994 when first elected to the Eugene School Board. Barnhart knows our state is going in the wrong direction but has consistently been out-voted in the Legislature. Barnhart's right-wing Republican opponent wants to run against policies of his party while blaming Democrat Barnhart for Republican failings! Don't let him get away with it! In a Democrat-controlled Legislature, Assistant Democratic Leader Barnhart will be an important party to the solutions we need! Barbara McKeown, Eugene
TRICKLING DOWN Jeff Miller recently said that there is no connection between the two websites runjimrun.org and truthaboutkitty.org. That's strange, because those domain names were purchased within one minute of each other and from the same domain name service, Domains by Proxy. In fact, this service allows you to hide the names of those who purchased the domain. On top of that, Miller demonstrates his contempt for transparent government by fighting against the campaign's designation as a PAC, so he can hide the names of the moneybags behind him. These are more troubling examples of the cowardice and bullying behavior exhibited by the Gang of 9 and their ilk. Yep, it's the usual special interests who whine every time the citizens try to pull the silver spoon out of their mouths. The voters made their choice in May. If Jim Torrey joins their sore loser campaign, he will actively be trying to undo the will of the people, an act he traditionally rails against. I can't think of a better way for him to destroy the credibility he spent years building up with the average folks in this town. The bottom line is that Kitty Piercy will actually be a mayor for all Eugene. But the easy money for the rich folks just might be harder to come by and they can't stand it. Meanwhile, Kitty is going to prove her word by leading us to a local economy that is stronger for everybody, including the select few, because a rising tide lifts all boats. Trickle down never makes it past the gold cuff links on a few silk shirts. Charlie Magee, Eugene
A PLACE AT THE TABLE The best thing Jim Torrey ever did for Eugene was to entertain us by winning a pie eating contest. As mayor, his appetite for pie is exceeded only by his love of asphalt. This substantial figurehead of the Chamber of Commerce, the Gangsters of Nine, and the regional construction industries that contribute to pro-development political campaigns has succeeded in littering the city with convenience stores, big box stores, fast food restaurants, subdivisions of pressboard mansions and all the road projects that allow SUVs to cruise from one consumer haven to the next. Citizens who want to preserve the community of Eugene have chosen Kitty Piercy, a moderate political activist, as mayor. Torrey and his supporters deserve a place at the table...in their favorite trendy restaurant. Randy Gicker, Eugene
JIFFY LUBE'S RECORD So EW wants to give kudos to Jiffy Lube for its strong environmental record ("Jiffy Lube moves from greasy to green," 6/10)? I wish it were a joke, but EW is no Onion, and environmental devastation is nothing at which to laugh. That this brief appeared in the same issue as one with a cover story on climate change just adds to the irony of a town where being green means driving in your Volvo with a "No War for Oil" bumper sticker to the grocery for your organic veggies. Jiffy Lube deserves environmental recognition like a KKK group deserves Amnesty International support for buying their hoods from sweatshop-free manufactures. As much as I recognize that every little bit helps, telling people that any aspect of the automobile industry is green is a lie. It is an enabling behavior that wipes away some of the guilt of owning and driving a car. Sure, every bit helps, but when it's not much of a step to cease driving, why continue with tiny steps? Give up your car now, and you'll never have to think again about fuel cost (both financial and human costs), heavy structure road construction, insurance, registration, license fees, or the mounting death toll cars place on society. Jeffrey Stout, Eugene
SCARED TO LOVE AGAIN I thought the world was coming to an end watching the coverage of election night 2000. I had spent the previous months registering people to vote on the campus of UO. This liberal culture was a unique place to get invested in politics. I invested my time and my spirit to the cause of getting young people to the ballot box. At that time and place, the debate was Gore vs. Nader. Either way, I was inspired by visions of a wide open future in which we, the people, would move our great nation toward a cleaner environment, a living wage and broader civil rights for all. My vision and heart were crushed on election night when I realized that I had been living in a bubble and that a huge segment of the American public would get behind a man like Bush. Each day afterwards, the news of the direction the administration was heading saddened me further, and I found myself growing less and less able to pick up the paper or turn on the radio. Almost four years later, Bush's election may have been the end of the world for many Iraqis and U.S. troops sent to fight for the lies of our administration. There was no connection between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda. There were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. If anything, this war is creating a coalition of fierce adversaries against the U.S. So, now Kerry asks for my support. "America can do better and help is on the way." I wholeheartedly love my country and know that we can do better. And I desperately want to believe that help is on the way. When I contemplated going up to Portland to see Kerry speak I felt a sharp fear of falling in love again. While I have decided not to call in sick and dash up to Portland to see Kerry in the flesh, I do put my heart back into the race. Between love and fear I choose love. Lauren Williams, Eugene
GO WORK FOR BUSH Hello! Sorry, I do not support a run for mayor by Jim Torrey. As a Eugenean since 1981 (I know, I'm just a newcomer), I must admit I have come to appreciate Jim as a likeable person possessing a droll sense of metro-appropriate humor. As a representative of the people of this town, I feel quite unrepresented though. I am a business owner myself, but I do not feel the unbridled development of the Chamber of Commerce and Republican perspective is the right road for our fair city and its future growth. So suffice to say, I, like many others, will fight you people tooth and nail, again, in this upcoming electoral season. Kitty will win, you people will lose, the people of Eugene (not to mention the trees and the ducks) will win. My suggestion? Forget it and go back to working for George Bush, someone else who will find himself without a job in 2005 if we can help it. Or move to Klamath Falls if you want unbridled growth and manicured golf courses with no undesirables in sight. Stop wasting the taxpayers' money to count ballots, Nancy Nathanson and your ilk already lost fair and square, the voters have spoken! Don St. Clair, Eugene
ENEMY OF TRUE ART The pathetic notion by Amy Guadia (7/12) that "art happens" shouldn't continue to be accepted as a reality. Creativity is the enemy of the true artist. It is the trickster and the opiate for the wannabe artist and beginner. True art is like a carnivore, ripping and tearing away at the false ego of creativity to ultimately discover the 'void.' The void is the separation of the artist from the ego so then the 'art' journey and an honest expression can begin. The body of work that an artist makes is the diary to show to the public how honest the artist was in his/her journey. This is why not everything is art and why not everyone is an artist. The average person could no more succeed in making the artist's journey than he/she could win a gold medal at the Olympics. Equalizing a chimpanzee's talent with a brush and paint with the journey of Vincent Van Gogh is absurd. Comparing a child's finger painting with a Frida Kahlo is ludicrous. Is my topiary in my garden the same as a Henry Moore sculpture? Not in the least. There is a difference between being a true artist and accepting and encouraging every wiggle and scribble as being art when it's not. Annie Kayner, Eugene |
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