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View
from the County I've been thinking about a local government priority list for 2005. I thought I'd share these with you, the people of our community. Some of these may be possible at the Eugene City Council level and I realize that most of them won't be possible at the Lane County Board of Commissioners level. I'd like to get your feedback but these are the ideas I've been promoting: Stop the West Eugene Parkway. This is one of the most significant projects in the metro area; it's expensive; it's environmentally destructive and it's illegal. I think we should send a strong message to the state that it's over. Meth and prostitution abatement. The social and economic impacts of meth and prostitution are huge. We have, both city and county, big problems and they are usually treated by law enforcement as crimes. We can do more and we can do it better. Sustainable business initiative. We need to turn around our community's economic development efforts. For too long, the Lane Economic Committee and the Metro Partnership have been dominated by short-sighted interests. We must develop local, green, and sustainable businesses. We need more sustainable and family wage jobs. On the city front: The city should adopt the independent auditor and in-house attorney (reporting to the City Council). You can't have an independent auditor reporting to a city manager. It's just inconsistent. Same on the lawyer. Taxes as if people mattered: We need a local government to look at taxes: who pays them and who can afford to pay them. I hope we can all work together to make this agenda a reality. We need leadership. I hope you will help in whatever way you can. Let's talk and work together for these goals. Peter Sorenson is a Lane County Commissioner and former state senator.
ABUSED SEX WORKERS After following the dialogue spurred by Megan Schmidt's Viewpoint (7/15) I felt compelled to add my own thoughts. Almost all of the people who wrote in, mostly in opposition to Ms. Schmidt's assertion that advertisements for the sex industry in the Weekly add up to subjugation of women, focused on the disputed link between the consumption and the incidences of rape and sexual violence. Ms. Schmidt made another point that I found extremely troubling. She reported that a large proportion of women working in the sex industry have suffered sexual, or other, abuse most likely during their childhood. Whether or not this industry produces more sexual violence or not I don't know, but it seems obvious to me that it preys on women who have already been victimized in a terrible way. Was I the only reader heartbroken by the reportedly large percentage of women working in the sex industry who have suffered childhood abuse? These are people who have suffered severe trauma and most likely are making life choices based on this deep-seated and all-consuming pain. I agree with Victoria Austin and Sherilyn York's point (8/5) that your "mind, body and conscience belong to one person — you." I also agree that "that conviction is very empowering." I would like to think that all of the women who work in the sex industry are empowered, happy women making a bold career choice, however, I think I know better. Mona Jones-Romansic, Corvallis
NO DESTITUTE PUPPET Ahhh ... frolicking in a Utopia devoid of racism, sexism, hatred, economic inequity and all the other poisons in our FUBAR society. What a warm 'n' fuzzy fantasy, Mr. Gogol (9/5). That said, my reply to the original letter (7/15) was not a commentary on "authentic freedom" in our society. My statement that women's bodies and minds are their own was part of my rebuttal to that myopic, flimsy letter promoting the notion that women in the adult industry are all helpless, drugged-up, financially destitute puppets controlled and abused by the "Evil Male." Your letter echoes that original, saying that abuse and financial desperation propel women into the adult business. Can you say, "megabucks studio contract!"? As a 10-year veteran of the adult entertainment industry, I know this: People in adult are as diverse as those in any other business. We are not all damaged, lost little girls to be pitied or vilified, nor are we all hapless victims wallowing in the poverty and low self-esteem you claim ensnares us in the Arachnoporn's web. I entered the adult arena by choice — not out of financial desperation. I had all the advantages — and chose adult: Caring, educated, professional parents, no drugs, alcohol or cigarettes, university education, solid career, bank VP husband, owned two homes on my own, healthy asset portfolio (even healthier after 10 years in adult). And I am not alone in this profile! Hang up and dial again, Mr. Gogol. Sherylin York, Eugene
ART IS THE ENEMY? Annie Kayner's letter about art (8/26) started out sounding like a clever piece of tongue-in-cheek humor, but I soon realized it was serious. If, as Annie claims, Amy Gaudia's notion that "art happens" is indeed "pathetic" and "shouldn't continue to be accepted as a reality" — and if "creativity is the enemy of the true artist" — then there is only one logical conclusion: Art is the enemy of creativity and life. If that's so, I think I know whose side I'm on. By Annie's definition, a medieval cathedral might still qualify as art, since its creators — working anonymously, collectively and within certain agreed-upon traditions — may have succeeded, at least partially, in avoiding the "false ego of creativity." On the other hand, it was built by an awful lot of "common," even "average" people — and "the average person could no more succeed in making the artist's journey than he/she could win a gold medal at the Olympics." So how could it be art? And by this same definition, anything that appeared at all "new," "different," or "inspired" at its time of creation should be considered self-indulgent non-art — including, yes, the work of Van Gogh, Picasso, and most prominent writers and musicians of the last few centuries. Yet my senses tell me that we are surrounded by art and beauty, which infuse the natural world (including us), and which are reflected in the creative expressions of all natural beings. A child's finger painting cannot help but manifest these qualities — often more effectively than the self-important "ego-transcending" work of a self-defined "true artist." If art is as rare a commodity in this world as Annie seems to suggest, I would happily surrender that "art" to the people who like to stand inside museums. I'd take the finger-painting any day, or the ocean wave, the tree bending in the wind, the truth and beauty which flow generously from every part of creation. Chris Roth, Dexter
WHAT'S BEST FOR U.S. My daughter and I were fortunate to be able to participate in the demonstrations in NYC in August during the RNC. I appreciated last week's (9/2) article by Chris Ammons describing some of what she saw. What was interesting and powerful to me was the diversity and strength of the people who were marching. Estimates ranged from 200,000-400,000 people! This is the entire population of the Eugene-Springfield area, all marching 34-plus blocks of a five-lane city street, five hours of people walking past Madison Square Garden. The people involved were of all ages and ethnicities, some pushing their children in strollers or carrying them in backpacks, white-haired grandmother and grandfather types, as well as the youth of our nation, who will all be so affected by the policies of the Bush administration. United for Peace and Justice did a fantastic job of organizing these disparate groups, keeping up communication via cell phones along the way, and encouraging a positive and non-violent protest: they handed out signs, "I Say NO to the Bush Agenda," The police presence was overwhelming; it was obvious that they thought we were the terrorists. I saw one young man dragged off by about 20 police officers making this small arrest (he had no weapon, either). I spoke with numerous people on the buses and on the street, and all were consistent in their views that the Republicans do not represent what is best for our country. It is heartening to hear of the voter registrations that have come pouring into the Lane County Elections office. Now we need to reach out to those we know in other states where the battle for the heart of America will be waged. Our lives, and those of our children, depend on it. Robin Winfree, Eugene
SEXUAL ECONOMICS Prohibitions against (sexual) porn and (sexual) prostitution, or many inhibitions about sex, never made much sense to me, or a lot of other people, maybe because we never took seriously the argument that they lead to other crimes. I guess it's up to me to say what seems so obvious. As with drugs, alcohol, gambling, tobacco for children etc., it's the prohibitions that increase the price, and therefore encourage criminals (whether legal or moral), including exploiters of women, to get involved. They also encourage kids to begin thinking there must be something especially interesting about related activities. Prohibition of any kind automatically creates a class of potential "criminals." We should consider whether every prohibition is worth the cost. Maybe in some cases, creating prohibitions is the biggest class of crime, and we should be looking at how such "criminals" profit from it. Probably a few people would live wasted lives if we had fewer prohibitions, but the alternative is the many who do so in meaningless jobs enforcing them. Look at all the legal ways we prostitute ourselves to businesses that don't really produce anything for the common good (except maybe a network that creates more "make-work" jobs rather than more accomplishments). What woman can say that she has never exchanged sex (or men exchanged expressions of love) for something they want in return? For social animals, life is full of such negotiations. Considering that the majority of sexual prostitution is by women, prohibiting just this kind of negotiation seems like high sexism. Dan Robinson, Eugene
BAD SWAP I was sickened to read that the proposed Mcdougal land swap for a city park was considered a "must do" and a "win-win" situation by our Mayor Jim Torrey. The park is being sold to the public as free, but it carries a large hidden price tag. The adjacent 120 acres of development will cost the taxpayers plenty, more than if the city purchased the land outright. Suburban development as it currently happens is subsidized by taxpayers who shoulder the burden of extending infrastructure for these developments. Telephone, sewer lines, police, fire and schools are just some of the services we will have to provide for these profiteers. This does not begin to address the issue of transportation to this outlying area, increased traffic, road construction, and accompanying pollution. At the same time, this fertile ground is forever lost as a secure food source for our existing population. I urge our councilors to see this deal for what it is: extortion. We can have a regional park and we can afford to pay for it without also paying for unsustainable suburban development. Kate Perle, Eugene
FEMALE DOMINATION In a town like Eugene (or Ann Arbor, Mich., Austin, Texas, or Athens, Ga.), a letter to the free weekly claiming that we live in a patriarchy is common enough. But to the extent that we're letter readers and not letter writers, we know that such letters are at best self-expression and at worst a hateful lie, no more valid than similar statements made by either half of the combatants in Ireland or Palestine or Myanmar. In truth, feminism is only half the story, and the worst feminism is no more than bad math. We live under female domination from conception through physical maturity and under male domination thereafter. Feminism compares that first 15 years with the remaining 60 and concludes that men are four times as powerful as women — as if 15 years of women control was irrelevant. In truth, the preponderance of men in corporate board rooms can't possibly change so long as the preponderance of women in elementary schools is taken for granted. One of the two female power centers is child rearing, and the currency is love. (If you think that men "choose" to live in poverty regarding that currency, then you're at best an intellectual and at worst a bigot.) The other female power center is reproduction, confusion over which was the impetus for the most recent patriarchy letter. The need to motivate the male to bring his genetic material to the female's doesn't begin in the back pages of our beloved Weekly (or even in the checkout stands of Safeway). It begins when we're so systematically clothed as children in group response to overpopulation. Overpopulation is the real problem, and the only problem, and as a male I decline to take more than half the responsibility for it. Matriarchy and patriarchy are in balance. Thus it has always been. Thus it will always be. Steve Downey, Eugene
FOX AND UO Bravo to Lois Wadsworth for refusing to pull punches in her review of Outfoxed. Her use of "toads" and "toadies" perfectly describes charlatans at Fox who have the temerity to describe themselves as newspersons. They are blatant. But there is a more subtle reason "couch potatoes blot up" the lie that Fox has a news operation. Evidence can be found right here, at the UO, where a fine Journalism School confuses the public and demeans itself by awarding degrees in journalism to students majoring in public relations and advertising. Those fields operate in a way antithetical to journalistic principle. It's a sham that can't be justified by adding the word, "communications," to the school's name. No wonder an unthinking public is ripe to equate Fox's blustering for legitimate news coverage. George Beres, Eugene
CONCERN FOR DARFUR I would like EW's readership to familiarize themselves with the genocide in Sudan's Darfur region and join fellow concerned citizens in pressuring the U.S. and U.N. to mount a forceful humanitarian mission to Sudan without delay. I found a chilling account, including video of survivors of the slaughter and daily updates, at http://passionofthepresent.org The genocide is still in its early phases — one million Sudanese are at risk and 100,000 have died as of Aug. 31. The unpopular government lacks the power to stop the genocide, even if they weren't complicit in it. Use Rwanda as a history lesson: Extremists in the government first murdered moderates in their own party to clear the way so they could commit genocide. Some 800,000 Tutsis died while U.N. peacekeepers watched helplessly — they were not allowed to use force to prevent crimes against humanity. Romeo Gallieres, commander of the U.N. peacekeeping force, claimed that with 5,500 troops and the permission to use force he could have prevented the genocide. Instead, his (cries) were unheeded. He discovered that his miniscule force was a pawn in international politics used to calm the demands of first world people to stop to genocide. He also learned that, according to an official in the U.S. Department of Defense, the life of one U.S. soldier is worth 80,000 Rwandans. I've seen "Get U.S. out of U.N." signs around Lane County.
They want to keep our right to use our military uninhibited by any treaties.
However, the U.S. has lost credibility after 50 years of increasingly
bold imperialism, most recently in Iraq. We cannot mount forceful missions
alone. This is a complex issue: politicians here and abroad routinely
use the guise of humanitarianism to meddle in the internal politics
of smaller countries. Educate yourself so you can make accurate demands
of your representatives in Rose Wilde, Eugene
REASON TO VOTE As a recent college graduate who spent her teen years waiting for the day I could register to vote, I am saddened by the fact that the majority of my generation do not vote. I wonder if my generation's non-voters realize just how important this election outcome could be when it comes to our future. In the Bush economy, tuition costs skyrocketed, making attending college a privilege only for the rich. Even in our "improving" economy, tuition at the UO is rising again. While George Bush does not seem to have any plans to reduce college tuition, John Kerry wants to help make college affordable for everyone. Through a "service-for-college" program, Kerry will allow young people to trade two years of service to programs such as AmeriCorp and PoliceCorp for four years at a public university. Many of the students who take advantage of this program will work in low-income elementary schools helping the younger generation prepare for a bright future. By giving such a short amount of time helping to improve the lives of others, any one who wants a college education will be able to afford one. In this election, where every vote is critical, John Kerry is the only candidate who will provide the less privileged an opportunity to attend college without being overwhelmed by debt. And if the youth of this nation expect politicians to continue to care about the cost of education, they will turn out in droves this election. Jo Hedelman, Eugene
EXTEND THE DRAIN I would have to agree with Jeffrey Stout's assessment (8/26) of Jiffy Lube and their environmental program. If they were concerned about the environment, they would offer alternative oil that would extend the oil drain rates, and provide more protection for the engines of their customers. Longer drain rates means less used oil to recycle. I use oil products from Lubrication Engineers of Ft. Worth Texas. The additive package in the oil reduces friction, which enables me to get 3.5 more miles per gallon in my vehicle. I have extended my oil drain rate out to 20,000 miles with less engine wear. Some of us depend on a vehicle for our livelihood. We just have to minimize its environmental impact until an alternative comes along. Lubrication Engineers' products are available to the general public, but I am sure Jiffy Lube could buy in bulk and pass the savings on. I found the company at www.le-inc.com Craig Taliafero, Master Industrial Supply
HOOKED ON PILATES Kudos for printing an article (8/26) that includes Pilates! But you overlooked my favorite, The Pilates Center. Located at 1680 Willamette (right behind Dot Dotsons), certified instructors Lara London and Elise Moore provide incredible (and challenging) private sessions and mat classes. I discovered Pilates a couple of years ago when I pulled
my Achilles tendon and Please spread the word for ALL the great facilities providing Pilates training in our community. Shaun S. McCrea, Eugene
FAITH AND POLICY I have been alarmed by the increasing politicization of religion during the course of the last four years. I feel one of the most important freedoms that a government can provide its people is their freedom to pursue their relationship with God. The separation of church and state is the only way to guarantee that freedom. Now I see some of my fears becoming a reality. Recently, I overheard my friend Christina, who is from Taiwan, telling people she was a "Kerry Christian." She found that telling people she was Christian caused people to believe she had a set of fundamentalist, neo-conservative beliefs and that she believed that God directs George W. Bush's actions. She said people were actually "mean" to her when she was simply trying to explain to people that she shared common beliefs with them. So she has had to ally herself with a political party in order to profess her belief in Christ. She says her faith is personal and profound, as John Kerry's faith is to him, and that her faith is not a policy statement, as George Bush's brand of faith and government appears to be. Sadly, this is what happens when faith is politicized. When a church promotes or condemns politicians it is acting politically not as guardians of faith. A politician, in a representative government, has a duty to vote as the people he represents desire, not his own personal, or religious, beliefs. John Kerry seems to understand this important distinction. Kathy Thomas, Leaburg
KERRCHURIAN CANDIDATE Sen. John Kerry — "fact or fiction." This neo-Manchurian Candidate certainly fits the plot of that wonderful movie, i.e., a Korean (Vietnam) war hero comes back a brainwashed (self-aggrandized) zombie triggered to kill (destroy) a liberal (conservative) politician. This movie was insanely plotted, as is the real life plot of John Kerry too obtain the highest political office, which started just prior to his Vietnam experience and continues to this day. But, like the fictional plot, John Kerry's lifetime plot will FAIL. Four more years! Tony Valeri, Eugene
GOD NOT BEHIND BUSH Can you help me? I'm confused. When I became an American citizen seven years ago, I studied 100 questions provided by the government in order to pass my citizenship oral test. I distinctly remembered learning that this republic was built on the Constitution and the rule of law. Imagine my surprise last week as I drive past a church in Santa Clara that displayed this sign: "The Bible is the rock on which the republic rests." Wasn't there any debate in Congress over this change, or did the Bush White House issue an executive order replacing the Constitution with the Bible? I'm also aware that prior to the 2000 election, candidate Bush declared that God wanted him to be president, and that more recently, on July 9, he claimed to the Amish that God speaks through him. That said, let me be clear about one thing: I am a very spiritual and religious person. Almost every Sunday, I worship the mysteries of the divine creator at the Church of the Open Sky high in the Cascades. A few weeks ago, at my church, God spoke through me, too. He said to tell George W. Bush that He changed His mind about the presidential job offer after consulting His constitutional lawyers. Could you pass the message along? Karen D. Myers, Eugene
LOWERING THE BAR I agree with many in this area who feel that George W. Bush has got to go as president, on term was way more than enough. But this often repeated idea of "anybody but Bush" saddens me. What a state our so-called democracy is in. I keep hearing also the chant of "This time, we gotta get Bush out." What really bothers me the most about all of it is that I feel it will surely be this way till I die; we keep lowering the bar. I see no end to this two-party corporate system, set up to perpetuate itself never allowing other possibilities in. They control the election process, making it nearly impossible to get on the ballot, won't allow other parties' candidates to debate, and control of the media makes for a clean sweep of it. The right to vote should be cherished and I would like to vote for the person I feel is best qualified and who will represent me and my views. Voting from a place of FEAR does not feel good. That we discard wonderful candidates with ideals, brains and new and exciting ideas such and Dennis Kucinich and Ralph Nader to name two and instead ignore, chastise and even vilify them tells me something is very, very wrong with or system. In my view the U.S. could learn something from other countries and should consider some form of instant runoff voting or proportional representation. Tim Boyden, Eugene
POOR SISSY While I am saddened by the Hermann's loss (9/2), I am not surprised by it. Study after study has shown that indoor cats live happier, healthier, and most of all longer lives than their outdoor cousins. On average, indoor cats are now living to be 12, while an outdoor cat only makes it to 4. Poor Sissy Lee met her end at the number one urban predator of cats: the automobile. Everyday on my way to and from work I pass homes with outdoor cats. I drive carefully through these neighborhoods, and several times a month one of these beloved pets will run across the road in front of me. I break, and honk my horn in what I know is futile effort to get the cat to stay off the street. I pray that others who drive through there are as forbearing as I am. This wouldn't be an issue though, if their owners kept them inside. While this may seem cruel to deny them freedom, its for their own good. They did not evolve to deal with multi-ton behemoths that move faster than they can react. I feel much better knowing that the three cats who are in my family are safe at home inside, and not risking their lives on the city streets. For a good read on the debate of indoor vs. outdoor cats I recommend http://petplace.netscape.com/articles/artShow.asp?artID=3695 It's a fair look at the pros (so very many) of indoor life vs. the cons (so very few). Michael Bloss , Eugene
FOUR-LETTER LABEL Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney have spewed the term liberal as if it is a four-letter word (and Mr. Cheney knows something about those). They have harangued the liberal voting records of Senators Kerry and Edwards as if it is something to be ashamed of. But I've always thought of liberal as a positive word, so I wondered if Bush and Cheney knew something that I didn't? To find an answer to this burning question I consulted "The Good Book." And according to Mr. Webster, liberal means, "generous, tolerant, respectful of the ideas of others and favoring the use of governmental resources to effect social progress." Funny, none of those descriptions sound heinous to me. In fact, I'd like our country to be run by men who embody those personality traits. Men like John Kerry and John Edwards. Since liberals are respectful of the ideas of others, I looked up conservative as well. This word is defined as "opposed to change, moderate and cautious." I didn't see these as positive descriptors, yet conservatives cling to this title as if it is the best thing in the world. So, the next time you hear the term liberal used as a four-letter word, remember its true meaning. Then ask yourself if you want our country run by generous, tolerant and respectful leaders who want to effect social progress, or ones who are moderate, cautious and opposed to change. As for me, I'll take the liberals. Cheryl Kline, Dorena
BIO-ACCUMULATION I just recently moved to Eugene from the Gulf Coast. My whole life I have lived in major port cities in the U.S., and I'm upset to hear about the high levels of mercury in our waters and our fish. As a woman of childbearing age, I'm concerned with the health of my future children. Dangerous levels of mercury are not only in fish such as salmon, swordfish, and catfish, but also in crawfish, shrimp, shark, and tuna. Actually, the amount of methylmercury in predator fish such as large and small mouth bass, northern pike, and trout can be up to 1 million times greater than the amount of mercury in the surrounding water. However, the Food and Drug Administration no longer conducts a domestic monitoring program for mercury in species with the highest mercury concentrations, such as canned tuna, shark, and swordfish. This is a huge problem! The EPA estimates that 630,000 babies are born with unsafe levels of mercury in their blood every year. The EPA has this info, and they also have over 100,000 people from this area asking them to do something about this. They still have no response. I ask everyone who cares about our environment and about our future generations of children to take a stand and call or write to your senator on this issue. Rachelle Isakson , Eugene
CASUALTIES OF WAR While the number of our combatants killed in Iraq is in the news every day, and occasionally the numbers of wounded are listed, those who return psychologically scarred is not publicized. Military violence can be as corrupting and damaging to the soldiers who pursue it as it is pitiless to its victims. Soldiers who actually kill others in a war tend to suffer more from psychological traumas than their comrades who don't resort to violence and killing. While persons have to learn to be nonviolent and charitable it is a tribute to our culture and values that many of our soldiers in Iraq resist violence and killing. Evidence during WWII showed that only 12 to 25 percent of their grandfathers who were combatants could bring themselves to shoot and kill in active combat (Men Against Fire, S.L.A. Marshall, William Morrow and Co. New York, 1947). At present human nature still makes war possible, but it does not make it inevitable. War is incompatible with respect for life which is foundational to civilization. War is no longer an intelligent or efficacious instrument of foreign policy. The big majority of Americans who initially favored the Iraq war, and the large number who continue to approve of it, is evidence that too many are unaware that trust in military power and insensitivity to suffering, reduce our moral power and diminish our nation's praiseworthy reputation. To enjoy peace, our foreign policy needs to develop, promote and work with a strong, active democratic U.N. while endeavoring to remedy poverty wherever it exists in the world. Edgar Peara, Eugene
BRINGING DEMOCRACY Out of many competitors, perhaps the greatest reason to relieve the president from his command come November is the grave and growing danger we face consequential to his incomplete understanding of "democracy." In spite of the irrefutable errors of fact that were the threatened WMDs and the Saddam-al Qaeda link, the president continues to defend his premeditated, unprovoked war on Iraq in the name of having brought "democracy" to its people. Yet true democracy cannot be imposed or decreed from without. History shows that it must be grown from within, slowly and over generations. Democracy is not some gift, packaged and perfect, simply given by America to the yearning and ignorant throughout the world. One especially cannot simply install secular "democratic" political systems in a region where centuries of religious and tribal traditions have held rule. Believing one can only confirms the willful ignorance that many of the 95 percent of humanity beyond our water's edge accuse of us having towards them. Assertions of "mission accomplished" notwithstanding, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are still young. In Iraq, an insurgency grows. In Afghanistan, the Taliban is regrouping. We're creating enemies against democracy faster than we can kill them to bring democracy. The president's folly into Iraq was waged at the expense of completing the job in Afghanistan, and has left Americans more vulnerable to attack. In both nations we now face the awful choice of getting out or increasing troops. Good thing our choice in November is not so difficult. Todd Huffman, M.D. , Eugene
A GAY CONVERSATION I can imagine the conversation that Vice President Dick Cheney had with his gay daughter about a constitutional amendment: Dick: The president is against it (gay marriage) and so I'm agin' it to! Daughter: So, Dad; sounds like it's time for me to have that news conference I've been telling you about. You know, the one about all I know about Halliburton and oil pipelines and the sock puppet president you run. Dick: Well, you know your mother and I have always supported you and have always been very proud of you. But, this gay marriage thing is going to play hell with the right wing of the party. Daughter: Indeed it will; but think of the headlines about your involvement with the Saudi Royal family and how you have been used by the oil barons of the world to fleece the American public for years. Ought to be pretty good stuff. Dick: Yes, well; maybe you're right. Besides, it's a states rights issue. Yes! That's it! States rights. Sounds very vice-presidential. And, it's freedom of choice. Boy, this gets better and better. Daughter: Thanks, Dad; my partner and I have just made flight reservations to San Francisco. Gerry Merritt, Eugene
KERRY HAS A PLAN I urge you to vote for John Kerry. Kerry has a plan to free us from our dangerous dependence on Mideast oil. Kerry believes that our great country has always led the world in innovation and that we can continue to do so by investing in research to develop higher fuel efficiency in vehicles and new sources of energy that will expand economic opportunity and increase our national security. President Bush and his administration have no plans to invest in new energy technology because they profit from the current system. The current administration refuses to make any serious investment in new energy technologies. These new technologies could literally transform our economy and create new high paying jobs to replace the ones lost in the manufacturing sector. The Bush administration seems happy with replacing these manufacturing jobs with service jobs that pay an average of $6,000 less per year. In order to keep our country great we must invest in our future. Instead we have a president who has borrowed billions of dollars from the corrupt Chinese government in order to keep tax cuts for the wealthy and fund his ill-conceived war in Iraq. Bush seems to believe that all it takes to be great is to repeat empty feel good slogans over and over again. He attacks any suggestion for improvement as un-patriotic criticism. Kerry believes that greatness requires that we always strive to be better by investing in our future. Irene Henjum, Springfield
REASONS TO VOTE This is to all of you non-voters out there: The vote is a responsibility and a privilege, and if you don't use it, it may be taken away from you. You live in a state that is the most voter-friendly of any I've seen. You can't say you don't have time, you can mail in your ballot. Ignorance is no excuse, you get the Voter Pamphlet, the Weekly, and all manner of free information at our great public library. And for those who say they are "not part of the system," I'm sorry, but you are. If you've ever had a job, if you ever received government assistance, if you've ever gone to college, or if you use our library, you are part of the system. Even if you are a self-proclaimed anarchist, you live off the scraps of people who are part of the system, and that counts too, my friends. And if, God forbid, you or your child ever get sick, you will become a part of the system real quick. The U.S. is now considered by the rest of the world to be the greatest threat to peace. The citizens of the world cannot vote for our leaders who are affecting their lives. Vote for our allies, who are experiencing more terrorist attacks because they are our friends. Vote for the people of China, Saudi Arabia and all other dictatorships where there is no such thing as a vote. Vote for the people of Iraq, upon whose heads bombs are still falling in our name. Vote for our soldiers who are not yet citizens, and who are only guaranteed citizenship once they die in combat. Vote for the people living and working in our country who want desperately to become citizens and have the same rights you casually cast aside. Vote for the ex-felons in Florida and other states who have had that right taken away (ex-felons can vote in Oregon).Vote for the millions of children who have no health insurance or voice in the system. Vote for my dad, and all the other voters who died this year before getting a chance to express their passionately held opinions in November. Vote to compensate for whatever cheating the Bush folks are going to try to get away with this time, because yes, the system is broken, but it's our job to fix it, yours and mine, and trust me, they are counting on your apathy and ignorance to win.
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