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Déjà
Vu, All Over Again The 2004 presidential election produced a variety of interesting reactions. Some people are in denial; others are outraged. Some are challenging the integrity of the process and the legitimacy of the results. Others simply want us to "get over it." There seems to be little disagreement in progressive circles that Bush & co. (brother Jeb, Katharine Harris and five U.S. Supreme Court justices) stole the 2000 election. But what about the 2004 election? Whether or not it, too, was stolen seems to be an open question and, unfortunately, too few people — including most members of the media — are looking for the answer. It ain't that hard to steal an election in this country. If you're a Republican, just find yourself a swing state — say, Ohio or Florida — and figure out how to suppress the African-American vote which traditionally goes heavily Democratic. Make no mistake about it, Ohio is this year's Florida. In 2000, Florida Secretary of State Katharine Harris, ignoring an obvious conflict of interest, served as the chair of the Bush campaign in that state while presiding over the state's election process and vote-counting. In Ohio 2004, it's Kenneth Blackwell who is the Bush campaign chair, secretary of state and chief vote-counter. In Florida 2000, thousands of African-Americans were removed from the voting rolls illegally. In Ohio 2004, the African-American vote was suppressed by more diffused methods: too few voting machines producing unreasonably long lines, long-time voters "disappeared" from the poll books, ballots not counted because they were "spoiled," voters supplied with the wrong day, time or place to vote. You wouldn't know it from the corporate media (and EW hasn't been much better), but the Ohio election has produced citizen and congressional forums, an election contest lawsuit and a recount demanded by the Green Party and Libertarian presidential candidates. The recount, intended to protect the right to vote and the right to have all votes counted, won't overturn the results of the election but it has provided a critical forum to discuss essential reforms such as: voter-verified paper trails for electronic voting machines, a constitutional right to vote, and replacing the Electoral College with a popular vote using instant runoff elections. To find out more about the Ohio recount and how the Green Party is fighting for a stronger America, visit www.votecobb.org Blair Bobier of Corvallis is media coordinator for the Cobb-LaMarche Green Party presidential campaign.
The
Last Goodbye Sagittarians can never stay in one place too long. I remember as a young man I fled the East Coast to San Francisco and my mother asked, "Where next — Europe?" I did end up in Sweden. Mothers are always right. I lived in Europe for 20 years before I returned to the U.S., and eventually to Eugene four years ago. Well, young at heart and not wanting to be an old Eugene hippie, I am leaving again. This is the last goodbye, but who knows, I might come back one day. Eugene is like Mecca; everyone must return. Since I arrived here I have always felt like one of those characters from an old Hollywood Western movie. The stranger — the guy in black arrives in town, but this time he is a real black dude. Lacking a horse, he hitches his mind to the community. He walks through many establishments. In one bar they ask, "Who's the stranger, Sally?" "I don't know Slim. He just popped out of nowhere." Nowhere! Haven't black people been in America for more than 450 years? One wouldn't think this in Eugene. Here, I have felt like a brother from another planet, and of course I am. In Europe I am just an American, but one who doesn't wear an Hawaiian shirt while walking down the Boulevard St. Germain in Paris looking for a McDonalds.
Blacks are not a happy lot here. This can be seen by the past and recent racial profiling charges against the Eugene police. One professional woman I knew recently left for California. "I don't want to die here," she said. African-Americans have a kind of shadowy presence in Eugene, if one can call it a presence at all. They are peripheral inhabitants of a white ghetto. I don't think that Eugene was designed with black people in mind. In my all-white building I am still looked upon with suspicion. One old lady blocks my mail box upon my approach and tells me, "Go back to Africa." Now, I don't know why I would be going back to Africa, but that is her problem, and not mine. Getting back to my mother, she used to say, "You're contrary." Now, as a kid, I didn't know what she meant, but of course I know now. If she were alive today, she would just say that her son is a happy anarchist, something he inherited from his father. Bad disease or something. Thanks Mom, and Dad too. I don't like last goodbyes. They don't exist. Memories stick. I remember the first time I came here and I was kicked out of a well-known East 13th Avenue bar for kissing a white girl. Well, I didn't kiss her, but she executed her constitutional rights by embracing me, and we both were routed out. "Do you want to write about it?" asked an editor at The Register-Guard. "Sure," I said, because I only thought these things happened in Mississippi. Have I met some good people here? You bet your sweet bottom I have. I've had great editors at Eugene Weekly and many creative artist friends. There's Dave who owns the Dairy Queen. There is officer Ellis of the Eugene Police Department, and a regular fixture in the campus area, and another policewoman, officer Curry, who helped me get rid of a stalker. There is my friend and great English teacher John Williams at LCC. I've had laughs with Ken the Bar-B-Q-King, Bahati Ansari, and Tina Rinaldi at the Jacobs gallery. There is Tim the Hot Dog Man at the entrance to the UO who is a world traveler, and there's a wino with whom I have had many intellectual conversations. Sweet guy, just down on his luck. I certainly wouldn't let a few cowpokes at the Horsehead bar make me feel bad about Eugene. If all of Eugene was like the Horsehead bar, brother this town would really be in Shitsville. Actually I don't feel bad about Eugene at all. I guess that I just don't fit into small towns. I remember once I moved to a small university town in Sweden. It was the University Of Lund in the south across the river from Copenhagen. I was going through a crisis in my marriage, and I told my wife that I would go there and just become anonymous. She laughed and said, "You'll never be anonymous anywhere, my friend." Well, that's my fate — Eugene, Portland, and the world. They say never say never, so I will never say that I will not come back to Eugene, if it is only for a visit. Ciao to everyone. Jerry Harris in an internationally known sculptor, writer, and new immigrant to Portland.
Dem's
New Year Resolutions Mobilize and persuade, rather than simply continuing to mobilize the persuaded. We must face up to the fact that there is no great, untapped reserve of liberal voters out there. The supply has passed its peak, and our party must explore for other sources of energy. Be more inclusive. Most Republican voters do not share all or even most of the views of the extreme wing of their party. In this increasingly complex world, we succeed or fail together. Teamwork and mutual respect are requirements, not options. Durable solutions to our complex problems require comprehensive approaches and cooperative efforts. We must share in solving problems together. Avoid personal and partisan attacks. Question assumptions, not motives. Attack beliefs, not personalities. Articulate our moral values in a more plain, heartfelt language. We lost this election not because of our moral values, but because we did not explain them, or, if we did, we explained them intellectually, and not emotionally. Define our values and repeat them again and again. Define them, so that the Republican Party can no longer do it for us. Say them strong, say them loud, and say them proud: Opportunity, equality, tolerance and fairness. Say them to everyone you know. Say them to everyone you don't know. Stir the dormant American conscience. Parading a hatred of gays under the banner of "moral values" is not the same as a national conscience. Pushing an aggressive agenda of sexual morality legislation is not the same as a national conscience. It is up to us to ask again and again "Why isn't poverty immoral?", "Why isn't a lack of good medical care for the sick immoral?" Present a clear vision for the future. Exude optimism. Offer real ideas, not opportunistic criticisms. We've become the Chicken Little Party. If people are constantly told the sky is falling, most will simply just move out of the way. Champion a government for the Have-Nots, not for the Have-Mores. Champion a government that doesn't turn its back on its own people. Champion the core needs of most Americans, the basic tools needed to live out the American dream: A Living Wage, Guaranteed Access To Healthcare for All, Fairness in Educational Opportunities, Workers' Rights and Workers' Safety. Agitate for energy independence. Prepare for tomorrow's challenges today. Embrace the Apollo Alliance (www.apolloalliance.org).It's an investment in a more peaceful future. If we don't, Iraq won't be the last Middle Eastern country we invade. Defend the natural environment while pushing for responsible economic growth. Growth and green are not mutually exclusive. Reject centrist candidates. The Republicans love them. When we go right, they get to go even further right. They win both ways. If we veer sharply back to the left, we'll expose them for how extreme they've become. Their values aren't really the core American values — ours are. Borrow a few chapters from the Republican playbook. Frame our message in clear, simple, easily remembered phrases. Give up for now every one of our pet causes in favor of the big messages: A living wage, guaranteed access to health care for all, fairness In educational opportunities, workers' rights and workers' safety. When we're advocating for a thousand pet causes, however worthwhile, we end up diluting our message, and make the label of "The Party of Special Interests" stick on us. Support the Voter's Bill Of Rights (www.votermarch.org).Work for election reform, and demand accurate elections and paper trails. Count every vote, for every vote should count. Keep the momentum going. All politics is local. We must continue to build on our successes of the past year in building a people-to-people infrastructure, with a goal not only of gaining back congressional seats in 2006, but gaining local and state offices as well. In 2005 and beyond, Democrats must go forth with confidence in the importance of our task. We will never win the victories we do not fight for. America is a nation of fixers and doers; there is nothing we cannot do when we work together with an optimistic determination to find common ground and common sense solutions to our problems. In 2005, we need to put America's strength once again to great purpose: helping people everywhere live richer, freer, and longer lives. We can be the party that brings that vision. Let us resolve to do this. Todd Huffman, MD, is a Eugene pediatrician.
A
Year along the Coast Fork WINTER: BPA Mitigation site A cold, insistent rain has drenched us to the core on this January day along the Willamette's Coast Fork. Although our fingers are numbed and muscles strained from strenuous labor, we've enjoyed the camaraderie and are pleased with what our 10-person stewardship crew has accomplished here. Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah has added thousands of trees and shrubs to this 44-acre field. The tender roots of native maples, ash and ponderosa pines now lie nestled in fertile mud that for many years nourished only oats and exotic weeds. Orderly clusters of young Oregon grapes and Nootka roses are visible among meandering rows of blue plastic tubes, which we've carefully placed around most of the young plants. These unnatural cylinders seem terribly out of place here, but they'll shield emergent leaves from summer's drying winds and the mouths of hungry deer. In dwindling light we trudge east across the swale among previous years' plantings. The fattened trunks of some saplings have burst open their protective tubes. Slender branches of cottonwood and willow, cascara and cherry, bear robust buds that suggest our hard work will soon be rewarded.
SPRING: Buford Park's South Meadow Our ranks have thinned from 10 to five, though there's enough work for 100 or more. The task is grueling, but the weather ideal; a fragrant breeze scatters cottonwood fluff about the meadow, and swelling cumulous clouds drift slowly through the soft, blue sky. A somber call from a gliding hawk pierces the shrieks and chatter of excited jays and robins. We've been at this for several weeks, swinging heavy grub hoes to chop away thickly rooted sod from around the base of South Meadow saplings. These maples and ash trees will fare better for the effort, freed of the competition from invasive grasses and strangling blackberries. Exposing the rich soil in a six-foot diameter around each plant requires many swings of our sharp tools, and we must aim carefully to avoid slicing a tree trunk or an unfortunate foot. Sodbusting is only half the chore, and we complete it by covering the bared, saturated soil with a thin layer of cardboard and a thick mound of shredded bark or straw. This, too, is exhausting, shoveling bark from trailer to wheelbarrow and pushing the heavy loads across rough terrain. When August heat-waves arrive, the moisture barrier we've created for these trees will aid their survival. Today, their waxy green leaves and shoots seem vigorous and eternal, but insects, deer and drought will quickly thin their ranks.
SUMMER: Restored South Meadow Side Channel Four new crew members, with two departed, to water thirsty roots and root out eager weeds. The morning sun has us sweating already as we make our slow procession through the length of the reclaimed channel. This serpentine ditch was dug last autumn, and stretches for nearly a mile between its two Coast Fork ends. Here we planted thousands of shrubs and forbs into soil and sand and cobble, and all require assistance before October rain or winter floods arrive. Equipped with hoses and asparagus forks, we navigate steep banks and gentle slopes to supply a five-gallon drink for each young transplant. Groupings of grapes, spireas and snowberries have grown obscured and entangled by dense stands of thorny thistles, blackberries and wild cucumber vines. With diligence we pry and pull out undesirables, enabling the natives to freely photosynthesize. Spiders, grasshoppers and tiny moths flee our activity, while ladybugs crawl about in apparent indifference. Perhaps they welcome the liquid we've pumped from the river into our slow-draining buckets. Though we wisely don't drink it, an occasional dousing provides sweet relief.
AUTUMN: FBP Native Plant Nursery A cool morning fog clings to the air, diffusing the light and obscuring our view of Mt. Pisgah. Multi-hued leaves, some crisp and bronzed, cling to their host branches, while others waft like butterflies into our botanical enclosure. Many hands have assembled this nursery of native plants, through painstaking work, planning and persistence. Where large herds of cattle only recently trampled, a welcoming garden has sprouted from the alluvial earth. Potted oaks, alders, ninebarks and dogwoods stand silently in rows within the new shadehouse. Checkered plots of camas, lupine, brome and sun-bleached cow parsnips sway gently as if offering their seeds to us. In future years we'll disperse these seeds and plants throughout Buford Park and the Coast Fork floodplain, where they'll feed and shelter indigenous wildlife and nurture human souls. Kurt Kamin is a writer and conservationist living in Eugene. For more information about Friends of Buford Park and Mt. Pisgah and the organization's stewardship activities, visit www.bufordpark.org
We'll
be OK, Really An open letter to Eugene's left guard: Even though it is now many weeks since the campaign, I continue to see letters to the editor stating that George W. Bush did not really win the election — again — and that "massive fraud" was involved in the 2004 presidential election. The letters are so full of anguish and anger that it is hard not to feel your pain. You are sincere in your beliefs and cannot comprehend that those beliefs were not validated at the ballot box. Well, I'd like to see you feeling better, so here are some tips from a Republican on how to regain the White House: Stop whining about the election. John Kerry ran an excellent campaign and came darn close to unseating a war-time president. It was very close but in the end Bush won. Kerry had the good sense to concede with grace. Follow his lead. Stop being so arrogant. Referring to yourselves as "thinking people" implies that the rest of us (the majority of the voters) are a bunch of non-thinking dolts. We're not. We read the newspapers, we watch the news on television, we think about the issues — and we reached a different conclusion than you. Arrogance is not an attractive trait and will not bring new voters to your side. Please do not claim to be so smart and then turn around and quote Michael Moore. His stuff is so obviously manipulated that it is comical. Some day you will look back at Fahrenheit 911 and wonder what the hell you were thinking. Same thing for Bruce Springsteen, Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Streisand and the rest of the celebrities the Democrats paraded around. Who cares what they think? Ease up on the inflammatory rhetoric. When you say that Bush is like Hitler or that Rumsfield is a war criminal you lose all credibility. Make new friends. I get the feeling that you spend all of your time blogging with each other, having meet-ups with each other, protesting at the federal courthouse together and reading Eugene Weekly together. Meet some more right-leaning people and learn about what makes us vote for Bush — and no it isn't paranoia and perpetuating the rich-white-male-Christian-power structure so we can drive our SUVs until we suck the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge dry. Stop demonizing wealthy people. Instead of thinking of wealthy people as blood-sucking corporate criminals who prosper off the back of the "working class," think of them as productive individuals who create wealth and jobs. Consider the possibility that it is better that they get to keep and spend their money than to have the federal government tax it. Give up on the U.S. becoming like Europe or Canada. We are not going to have a national health care system. The majority of voters in this country will not support "socialist" programs and big governments running them. If you want better health care, and who doesn't, then support policies that help businesses succeed so that they can provide their employees with health insurance. Drop the notion that the U.N. is the government of the world and that Kofi Annan is the world's leader. Neither is true. Please quit telling people what to do. If you don't like Wal-Mart, then don't shop there. It's funny how left-leaning people sometimes refer to themselves as "progressives." Yet, these same folks seem to have trouble dealing with a changing world. All the hand wringing about Borders knocking out the small bookstores or Starbucks taking over the latte industry is wasted energy. The reasons these changes are taking place is because the people support the changes! Going against what the people want is not a winning strategy. Finally, have some faith in this country and the collective wisdom of its people. For crying out loud, if we can survive eight years of Bill Clinton we can get through anything. Sorry, I couldn't help it! But really, the strength of this country is its people. Don't assume that the majority of your fellow citizens are a bunch of fools or that eight years of a president you don't like is going to sink the republic. We'll be OK. Randy Kolb is a Eugene Republican.
NOT TO WORRY I have noticed a lot of letters from folks including Dorothy Karstrom (12/16) who are afraid that if gay people are permitted to marry that this will result in people marrying animals, pizzas or mattresses. I want to report some of my experiences in order to clarify the situation. When my cat Achilles had his fifth birthday; I went to register him for kindergarten. The school board told me that I could not enroll him in school because he is not a human. I hired a lawyer and pushed the issue as far as I could, but unfortunately I could not convince anyone to let him attend school. In a separate incident, after my husband passed away, I fell in love with a can of Westbrae soybeans and we went to apply for a marriage license. When we were turned down, on the grounds that my beloved can is not a human, I contacted the ACLU and spent a lot of money and made a lot of ruckus, but we were never allowed to marry legally. So I want to reassure people like Dorothy Karstrom that the government seems to be quite relentless in distinguishing a human from a non-human, and your fears that marriage between two gay humans will lead to marriage between a human and a food snack do not appear to be grounded in reality. Susan Rogers , Eugene
PERSONAL AUDIT After having read about the internal police audit on the Jordan Cortez complaint, I decided to conduct one of my own. I invited a black co-worker to coffee for her perspective. The black community is small and close-knit, and it turns out she is related to Mr. Cortez. She vouched for his character. Later I had lunch with a friend and mentioned the audit. This person again voiced her trust in Mr. Cortez, recalling his good-natured ways with kids at a day care center. Case closed. I believe in Mr. Cortez. Do I expect you to agree with my internal audit? No. Do you expect me to believe the one done by the police? Their internal bungling of the complaints against ex-officer Juan Lara alone justifies an external police review board. It's long overdue. Jerry Kendall , Eugene
MUCH IN COMMON I have been trying to figure out how this country can be so divided 50/50 on issues, as the media keeps telling us or as the election appears to indicate once again. One recurring thought is to consider the source of our information, which surely varies. We all have a natural tendency to seek out those sources that validate our own views. It is comforting. But I believe in my heart that if we had open, honest discussions about the issues of the day, we would find that we actually have much more in common than we are told! As long as we are spoken to by the media and the two political parties in simplistic sound bites, half-truths taken out of context, incomplete pictures and twisted facts and figures, it should come as no surprise that we are split. The problems we face together are not black and white, good or evil, right or left, conservative or liberal. They cross all boundaries. These labels oversimplify and also lead us to dead ends. In my opinion, until we open our minds and actually listen to view from all directions and have honest, complete discussions, we will appear falsely split. I personally refuse to accept this simplistic analysis and honestly believe all Americans have many things in common and hope for many of the same things. Tim Boyden, Eugene
REAL TRASH While Stephen M. Roberts' letter (12/9) made some good points, it started out poorly by labeling paper as "trash" which is co-mingled with plastic, cardboard and other recyclables in Eugene and most other cities. Paper is definitely a prime recyclable mixed with other recyclables by command of Sanipac and is not real trash which is not allowed in the recycle carts. Roberts is right about defects in the current system of recycling which has a long way to go to get the recycles properly sorted and not have so much of them land-filled. One of the problems is the overuse of plastic tape, etc. when shipping cardboard-boxed items to consumers or friends/family. Another problem is that a lot of residents do not want to take the time required for proper sorting. We are brainwashed to over-consume and poorly educated about what to do with throwaways. Speaking of trash, the biggest piece of trash we need to recycle is George W. Bush. See www.votetoimpeach.org Bob Saxton, Eugene
IF YOU KNEW ME … I am an independent, a conservative with a mind. My vote covered the landscape from a liberal state senator (Patty Murray in Wash.) who took care of my daughter; to local attorneys I trusted to decipher the law. I trust Lieberman and write opinion pieces when I see a wrong being perpetrated. My children will make a difference because I take the time to say I love them and help them grow in their own way. Be it gay, prosperous, poor or just the average Joe — I don't care what they choose. I care about them, period. Eugene — I care about all of you too. But you are allowing divisiveness to destroy your ability to care about the greater whole. If you met me you would smile. My vegan friends never knew I was a hunter. They love me for me. Tree-huggers would cherish my heirloom apple trees. Stop hanging labels in front of good people who are different than you. I spend the time to listen to liberal media. I also spend time listening to conservative media. It widens one's understanding. Do you? If you are a liberal, herb-friendly, vegan, recycler would you stop loving your child who chose a different path? Or would you accept difference? I bet I could be your friend, too. But you wouldn't give me a chance as a registered Republican. Shame on you! It is time to stop building such ridges of dissention based on ideology. My dearly beloved grandparents were as liberal as anyone you could name. But we loved each other so very much because we brought balance to the family. They taught me Bach, a beam reach and philanthropy. I taught them about home-care medicine, athletics and stopping to help strangers. Their difference made me stronger and more willing to listen to all opinions. If you allow the DNC, RNC and Green Party propaganda to define you, well — you have lost yourself. You have allowed others to define your mindset. Widen your understanding before we sink our great country. Because we cannot survive fractionalized. Roberts Greenaway, Eatonville, Wash. (regular visitor to Oregon)
MONEY UNION Some people claim that unions are dead. Not so. What else is the Chamber of Commerce, but a union for the well-heeled? Bill Smee, Springfield
HEART-BREAKER Dear Christian children: Do you love Jesus? Does Jesus love you? Do you want to show Jesus how much you love Him, in a very powerful way? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, than all you need to do is carry out His most important wish, "Love thy neighbor as thyself." Please do not break Jesus' heart. Please don't hate people because something about them is different from yourself. I am not talking about some of the hurtful things that some people do like killing and robbery. That is a whole other story. I am talking about differences, like people who have brown skin, or who are left-handed, or who are gay. People who voted "yes on 36" are breaking Jesus' heart. Gay couples are the same as your parents in most ways. They work, play, laugh, cry, and sometimes argue about the bills. Some of them are Christians like you. Some raise children, some are doctors, teachers, police officers, and some are also unemployed. If your parents voted "yes on 36" then they broke Jesus' heart. But you don't have to be like them. You can be your own person. Please don't break Jesus' heart. Amy Gaudia, Eugene
FALSE PROPHETS Since the White House is being run by fundamentalist evangelical Christians, I thought it might be a good idea to read some of the New Testament again to find out where we might be headed. In the first epistle of John are descriptions of the deceiver, the anti-Christ: "He who says 'I know Him,' but disobeys His commandments." (1 John 2:4) In Revelations, John describes the consequences of being deceived by the deceiver, "fire came down from heaven and consumed them" (Revelations 20:9). If I were an evangelical Christian, I would be giving a good, questioning look at George W. Bush. As a matter of fact, the Apostle John suggests it (see below). Shortly after Mr. Bush accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior he was approached by members of a determined political group called the neo-conservatives. I can't help but wonder if this group of shrewd Zionist (both Christian and Jewish) knew they had their man — a man so full of faith that Christians would feel his sincerity and follow him anywhere. But, how much do you know about the faith and beliefs of the men and women who are advising our charismatic leader? How confident are you of their intentions and motives? "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1) Carol Horne, Eugene
DUTY TO REBEL I question the logic of many anti-war activists. They readily complain (rightfully so) about U.S. police forces abusing them during peaceful protests, yet they continue to support U.S. police forces who commit far worse abuses on Iraqi civilians. Try to compare the feel of pepper spray or the impact of rubber bullets with the experience of having foreign occupiers shooting you and your family with real bullets! The imperialism of the Bush administration would lie dormant, if not for the atrocities carried out by U.S. troops. During WWII, the Nazis were also "just following orders." But in 1950, the Nuremberg War Crime Tribunal said, "Individuals have international duties which transcend the national obligations of obedience. Therefore, individual citizens have the duty to violate domestic laws to prevent crimes against peace and humanity from occurring." Forty years ago, Buffy Sainte-Marie sang "Without him, all this killing can't go on. He's the universal soldier, and he really is to blame. His orders come from far away no more. They come from him, and you, and me." And if progressives really want to put a stop to the deaths of innocent people with the spread of American Empire, we must stop all support for it — and that includes supporting the troops! Robert Simms, Eugene
WHY WAIT? Alan Pittman (News Briefs,12/16) tells us that Eugene 4J School District is applying for a grant to retrofit school bus fleet vehicles to run on cleaner-burning ultra low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel, at a cost of $400,000, plus an additional $0.12/gallon for fuel consumed. There is an alternative that is available to the district today that requires no retrofitting to the fleet vehicles, and costs much less per gallon than ULSD. This alternative fuel is a blend of biodiesel and petroleum diesel fuels, and is available for purchase and distribution today. The city of Eugene fleet diesel vehicles have been running on a 20 percent blend of biodiesel fuel for over the last year with no difficulties, so the ground work for 4J has already been done. If you see a dump truck, backhoe, fire truck or ambulance belonging to the Eugene city fleet, it is running on B20, and polluting less. In fact, the UO runs it's grounds keeping equipment on 100 percent biodiesel. While pursuing grants to clean up tailpipe emissions from school bus fleet vehicles is always a noble gesture, there is no reason to wait until a third party can step in to provide the funds. ULSD will not be widely distributed in the immediate future, and even when it is commonly available, older diesel engines will need modification, replacement, or additives to run effectively on it. Biodiesel can help here also. As little as 1 percent biodiesel blended into ULSD will allow older diesel engines to use the new cleaner-burning fuel with no modification. If you are concerned about tailpipe emissions of any and all fleet vehicles, including Eugene 4J's, make some calls and point out that a lower emission fuel is available today at a cost that is very favorable to that of pure petroleum fuels. While you're at it, go shake up Lane Transit District's mindset a little too. They are responsible for burning almost one million gallons of petroleum diesel fuel each year, and their vehicles dump the resulting pollution into the Willamette Valley's airshed. Biodiesel and LTD are made for each other. R. Sparks Scott, Eugene
NEVADA NORTH Is our governor turning Oregon into Nevada North? The people of Oregon already voted once when we put the language into our state Constitution — we don't want casinos in Oregon. How many times, and how many ways, do we have to tell the governor? Gov. Ted Kulongoski, when he was Oregon's attorney general in 1995, issued a legal opinion that any establishment having more than "75 video lottery terminals" would have "a high probability of violating the prohibition against the operation of casinos" (12/12/95, Oregon Attorney General Opinion 95-5). The governor's recent announcement of plans to turn state-owned video poker machines into casino-style slot machines was very disappointing. Given the personal knowledge he has of the harms casinos cause, he should be focusing on restricting — not promoting — casinos and casino-style gambling. With his planned addition of casino slots to the state's 10,250 state-owned video lottery locations, the State of Oregon will instantly become the owner of the largest collection of slots in Oregon — far more than any of the Indian casinos — under the disguise of the "Oregon State Lottery." Does that make the State of Oregon technically a casino owner, in violation of the state's Constitution? Don't like the sound of all this? Contact your local, state and federal representatives, and tell them you expect them to stop the gambling expansion in Oregon until we have clear data and information about the true cost to our state, our communities, our families — and can make informed decisions instead of relying on gambling industry hype. Find lawmakers at www.leg.state.or.us/house/houseset.htm and www.leg.state.or.us/senate Debby Todd, Florence
DELUDED ARROGANCE Few people noticed that only 31 percent of eligible voters approved of Bush, and a whopping 40 percent abstained, perhaps because both Democrats and Republicans support defiant, violent world domination. I hope the corporate-political aristocracy feels abandoned by the non-voters because the empire-expansion policies will hit the wall of petroleum exhaustion soon, resulting in deadly chaos. At only 5 percent of the world's population, Americans dominate the rest of the world by consuming 20 percent of the disappearing oil, which requires enormous military support. In 1998, the Republican Policy Committee stated "most of the cost of Persian Gulf oil is the military cost." Obese oil corporations are protected by an obese military so that obese Americans can drive their obese vehicles. The people who display the "Support Our Troops" ribbons are insulated from viewing the obscene violence committed by those troops and they obviously don't connect the gas-guzzling vehicles that bears their ribbons to the demand for oil bought with the blood of those troops. We have a deluded arrogance: 137 species are going extinct every day from global warming, we produce 25 percent of the world's global-warming carbon emissions, yet we refuse to sign the Kyoto treaty. We also have enough nuclear bombs to destroy all life on the planet several times over. We could become extinct ourselves, easily. Realizing this, millions of people worldwide are working toward cooperation and peaceful coexistence. We do not need to wait for an obsolete domination system to grant us true security. David Hazen, Eugene
EYES WIDE SHUT To those "citizens" in Eugene who sit by tacitly and watch as women are abused, you are a disgrace. Apparently my gender still feels comfortable with assaulting women. I am angry and disillusioned with the actions of these bottom feeding abusers and the cowardly "non-confrontational" spectators peering in Buddha-like silence as assault takes place in the city streets. This city sure has a high concentration of people willing to turn their tie-dyes when realistic problems are in full view. I hope the children in attendance with their parents didn't get any negative ideas as they looked upon this confusing mix of apathy and aggression. The fact is, if you do not react, if you make no movements, no interjections, or if you refuse to stack yourself into a physical presence, more power is being commandeered by these simian self-hating tough-guys. You should already have a working, cognitive value system by now. Is something you are witnessing confusing to you? I had no problem running to the aid of someone who was being assaulted in the street while an entire busload of people watched dumbly; and I certainly didn't stand about crippled by internal moral dilemmas when I reacted to an obvious, public case of abuse. Yet, my "nosy" behavior sent some abusive creep staggering home and away from his victim. That was my only concern at the moment, my only reaction. To the large crowd watching from a distance — YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING. Jon Young, Veneta
WHAT'S SUCCESS? I am homeless. This poem was written by Matthew Hernandez, a student at Churchill Alternative High School. This poem was a response to my own homelessness and to others that experience it. Because a lot of people aren't aware of this issue, this poem is a social commentary exposing my own emotions and the truth about "staying on the streets." Matthew Hernandez, Eugene
FACING EXTINCTION Forever is a long time. We are in an unprecedented crisis, one whose implications have failed to reach those responsible for it. The rate of species going extinct due to our collective activities has reached an unprecedented number, thousands of species per year. But that's nothing compared to what eco-science experts predict. They say that if we do not act to slow, stop and reverse our fouling of air land and water, 30 percent of all species will be on an irreversible path to extinction by the year 2015, and potentially 90 percent will be in that category by 2100. What we do or fail to do now, in these next 10 years, will determine the extent of our enormous sin. Man(un)kind has been responsible for many sins (by causing undeserved harm to vulnerable "others"), especially in the 20th century. Our influence has grown so massive that the very survival of the planetary web of life is in question. We have to find ways to signal through the flames, to cooperate in ways we have not yet done, for the outcome to be anything but tragic. Extinction is forever. Paul Prensky, Springfield
BY THE WAY … Side effects may include, but are not limited to: excessive sweating, nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, dry or red eyes, discharge during urination, stomach pains, kidney stones, erectile dysfunction, hair loss, sore throat, swollen glands, weight loss/gain, headaches, diarrhea, bloody nose, swollen gums, dry mouth, tiredness, shortness of breath, ear aches, ulcers, constipation, anxiety, decrease in sex drive and sore joints. Oh, and by the way, by taking this "medicine‚" you will increase your chances of having a heart attack by as much as 70 percent. Some "medicine" will increase suicidal feelings and depression, especially if you are a young person. Seriously, taking the medicine you were told would make you feel better, might actually play an integral role in killing you. Too bad that hadn't been mentioned in those really bright and cheery commercials. Right? Good idea for a New Year's resolution: Just say no to pharmaceuticals! Ray Cole, Eugene
PETE ON PETE On Nov. 2, voters in Oregon's Fourth Congressional District returned Congressman Peter DeFazio to Congress by an overwhelming majority, with more than 60 percent of the vote. Because of his years of service and experience, DeFazio is becoming a national leader. He already has important positions on the Transportation Committee, the Resources Committee, and is ranking Democrat on the Water and Power Subcommittee. DeFazio is a consistent fighter for the rights of the people, especially those who don't have big-money lobbyists working for them in Washington, D.C. Peter and I worked together for former Congressman Jim Weaver, before Peter left to pursue his own political career by serving four years as Lane County Commissioner. During this time, I saw for myself the hard work and dedication Peter has for public service. Peter makes it a point to stay connected with the people he serves. He has held more Town Hall meetings with constituents over the last 10 years then any other Oregon congressman. Working closely with local officials, he has also been instrumental in fighting for and securing funding for all the ports in his district. He has also fought for and secured funding for Oregon's transportation needs, and higher education, bringing needed federal funds to the UO. One of Peter's most significant accomplishments was sponsoring and fighting for a law which reimbursed Lane County for the federal forest land resources in our midst. Because of his important role in this success, Peter was present along with me in the White House Oval Office when this bill was signed into law. We are privileged to have Peter DeFazio as our congressman. A fighter for the common man and woman, who isn't afraid to say what he thinks. By continuing to reelect him to Congress by such overwhelming numbers, the people can rest assured that they have elected one of the best. Peter Sorenson, Lane County Commissioner
GUILTY GIVING The "giving season" is one of the best times of year. Part of its appeal is that it draws out the philanthropist in people. That said, I'd like to suggest that charities out there throttle back on the guilt trip a little. I have volunteered for many projects around town, and make donations when I can. I'm up at 4:30 in the morning for my caregiving job (which, due to state bureaucracy, may or may not actually pay anytime soon). Additionally, there are the demands of my own small family. In a perfect world, I would have the energy and funds for all worthwhile causes — but I, too, have very finite resources, and occasionally not even that. So to those who see this season as an opportunity to ramp up their reproachful stares, consider this: Not everybody who slips by the Salvation Army pot or the Giving Tree is a selfish wanker. Many people are just plain give'd out! Shari Harbarger, Springfield
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