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TRUE POLITICS I was glad to see Josh Welch's Viewpoint piece (6/3) about the morning-host conservatism on Eugene's supposedly progressive radio station, KOPT 1600 AM. Though I haven't heard the particular program that Welch writes about, I'm concerned about a related kind of conservatism on KOPT, namely its top-of-each-hour peddling of CNN's radio "news" service. Day after day, week after week, KOPT/CNN's radio news is suffocatingly devoid of any real content. It avoids even momentary discussions of our day's vital national or international political controversies, except for occasional uncritical propagations of Bush sound-bites. Instead, we're given a diet of mindless, meaningless updates about a missing blonde in Aruba or a five-cent fluctuation in the price of gas. This is a classic tactic of the right-wing corporate media: Keep the population ignorant and distracted with a parade of shiny, meaningless info-baubles so we don't think about anything that matters. Many of KOPT's nationally syndicated commentators rightly denounce this kind of perversion of the news media, yet with KOPT's own news, Arlie & Co.'s Churchill Communications brazenly perpetrates it at the top of each hour. The Air America station up in Portland has no problem airing substantive and responsible news. But Arlie & Co.'s Churchill Communications can't do the same on KOPT. Why not? Because their true politics are showing where it matters most? Carl Samuels, Eugene
DANGEROUS IDEAS I would like to comment on the Viewpoint by Chris Calef, published in your June 9 issue. This viewpoint has more falsehoods than I have room to note. He said that Jeff Luers received a sentence exceeding that of most murderers. That is not true, as since Measure 11 was passed, the minimum sentence for murder is 25 years, two years longer than Luers' arson sentence. Calef attempts in every way to minimalize Luers' crime, by saying that no one was hurt, and only three SUVs were destroyed. He fails to note that Luers attempted a much larger arson than what occurred. If he had succeeded in burning the lot of SUVs, he would have caused a fire so large as to threaten the nearby homes in the neighborhood. It was only Luers' ineptness as an arsonist that prevented a more dangerous scenario. Fires are unpredictable and easily get out of control. More disturbing than his false allegations of political persecution of this violent man are Calef's attacks on peaceful democratic political action as ineffective, and his clear endorsement of an anarchist philosophy. Such thinking is dangerous and a real threat to our community, for it can be used to justify increasing violence. It is obvious that this arson accomplished nothing to stop the use of SUVs. Following Calef's logic, that means that even greater violence should follow. And that is simply unacceptable to our peace-loving community. Lance Jacobs, Springfield
NOT SO SIMPLE Having worked locally at Sundance, Oasis, a Fred Meyer nutrition center and Wild Oats, I can unequivocally state that none of them were pro-union. As far as I know, none of the locally owned health food stores are unionized, and in fact, usually offer low wages and poor, if any benefits. So whatever the issues may be regarding Whole Foods' arrival in Eugene, please don't romanticize the locally owned health food stores. They would better serve this community by putting their money where their politically correct rhetoric is and pay living wages and decent benefits to their workers. Francie Killian, Springfield
REAL WARS Lois Wadsworth did an excellent review of Star Wars III (5/26). While I used to be a big fan of science fiction, I'm proud to say I haven't seen any of the three movies. I don't like real wars and I hate the criminals who start real wars. We are all being scratched by the prickly Bushies, Saddams and bin Ladens who start real wars (in the descending order of the casualties they have caused). None of them value human life at all, just money and their own kooky spawn. And on the related item, the interview of Michael Ruppert (5/26) by Kera Abraham, "Stuck on Oil": His theories and conclusions on 9/11 and peak oil would have seemed kooky some years ago but events and whistleblowers since 9/11 are proving him right in both theory and fact. The immoral slaughterhouse created by Petroleum Man is such a waste because peak oil will dictate negative gain from numerous human sacrifices. Bob Saxton, Eugene
TOOLS OF COMPASSION I am a home care provider for seniors and people with disabilities. My clients are poor — in body, mind and need. Caring for one of my clients includes taking wire cutters to her box springs and mattress regularly, so the springs don't poke through and hurt her. The state will not buy her a new bed, or take care of her desperate needs. So, we make do with what we have and save the state money. I have reason to believe that all caregivers use their tools of compassion. But because we do not have material resources to make our clients comfortable, it doesn't mean we don't do our best to serve our clients and keep them in their homes. Cutting services would cause our clients to suffer even more. Please urge your legislators to protect funding for the In-Home Care Program. It costs the taxpayers less than putting thousands of clients in nursing homes! Angie Hazelton, Blue River
SLICK OIL It is no comfort to read that the president has asked the Saudis to control the price of oil, or that the oil companies are making record profits. No matter what you drive, if it consumes petroleum, you are at the bottom of the energy hierarchy. Even if you don't drive, your taxes pay the environmental and health costs, plus a subsidy to the oil industry and the military who protect the oil supplies. The International Center for Technology Assessment estimates the true unsubsidized cost of gasoline at between $5.60 and $15.14 per gallon, and the price will only go up. However, 80 percent of our gasoline is expended on round trips of less than 80 miles from our house, a situation ideally suited to electric vehicles (EV). An EV is a way you can creatively drop out of the brittle, top-heavy, death-oriented system. The big oil and car companies do not want you to know that EVs are low-tech, available, and cheap. Plans and supplies for building your own EV, converting your car to electric or even purchasing an EV are available on the Internet now. The infrastructure for delivering the fuel (electricity) already exists, and it is far cheaper per unit of energy than gasoline. Electric cars are so efficient, we could eliminate 40 percent of our gasoline usage just with existing off-peak electric capacity. At a fraction of the cost of the war in Iraq, a national subsidy for EVs could end the need for overseas oil imports. David Hazen, Eugene
NIXON REVISITED The "Downing Street Memo" is the minutes of a meeting of Prime Minister Tony Blair and top British government officials. Please refer to www.downingstreetmemo.comThe memo tracks the actions of the Bush administration that lead up to the Iraq war. With more than 1,682 U.S. servicemen and women killed in Iraq, the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, 12,762 injured, and over $200 billion in taxpayer funds going to this war effort, we cannot afford to stand by any longer. Eighty-nine members of Congress, led by Rep. John Conyers, Jr., submitted a request for a hearing regarding this memo on May 5. More than a month later, no response. Conyers is now looking to gather 100,000 signatures from U.S. citizens to request a hearing. A historical reminder: Watergate started with hearings and forced then- President Nixon to choose between resigning or facing impeachment. There is clear evidence that Bush public responses were in absolute conflict with the war planning going on behind the scenes. Will the citizens of the U.S. stand by and allow a war and occupation based on lies to continue? Since when does America tolerate intentional and deliberate manipulation of intelligence by the president and his administration to justify going to war? How about accountability under oath? This makes Watergate seem like a walk in the park. This war was predetermined even before it was a preemptive strike. Please sign the petition and demand accountability. Fran Gillespie, Eugene
TRADING DISEASES The lawmakers of this land have become so money hungry that the results have devastated many households by way of forcing them to buy their medicines from the big drug companies. The side effects of many prescribed medicines have dulled the debilitating conditions in many Americans. Diabetes is a side effect from taking arthritis medications. Is that really what we want, to be stricken with a more serious disease just to be able to move around without pain? The Rev. Michael Clements, Eugene
UNWHOLE FOODS Whole Foods looks like another unsustainable project with money going out of the community and reduced support for local farmers. It is time Eugene decides if we really walk the talk when it comes to having a sustainable community with local jobs, farms and tax dollars fulfilling our local needs. Only companies that improve our sustainability help our city's future. How much in tax dollars will be lost in this new adventure? I appreciate The Shedd, and maybe there is a better way to help them have parking, but parking is not what a sustainable 2005 community should be about. Ruth Duemler , Eugene
WASTE LESS The best way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil is to conserve more and waste less. We need to develop more fuel-efficient cars so we use less oil and gas. Energy experts agree that making cars more fuel-efficient and investing in renewable energy is the most effective thing we can do to decrease dependence on foreign oil and increase national security. We should rely less on oil and gas and expand development of other forms of energy like wind, solar and ethanol. Unfortunately, the Bush administration's energy policy will do pretty much nothing to further the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Although the House energy bill already includes $88 billion in subsidies, the majority to benefit oil, gas, coal and nuclear industries, the president is now proposing to throw additional subsidies at the nuclear industry. What an awful idea! The last thing America needs is an energy plan that shortchanges consumers and the environment to reward big oil and power companies. Instead of continuing to reuse the same old policy, Bush should go back to the drawing board. Shannon Dealy, Philomath
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