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RHETORIC VS. REALITY Here are just a few of the dismal statistics I've learned about Oregon schools after 15 years of cutting staff and programs: Oregon elementary classrooms are the second most crowded in the nation, as of 2000; our 71 percent high school graduation rate ranks 32nd; per-student funding has dropped from 15th place (1990-91) to 30th place (2002-2003); 37 percent of new Oregon teachers leave the profession within the first five years. As a retired educator, I don't see these as indicators of progress on the issues addressed in the 1983 educational report "A Nation at Risk." But, finally, two rays of light recently appeared: the well-researched results of a two-year study by the non-partisan Chalkboard Project (www.chalkboardproject.org),and the lawsuit filed March 21 by the Oregon School Funding Defense Foundation against the state Legislature for failure to adequately fund K-12 public according to the Oregon Constitution and the Quality Education Model approved by voters in 2000. I see two opportunities to re-frame discussions about educational quality, accountability, and funding. However, rather than embrace the boldness and creativity of these two independent but related ventures, The Register-Guard editors took a disappointingly defeatist view of the lawsuit in their March 23 editorial "Suing for better schools." Few people are naïve enough to assume that a successful lawsuit magically produces money, plus I agree with the editors that "the problem would demand a political solution." Great! An unrelenting spotlight will be on our elected representatives, forcing them to make their rhetoric match the reality. Laura Sherrill, Eugene
IRKSOME EAR TRASH I'm not an expert on the restaurant business, but I am an expert on the pursuit of relaxation, and I know something about music. I have some advice for every restaurant in this town that hasn't figured it out yet: Turn off the damn radio. I'm not talking about satellite radio or programmed music. I'm talking about car commercials, closeout sales, football hype and disgraced Republicans. Aggravating ear trash! How stupid, to subject your customers to that aggressive, bellowing crap when they are trying to relax their stomachs enough to digest food. I don't really like eating in a crowd of loud-talking, elbow-jabbing, germ-spewing strangers, but my cooking sucks. To keep it simple, I order exactly the same thing at each of several restaurants where I eat. Sometimes, I try a new restaurant if it fits two requirements: one dish I like and no radio. Light classical or ethnic instrumental music go nicely with eating. Not "Come on down!"; "Motor homes! Motor homes!"; "You've gotta try this mattress made of a brand-new substance — foam rubber!"; "Dennis Rodman pierced his butt today … and it looks like rain!" I like rock 'n' roll, but a tube-screamer with a knife edge scrunch and an angry monotone singer from Seattle turns my chow mein into chow pain. There's a place for that kind of music, and my esophagus isn't it. Sometimes there are televisions on that no one is watching, jabbering about the knees and ankles of athletes I have never heard of. When no one's looking, I turn off the TV and no one even notices. Unfortunately, one of my favorite restaurants just got a TV in the open kitchen. They still played the soft, relaxing music from a program but it was drowned out by Will and Grace arguing about who has the best marinade and Jack knocking things over with his ass. Another place has the same dish but it has an old beverage cooler that sounds like a band saw. It's so easy to provide a pleasant atmosphere for dining: good food, clean tables, friendly service and a lack of obnoxious noises when people are trying to eat. Maybe I'm too sensitive to sound, but think me as a canary in a mine shaft or a frog in Pittsburgh. If it bothers me a lot, it probably bothers everyone else a little bit. Don Beckett, Eugene
GET OUT THE MAP Many people have suggested that there should be a hospital in West Eugene. I agree. Along Beltline between West 11th and 99 North is a good place to consider, but also along any other major road in West Eugene, such as Danebo, Roosevelt, Barger, Bertelson or Royal. For those people who don't know those other roads exist, I suggest you get out a map. If you want to go to the coast or to Veneta from anywhere north of 11th Avenue or from Springfield, you will get there faster by Beltline or any of the roads listed above than by West 11th. There is plenty of road capacity for travel between central Eugene and the western fringes. All that is missing is the mental capacity to use it. The proposed wetlands highway would merely duplicate Roosevelt Boulevard, which now extends to Terry Street on the west edge of Eugene. Terry Street connects to West 11th. Ann Tattersall , Eugene
REALITY CHECK Hello, Eugene companies. I have a strong desire to remind you of a fact. It is the year 2006. I know you are shocked. It is not 1980 anymore. I am sure you have heard of the term "inflation." That means the price of living has gone up. It's an amazing concept: To keep an economy generating, you pay people enough so they can buy things. So, all you have to do it spin the clock forward about 25 years, loosen the belt and we're going to be OK. Believe me, I know. Paul Casey, Eugene
IF ONLY … This immigration thing is such a heartbreak. If we hadn't gotten into Iraq, we'd have funds available (trillions) to invite Mexico to join the U.S. in a unified country. We could have extended industry, education and medical care there so they could actualize hopes and dreams on their home turf. To mark the event, we could've redesigned our flag — red, white, blue and green, with the words "No Tears" stitched boldly across it, beautifully and in black lettering. If only it were true. Lori Kasprzak Eugene
CITIZEN PATROLS My response to "Same Old Cops" by Talia Delman (4/6) is to tell her I think the problem of law enforcement in Eugene cannot be solved locally. The answer is in Salem — not Eugene. The police are not going to deal with neighborhood problems. They never have and they never will. I would suggest Talia go to Salem and get enabling legislation that would allow citizens to police their own neighborhoods, collect evidence with video cameras or other means, send warning letters to the violators, and have the authority to issue citations for certain misdemeanors. These citizen patrols would not have the authority to confront the wrongdoers, only collect evidence and issue certain citations. We the people created this country and we the people are responsible for law enforcement — not the police. The police are our agents. Frank Skipton, Springfield
WE HAVE THE LAWS My ancestors immigrated to the U.S. from Europe around the turn of the 20th century. They arrived by ship and were processed through Ellis Island. I cannot remember them flying flags other than Old Glory, regardless of the occasion. I watched the protests over the last couple of weeks, and noticed many protesters were carrying Mexican flags. If they are loyal Mexicans, they shouldn't be protesting against our laws, rather they should be thankful that they can apply legally for working visas to earn a living here in the "land of opportunity." Unlike our neighbors to the north, we are not a bilingual nation. Through decades, immigrants came to the U.S. and learned English and American history and applied for naturalized citizenship. Today my family has many successful and contributing members of this nation: doctors, financial consultants, attorneys, business owners, musicians and artists. They have raised proud and patriotic Americans who fought bravely for freedom in two world wars, Korea and Vietnam. We do not need or want immigration reform, it's the enforcement of current laws that is the problem. With over 11 million illegals in this country, it is easy to see why social programs suffer. Farmers say they need these people because they couldn't afford to pay minimum wages to pick crops. I say it can be done legally and should be done in accordance with the laws already in place. But we do need to address the security of our borders and what to do about the many illegals that are already here. Higher fences, surveillance equipment, and armed patrols are needed. Those that are already here illegally, step forward, and make yourselves known. America is a land of great opportunity, so why not come in the front door and be welcomed properly? Fred Marsico, Corvallis
HILL IS THE GUY Four years ago I changed my voter registration from the Green Party to Democratic in order to vote in the gubernatorial primary election for candidate for Jim Hill (former State Treasurer, eight years; and legislator for 10 years). A few weeks ago I once again re-registered, this time from independent to Democrat so I can vote for Jim Hill in the May primary. I sincerely hope many other concerned citizens will register to vote (or re-register), and consider voting for Hill. If you're interested in supporting a candidate for Governor who has a great vision for Oregon, who's inspiring, has integrity and experience, then Hill is the guy. Hill's record of handling state budgets as treasurer instills confidence in his leadership ability. Oregon's economy was strong and resilient with Jim Hill as Treasurer. Most Oregonians are disillusioned with the lack of leadership by the current governor during the last four years. Our schools are in financial crisis. Health care and prescription medicine costs are out of control. We all have to work more for less. Far too many Oregonians don't have health care or retirement plans. Working families are looking for results from leaders, not excuses. I feel it's time for Oregon voters to elect a governor who will champion working family issues. Hill will take on the insurance industry and drug companies to ensure affordable health care and prescription medicines. The change we need now is to reject mediocrity and vote for excellence in leadership. Hill is a genuine progressive. James Jacobson, Eugene
SUBSIDIZED SLAVERY There are people in this country who believe that illegal immigration presents an imminent threat to the health and well-being of our social welfare system. Yet I see no indication that these same people realize that this "drain" on society is part of a much larger problem. The political elites (who, in this Bush administration, are together one and the same as the financial elites) have effectively declared war against American civil society, social programs and working people who pay taxes. Big business is profiting off immigrant slave labor since they can get away with paying these workers pennies on the dollar without benefits. And we the people end up having to subsidize this slavery by picking up the slack; supporting immigrants and their families with our tax dollars because the business moguls dominating the political landscape today refuse to adequately compensate their employees with livable wages. And this is a symptom, not the disease. The fact that half of every dollar that each of us pays in federal taxes is going to military spending is a symptom of this disease. "Free trade" and the war in Iraq are also both symptom of this disease. The disease is the political dominance of big businesses, namely arms manufacturers, and rightist ideologues in our country's halls of power. The cure is for citizens to begin holding this government accountable for every penny of our taxes it spends. Nicolas McGovern, Albany
ALWAYS AMUSED We on the other side of the river always enjoy the comic relief provided by Eugene's city government. The latest terrible "crisis" over the now infamous Carlson e-mail is especially entertaining. My goodness — how would Councilor Bettman and her "progressive" pals ever survive if something genuinely bad were to happen in their lives? Yours in complete amusement, Jerry Ritter, Rural Springfield
ISSUE OF POWER Labor unions are a means of injecting a bit of economic democracy into the workplace. While bargaining with a union, employers need to give reasons for what they wish to do, and they must be willing to compromise; otherwise, they would not be negotiating in good faith. If a company has a union, the bosses sometimes need to engage in discussion, rather than just giving orders. An article in the 3/23 EW contained a celebratory history of Mother Kali's, but omitted any mention of the attempt to organize a labor union at the bookstore. In 2004, I attended a rally in support of the Mother Kali's workers, at which two of them spoke briefly. They said that they had come to the conclusion that the opposition to the bookstore having a union stemmed from a desire for power on the part of certain individuals. Labor unions represent an attempt by workers to gain a little control over their own lives. For information on the attempt to organize a union at Mother Kali's, see Aria Seligmann's article, "Kali's Cries: Can Mother Kali's Books Make It Amid Labor, Economic and Personnel Issues? Part 1" in the EW online archives for Feb. 19, 2004. Milton Takei, Eugene
NOT SO BAD JOBS Regarding the Royal Caribbean (RC) news brief (4/13): Granted, the $9.25 per hour is not a family wage, when you multiply that annual salary by the number of present employees, and the additional 100 employees they are adding, Royal Caribbean will be infusing our area with over $7 million dollars in local wages, the first year it does business in its new Springfield home. RC could have chosen to set up a call center anywhere in the world, but they chose Lane County. At a time when most large corporations are leaving the country for cheaper labor, they chose to have a U.S.-based workforce. RC also offers health insurance, dental and vision coverage, as well as a 401(K) retirement plan. Furthermore, RC did not just build any building — it is one of nine certified "green," ecologically efficient buildings in the state of Oregon. In the short time they have been here, they have already given back to the community with donations to FOOD for Lane County, and a benefit fund-raiser for a Children's service program. Royal Caribbean has already started training people new skill sets and given a substantial raise to those who are moving up to the higher positions. A third wave of said promotions is in the works. These days, tax cuts and incentives to entice an employer to choose their location is not uncommon. Let's give RC a chance to settle in, and shine in our community. In case you are wondering, yes, I do work for them. Fran Gillespie, Springfield
ROAD WRECKERS Last time I went grocery shopping, I bought $89 worth of grub and handed over a $100 dollar bill. The cashier mentioned that the store could use some extra cash and would I be kind enough to let them keep the overpayment? "Hay-ell no," I replied, "you sound like Gov. Kulongoski asking to keep my income tax kicker refund". Speaking of taxes, I see Jeramy Card (3/30) thinks my logic is flawed regarding road damage by LTD buses. A standard engineering formula that takes the difference in axle weights to the fourth power confirms that a two-axle 30,000 pound bus will wreak about 10,000 times more road damage than a 3,000 pound car. It logically follows that most Eugene street damage can be found on LTD bus routes. Additionally, Card stated that he was "pretty sure LTD paid taxes on the $1.5 million in fuel costs last year." That is a false assumption. LTD is exempt from federal, state and city of Eugene fuel taxes. They pay absolutely nothing for road maintenance. Furthermore, for every dollar a rider pays for LTD fares, someone else pays $4 (mainly local employers). As I said in my earlier letter (3/16), it's time for LTD riders to buck up like the rest of us and help get our city streets repaired. Don Richey, Eugene
TOP THREE DANGERS While Deb McManman (3/30) may be correct that American Spirit tobacco cigarettes are safer than standard corporate cigarettes, the truth is that the difference is small. Cigarettes of any kind are the most deadly and sickly drug used by large numbers of Americans. Number 2 deadly/sickly drug is high-alcohol content drinks and number 3 deadly/sickly are the most irresponsible corporations who push war and dangerous prescription drugs. As a child I was fortunate to be exposed to people and writings that told the truth about drugs, wars and corporations. So I have never used drugs, guns and the most deadly corporate products. Today we have a deadly/sickly epidemic called meth, use of which turns formerly good people into dangerous zombies. And don't get me started on money-worshiping zombies like the Bushies. Bob Saxton, Eugene
FOLLOWING UP A sincere thanks goes out to Kera Abraham for taking the time to revisit an air quality article she authored in the 3/30 edition of EW. While reporters are quick to be criticized for inaccurate or slanted reporting, rarely are they recognized for making an effort to correct misconceptions in reporting. The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency staff thanks Kera for the work she did to clarify some information that was included in her "Unhealthy Haze" article. When LRAPA staff brought to Kera's attention the exclusion of essential information about Lane County's air quality, she immediately offered to correct the information in a follow-up article to readers, rather than bury it in a retraction notice. LRAPA appreciates the level of effort she took to research and incorporate the information in her "Air Quality Improves" article in the 4/6 edition of the Weekly. Merlyn Hough, LRAPA director Kim Metzler, LRAPA public affairs manager
FUTURE IN JEOPARDY I don't like the feeling that my life is being subsidized by the suffering and death of poor people in Iraq. It goes way beyond being mindful about my own use of oil — I don't want to be complicit with the people in political power. The faces of the wounded and dying children of Baghdad, Basra, and Fallujah are more than haunting, they are an indictment of all the evil we are allowing to continue in our names. Here in the United States of Denial where the past is corrupted by genocide of Native Americans, the future is being destroyed by the genocide in Iraq. No matter what, we can't let the neo-cons bomb Iran. Whatever personal sacrifice we have to make, it is totally necessary to stop them, or actually, there won't be a future, just war. Melissa Lanham, Cottage Grove
WHOLE-Y CANOLEY Since moving to Eugene 25 years ago, I've made the bulk of my purchases at Sundance and will continue to after the arrival of Whole Foods. That said, I see myself as a strong supporter of Whole Foods moving to that particular location downtown. This is a golden opportunity for Eugene's downtown to vibrate once again. If anyone has been to the 65th and Roosevelt area of Seattle or the Pearl District in Portland they can attest to that. Nothing is perfect with corporate business, as the local "progressives" are vocally letting us know. With rising transportation costs and the fact that Organically Grown Co-Op is in Eugene, it seems only natural they could be persuaded to amend some of their ways and make more local and sustainable choices. Dave Fellows, Eugene
SMALL MIND The current debacle, calamity, disaster, taking place on the other side of our planet, was single-handedly fomented, instigated, provoked and concocted by the one-and-only "small mind" at the head of the executive branch of our government. True, a handful of other "small minds" pull his strings, but that is no excuse. The buck stops you know where. Regarding this abominable predicament, I have only one comment: What the hell are we doing there? What the hell are we doing there? What the hell are we doing there? And, what the hell are we doing there? Furthermore, what the hell are we doing there? Terry Heintz, Eugene
'PUBLIC' SERVANTS I find it amusing that people these days gripe constantly about police violence, harassment and abuse of authority and yet we as a society do nothing about it. You haven't heard of any Critical Mass participants pushing the police off their bikes, have you? Did anybody shoot Magana on the spot for his entirely despicable actions? Juan Lara? What about the infamous pepper-spray incident? The root of the problem is twofold. On one hand you have the human urge to use and abuse power. On the other is the fact that government simply cannot be held accountable for any of its actions. All of the authority vested in our "public servants" is held at gunpoint. How many of you feel threatened when a police car drives slowly by? Do you ask yourself what you did wrong? When your employees screw up at work do you hold them accountable? Why aren't we doing this with our "public servants"? There is no immediate way to seperate the animals from the ones who are doing their job preserving the peace. Screw review boards. You'll be in session for years trying to get the "bad apple" out of the bunch. If we're to have laws they should serve the people, not these assholes. I wonder if a citizen's arrest applies to police officers? Of course, what's to hold them; they've got the guns. To the lady with her cries of "Oh dear! My child now has a reason to mistrust the police!" Hah! Your child just learned an incredibly relevant lesson: Authority cannot be trusted. Ever. Justin Bengtson, Eugene
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