Eugene Weekly : Letters : 07.06.06

SATURDAY SILENCE

I'd like to thank EW for the story on the Wayne Morse Youth Project ("Saturday Silence") in the June 29 issue. I have been very impressed by the great work these young people have been doing, and the dignity and tenacity with which they have been working with Lane County to have the electricity restored for their free speech events. It's clear that the Morse Youth Project has in fact been a positive influence on the crowds in the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza, and that they have nothing to do with any of the problems in the plaza.

I would like to correct what might be a misperception created by some of the wording in the article. The article states that "the accusers in this case are the county commissioners who support a decision made by county employee David Suchart".

I want to make it clear that I am one county Commissioner who does not support the decision to turn off the electricity. I did not support the original decision to turn off the electricity, I have worked to have the electricity turned back on, I have urged the other Commissioners to change this decision, and I remain committed to assisting the Wayne Morse Youth Project in this cause. As I have stated in commission meetings, turning off the electricity is not fair to the Morse Youth Project, and has no effect on deterring any problems.

I will continue to work in support of the Morse Youth Project and common sense to have the electricity restored for their great work. Thanks for helping to keep the spotlight on this issue.

Pete Sorenson, Lane County Commissioner, South Eugene District

NEGLIGENT LANDLORD

I opened EW's June 22 issue eager to read the cover story, "The Word from Woolley." I thought to myself, "Finally some input directly from the horse's mouth." I also thought it was a nice bit of fair and balanced journalism for EW to feature the perspective of one of the developers who owns many of the empty buildings in downtown Eugene. Instead I found myself feeling insulted and further frustrated by the continuing lack of action to redevelop that area. If Woolley and The Ulum Group meant the article to smooth over some ruffled feathers in the "uneducable" Eugene community, I'm afraid in my case it failed.

Before I continue I should explain that while leaning left, in general I consider myself a political moderate and economic pragmatist. I understand there are a lot of market forces involved in the redevelopment of downtown I don't claim to understand. I'm not one of Eugene's stereotypical "hippies", nor am I a recent California transplant. I'm 30 years old, employed, an Oregon native, enjoy living near downtown, and have settled in Eugene for good. I've found Eugene, despite its shortcomings, to be a very nice place to live and work for several reasons, least of which being the input the community strives to have in its own operations.

That being said, I'll stick to what I do know as I continue with the "chatter" that has arisen on these editorial pages since Connor and Woolley announced their plans for development, and I will address this directly to Mr. Woolley: As I walk through downtown Eugene, I find many areas that don't belong to you are relatively successful, if not bustling. In fact, it often seems the farther a business is away from your properties the more successful it is. I wonder what's so different about the market forces in those areas of downtown?

I may be one of Eugene's uneducated chatterers, but it seems to me, despite market forces, you are a negligent landlord. One "nuance" I think most of Eugene can agree on to make Eugene a better city is for those areas to be redeveloped in a manner that will be successful.

If C&W can't do that, I think we as a community should pressure the city to take them over and find someone who cares and respects Eugene enough to get the job done.

William Kennedy, Eugene

THANKS, AL!

Upon seeing An Inconvenient Truth, I have but this to say: Thank you Al! Now it is up to us. Will we meet the challenge?

Matteo Luccio, Eugene

ACTION, GORDON!

At the jail vigils for soldier Suzanne Swift, jailed for refusing her second tour in Iraq, we were asked to appeal to our congressmen for help on her behalf. Suzanne was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder caused by the war and the incessant sexual harassment inflicted on her by "all but one of her supervising officers," according to her mother, Sara Rich. Suzanne filed a complaint. The result? The offending sergeant was promptly promoted! He was transferred to fresh pickings in another unit. Interesting message: sexually harass a female soldier and be rewarded with a promotion and fresh, new hunting grounds. No wonder sexual harassment is rampant in the military.

Rep. Defazio's staff tell me the best they can do is to observe the case to monitor that proper legal steps are followed. I've observed that Senator Gordon Smith has commendably channeled his grief over his son's depression and subsequent suicide by writing a book aimed at preventing other suicides. I'm hopeful Senator Smith will act swiftly on behalf of thousands of American soldiers returning from Iraq — such as Suzanne — in the grip of PTSD and depression.

I wouldn't wish PTSD or any of the horrors of war on anyone, including the Bush twins — but it's unlikely the children of the powerful and elite will ever be exposed to the psychological mayhem, blindings, limbs blown off or deaths suffered by the less privileged such as Suzanne. Suzanne is among many thousands of soldiers who became soldiers due to diminished economic resources, cattle fodder enriching Veep Cheney's Halliburton pals and George W. Bush's oil cronies.

Bring Suzanne home. She has suffered much from the war and many months of sexual tauntings and coercion. Enough.

Carol Berg Caldwell, Eugene

DOSE OF REALITY

I want to thank Don Woolley for his honesty and the basic lesson in market mechanics. His perspective is one that reflects reality, and reality is a concept that many groups and individuals in Eugene need to familiarize themselves with. The 'market' is a system with plenty of room for charitable, benevolent, socially just objectives. If one is truly interested in being part of the solution, then learn how the market economy works and how to use it. Businesspeople like Don Woolley will be part of the solution, and considering the status quo, Eugene should be grateful that folks like him care to do business here at all. Why? Because as Mr. Woolley accurately described, Eugene has fallen off the map. Some areas adjacent to Eugene are growing, but this nearby progress has little or no impact on downtown Eugene itself. Ask yourself why companies like Symantec have abandoned downtown Eugene and how such a mass migration to a nearby suburban campus could have been avoided. Downtown Eugene must be the kind of place that attracts and retains jobs, not a place that repels them.

The bottom line is that Eugene and other small cities (and nearby suburbs) are competing with one another, and Eugene is losing. The first step towards reversing this trend would be to learn the rules of the game - learn how the market operates. Every participant in any serious discussion concerning downtown Eugene should be required to justify their ideas with sound economic planning; otherwise they should be locked out of the room for the sake of progress. In the real world, having dreams and an opinion isn't enough to get the job done. Need evidence of this fact? Look no further than Broadway.

Mike Powers, Vida

DEW A GOODER JOB

I'se jest wanta thank dat Mistash woolie for comin round 2 splaining howse come dat bildins ben setting all mt like fur awl dese yars. I's ben mini de times dat i fetched awful bout awl dem peeples dat yoused 2 wurk up en thair an nows i seed howse dey jest kept gittin dummer an dummer 2 wair dey jest coot knot pic up de fones or peck et de kumpooters know mor an dey jes had 2 cloze up an go bak 2 setting on street korners wit sines.

I's hopes dat sumbody wil be shore 2 git wit de peeples at de coleges an tel dem dese peeple keep comin out 2 dum 2 keep de bildins opun know mor an wood u pleez start up to dew a gooder job. If'n I'se evah gits ejucated liken Mistah woolie I'm gonna larn howse 2 leeve bildins settin mt an big holes en da groun fer da peeple 2.

Martin E. Williams, Eugene

HOSPITAL CRISIS

The Eugene Planning Commission has scheduled a public hearing this week on Triad's applications for amendments to the Metro Plan and Willakenzie Area Refinement Plan and zone change for the property on which Triad wants to site its new hospital. The Metro Plan amendment also affects the City of Springfield and Lane County. A zone change to commercial on property that sits in a strictly residential neighborhood will be drastic.

These hearings at City Hall, and the subsequent hearing the City Council will hold within 45 days of the EPC hearing, are crucial to the citizens of the metro area and Lane County as a whole. If the city approves the plan amendments and zone change, and a certificate of need is granted to Triad, this area will have not one but TWO hospitals north of the Willamette River, leaving the citizens south and west of the river without an easily accessible hospital.

I urge all citizens of Lane County to either attend the Planning Commission hearing and speak up concerning this issue, or if unable to appear in person, send a written testimony to the involved officials (email northdeltaneighbors@comcast.net for a complete list). Taking action now will ensure that when the time comes, you have a hospital you can actually get to.

Ann Simas, Eugene

BIKE TRAILER BLUES

I keep seeing these people towing these trailers behind their bicycles. A lot of them appear to be homeless, panhandling, holding a cardboard sign or hauling bottles and cans. With a price tag of $200 to $300 a piece for one of these handy accessories, maybe they're saving up their panhandling or bottle money to purchase them? I think not! I recently purchased my second one. My first was stolen in broad daylight. It was even locked up in a public place. To my dismay, on my way to buy one to replace it, I saw four just like it parked at a homeless hangout on Coburg Road. I no longer wondered where mine might have ended up.

Yes, you too can make your donation. Just go and buy a bike trailer, lock it up in a public place and see how long it stays there.

Michael Milosevich, Eugene

AN APOLOGY

My brother was in the 4th of July parade, in uniform, in our small home town. Everyone is proud of him, and he's proud to go off soon to Iraq. I'm proud of him too, of his kindness, humor and sense of personal honor. I love him dearly and want to say, Brother, watch your back, come home safe. Come home soon. But for my own sake I have to state that I do not willingly send my flesh and blood off to Iraq, sacrificing my family's peace of mind, as the occupation is not for any family's safety, but for our government's dishonorable purposes. (For the record, I put in my own full tour of military duty but retained the right to think my own thoughts.)

My brother has the heart of a lion and I want him here at home to augment our lives, not squandered in some unholy American bully's fight. This current bloody occupation, like so many, seems to me racist, nationalist and elitist, rooted in misperceptions and various types of imbalance.

We can't keep clobbering them, those disgruntled by American attitude; they are legion. Before they pass us up in height and muscle, we'd better talk this out. I couldn't wrestle my little brother out of going to Iraq when he was asked to go; but we have asked him to respect their culture, though it seems a hollow phrase when matters of culture go up against survival.

My brother is a good man. I'm sorry we didn't convince him he's needed at home, and I'm sorry we let this country become so deranged and voracious.

Kris Wolverton, Eugene

IGNORANT BLISS

The Woolleys of the world condescend Eugeneans as "uneducable" for their failure to take up the dogmatic belief in the benefits of a gentrified downtown. This we can live with in ignorant bliss because the present city council is responsive to the wishes of the majority of citizens who have a different vision for Eugene. The greater danger is that permanent city staff are themselves Woolleys and are in control of the information that our elected councilors receive. This amounts to an ominous and undemocratic threat to the majority of voters who have elected representatives that will lead the city in a direction unbeholden to developer interests.

There is an insidious and covert pro-growth agenda in the shadows of our local government that does not have the welfare of all Eugeneans in mind. Whether we can be "educated" as to the benefits of such an agenda remains to be seen.

Joanna S. Enmagoods, Eugene

COUGAR FOLLIES

I'm sure everyone in the state is aware by now about the cougar that wandered into Springfield on Sunday (6/25). I would like to say that the way they dispatched of it was absolutely ridiculous. On the news, the trooper said that they tried to contact the Fish and Wildlife Department and had no response. That's a load of BS. They have a direct line to that department. If it was a poacher, the F&W would have been there in seconds. There hasn't been a human fatality from a mountain lion in over 100 years, and this one was at the time being docile. The cat was sleeping under an RV — it could have easily been tranquilized and relocated. The F&W said that tranquilizing and relocating the cat was not an option because they are so territorial. Once again, BS. They are just making excuses for the hasty reaction of the trooper.

I know that the cats are dangerous, but to kill it for no reason is ludicrous. I do not over-react to every bit of news that happens, but I really believe a different course of action could have been taken.

Shane Miller, Eugene

VOICE OF CONSCIENCE

Tonight I saw an eye-opening, inspiring, movie, An Inconvenient Truth. Everybody needs to see this film. We are on the brink of global catastrophe. All that will halt the destruction of our planet is the personal decisions that we make every day of our lives. Nobody is going to fix this problem for us; we each need to act responsibly to preserve our world for future generations.

Al Gore speaks very convincingly in this documentary to convince people that the future is in our hands. We can no longer live in complacency; we can no longer wait for somebody else to fix these major problems of our world. We must not pretend that they don't exist. If we all do not act soon, together, then our world will be a barren, uninhabitable place by the time our grandchildren are grown. Global change will happen only as a result of personal change. Do you hear your little voice, telling you what you should do? Do you hear the other voice, rooting for the other side? Which voice would support positive global change, and which would allow you to be lazy, uncaring, and unconscious in your life? Please, do what you must to preserve the beauty of our world! Every luxury in our life is an extravagance, at a huge expense.

We all play a part — either on the problem side or as a part of the solution! I am giving my car to the junkyard tomorrow. I hope you do, too!

Brandy Sorenson, Eugene

GIVE THEM A VOICE

When I came to Eugene for college, I was 18 years old. I had spent most of my developmental/teenager years in Hawaii where along with a few ambitious friends, we earnestly hunted down outlets to express both our frustrations and our creativity. We published a zine, we organized forums, we contributed to the arts.

I don't know what it's like to be a teenager in Eugene, but I'm quite aware of how important it is for adolescents to have a voice, and to have the community support that voice. I applaud Iana Matthews-Harris and Ishi Woods (news story, 6/29) for their continued effort to reclaim what is rightfully theirs.

The way Suchart and the county commissioners have attempted to limit their expression is absolutely shameful. Their reasons and excuses are pathetic — if there is blatant drug use and vandalism occurring at the Free Speech Plaza as a result of these assemblies, get down there and make some fuckin' arrests! Don't pull the plug on a positive outlet for the youth!

I know many parents, adults and officials would ideally like to have kids at home by the time the sun goes down, vegging out in front of the TV — god forbid if MY kid has an opinion on something and wants to discuss it with others who care! These teens are taking their fate and their development into their own hands. They are lobbying the system the way they're supposed to in order to protect their freedoms. That's such an incredible display of diligence, responsibility and integrity. They're not shrinking in the face of the problem the way the city has — piling on draconian solutions that alienate rather than assist.

These kids have the right idea and deserve the support of adults, the city and the community. The city, as well as the adults that stand with them on this issue, need to nurture these teens rather than continue to try and restrict and control them.

Steven Sawada, Seattle

WHERE'S THE HONOR?

I'm still scratching my head in wonder at Congressman DeFazio's excuse (6/22 Viewpoint) for his vote in favor of the bill, "FY2006 Supplemental Appropriations: Iraq and Other International Activities; Additional Katrina Hurricane Relief."

DeFazio explains he voted for that appropriations bill because it contained funds for Katrina and Darfur relief, and that he wanted to outfit our soldiers in Iraq with proper protective gear.

If DeFazio had closely examined the 75-page document, he would have discovered that even under the Katrina section, $9.9 billion goes to Homeland Security and an additional $1.8 billion to the DoD.

Furthermore, protective gear would not have saved Pfc. Thomas Tucker, 25, who was captured and brutally tortured by Iraqis in retaliation for his unit's attack and rape of an Iraqi household.

I'm sorry, but DeFazio cannot convince me he is honorable for voting against the Iraq war if he continues to fund it and other excessive military operations. The only way to stop war's madness is to quit paying for it. Many of us are tired of DeFazio's weak excuses. If he wants our votes in November, he must say no to more war funding.

Aria Seligmann, Eugene