Letters to the Editor – 2016-12-22

‘TIS THE SEASON

Let’s take a diversion of comments on Trump, Eugene City Council, pot, election results, healthcare, housing, etc., and declare a “Merry Christmas, Best Wishes  & Happy 2017!”

 Stace Webb, Eugene

ALL HAIL TRUMPTOPIA

A quote from Marine Gen. James Mattis (Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense): “Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.”

Does this mercy extend to Trump? God forbid anyone gets punched in the face.

Mattis said “everybody,” so I’ll take a general at his word.

Mattis probably sees Trump as a useful bobblehead — tip of the spear, so to speak. Broken weapons can be discarded. Generals learn stuff like this while working above the visible ceiling. Visible ceiling means: Folks you have never read about in People magazine, doing stuff you never hear about from morning show TV.

Would Mad Dog stage a plane crash? A drowning? Only one Marine knows for sure.

After the Commander-in-Chief declares martial law and a shooting war with Canada (or somewhere) gets trumped out, America will need some serious law and order right here stateside.

Liberals and squishy-soft democrats have just been issued new marching orders.

Let’s target everyone … except, of course, those Nazi skinhead alt-right gangsters right next door in D.C. at the Ronald Reagan Federal building.

In the 1940s, America sent soldiers to Europe to kill Nazi Fascists; ironic, isn’t it — that was a policy Ronald Reagan supported.

Yes sir, times have changed.

Orwellian enthusiasm will be deployed to the masses, even if that requires waterboarding and torture.

Welcome now to our New World Dis-Order, citizen nobody. People not wealthy just became obsolete.

Remember, “the minority has spoken.”

All hail Trumptopia.

Glenn Jones

Eugene

SCAPEGOATING IN ACTION

On one hand, we have a professor who impersonated a black doctor. On the other hand, we have a university accepting a billion dollars from Nike, a company that coldly profits from exploiting brown women in Asia in virtual slavery conditions. 

The fact that we are aware of one event and not the other is the function of scapegoating.

University of Oregon students successfully pressured the university to divest from South African Apartheid gold years ago. 

Where’s the consciousness now?

Kari Johnson, Eugene

NO CONSENT

Here’s an invitation for you, Dan Mattheisen [Letters, 12/15], to earn your very own participation ribbon: All you have to do is attend the Women’s March in Eugene. 

On Jan. 21, 2017, in conjunction with the Women’s March on Washington, Portland and other cities around the country will unite in Eugene, standing together in solidarity with our families and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health and our community, recognizing that our diversity is the strength of our country.

Yep, Dan, I’ll see you at the new Federal Courthouse at noon on Jan. 21. We’ll exchange participation buttons, OK? But I promise I won’t insult you or be condescending by calling your voting choice a “childish response.”

And no need to quell any sad feelings. But thanks for the concern anyway.

According to an ancient maxim of common law, “silence gives consent” (Qui tacet, consentit). And like so many citizens in this democracy, I am not consenting to a Trump presidency and I will not be silent. Instead, I will be pushing back and intentionally resisting the advances of the sexual predator, bully and racist in the “Make America White” House that you voted for … silently. 

Karen D. Myers, Eugene

CAN’T HAPPEN HERE

Wouldn’t it be terrible if it turns out that the Russians tried to influence our elections and politics. I’m glad to live in a country that would never think of doing that to others.

Pete Mandrapa, Eugene

RAPISTITUTION

According to a former prostitute interviewed by Chris Hedges on a recent On Contact program on RT.com, there is no such thing as “sex work.”

“Sex for pay” is not “sex” and it is not “work.” It is all rape, and henceforth I will be referring to the institution of prostitution by its proper name: rapistitution. Pornography also needs to be similarly renamed and should properly be called rapography.

John Thielking, Eugene

A MODEST PROPOSAL

My name is Stefan Strek. My supporters and I won the “popular vote” for mayor in Eugene’s 2016 primary election. Our city recorder and Lane Elections might not recognize this victory when all is said and done, but we will not be silenced!

We don’t believe in numbers and statistics, we only believe in the voice of the People. First matter of business is to rename Ferry Street as Faerie Street; how this has missed the city council’s attention is beyond me.

Our city manager is obviously slacking off — such laziness is deplorable.

Next, the shambling state of our city needs to be addressed. There’s not enough good vibes in town anymore and too many hobos; now our city wants to further encourage fostering criminals!

Limousine liberals are doing more damage to our town than illegal drug abuse, illegal taxes, illegal immigrants and the criminal homeless combined!

Please voice your opinion @realstefanstrek on Twitter; we already have more than 10 times the followers as our corrupt competition. Together, we can and will “Make Eugene Great Again.”

Peace & Love 2017.

Stefan Strek, Eugene

INTOLERANT HATRED

Blackface is an infamous part of minstrelsy, but Negro minstrelsy is not the same thing as portraying a black person. The intolerant demagogic hatred thrown in the direction of Prof. Shurtz should be recognized as intolerant demagogic hatred. In modern theater, there is discussion over productions using exclusively black casts or individuals traditionally portrayed as one ethnicity being filled by a black (or whatever color) actor, what this means, and how it engages audiences to think about classical stories with modern dressing.

Forget this narrative about the “association” of the “worst” stereotypes; let us be judged for ourselves and our actions, in which the mere appearance of blackface isn’t some kind of shortcut analogy for the “worst” racism and the most depraved individual. Professor Shurtz didn’t mock anyone, but she failed to appreciate the sort of vicious reaction her profession gives to the appearance of a difference in thinking. Diversity is so important that we all must think the same way about it.

Hunter Hutchins, Eugene

INHUMANE TREATMENT

Factory farming is wrong and cruel to animals. In factory farms, animals are forced into inhumane living quarters so small that they can’t turn around. When vulnerable newborn calves are put into cages that keep them from moving to make their meat tender, only to be killed at six months of age, it’s considered a delicacy. This delicacy is called veal, a meat cherished for being tender and juicy. The thought of eating an animal that went through that disgusts me and I have no idea how anyone can eat it. What I ask of anyone reading this is to spend an extra dollar or two to buy free range and let the animal that gave its life for you have a good life.

 Reef Wease, Eugene 4J student

READING ON RACISM

Whatever one concludes about the Halloween costume of Prof. Nancy Schurtz, she was completely right in promoting Black Man in a White Coat. 

I trust anyone who has read this excellent discussion of race and the inadequacies of American medical treatment in general would have to agree. Without the costume controversy, I might not have heard of the book. I am, therefore, indebted to Prof. Schultz and believe she is owed complete exoneration.

Patricia Spicer, Eugene

LIGHT AND LOVE

To be a beacon of light to others is still our goal. James Baldwin wisely said, “One discovers the light in darkness. That is what darkness is for.” More than ever, the world needs our light. James Baldwin also told us, “I know we often lose … and how often one feels that one cannot start again.” Now is the time to show our strength in love. The world does not need more hate, bullying, separatism, fear, anger and other destructive and negative thoughts and emotions. This is not our path. 

We must be unafraid to face the dark and to stare it down with light and love. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Thank you, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Shaming, aggressiveness and cruelty are not strengths. We do justice to our better angels by being strong and determined in our compassion, while fearless and uncompromising in our support of those who are in need. We are more powerful in our light than we can ever imagine. We choose to join with others to be a lighthouse.

What we face is difficult but not impossible. The impossible we can do.

Christopher and Deb Michaels, Eugene

RUSSIAN INVASION

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion by the Russians, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory!

Michael T. Hinojosa, Drain