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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (March 27, 2003)
TO THE EDITOR his Mexican best friend was profiled at the air- port, because they should be looking out for “those dark-skinned guys.” He was also more than willing to give up any number of freedoms for the illusion of safety it would provide. I’ve seen quotes from others who support racial pro- filing, mass round-ups of immigrants, deporta- tion of protesters and similar thug tactics. What happened to being proud of the sup- posed freedoms vets fought and died for? Some vets seem all too willing to give them away. It would be funny and ironic if it weren’t so scary. I’m quite aware that there are lots of vets out there who do not follow the peculiar logic of the misguided vets and their families who are being quoted in the media these days. Perhaps you should let your comrades know that they are making you look ridiculous. It seems once again it is protesters and assorted radicals who are ac- tually concerned about protecting rights here. Tracy Scharn Eugene REVISIT RENEWAL The recent article on urban renewal (3/7) contains gross distortions. The article features a large rendering of the Riverfront Research Park master site plan, implying that the university’s property is the entire Riverfront Urban Renewal District. In fact, the district encompasses all the riverfront property between the Ferry Street and I-5 bridges, and all the property east of Mill Street, and north of Broadway and Franklin Boulevard. University property actually is less than one-half the district’s total area. The article continues by stating the district collects about $600,000 annually, but doesn’t bother to mention that none of it currently is being spent on Research Park development. In fact, the funds are being used to help assemble property for the new federal courthouse and pro- vide infrastructure. The merits of extended or expanded urban renewal deserve to be debated and readers of the EW deserve accurate information on which to base the discussion. Diane Wiley UO NO WAR TAX How did I become a war tax resister? First, I got sick to my stomach realizing that I was pas- sively consenting to war by letting the government use my money to pay for it. So, I changed the ex- emptions on my W-4 at work to eight. (If I had gone as high as nine, my employer would have been required to send a copy of it to the IRS.) Now, with each paycheck, I take out the taxes that would have been deducted before, and I send it to the Oregon Community Peace Fund (2000 N.E. 42nd St., Ste. 224, Portland 97213). They put it together with other “resisted” money, and use the interest to support groups that offer to their communities “basic social needs.” At any time, I can get my “resisted” money back. My purpose in becoming a war tax resister is to obey the obligations of all citizens under the Principles of the Nuremberg Charter — adopted unanimously by the U.N. General Assembly in 1945 and binding upon every government in the world today. The U.N. acceptance of this charter led in 1950 to the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal in Germany at which it was ruled that, “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.” Carol Horne Eugene WHITE FLAGS Now is a good time for all persons to come to the aid of their country’s peace movements. We can each begin by declaring our homes a “white stick village,” and ourselves “peace-iors” (as op- posed to “warriors”). We can follow a Native American tradition of being a peaceful village, a peaceful nation. A white stick village has no room in it for the “red stick” ideas, i.e. war. We can choose to fly white flags as a visible statement of peace. It would be good to see as many flags on lawns as we see campaign signs during election times. Some folks may see a white flag as a symbol of surrender, but you know, someone has to make the first step toward peace. Let us be the first to make that move. Wishing to make peace is not the same as surrender. Surrender is what folks are doing by just letting this current admin- istration continue its current war-directed path. C’mon, we can do better than this. Let’s make a visible statement and fly our white flags. Vi Sadhana Eugene “Our commitment to organic ingredients from toppings to crust ensures you a fabulous Gourmet experience pie after pie . . . “ Get REAL quality in your food. 1432 Willamette ~ 7 Days a Week ~ Try Organic Now $3 338-9333 off any Large. Good thru 4/30/03. Pick-up or Dine In Only. Clip this ad and save! KEEP IT REAL You may be a policeman or woman overdra- matizing a peaceful crowd into a scary mass of rioters, donning all your anti-riot gear, and firing off your beanbag gun. You may be a war pro- tester carried away by personal rhetoric into be- lieving that somehow keeping people from going down 7th Avenue is a blow to freedom. The problem in both cases is you are a leg- end in your own mind. Acting out is not action. Stay grounded in reality folks. The mission of police is to preserve public order. One of the things that means is not to escalate conflicts. Tell people to disperse or clear the streets before you use force on them to achieve that object. The mission of the demonstrators is to make a state- ment in opposition to the war. Resisting clearing the streets when the crowd is plenty small enough to fit on the plaza doesn’t make any such statement. Any statement it does make is a dis- traction from the issue. “Real words are not vain; vain words are not real.”— Lao Tsu Let’s get on with stopping the war. Kathleen Piper Eugene JUST DO IT WELL About the piece on “graf” art (3/13 cover story): The free wall idea is a thing whose time has come. As an aging ex-hippie, I think the wall gives the young-bloods a chance to make their mark in a world that is more and more hogged up by the corporate advertising conglomerates. I have walked a few railyards and seen their “art.” Some of it is sniffer-head crap, but some is cool, well thought out, and — yes — artistic. I would say to them, “Think about your work and convey a meaningful message designed to make the world a better place to live. Tagging every- thing in sight all over town is just childish mind- less dribble — eye-litter.” If they do it legiti- mately, and do it well, I think a lot of the naysay- ers will come around. Tom Jackson Eugene BREAST IS BEST Kudos to Aria Seligmann for her fine job covering Senate Bill 783, the breastfeeding and return to work bill. As the author of this bill, I want to clarify that it is already legal for women to breastfeed or to express milk on the job. New legislation is needed to address the barriers to continued breastfeeding for mothers who return MARCH 27, 2003 5
