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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (May 15, 2003)
TO THE EDITOR rarely seizes homes — bad publicity — they usually go after cash. We now live in a rogue state that is at- tempting to rule the world. Most of our presi- dents, representatives and senators are bought. More sacrificial forms of resistance may be necessary if we are to help bring it down. Charles Gray Eugene OPEN COMMUNICATION I was surprised and disturbed by the lack of response to the EW’s lengthy article con- cerning Clear Channel, the FCC and media manipulation. On June 2, the FCC plans to pretty much do away with any regulation on media, and if you think it doesn’t affect you, think again. It will effectively eliminate the First Amendment by having all the media controlled by a powerful few who will have almost total control over what information you get on radio, TV and in print — and when the government gets control of them, there will be no free press. Members of Congress from both parties have written to the FCC alarmed by it intentions. Consider this: Michael Copps, one of the FCC’s committee members is actively being discouraged from his investigation by Chairman Michael Powell (son of Colin Powell). Powell is denying requests for more public forums on this controversial ruling. The mainstream media is not reporting on this issue for the simple reason that they stand to gain an enormous amount of unfettered power as a result of the ruling. Barry Diller, CEO of USA Interactive and one of the media giants, recently gave a speech in which he warned of the conse- quences of this deregulation including the loss to public service, the stifling of new and independent voices, and the power these few media owners will have over the people who regulate them. As it is now, five companies control 90 percent of the media. I urge everyone to contact the FCC at www.fcc.gov and inform them that the air- waves are owned by the public, not the media companies and it is the duty and obligation of the FCC to act in the public interest not the corporate ones. Alisa McLaughlin Eugene NO ENDORSEMENT I am pleased to know that The R-G en- dorses Michael Rose for the LCC Board of Education. But sadly, it does not endorse Roger Hall, and neither does Lane Community College Education Association (LCCEA). According to the postcard I re- ceived from LCCEA, Lane’s faculty “strongly endorse” Marston Morgan. I am taking this opportunity to say that this Lane faculty member does not endorse Marston Morgan. Mr. Morgan would “radically expand class size and use teaching assistants where feasible to boost academic offerings.” I have two questions about this plan: How does he expect to adhere to the workload that is dic- tated by our faculty contract, and how does he propose to use “teaching assistants” in a com- munity college teaching format? We already employ far too many underpaid part-time fac- ulty. Mr. Morgan seems to confuse the com- munity college format with a university for- mat. The R-G writer states that Dr. Hall’s deci- sion to run again was “last minute.” I find the “late hour” decision irrelevant. Couldn’t it be that Roger Hall’s decision to run again came after much deliberate contemplation, that he decided to continue his dedication to the col- lege because of current challenges? Our crisis at Lane is about state funding; it is not about leadership. Let’s keep our excel- lent board leaders for another four years: Roger Hall and Michael Rose, two men who have served us well and will continue to do so, we can be sure. We need these experi- enced and committed leaders to help us through our budget crisis and into the future. Karen Locke Eugene LES MISERABLES I was up in Babylon, so I didn’t see the Weekly until coming back down-valley on Saturday, but your cover title (5/1) jarred. Y’all talk Spanish like our el presidente Arbusto himself! (And he talks it real good). Try “La Lengua” nex’ time, eh? Ricardo Martin del Valle Greedy Americans — lusting after Iraqi oil, while knowing nothing of their own past — should not be too hard on the French. France sent thousands of soldiers to America to help the Revolutionary Army conquer the British tyrants. The French Navy trapped the British Army at Yorktown to make it possible for coalition forces under Washington to end the war. France provided approximately 80 percent of the powder used by the Americans in an effort to overthrow the British govern- ment by force and violence. Without the French, Americans would still be singing, “God Save the Queen.” Without any sense of history whatsoever, the Americans of 2003 find themselves roughly in the position of the German people in 1983. Jack Radabaugh Eugene NUMBER CRUNCHING GRANNY TOUGH LOVE Let’s see, last fall we had 58 law enforce- ment officers, an armored vehicle and National Guard presence to encounter four unarmed suspects in a marijuana operation that didn’t exist. In April, 30 EPD officers, 14 police cars and eight motorcycles were de- ployed to cite 10 people for disorderly con- duct when they walked to support a tree sitter. So why is it that we can only afford one teacher to guide 30 elementary school stu- dents through a whole day of learning? Can it be that we have a problem with priorities? William Schwall Eugene The only problem with the Eugene Police and Interagency Narcotic Enforcement Task Force (Letters, 4/24) is they don’t have enough grandmothers on staff. Yes, I said grandmothers. Grandmothers are the only ones who care a great deal about the younger generation — but are still very firm! One grandmother could accomplish in one hour what it took law enforcement a week and hundreds of man hours to accomplish. Ten to 20 percent of all law enforcement agencies should be grandmothers Frank Skipton Veneta LA IDIOTA Endorsements School candidates on the May 20 ballot. Please vote! B elow are our picks among the contested races on the May 20 mail-in election for Lane Community College and Eugene public schools board positions. Ballot drop-off sites are listed in the ballot envelopes for last-minute vot- ers. LCC Board Zone 1 Rich Cunningham. Zone 1 stretches from the Bethel area of Eugene west to Florence. Cunningham is a Bethel insurance broker and father of two disabled children. He has experience serving on a school board in Rhode Island and has made strong, but unsuccessful runs for the Eugene City Council and Bethel School Board. In his campaign, Cunningham has called for increased efficiency to address the college’s deep budget problems but has also advocated increasing revenue through reducing video poker commissions paid to businesses and through a county vehicle registration fee. He spoke out against opponent Rob Spooner’s idea to cut women’s programs at LCC to save money. Spooner is the owner of Oregon Coast magazine and a Florence conservative. Cunningham’s other opponent, Paul Holman, is a conservative real estate broker, former owner of the Siuslaw News and former Florence Chamber of Commerce president. Cunningham is a moderate endorsed by the local Democratic Party, County Commissioner Peter Sorenson and, us. LCC Board, Zone 2 Nadia Sindi. As a member of the Lane County Human Rights Advisory Committee, the Citizen Involvement Committee and the 4J Equity Committee repre- senting Middle Eastern students, Sindi has proven herself an impassioned represen- tative. Sindi is committed to opening the lines of communication between LCC stu- dents, faculty, and staff as they negotiate solutions to the current budget crisis. This emphasis on communication and Sindi’s dedication to increasingly important issues of diversity make her our pick for Zone 2. LCC Board, Position 6 Roger Hall. His experience is critical at this tough time. Three different boards have elected Hall chairman over his 12-year service on the LCC board. Other candi- dates may claim “new” ideas, but the ideas should be examined for viability. It takes time and work to figure that out. Hall is endorsed by Demo party of Lane county, American Federation of Teachers of Oregon, and LCC Employees Federation. LCC Board, Position 7 Mike Rose. A faculty member at LCC for 29 years, Rose knows the college inside out. He has served carefully on the board for four years. We’re lucky to have his per- spective at this time when the state continues to irresponsibly shred public educa- tion. Eugene School District 4J, Position 5 Tom Herrmann. He ran for the board two years ago and lost. After that defeat, he could have picked up his marbles and gone home, but he has continued the grinding work of the budget committee, now for a total of five years, the last two as chair. We’re in favor of moving his expertise up to the next level. We also want to suggest that Curt Smith, the other candidate for position 5, apply for the budget committee with an eye to the future. ADVERTISING National Sales Manager Mark Frisbee Senior Marketing Consultant Bill Shreve Display Marketing Consultant Rob Weiss Advertisng Traffic Coordinator Geneva Miller Classified Manager Jennifer D’Angelo Classified Marketing ConsultantJeffrey Stout 541.484.0519 • (fax) 541.484.4044 EDITORIAL Editor Ted Taylor Executive/Arts Editor Lois Wadsworth Associate Editor Aria Seligmann Contributing Editor Anita Johnson Staff Writers Alan Pittman, Bobbie Willis Calendar Editor Ben Fogelson Editorial Assistant Marina Taylo, Contributing Writers Brett Campbell, Rachel Foster, Kate Rogers Gessert, Jerry Harris, James Johnston, Sharleen Nelson, Mary O’Brien, Vanessa Salvia, Sally Sheklow, Lance Sparks, Martha Ulman West Interns Brian Boone, Nika Carlson, Mariko Fukuyama Joohn Husby ART DEPARTMENT Art Director/Production Manager Kevin Dougherty Graphic Artist/Webmaster James Bateman Graphic Artists Katie Beckman, Todd Cooper Contributing Photographers Kurt Jensen, Paul Neevel, Linda Smogor BUSINESS General Manager John Herron Circulation Manager Deena Miller Bookkeeper Paula Hoemann Customer Care Specialist Erin Lusk Distributors Travis Dominguez, Jim Harris, Sue Hunnel, Terri Molitor, Will Thornton, Pedalers Express Printing Signature Graphics HOW TO REACH US BY E-MAIL: (letters): editor@eugeneweekly.com (advertising): ads@eugeneweekly.com (classifieds): classy@eugeneweekly.com (personals): romance@eugeneweekly.com (calendar): cal@eugeneweekly.com (music/clubs/special shows): music@eugeneweekly.com (art/openings/galleries): visualarts@eugeneweekly.com (performance/theater): performance@eugeneweekly.com (literary arts/readings): books@eugeneweekly.com (movies/film screenings): movies@eugeneweekly.com MAY 15, 2003 5
