buy sell trade
BY TOM LININGER
Full-on
Fourth
fashion
that pays
to be me.
No lack of enthusiasm at local
Fourth of July celebrations.
I
s Lane County unpatriotic? Last week, when the Board of County Commissioners
passed a resolution protesting portions of the USA PATRIOT Act, a few critics
complained that we shouldn’t be opposing our nation’s government two days be-
fore the Fourth of July. One critic sent me an e-mail suggesting that Lane County
should be renamed “The People’s Republic of Lane County.” (Hey, that’s better than
the name the critics usually call us: “Lame County.”) Another guy said, “I’ll bet Lane
County likes the Son of Sam better than Uncle Sam.”
After hearing this criticism, I was particularly interested to see how Lane County
residents would celebrate the Fourth of July this year. My first stop was the festival in
Creswell. I’ve always been impressed by the wholesome Fourth of July celebration in
this small town, and 2003 was no exception. Hundreds of people showed up to enjoy
barbequed chicken, patriotic music, and kids’ games. The growing Latino population
in Creswell was well represented at the festival.
My visit to Creswell had a few glitches. When I introduced my three-year-old son to
one of my constituents, my son proclaimed, “Daddy, that man has a big belly.” What
do you say in a situation like that? “Sorry, sir, but these kids were raised by wolves
and left on our doorstep two months ago.” (Last year, when I was throwing candy to
the crowd during the parade in Oakridge, my older son ran around behind me scoop-
ing up the candy before the Oakridge kids could get it.)
After our family left the festival in Creswell, we went to Alton Baker Park for the
Art & the Vineyard entertainment and fireworks. While I was roaming around the park,
a lot of people came up to me and commended the Board for our resolution on the
PATRIOT ACT. A few people of color mentioned that they felt more comfortable now
that the Board has expressed opposition to racial and religious profiling.
The festival at Alton Baker Park showcased the diversity of our county. Our family
watched a children’s dance troupe perform Ukrainian dances in authentic costume.
The troupe included kids whose ancestry traced to both the Northern and Southern
hemispheres. What a great example of the inclusive values that we celebrate on the
Fourth of July.
The headline act was the Satin Love Orchestra. These guys must have made a deal
with the devil to play funk music that well. Guitarist Joe Weber was decked out in an
Uncle Sam costume. My boys loved the show. My youngest son had a serious case of
the booty-shakes.
During the intermission, some kids took the stage and sang the national anthem.
They missed a lot of notes — where’s Maurice Cheeks when you need him? — but the
crowd went wild.
The fireworks at Alton Baker Park always send chills down my spine. This year
there wasn’t much difference in the scale of the official fireworks show and the fire-
works that kids were lighting off near the duck pond. Those ducks should get hazard
pay on the Fourth of July. I can’t believe that it’s so easy for the public to buy massive
fireworks in Oregon. If George Bush still can’t find weapons of mass destruction in
Iraq, he should just drive to ShopKo, Safeway, or any other grocery store in Eugene.
Uncle Sam may have been shaking his head when Lane County opposed the PA-
TRIOT Act on July 2, but Uncle Sam was definitely shaking his money-maker on the
stage at Alton Baker Park two days later. Judging by the enthusiasm I saw on the
Fourth, I’d say the critics better think twice before they impugn the patriotism of Lane
County. And the Board of County Commissioners’ action last week didn’t erode what
makes our county great. We affirmed it.
131 E. 5th Ave (between Oak & Pearl) 687-2805
BUFFALOEXCHANGE . COM
Tom Lininger is the county commissioner for the East Lane District.
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 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 Kelly O’Brien, Celene Carillo y
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, Sam Hauk, 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
(circulation): distribution@eugeneweekly.com
JULY 10, 2003 7