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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 9, 2003)
INDIGENOUS SOLIDARITY MARKS COLUMBUS DAY The celebrations at UO’s EMU amphithe- ater and the WOW Hall on Monday, Oct 13, will not be honoring Christopher Columbus and the arrival of his three ships in North America in the 15th century. Rather, the focus of Indigenous Solidarity Day will be on the colonization that came in Columbus’ wake, and the survival of native cultures in the world today. “It’s a nationwide event that a lot of in- digenous people celebrate, and it’s kind of a ‘take back the day’ idea in that it’s an event that is against colonization and honoring and respecting the history of colonization — what has happened to indigenous people all over the world because of it,” says Jana Schmieding of the Native American Student Union, “and it’s also a celebra- tion of the presence of native tra- dition and native peoples that are still residing here, practicing, and able to overcome colonization.” Organized by the Multicultural Center, Native American Student Union, Break the Chains, and the Survival Center, the amphitheater gathering will feature Chrystos and Stormy Ogden, both prominent writers, speakers and activists for native rights and social justice. Shandine Garcia and Chuck Hunt, both UO faculty members, will also be speaking. Music will be provided by Cuban/Latino salsa group Azuquita, and so- cially conscious hip-hop group Juice to Make It Happen. This event starts at noon on the 13th and is free, though donations are wel- come. More information is available through the Multicultural Center at 346-4321. In the evening, the celebrations will move to the WOW Hall, where the Cascadia Media Collective will present “Columbus to Cancún,” debuting footage from the recent WTO protests in Cancún, as well as present- ing footage from 2003 WTO protests in Sacramento, 2001 FTAA protests in Quebec, and 2002 anti-Columbus protests in Denver. Live performances will be given by Chrystos, who will be reading her poetry, and Northwest Connections, a Native American drumming group from Portland. “We’re trying to link historical and pre- sent forms of colonialism, because that’s what the WTO is all about,” says Lisa Igoe, a member of the collective. This event begins at 8 pm and costs $5. For more information call the collective at 688-2809. • We’re happy to see Don Hampton’s card rise to the top of the deck in the final shuffle for the County Commission appointment to replace Tom Lininger. Hampton’s been one of the aces in the deck with his solid background in eco- nomic development, labor, land use, education and long-range planning. He’s a retired teacher, mayor of Oakridge and a former city councilor. The joker in this game is once again Commissioner Anna Morrison who made her colleagues cringe with her insulting and belittling comments “wel- coming” Hampton to the board. Hampton graciously responded that they can both learn from each other. A continuation of anti-Columbus events, Transforming Columbus Day, will be held at 12:30 pm Oct. 14 in Room 206 of the Education Building at LCC. Presentations by Chrystos and Stormy Ogden will encompass colonialism and focus on the plight of native people in the U.S. prison industrial system. For more information call 520-5401. — Celene Carillo PEACE, JUSTICE AND MEDIA IN SPOTLIGHT What is the role of the media, and how can it educate and empower the gen- eral public, advocates and activists? Is there a way to reform the main- stream media? Can that reformation re- sult in more fairness, accuracy and diver- sity of voices to Jim Hightower strengthen the pro- gressive movement and the independent alterna- tive media? These are some of the questions that will be explored through the Peace, Justice and Media Conference, Oct.9-12 at LCC and UO. The conference includes work- shops, national and regional speakers, the- ater, visual arts exhibits, poetry and a free film festival. The films are described and listed at www.justicenotwarcoalition.org and in the Oct. 2 EW. The conference is presented by Justice Not War Coalition, Northwest Media Project, UO Survival Center and EW. The conference kicks off at 12:30 pm Thursday, Oct. 9 at 7th and Pearl with a rally to protect the Bill of Rights. Jim Hightower and San Francisco Mime Troupe will per- form excerpts from their evening shows, and Hope Marston of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee will also be there in support of civil liberties. A delegation will go to Sen. Gordon Smith’s office to present him with a letter signed by local organizations asking him to join Sen. Ron Wyden in support changes to the USA PATRIOT Act. Conference topics range from community media outlets to racism in progressivism to military recruitment in the schools. National speakers and performers include Hightower, radio commentator and best-selling author; Andrea Buffa, anti-war activist and former executive directory of Media Alliance, a San Morrison needs to start her lessons right away if she wants anyone to ever take her viewpoints seriously. • Tony Corcoran announced this week that he’s resigning from the Oregon Senate to accept an appointment to the state Employment Appeals Board. He’d gotten himself into a PERS pickle by wrangling a practical compromise in an impossible situation. His courageous leadership in PERS “reform” made it difficult to keep his day job working with some short-sighted and unappre- ciative colleagues at SEIU. We would like to see him stay in the Senate and the state job is a good opportunity, but he needs to eat. He’s a talented, knowl- edgeable and passionate public ser- Francisco-based media accountability group; Kelly Campbell, founding member of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows; and San Francisco Mime Troupe, a nationally acclaimed political the- ater group. The dozens of workshop speakers include EW’s own Ted Taylor and Alan Pittman, who with Peter Moore will present “Beyond Mainstream Press: How Crucial is the Role of the Alternative Print Media?” at 11 am Saturday in the UO EMU’s Ben Linder Room. For updated schedule details, visit www.justicenotwarcoalition.org DON’T CALL DEVELOPER EYES PARK TO BUILD CONDOS Fair labor advocates are angry that Nike slipped out of its false advertis- ing lawsuit with a set- tlement rather than hav- ing the case go to trial. Nike had claimed that its allegedly false advertising about good treatment of its sweatshop laborers in Asia was protected by the First Amendment. But the corporation failed to get the U.S. and California supreme courts to go along with its legal theory. The case appeared headed for a trial, but California lawyer Marc Kasky settled the lawsuit this month after Nike agreed to pay The city of Eugene is considering selling West University Park to a developer who wants to build condominiums. The developer also wants the city to waive property taxes for his project for 10 years. City staff are analyz- ing the request, which would require ap- proval from the City Council. The city closed the park several years ago as part of its police sweeps of homeless people in the area. The West University Neighborhood task force re- cently expressed interest in reopening the park. — Alan Pittman To help clean up the riot-prone student ghetto around the UO, the West University Neighborhood Task Force has called for the city to strengthen its enforcement of nuisance complaints and make it easier for citizens to file complaints. But the city is moving in the opposite direction. Due to budget cuts, the city is will no longer take land use complaints on the phone, only in writing. — AP NIKE’S LEGAL WRIGGLES IRK LABOR ACTIVISTS vant, but he’s not ready to retire. Corcoran was rumored to be eyeing a way out of his union job for some time now. We figured he’d run for the County Commission seat Don Hampton now occupies when it comes up for election next year. Hampton wouldn’t necessari- ly run against Corcoran, so now that dynamic changes. And if state Rep. Floyd Prozanski gets appointed to Corcoran’s seat on the Senate, that opens up a House seat. This little leg- islative shake-up could also affect who sits on the County Commission, Eugene City Council and even our Planning Commission in 2004. Cappy Eaton, Betsy Steffenson, and Kara Steffenson who did a pilgrimage to D.C. in September to lobby Oregon’s congressional delegation to curb the military budget and stop development of nuclear weapons, and instead appro- priate money to programs that empow- er and support America’s women and children. The blue-apron gang says they had a great time, met just about everybody on their list, and got to hang out with the likes of Molly Ivins, Helen Thomas, Barbara Lee, Jan Schakowsky and Dianne Feinstein. Check out Women’s Action for New Directions at www.wand.org • Gotta hand it to WAND members Leslie Brockelbank, Susan Cundiff, SLANT includes short opinion pieces, observations and rumor-chasing notes compiled by the EW staff. Heard any good rumors lately? Contact Ted Taylor at 484-0519, editor@eugeneweekly.com OCTOBER 9, 2003 9
