THE WAIT IS OVER!
TO THE EDITOR
the first place. Never mind that we launched
an unprecedented, unprovoked, and pre-emp-
tive war on a country far weaker than our
own, defying the will of the rest of the world.
Never mind the deaths of thousands of Iraqi
civilians and hundreds of American soldiers,
the thousands wounded who don’t get ade-
quate treatment, and the countless civilian
lives devastated by years of pointless sanc-
tions, tons of deadly radioactive DU, and ex-
treme lack of water and electricity.
Never mind that the people we “freed” are
under a brutal occupation that imposes strict
curfews, denies basic services, shoots inno-
cent civilians, (mistaking them for attackers)
and controls their main resource — oil.
So they captured Saddam. Couldn’t they
have done that over a decade ago? Do you
feel safer? What about Osama — remember
him? How many terrorist attacks were pre-
vented by this event? Will this get you to vote
for President George W. Bush?
So they finally captured Saddam Hussein.
Big f**king deal.
Todd D. Johnson
Eugene
QUOTABLE
Remember the classic quote from the
Vietnam War attributed to an American sol-
dier: “We had to destroy the village in order
to save it.” That quote captured the insanity
of a war in which more than three million
Vietnamese and 58,000 Americans died
needlessly.
Since the beginning of the war on Iraq, I
have heard many things that I couldn’t be-
lieve were for real, but the following quote
may become a classic in years to come be-
cause it symbolizes the absurdity and contra-
dictions of our occupation and “liberation” of
Iraq. In a New York Times story on Dec. 7,
about the new tough tactics being used by the
American military in Iraq, Colonel Sassaman
of the Fourth Infantry Division was quoted as
saying: “With a heavy dose of fear and vio-
lence, and a lot of money for projects, I think
we can convince these people that we are
here to help them.” Oh yeah, and the story
went on to talk about how Colonel
Sassaman’s troops wrapped the village in
barbed wire and issued resident identity cards
to inhabitants that were done only in English.
Amazing!
Pete Mandrapa
Eugene
HONORABLE OMNIVORE
Contrary to popular mythology, not
everyone can live a healthy life without meat.
I know this because I am one of them. About
nine years ago, at age 36, while a director of a
vegetarian organization, I developed a rare
life-threatening and traditionally incurable
auto-immune illness called pemphigus. I also
had problems with my thyroid, experienced
constant chronic fatigue and had very poor
muscle tone. My bones had started to soften.
At that time, my future was destined to be
either non-existent or filled with the side ef-
fects of lifelong doses of prednisone or other
immunosuppressive drugs. As sick as I was, I
believed that had I been eating animal prod-
ucts, I would be a lot sicker. I was wrong.
As I began to understand my biology and
evolution, I learned that my blood type O
body was not designed to live as a vegetarian.
By learning to feed myself appropriate foods,
foods that are healthy for me, including some
meats, I was able to say goodbye to expen-
sive medical treatments, prescription drugs,
supplements, herbs and illness. I was and still
am very concerned about the ethics of eating
animals. As an urban resident, I am proud to
know local farmers and many others who nat-
urally raise, care for and kill their animals in a
highly ethical way.
I have also learned to honor the life and
death of a plant to the point where I acknowl-
edge its suffering and death in the same man-
ner that I acknowledge an animal’s life and
death. I consider the act of cutting a vegetable
from its stalk and then chopping it into pieces
as violent as killing an animal.
I commend those who choose to live their
lives as vegetarians and who are able to thrive
while doing so. Toward that end, I am partici-
pating in a study directed by Dr. Michael
Klaper to learn why some people fail to thrive
(or in fact become quite ill, as I did) on a
vegan or vegetarian diet. Perhaps one day I
will be able to thrive without meat, but that
day is not here yet. So until then, I will con-
sciously continue to include meat from these
farms in my diet.
Steve Shapiro
Eugene
COMING JAN. 22 ...
CHOW!
Eugene Weekly's Restaurant Guide
Chow! features reviews of area eateries and a
directory of Eugene and Corvallis restaurants.
Ad reservation deadline is Monday, Jan. 15th.
Contact Mark Frisbee 484-0519 ext. 28
R iverpark
H E A L T H
C A R E
S E N I O R S E M I N A R 101
“Back Facts For People Who Sit”
Tina Meyer MSPT will teach you how to set up your computer /
desk area so it is comfortable and efficient. She will review
techniques to help eliminate stiff backs, painful shoulders and
sore necks. Free lumbar roll to attendees!
Wednesday, January 14th
from 12:00 to 1PM
“Lunch included compliments of the chef!”
Seating is limited. Call Elizabeth Tager for reservations.
345-6199
Riverpark Health Care Campus • 425 Alexander Loop • Eugene
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JANUARY 8, 2004 7