TO THE EDITOR
principle of responsible and accountable gov-
ernment, which must live within its means,
like the rest of us! It’s rare to read about an
elected official who stands for more than just
robbing the taxpayers to pay off his or her fa-
vorite special interest. Good work, Jay!
Frank Plaisted
Eugene
GONE FOR GOOD
One thing that has not been discussed in
the controversy over ball fields vs. natural
areas in our city parks (cover story, 12/24) is
that once a natural area is eliminated, it is
gone for good. I am a professional ecologist
and have never seen a natural area fully re-
stored, even after millions of dollars have
been spent to do so. In contrast, any flat area
can be converted into a ball field. Maybe the
city should look for some vacant land to con-
vert into ball fields.
Randy Webb
Eugene
CONTRABAND CONTROL
The puritanical current that runs so deep
in “mainstream America” certainly perpetu-
ates the marginalization of hippies and others
who smoke marijuana, but to the interests
that back both sides of most elections, the
issue is control.
The repeal of alcohol prohibition dealt a
severe blow to the “rule of law” by exposing
the very existence of bad laws and the effec-
tiveness of civil disobedience in their dissolu-
tion. Government intransigence was only
overcome by juries refusing to convict alco-
hol defendants until Congress finally took the
hint and relented. Reeling from the blow, the
establishment began to require of jurors an
oath to uphold the law, bad or good, thus de-
priving posterity of a formidable weapon
against tyranny.
So now, when the rare marijuana defen-
dant threatened with incarceration refuses the
plea bargain extortion and stipulates, or ad-
mits, possession, the court essentially directs,
or orders, the jury to return a guilty verdict.
And it complies.
Anyone still naive enough to consider
someone else’s drug use a moral issue might
wish to explore the implications of Jesus’s
moderate alcohol consumption, and his fail-
ure to proscribe the use of other drugs. You
love your paper tigers and scapegoats,
though, so when America is bankrupt (which
will happen before I admit its authority over
what I do to me) and can no longer even af-
ford interest on the debt, blame anyone but
yourself when we have to trade national sov-
ereignty for an IMF/World Bank bailout.
Pete Raiteri
Eugene
TAXING POOCH
In response to Pet Wars (12/24) and Pet
Peeve (12/31), I have been working to solve
the homeless pet problem for most of the 56
years I have been on this planet. To see peo-
ple so petty that they are unwilling to spend
$2-$5 per year to help solve the pet overpop-
ulation problem in Lane County is saddening.
Ann Jensen seems to be worried about pri-
vacy and money. I guess she is unaware that
if you wanted to you could go down to
LCARA (Lane County Animal Regulation
Authority) right now and have access to any-
one’s name that bought a license for their dog
— it’s public information. So don’t worry too
much about your vet selling you out. The re-
port that she is so worried about has to do
with breeders and people who deal with ani-
mals on a commercial level. Could Ann be a
breeder, by any chance? Hopefully she is an
“ethical and responsible breeder” who really
cares about what happens to the animals she
brings into this world.
Annie Kayner is worried about “taxation
without representation.” Annie, the county
commissioners are your representation!
Annie also worries about “scroungy ill bred
dogs” and “mangy animals.” Does not being
one of these so-called “purebred, papered”
dogs sentence you to death? And last, Annie
says, “Before I pay another unfair and un-
wanted tax to support the saving of mangy
animals that nobody really cares about, I will
have my purebred, papered, neutered dog put
down!” Annie, there has not been a first tax,
let alone “another” for animals. And yes, peo-
ple really do care about these animals. How
sad for your poor overbred purebred dog that
he should have to end up with a guardian that
cares more about $6 a year than his undying
devotion and unconditional love.
Molly Sargent
Pleasant Hill
INDIFFERENT COMMISH?
Each month I have a day-long treatment
for my type of cancer. I have learned to fill
the seven-hour procedure by watching the
county commissioner’s meetings. I found
these meetings most informative, since
human services are impacted with the out-
come of these proceedings. The impressions
of participation by Commissioners Sorenson,
Dwyer and Hampton have been very posi-
tive, but the two remaining commissioners
regarding an attitude of indifference and lack
of attention paid to those citizens who have
taken their time and energy to present their
views. Are the Commissioners Green and
Morrison only concerned with the contribu-
tors to their campaign coffer?
Arnie Gottleib
Cottage Grove
UNCOVERED
The cover of your Dec. 31 issue was hys-
terical. I laughed my hat off.
Therin Corvington
Eugene
BETTER CARE
I was surprised to read the letter to the ed-
itor from Ann Jensen (12/24). The unfortu-
nate reality is that due to mankind’s habit of
welcoming animals when they are “cute” and
discarding them when they become a respon-
sibility, we have more and more animals that
are not properly fed and sheltered, nor spayed
or neutered traveling backyards every day.
With this new law, we as humans will be re-
quired to accept some responsibility for the
animals that we keep, provide them with bet-
ter care, and make sure that they or their off-
spring will not become victims of this
county’s current 24-hour euthanasia policy.
All of our pets, whether dog, cat, ferret, or
otherwise, are creatures of Mother Earth.
They deserve proper food, water, protection
from disease, and veterinary care. They tend
to be more loving than most of the people that
I encounter on the street these days. Can you
tell me why they do not deserve the care and
consideration that we expect ourselves?
Amber Dean
Eugene
JANUARY 15, 2004 5