ing at the event, call 434-2377 or e-mail
emeraldempirehempfest@hotmail.com
ALAN SIPORIN TALKS ON
RACISM, HATE CRIMES
Eugene author and
former KLCC com-
mentator Alan
Siporin will read
from his book
Fire’s Edge,
speak
about
hate crimes and
racism, and lead a
discussion about ac-
tions people can take to
help put an end to hate crimes and racism.
The discussion, to be held at 7 pm,
Thursday June 3 at Barnes and Noble, is a
benefit for Community Alliance of Lane
County (CALC). CALC will receive 15 per-
cent of purchases made at Barnes and Noble
from June 3 through June 10.
The event is being organized by Back to
Back, a program of CALC that tracks hate
crimes and works against racism, sexism, ho-
mophobia, and anti-Semitism.
Siporin is an award-winning writer and
former commentator and reporter for KLCC
News and NPR. Fire’s Edge is a novel that
probes the dark underbelly of racist and ho-
mophobic hate in the Pacific Northwest, pro-
viding a terrifying peek into the troubled
souls of angry young skinheads, the people
they prey on, and the neo-Nazi leaders who
prey on these alienated youth.
• It’s too little and too late, but it is good to see Gov. Ted using
his bully pulpit to take stands on environmental issues such as
the cleanup of the Willamette River. His latest position this week
is mildly critical of the Forest Service and BLM final environ-
mental impact statement on the Biscuit Fire. Kulongoski says he
objects to the intrusion into roadless areas and the small num-
ber of Kalmiopsis acres that will be preserved as newly desig-
nated wilderness in the BLM’s Alternative 7. Good points, but if
Kulongoski really wants to have an impact and be remembered,
he needs to crank up the volume and intensity on critical natur-
al resource and land use issues. Strong leadership and initiative
from the top down in Oregon government could help reverse
the trend of progressives being constantly on the defensive.
• Here’s an item that came in too late for the Calendar this
week: Longtime readers of EW and before that the Willamette
Observer will likely remember the cartoons and illustrations of
Koe Sylwester. Decades ago she had one-person art exhibits at
Maude Kerns and the UO Museum of Art and her artwork even
went on a two-year UO traveling exhibit. She’s back after what
her husband, Steve, calls a “deep hibernation” and her new,
large (20-foot-long) painting will be shown to the public for the
first time this Sunday morning, June 6, at the worship services
at Central Lutheran Church at 18th and Potter. The church’s
choral group will be singing Shubert’s Mass in G Major, so the
unveiling should be a memorable event.
• We hear from friends in Europe that some U.S. citizens living
abroad are so embarrassed to call themselves Americans that
they are organizing a get-out-the-vote campaign among the
expatriated. Many self-exiled American citizens are still eligible
to vote via absentee ballot, but don’t bother. Driving the cam-
paign is the idea that the upcoming U.S. presidential election is
a referendum not only for the future of America, but also for
the future of the world. Have friends and family living overseas?
Join the campaign. Urge them to register now and vote in
November.
• Gas prices are high in Oregon and people are complaining,
speculating about gouging and demanding congressional inves-
tigations. It’s true that rising fuel prices drive up the cost of just
about everything that requires fuel to process or deliver, and
fuel prices are being manipulated by the industries and govern-
ments who have the power to do so. But let’s not forget how
much taxpayer money goes into subsidizing the U.S. oil indus-
try. For comparison, a liter of gasoline in Europe now costs
about one euro ($1.22). That translates to about $4.90 a gallon.
We probably pay about the same, but the added cost is hidden
in our taxes so we’re less inclined to demand fuel-efficient cars
and public transportation. On a somewhat related note, it’s
funny how we bitch about gas prices, but don’t think twice
about paying a buck for a 16-ounce bottle of spring water. That’s
about $8 per gallon. For water.
• In case you missed it last week, Al Gore had some strong words
regarding the Bush administration. In a speech May 26, Gore
said, “An American policy of dominance is as repugnant to the
rest of the world as the ugly dominance of the helpless, naked
Iraqi prisoners has been to the American people. … Dominance is
not really a strategic policy or political philosophy at all. It is a se-
ductive illusion that tempts the powerful to satiate their hunger
for more power still by striking a Faustian bargain. … The un-
pleasant truth is that President Bush’s utter incompetence has
made the world a far more dangerous place and dramatically in-
creased the threat of terrorism against the United States. … We
desperately need a national security team with at least minimal
competence because the current team is making things worse
with each passing day.” The complete text of the speech is avail-
able at www.moveonpac.org/gore/
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,
Darin J. Ward DDS PC, F.A.G.D.
Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry
Health Centered Dentistry
300 Country Club Rd. Ste. 290 • Eugene, OR 97401
At Health Centered Dentistry, we focus on your overall wellness. By tak-
ing a holistic approach and arranging for health rather than merely treating
disease, we offer an opportunity to restore your oral health to its optimum.
We look at the whole picture, consider sys-
temic health and underlying factors, and
take steps to perfect your smile while pre-
venting problems before they occur. Friendly
faces welcome you in a relaxing, stress-free
environment to ensure you are as comfort-
able as possible.
Call today and experience the benefits we
offer with the extraordinary people and
unique setting only Health Centered
Dentistry can provide.
(541) 686-2441
JUNE 3, 2004 9