Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 2004)
TO THE EDITOR this I say BS. If that’s the logic, then I should be able to play basketball like Jordan or the piano like Cliburn but I don’t because someone knocked me off of my path when I was young... I don’t think so! It’s obvious that these people were born with a special talent that I will never have no matter how long I practice. If one is a real artist there will be nothing or no one who can stand in the way. The obsession to create things never seen before is always there, like it or not. Artists are judged by a large body of work over their lifetime that defines them i.e. Matisse, Miro, deKooning etc. not by just a few pieces here and there. Our biggest problem as a culture is that we’ve allowed everything to be labeled “art.” We even get excited when an elephant blows paint out of his trunk onto a canvas! We can turn that situation around as a culture by nurturing and encouraging the visionaries among us in- stead of labeling them “weird” or “abnormal.” Everyone can learn to be disciplined in the medium of their choice but few will have the ge- nius that moves art forward. Annie Kayner Eugene TERMINAL ERROR Lois Wadsworth’s review of Stephen Spielberg’s new film The Terminal, was right on. However, in her write up she referred to the Beatles song “Back in the USSR,” as being sung by John Lennon. Ah — wrong oh! Paul McCartney sang lead vocal on that opening cut of the 1968 White Album and furthermore, Paul wrote the song as a parody of the 1959 Chuck Berry tune “Back in the USA.” An homage to The Beach Boys’ sound was made with har- monies supplied by John and George, because Mike Love gave Paul the idea for the song while they all meditated in India. Michael Rechel Eugene BETTER TO LOVE As we were hiking through Mt. Pisgah this morning we became animated by a discussion we were having about finding simple solutions to what some people tend to make into complex problems. First, we had read about Peter DeFazio giv- ing back money that he received a while ago from Neil Goldschmidt. Now wouldn’t it be so much more positive and appropriate to give the money to Sexual Assault Support Services, which is always in need of funds? Then there is the issue of the West Eugene Faith Center tear- ing down virtually a city block in order to ex- pand their parking accommodations. Wouldn’t it be more neighbor-friendly to simply strike a deal with the new Cesar Chavez Elementary School next door, which will have a brand new spacious parking lot that will hardly be in use during the weekends? Finally, there is what to some people is the huge issue of whether or not to allow gay mar- riages. We are spending billions of dollars in Iraq to insure that the Iraqi people have freedom and equality. Our country could take the step to allow lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people the ability to have their unions recog- nized on an equal basis and it would not cost a penny! Isn’t it better to support stable, long- term, loving relationships rather than war? As we continued our walk through the forested terrain, we breathed in the beauty of the scenery and the scent of the trees. Wouldn’t it be simpler to love rather than to hate? Wouldn’t it be simpler to give so everyone has enough rather than continue to take and consume? Wouldn’t it be simpler to play fair, play hard and invite everyone to join the game? Wouldn’t it be simpler to become a diverse community rather than a divisive one? Victoria Koch and Dan Fuehring Eugene WHERE WAS RALPH? To those people who are considering voting for Nader in the upcoming election, please con- sider the following: What was Nader doing for the past four years? If he was serious about a bid for president in 2004, why wasn’t he actively trying to build a constituency? When Dennis Kucinich put himself forward as a presidential candidate more than a year ago, why didn’t Nader support him? Their views are compatible, and Nader’s support could have given Dennis a real boost. One of Nader’s reasons (excuses?) for his 2000 bid was to develop the Green Party as a vi- able alternative to the two-party system and to obtain 5 percent of the vote so that the party would be eligible for federal funding in the fu- ture. In 2004, he turned down the Green Party, giving the reasoning that he wants to build a coalition of Democrats, Republicans and inde- pendents. Isn’t this just spoiling every party’s chance? Why has he siphoned off a Green Party member to run as his vice president? Doesn’t that just antagonize the party that supported him? Why are Republicans funding the Nader campaign? And why did he recently say that any Democrats who showed up at his “convention” in Portland were spoilers, while the Republicans were sincere in their support of him? A vote for Ralph Nader gives this country a better chance of being subjected to four more years of the Bush administration. Who believes that Nader does not know that? Do you want that to happen? Kathleen Epstein Eugene VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE Let’s talk about what really happened in the EW Staff EDITORIAL Editor Ted Taylor Executive/Arts Editor Lois Wadsworth News Editor Aria Seligmann Contributing Editor Anita Johnson Staff Writers Alan Pittman, Bobbie Willis Calendar Editor Ben Fogelson Contributing Writers Brett Campbell, Rachel Foster, Jerry Harris, Kate Rogers Gessert, James Johnston, Sharleen Nelson, Mary O’Brien, Sylvie Pederson, Vanessa Salvia, Sally Sheklow, Lance Sparks, Martha Ulman West Interns Emma Juhlin, Aleta Raphael-Brock, Kate Storm y ART DEPARTMENT Art Director/Production Manager Kevin Dougherty Graphic Artist/Webmaster James Bateman Graphic Artists Todd Cooper Contributing Photographers Kurt Jensen, Paul Neevel ADVERTISING National Sales Manager Mark Frisbee Display Marketing Consultant Jennifer D’Angelo, Rob Weiss Advertising Traffic Coordinator Geneva Miller Classified Manager Jeffrey Stout Classified Marketing Consultant Bob Britto BUSINESS Director of Sales and Marketing Bill Shreve Circulation Manager Deena Miller Controller Paula Hoemann Distributors Bob Becker, Kevin Greene, Tim Risch, Adan Salinas, Jackson Stephens, Carrie Wedmore, 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 Eugene Weekly • 1251 Lincoln Street • Eugene, OR 97401 • 541.484.0519 • fax 541-484-4044 JULY 22, 2004 5
