TO THE EDITOR
with people who had AIDS. The first anti-gay
rights amendment passed in Colorado that
year: Amendment 2. Years later, it was de-
clared unconstitutional. When Amendment 2
passed, many of the people who had AIDS at
the clinic in Denver where I volunteered got
sicker and died sooner than expected. That
was when I first clearly saw the mind/body
connection and the effect on one’s health.
Now, Amendment 36 in Oregon threatens
to harm a lot of people in the same way.
When a group of people are discriminated
against in a large public way, I believe it can
adversely affect their immune system. For all
those people who have supported gay rights
in the past but are unsure on the marriage
issue, please think about the damage that will
be done to many gay men and lesbians and
the friends and family that love them. Boost
your fellow man and woman’s immune sys-
tem. Vote no on 36.
Diane Clancy
Eugene
closer relatives and are therefore genetically
inferior.
As a self-proclaimed “progressive” paper,
I would think that you’d know better, al-
though I know that you don’t. As near as I can
tell, the term progressive (what people call
themselves to disassociate themselves from
the left) means social liberal with a little de-
pendence on government and victim mental-
ity thrown in. Progressives talk about the
“polarization” that goes on in this country,
and at the same time are just as bigoted and
prejudiced as the people they oppose. Only
from the other side.
Eugene itself contains a thick, ugly strain
of what I would call cultural imbreeding.
I don’t see a great deal of difference be-
tween “fundamentalist Christians” and “fun-
damentalist progressives.” Look within your-
selves.
Steve Pardo
Springfield
ALL THINGS PINK
CULTURAL INBREEDING
With regard to the cartoon “No Exit” by
Andy Singer in the 9/30 issue: The cartoon
portrays a tree showing roots, trunk, limbs,
and branches. The branches are all connected
to each other and are encircled by a continu-
ous branch connecting them all. It is entitled
“Redneck Family Tree,” obviously dredging
up from the slime, the trite, derogatory
stereotype that “rednecks” (that is, white,
working class people) bear children by their
I can understand why — in this dreary
season of elongated electioneering, with
one’s TV leaking campaign lies and outra-
geous claims — any citizen might be tempted
to drink too much wine and think of nothing
but. But since voting is a slowly approaching
duty, I say, “Do your duty, citizen!”
We all must think of things political and
then enjoy our wine. As we daydream about
“Iraqi democracy” and wish to have a little
more democracy here as well, I cannot think
of a more fun way to learn politics than from
that Sleuth of Wine, the learned Doctor
Sparks, our very own Lance. I must thank
him for bringing to my attention the vast pink
conspiracy: pink wine, pink slips, pink under-
wear, pink racists, pink roses, Chaney’s pink
cheeks, and all things pink.
Fortunately, the florid season of pink
wines has ended. The rains have arrived.
There are some few shopping days left before
the election, and there are so many blood red
wines to buy for fall. So, Citizen X, stop
whining and start dining!
I intend to relish my vote for anti-Bush. It
was stolen four years ago by two bad, hurri-
cane swamp boys named Jeb and W. I intend
to set up my ballot, sip a little Lance-recom-
mended joy juice, and soberly make my mark
to end the dynasty. I encourage all of you to
join me. Voting is a celebration, and if you
cannot do it with good humor and style, bring
your ballot over to my house. I’d be glad to
vote for you and your family and friends.
Really Lance, all felonious thoughts
aside, wine and humor are for pleasure. Your
style, advice, and words are delicious. Now,
as the season of pinkness fades, tell me: why
are there no truly blue wines?
Peter Jensen
Eugene
SUPURB ARTWORK
Kudos to Sylvie Pederson for her brief,
poetic description of Stephen White’s light
sculpture called “Drifting III” at the Mayor’s
Art Show (9/30). It is a superb work of art. I
see it as vines growing out of waters, reach-
ing upward with natural grace toward the
roots of the Tree of Life, creating beautiful
forms of enlightenment along the way. I wish
the whole world could see it as a beacon for
these troubled times.
Jake Felsenstein
Eugene
HOW WE GOT HERE
As far as I know, the authority on legit-
imization theory is Jurgen Habermas, and le-
gitimization of course concerns, given a na-
tion’s basic organization, whether or not the
government in power is a legitimate one.
Voters, and especially American voters, have
incredibly short attention spans and faulty
memories, and the tendency is to respond to
the most recent issues or events. 9/11 de-
flected general American attention colos-
sally. These factors, among others, have
caused American voters to come to accept a
U.S. administration which is not legitimate at
all.
In 2000, ballots in the deciding state of
Florida were in many cases defective, circa
19,000 ballots were just tossed out in heavily
Democratic South Palm Beach County.
Knowing this full well, a majority of
Supreme Court justices voted to end the re-
count in Florida and so, without having the
authority, appointed sorry Little Elmo presi-
dent. Then after 9/11, many voters once furi-
ous about the 2000 election mess caved in
BY SONNY TAILOR
Raising the Bar
Who will benefit from Eugene’s
proposed rental code?
“
R
enters’ rights” is the catchphrase associated with the city of Eugene’s reso-
lution to draft a rental code, but renters’ rights are not even considered by
the proposed code. On Aug 11, the City Council unanimously agreed to create
a rental code intended to provide enforcement of the minimum standard conditions of
habitability. The planned code, that City Councilor George Poling stated, “targets the few
landlords who are problems,” will spell trouble for those property owners who don’t com-
ply with the community development director’s (CDD) decisions. The planned code gives
the director power to arbitrarily impose a fine of up to $250 per day upon property own-
ers who fail to comply with orders, and to place liens for unpaid fines against properties
deemed to be in violation. This could result in the forced auction of property to satisfy
liens attached for unpaid fines that were ordered by the CDD under provisions of this
code.
This decision is viewed as a victory by some special interest groups; however the ef-
fect of the proposed code may not be as positive as anticipated. Championed by the
ASUO, Eugene Citizens for Housing Standards, Associated Students of LCC, and OSPIRG,
this proposed code is said to provide renters with fast access to assistance in resolving
habitability issues with rental units. The model for this proposed rental code is Corvallis’s
Rental Housing Code, that proposes to, “provide minimum habitability criteria to safe-
guard health, property and public welfare of the owners, occupants and users of residen-
tial rental buildings.” This code claims to be, “intended to supplement rather than con-
flict with the habitability standards of the State of Oregon Residential Landlord and
Tenant Act,” yet fails in its stated purpose by being far narrower in scope than state law.
As a result, the proposed code will limit rather than expand the remedies available to
tenants who seek help from the commission versus pursuing a claim under ORS 90.
U
nder Eugene’s proposed code the property owner is required to; maintain the
building structure so that it is able to resist collapsing under a reasonable load,
maintain minimal weatherproofing standards to protect occupants and their
6 OCTOBER 21. 2004
property from running water, maintain plumbing to be free of
leaks, and provide a working fixed heat source capable of
maintaining a temperature of 68 degrees F. Habitability issues
such as: electrical problems, cooking appliance failures, vermin
infestations, holes in interior walls, debris-filled gutters, invasive
trees or shrubs, water damage, and general unsanitary conditions
are but some of the issues that are not considered by this proposed code.
Filing a complaint under this code follows similar guidelines to filing a 10-day notice of
complaint under ORS 90, except that once you have complained to the city, the city then
complains to the property owner and gives him or her an additional 10-day notice to
comply with the demand. Consequently, instead of being an agent to obtain speedy reso-
lution, the proposed code actually serves as an additional step to obtaining injunctive ac-
tion against the property owner. Because of these shortcomings, the proposed code can
actually become an obstacle to obtaining justice.
If vigorously used, the proposed rental code would be a powerful tool for city plan-
ners that could be used to eliminate the rental properties that are the most dangerous
habitations, and thereby raise the “overall” standard of housing for the city. A side bene-
fit for the city would be economic stimulation by requiring essential repairs on substan-
dard housing and the possible stimulation of the rental real estate market.
From the tenants’ perspective, shortcomings of the proposed code include the lack of
provisions for: providing alternate housing, reduction in rent, or the return of deposits.
And the proposed code provides for no consideration to the victim for property damage
or medical expenses incurred as a result of being forced to live in derelict housing. Under
ORS 90, the tenant may be entitled to a reduction in rent, return of all deposits, alterna-
tive housing, and monetary awards for property and medical expenses as well as com-
pensation for harassment and property owners who act in a malicious manner. .
One does not have to read too deeply into the code to determine that the city will
profit greatly and enjoy expanded arbitrary power. This proposed code is sold under false
advertisement by its supporters who have endorsed the proposal as a form of assistance
to renters. In fact, the code that Eugene will base its own code on had initially exempted
low-income housing from being held to the regulations. So much for the code protecting
the poor.
The code goes before a hearing by the City Council Nov 8.
The Corvallis code can be found at
http://www.ci.corvallis.or.us/downloads/cd/rentalhousingcode.pdf and the proposed Eugene code is at
http://www.ci.eugene.or.us/Council/Agenda/S040524B.pdf.