TO THE EDITOR
46,000 employers and their 530,000 workers
who depend on SAIF for workers comp
insurance.
Its a shame, really. Liberty could have
chosen to work for Oregon, and collaborate in
helping SAIF make Oregon the safest work-
place in America. Instead they’re trying to
pick our pockets.
Don’t be fooled. Visit the websites. Read
the editorials and the Voters Pamphlet. Defeat
corporate greed and vote a loud “no” on
Measure 38.
Steve Robinson
Eugene
HAMPTON’S THE ONE
I recently moved from West Lane District
to East Lane District. I am pleased with the
responsiveness of Don Hampton as the new
East Lane County Commissioner. His experi-
ence as mayor of Oakridge and appointed
commissioner is impossible to replace. Please
join me in voting to keep Don Hampton as
our county commissioner!
Linda Corcoran
Lorane
RESOUNDING PROOF
As I left the John Edwards rally in
Eugene, I was greeted by the usual handful of
stalwart young republicans. Two of them
were clad in body-sized foam rubber flip
flops. I immediately thought of the old saying
“If you can’t change your mind, are you sure
you still have one?” In the face of resounding
proof that all of his prewar intelligence on
Iraq was dead wrong, Bush refuses to admit
even the slightest mistake. Now, I know how
much we value steely eyed bullheadedness in
this country, but I’d much rather have a pres-
ident who looks capable of thought than one
who looks just plain stupid. Those foam-
swathed students had a point. The time for
change is here. Vote Kerry. Vote for real
change.
Christina Lay
Eugene
A CARING COUPLE
I recently moved from a great neighbor-
hood. People there are friendly and kids play
in groups just like when I was young, too
many years ago. Often they gather at one
house in particular where there are always
snacks and gentle supervision by the creative
and caring couple living there.
One young boy, Sam (for privacy, not
their real names), had a tough life at home
and was often at this neighborhood gathering
place. His mom had real difficulties, and
things went from bad to worse after he found
his father dead, hanging from a tree in their
backyard. Sam had problems and clearly
needed more help than he could get from his
mom.
When she had to move into a motel, the
young couple stepped up and took Sam in.
They drive him to school, cook his favorite
meals, arrange play dates with his friends,
and love him. For the first time in his young
life, when they tuck him into bed at night,
Sam feels safe.
So who is this young couple that has liter-
ally saved this boy’s life? Mary and Dianne.
That’s right – lesbians. A couple we are asked
to amend the State Constitution for, to forev-
er restrict their access to the same legal rights
Sam’s “real” parents have.
This young couple deserves our thanks,
our deepest appreciation – not our cold shoul-
der. Just ask Sam. He knows now what real
family feels like.
Please vote no on Measure 36.
Tim Mueller
Eugene
NOT PUSHING AGENDA
Recently I saw a commercial encouraging
Oregonians to vote yes on 36. The message
was that children would be confused if we
allowed same sex marriage. I know this is a
difficult issue for many fervently religious
people in our community. Please try to under-
stand that the GLBT community is not trying
to push anything on anyone. It is a frighten-
ing, confusing and lonely childhood for
GLBT human beings. These children are the
ones who have been hurt and continue to be
by those who would create ballot measures
like 36.
All that a no vote will do to children is that
when they reach sexual maturity they can
relax in the sane notion that they will not be
discriminated against or hated for whatever
sexual preference they choose. Most children
will naturally choose heterosexuality. Those
few that choose homosexuality, if allowed to
grow up without prejudice and hatred, will
have a better chance to reach their full poten-
tial. Voting to continue to ostracize millions
of American citizens by denying them equal-
ity under the law, simply perpetuates a socie-
ty of fundamentalist ideology no different
than the extreme fundamentalism found in
the Middle East. Vote for inclusion, vote for
tolerance, vote for a more enlightened socie-
ty, vote no on 36.
Mark Mazza
Eugene
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CLEAR WIN NEEDED
Now that the election is only a few weeks
or days away, I wish to clarify some of the
reasons we should vote for John Kerry.
We need to vote for Kerry so that there
will be enough votes to win despite a likely
repeat of the kinds of election rigging that
occurred in Florida and elsewhere in 2000
and to counteract the new factor of riggable
voting machines in many states.
We have the wrong president because we
have wrong laws (electoral college, etc.) and
our wrong president started the wrong war
(Iraq): kick the Bush’s ass and kick the elec-
toral college’s ass. It is theoretically true in
the U.S. that all adults have the right to vote
but the bigger truth is that only rich people
and rich corporations have the right to buy
votes/media/frauds wholesale and thus deter-
mine the outcome of most elections: that is
why we have so many criminals and liars at
the top of the government. The overlord of
the world is the corporations and most U.S.
politicians are whores being wined, dined and
fucked by the overlord. Most ordinary per-
sons are barely visible pawns brainwashed by
bought medias and bought politicians and
bought commercials and bought political ads
and bought schools.
Unregulated corporations are a curse and
an abomination which leads to the savagery
called war, the savagery called torture and the
savage called George W. Bush.
Bob Saxton
Eugene
OCTOBER 28, 2004 7