TO THE EDITOR
Seeing the devastation and living amidst
the ocean of grief, it was easy to understand
the importance of international charitable aid.
The Center’s tsunami work thus far has
earned them NGO status from the U.N. Their
house rebuilding efforts have excelled —
more than 4,000 homes built in the last year.
The work of the center’s many volunteers
in this country in the aftermath of the Gulf
Coast hurricanes has been profound as well.
They are also giving aid and have pledged to
rebuild in the earthquake devastated areas of
Northern India.
To all in Eugene-Springfield area who
have wanted desperately to help the people
caught in these tragedies, I say with confi-
dence that by donating to the M.A. Center,
with it’s less then 1 percent overhead, your
gift actually increases in value, as Amma, the
center’s leader has often said, because the
volunteers simply desire to give of them-
selves selflessly.
Millen Myrmo
Eugene
Oregon?
The voters need to know what their
Congressman is doing, or in this case, not
doing for the people of his district. In the 20
years that DeFazio has been our representa-
tive, we have lost more than 14,000 timber-
related jobs. DeFazio finally has the opportu-
nity to help bring back some of these jobs to
the 4th District, and he votes “no.”
Jennifer Thompson
Springfield
to schools in the last session, so we could
have reasonable class sizes and a full school
year. Except that we have to kick the money
back, instead of investing in students.
Imagine what schools could receive if the
state gave the Oregon kicker law the boot.
Money from the kicker should be invested in
Oregonians.
Because the economy is on track for its
strongest upswing since 1999 corporations
will be receiving $205 million in kicker
checks. 85 percent of this money will go to
companies not based in this state — it will be
sent out of Oregon.
By investing in Oregon, not out of state
multinational corporations, we strengthen
BOOT THE KICKER
Good news was recently presented to
Oregon — our economy is recovering and the
state could restore some of the cuts they made
schools and other vital services that help at-
tract new business and grow more jobs.
It’s time we re-think our kicker law and
reinvest the money in Oregon’s education
and human services. Think what services the
state could restore if instead of returning
$600 million in individual and corporate
kicker checks the money was invested in the
state.
At a time when schools are facing deficits
that translate into huge classes and less op-
portunities for students, it is time to retain the
kicker funds the state collects and invest it in
our state and our future.
Val Rylands
Marcola
SAFETY IN NUMBERS
In response to Michael Cleaver’s letter
(3/30), the Critical Mass bike ride is not about
breaking the law, it’s about raising awareness
of the presence of bicycles on city streets and
their viability as an alternative mode of trans-
portation. Just because a small handful of cy-
clists have chosen to bend traffic laws in the
past does not incriminate the whole group.
Using that mentality, all legal peace rallies
would be condemned because once in a while
someone breaks a window.
I agree with Michael that vehicles pose an
extreme threat to cyclists. As any law-abiding
cyclist will tell you, their lives are constantly
at risk on city streets from speeding vehicles
plowing through red lights, ignoring stop
signs and yield signs, or running them off the
road. So far as safety is concerned, group
bike rides are the one occasion where cyclists
are somewhat protected by their sheer num-
bers. Michael’s claim that the “focal point” of
Critical Mass is running red lights suggests to
me that he has never been on a ride before.
I find it disturbing that someone who con-
siders a group bike ride to be a “violent disre-
gard for human life” supports cops throwing
people off their bikes to the ground.
Michael does a great disservice to cyclists
everywhere by slandering the peaceful
Critical Mass ride as a “mob on wheels.” If he
were truly concerned about bike safety, he
would constructively participate in Critical
Mass — instead of publicly attacking the
rides, which only increases the risk that riders
must face from thousands of already frus-
trated and impatient drivers.
Josh Schlossberg
Eugene
DEFAZIO GETS A ‘PASS’
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The passage of Greg Walden’s Forest
Restoration Bill has, of course, been receiv-
ing a lot of press. Not only in our local papers,
but in numerous papers across the country. It
is nice to see that in each article it gives credit
to those who worked so hard to get the bill
passed through committee. What each, and so
far, every article that I have read fails to do is
point out that our current representative,
Peter DeFazio, voted against this bill. Why is
it that this isn’t pointed out, considering the
fact, that he voted against something that is so
incredibly important not only to the people of
his district, but also to the future economy of
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APRIL 13, 2006 7