TO THE EDITOR
RIGHTS FOR EVERYONE
NOT SO WACKO
I wish to express my support and admira-
tion to Hugh Massengill of the Eugene
Human Rights Commission and Eugene City
Councilor Bonnie Bettman for their unpopu-
lar and courageous stance in opposition to the
appearance of the Rev. Walter Fauntroy as
keynote speaker for this city’s celebration of
the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr.
Their willingness to object to this near-
unanimous choice speaks volumes to their
character and commitment to upholding the
civil rights of all human beings.
I find myself confused when I read state-
ments published in The Register-Guard at-
tributed to Betty Snowden and Greg Evans of
the MLK Jr. Celebration Committee, and
Carmen Urbina of the Eugene
Human Rights Commission, in
which they praise Fauntroy for his
“extensive résumé, background
and history in the civil rights move-
ment”; state that “We brought him
here because his résumé in civil
rights is so remarkable”; and “it is
in the best interest of all involved”
to invite and support him.
How can these statements not
be in conflict with the spirit and
dream that King shared with us
during his short and powerful lifetime? Are
not gay rights civil rights?
Are individuals who seek the right to
marry whomever they choose not also human
beings, and shall they not be afforded the
same rights as all human beings? The word
“civil” applies to all civilians, just as the word
“human” applies to all human beings, no mat-
ter the color of skin or sexual preference.
During King’s historic speech at the
Lincoln Memorial in August 1963, he stated
“When the architects of our republic wrote
the magnificent words of the Constitution
and the Declaration of Independence, they
were signing a promissory note to which
every American was to fall heir. This note
was a promise that all men, yes, black men as
well as white men, would be guaranteed the
rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi-
ness.”
To say that “We didn’t bring Rev.
Fauntroy here to talk about gay marriage”
avoids the issue that he champions laws
which would forbid a certain population of
human beings their constitutional rights. By
bringing him here we are silently condoning
his stance, and silence is the voice of com-
plicity.
Michael Connelly
Eugene
In response to (letters 1/4) “Wacko
Enviros” (written by a pro-timber delegate
from the Lane Republicans Organization),
Cascadia Forest Defenders and the UO’s
Forest Action stand behind their decision to
hold a reading of the eco-conscious Essene
Gospels of Peace outside the gated mansion
of Seneca Jones Lumber CEO Aaron Jones.
So long as Jones continues to log native
forests in the McKenzie River watershed —
Eugene’s source of drinking water — CFD
and allies will be making this event a holiday
tradition.
Greedy timber barons like Jones have for
too long hidden behind their fortresses of cor-
porate power. It is past time that those who
plunder natural ecosystems to fatten their
own wallets be publicly
condemned. As Utah
Phillips said: “The
Earth is not dying —
she is being killed. And
those who are killing
her have names and ad-
dresses.”
CFD was also prac-
ticing the age-old tradi-
tion of caroling, singing
our own version of “The
Twelve
Days
of
Christmas” with new verses, such as: “On the
first day of Christmas Aaron Jones gave to
me / a clearcut in the old trees.”
Surprisingly, the author does make one
accurate statement when she accuses CFD of
having “nothing better to do” during the holi-
days. True: Instead of participating in a mind-
less orgy of consumption, CFD chose to
bring concerned community members to-
gether to voice their opinions about issues
that affect us all.
CFD believes that a fundamental part of
any religion should be honoring Creation and
acknowledging that humanity cannot exist
without a planetary life-support system.
Janet Wrege
Cascadia Forest Defenders
BACKSTAGE WORK
This letter is in response to Carol Horne’s
letter to the editor (1/11) about the stage
hands union, IATSE. Thank you so much,
Carol and EW, for running that article. I am a
local stage manager and props designer/stage
hand and have worked with IATSE several
times in the past few years. It’s really reward-
ing when an audience member tells you the
show was great and they are glad to see peo-
ple supporting the shows backstage. I have
worked in several theaters in Eugene and
Portland. Give props to those who work hard
backstage and onstage. They work as a team
to provide excellent entertainment wherever
you go.
Brian M. Peterson
Eugene
4 JANUARY 18, 2007
TRANSIT ACCOUNTABILITY
Sen. Bill Morrisette asks for an elected
LTD Board and I agree! I don’t believe the
public is receiving the public transportation it
needs now and for the future when oil is in
short supply. An elected board would have to
provide services for its constituents.
When I see the latest bus stop shelters, I
have to ask what they were designed for —
surely not bus riders standing in the cold and
rainy weather. When I look on the schedule
and see no night service and few buses on
weekends, I realize this would end my week-
end trips to movies and the Hult. When I view
the $25 million EmX with its infrequent stops
as a model project, I know we need an elected
LTD Board.
They also messed up Franklin Boulevard.
Ruth Duemler
Eugene
BOMB ’EM WITH GREASE
The new Bush strategy: If bombs don’t
work, how about trans-fats? A friend’s
daughter sent her this Burger King mug from
where she is stationed in Iraq. Franchises
spreading around the whole world are noth-
ing new, but is making sure our troops have
their Whoppers really a priority? Can’t we be
a little more creative when it comes to help-
ing our troops? Perhaps by bringing them
home. It makes me proud that we are spread-
ing the American way: freedom, democracy
and heart disease.
Allison Cardwell
Corvallis
BIKING HAZARDS
Warning to all bicyclists: I had a bike acci-
dent in November that wrenched my back
enough to send me to the chiropractor. In
front of 671 E. 16th there is a slab that has
sunk enough to make a long mini-cliff paral-
lel to the direction of
travel, much of which is
more than an inch and a
half deep. I was traveling
in the dark after a re-
hearsal at Beall Hall and
didn’t see the defect till it
was too late, and it sent
my bike and me flying
sideways.
I reported my acci-
dent to the city and made
a claim through Risk
Services. It was denied
because no one had made
a complaint about that
spot before me and be-
cause it is not an official
bike lane. They say “in-
spection and mainte-
nance of streets is limited due to lack of avail-
able funding, and is discretionary in nature,”
and “the City must be proven to have been
negligent in some way in order to assume fi-
nancial responsibility.” I was also told on the
phone that the city is only required to keep
the streets up to the safety requirements of
cars, not of bicycles. In other words, if I had
seen it and reported it I might have a claim.
But of course if I had seen it, I would have
known to avoid it; I only found the defect
through my direct experience of it. A real
catch-22.
So bicyclists, beware. Don’t have an acci-
dent on any city street defects that you
haven’t reported. Crazy, eh? I’m just glad I
wasn’t hurt worse than I was, or that it wasn’t
someone more fragile than me who found the
spot.
Karen Stingle
Eugene
ABILITY IS NOT INTENT
To others we appear a certain way. Most
often we deal with them, we try to see them as
we deal with them right or wrong. Case in
point: When we frequent our favorite tavern,
we try to be good customers and patronize
that special time and place. Under normal cir-
cumstances they provide product and service,
and they should be compensated for their ef-
forts on your behalf. The result here is that
you are treated with contempt if you are not
able to tip. In addition when you are close to
these waitstaff, it hurts
that it comes down to
the money. Customer
service should come
freely without any
strings attached, with-
out either party assum-
ing the posture that their
needs supersede the
needs of the one.
I think the way we
treat each other should
be foremost to us all.
Regardless of any pre-
conceived notion, we
are here to take care of
each other. I also ask to
have us to see each
other as people who
treat as family. Our time
is finite and should not be wasted on who’s
right or wrong, good or bad. I think I was
treated unfairly and I’ve moved on. The re-
spect you show to others shows the respect
you have for yourself. The object of business
is to bring buyers and sellers together, not
drive each other away. I firmly believe that
we all can do better.
George G. Brooks
Eugene
UNFAIR FEES
An article in last Sunday’s Register-
Guard regarding a Washington State man
challenging union fees reminded me of my
recent experience as a part-time worker for
Lane County Public Works. In 2005 I was
hired as a “520 extra help” worker — 520
being the amount of hours a part-timer can
work in a year. At my orientation, I was
clearly told the position had no benefits at-