TO THE EDITOR
EMBEDDED MAYORS
Your June 21 cover was priceless! I got
one of my biggest laughs in ages. Politics
aside, the artist [Dan Pegoda] totally caught
the essence of Kitty and Sid. Seriously, I cer-
tainly hope that in the future they do become
better bedfellows.
Jane Dods
Springfield
FEAR OF THE OUTCOME
“Splitsville,” EW’s article (6/21) detailing
recent state legislation allowing Springfield
to establish their own urban growth bound-
ary, was itself a piece of work. I certainly
don’t expect to read conservative journalism
in the EW, but I do think opinion pieces
should be labeled as such. Nowhere in the ar-
ticle was it mentioned that state law requires
all UGB’s to maintain a
20-year supply of build-
able land. By ignoring
this mandate, (or at least
hiding from it), the
Eugene City Council in-
vited developers and the
city of Springfield to act.
It is my belief that the
Eugene City Council was
unwilling to participate
in a land study because
they were afraid of the
outcome, but judging
from the chart comparing Springfield vs.
Eugene, being the larger, wiser municipality
may have led Eugene to believe they could
“save” Springfield from its own demise.
I was also was amused by the chart itself. I
suppose the author didn’t include the cate-
gory “number of residents whose knuckles
drag the ground” only because he couldn’t
cite an official source. But again, I guess we
all intuitively know the results that such a sur-
vey would find. Perhaps EW should sponsor
such a test. It might come in handy for those
wanting to trash Springfield the next time
around.
Of course, if it doesn’t, that fact can sim-
ply be ignored.
Rob Harvey
Eugene
RELINQUISH THE POWER
The Iraq quagmire is an indication of the
limits within which U.S. foreign policy must
operate. The U.S. may be the last remaining
superpower, but antagonists can resort to
guerrilla warfare, terrorism and nuclear
weapons.
The U.S. must stop trying to dominate the
world; it must instead relinquish power. The
U.S. government must agree to make conces-
sions to people of color and poor people.
Lack of change will result in more and more
disastrous wars.
The U.S. government attitude toward
global warming is probably the most impor-
tant example of the refusal to cede power.
The Kyoto Accord necessarily makes conces-
sions to the countries of the Global South,
whose people labor under the insulting condi-
tion of living in “underdeveloped” countries.
If the world expects China to stop burning
more and more coal in a drive for economic de-
velopment, global economic inequality must
become a priority target. If people in China are
going to give up their quest to follow in the
footsteps of the richer countries, then the U.S.
lifestyle must be up for negotiation.
Milton Takei
Eugene
• Wedding dress rentals
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cated that almost 70 percent of Americans be-
lieve environmental quality is getting worse.
It is no longer possible for any of us to ignore
these issues in good conscience.
Rebecca Smith
Graduate Student, Environmental Science
Missoula, Mont.
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ACTIVE LGBT TEENS
Thank you for Suzi Steffen’s excellent
and entertaining guide (6/14) to teen novels
featuring queer and transgen-
der characters and issues!
The article began by ac-
knowledging that it can be
tough to be lesbian, gay, bi-
sexual, transgender or ques-
tioning (LGBTQ) in middle
and high school, and asked the
question, “So what’s a queer
or questioning young adult to
do?”
Just want to let your read-
ers know that in Eugene and
Springfield, LGBTQ teens are
doing plenty, along with supportive friends,
teachers, parents, and community members.
They’re running Gay Straight Alliances at
local high schools and colleges. They’re writ-
ing articles for their school papers, creating
skits and speaking up in class and on panels
to inform others. They’re meeting in support
groups to share good times and bad. They’re
getting together to learn about and do every-
thing from arts to political organizing.
They’re biking, dancing and going out for
coffee.
Want to know more about local events for
LGBTQ teens and their friends? Call 684-
3466. Or for general information and support,
visit
Outproud!
(www.outproud.org)
or Advocates for Youth (www.youthre-
source.com).
And teens who’d like to talk to someone
right now can do that 24/7. Call the national
toll-free hotline for GLBTQ youth at (800)
850-8078; White Bird at 687-4000;
or Looking Glass Station 7 at 689-3111.
Laura Philips, MSW
GLBTQ Youth Group
The Shedd - Tickets 434-7000 - www.theshedd.org
The Shedd Institute
Oregon Festival of American Music 2007
Rodgers & Hart’s 1937
Oregon Festival of American Music 2007
Richard Rodgers
The Sweetest Sounds
August 4, 9 & 11
Hult Center’s Silva Concert Hall
Tickets: 541-682-5000
The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts
August 1 - 11
Eugene, Oregon
Oregon Festival of American Music 2007
Registrar: 687-6526
Summer Music Camps ‘07
Guitar Camps
Electric Guitar
& Electric Bass
Jul 9-13. Ages 8-17. $225.
Acoustic Guitar
Jul 16-20. Ages 8-17. $225.
Camps at OFAM 2007
Richard Rodgers
Jazz Academy, Jul 29-Aug 11
Song & Dance Camp, Jul 29-Aug 11
OFAM SongFest, Jul 30-Aug 11
Ages 7-12, 14-19. Tuition: $450
Shedd Institute
Presenting Sponsor
Rodgers &
Hammerstein’s 1949
South Pacifi c
August 3, 5, 8 & 10
Hult Center - Tickets: 541-682-5000
JULY 5, 2007 5