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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 13, 2007)
WAR DEAD ANTI-WAR ACTIVITIES GROWING Hundreds of antiwar organizations are planning to send people from all over the na- tion to Washington, D.C., for a massive anti- war protest on Saturday, Sept. 15, timed to coincide with this week’s report by Gen. David Petraeus about progress of the Iraq oc- cupation. The Sept. 15 demonstration was initiated by the ANSWER Coalition, which has organized most of the large-scale demon- strations in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles and other cities since 2002. Locally, peace activists were at the Farmer’s Market in Eugene Sept. 11 talking to people on the streets about the Petraeus re- port. “In spite of the appalling conditions that most Iraqis now find themselves living in, Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker are trying to convince Congress that the situation is improving,” says Michael Carrigan of CALC. “We hope that Congress will see through their claims. The war has cost more than 3,700 American lives and $480 billion so far, with no end in sight. That is $480 bil- lion we should spend here at home to rebuild Oregon roads and bridges, and improve edu- cation and health care for all Oregonians,” he adds. “All the recent polls indicate that the peo- ple of this country have turned decisively against the war,” says Brian Becker, national coordinator of ANSWER, in a press release. “We are borrowing a page from the Vietnam era in building an intense nationwide grass- roots campaign that will compel an end to the criminal invasion and occupation of Iraq.” PEACE IS MISSING S in c e t h e U . S. i n va si o n b eg an on M ar ch 2 0 , 2 00 3 (last week’s numbers in parentheses): • 3,771 U.S. troops killed* (3,739) • 27,767 U.S. troops injured* (27,279) • 122 U.S. military suicides* (118) • 1,297 Coalition troops killed* (1,297) • 417 contractors killed** (417) • 78,081 Iraqi civilians killed*** (77,566) • $450.4 billion cost of war ($448.4 billion) • $128.1 million cost to Eugene taxpayers ($127.5 million) * through Aug. 13, 2007; source: icasualties.org; some figures only updated monthly ** estimate; source: icasualties.org *** highest estimate; source: iraqbodycount.org; based on confirmed media reports; other groups calculate civilian deaths as high as 655,000 to one million part of our neighborhood and a welcoming sight as they drive to their homes at night.” Sandow says the sign was not vandalized. “It appeared to be carefully removed out of the tree and the ropes that held it in place had clematis and climbing roses carefully un- wound from them.” The family is asking that the sign be re- turned, or “please do us and our community a favor: Display it, plug it in and hang it high.” CORRECTIONS/ CLARIFICATIONS Our Sept. 6 story on Senate candidate Steve Novick said it didn’t appear state Speaker of the House Jeff Merkley has a Facebook or MySpace page. Merkley’s Senate campaign would like to clarify that Merkley has a “huge” Facebook presence. An illuminated 5-foot peace sign is missing from high in a madrone tree near Maurie Jacobs Park where it has been displayed for the past dozen years. The sign disappeared from 123 Fir Lane one night in August and has not been returned. “Our children and now our grand- children grew up with it as part of what we believe in, in our lives and for the world,” says Anastasia Sandow. “Our neighbors welcomed this symbol as HOW LOCAL CAN YOU GO? Helios Resource Network is organizing a Local Foods Community Potluck & Corn Boil to be held from 4 to 7 pm Sunday, Sept. 16, at Alton Baker Park Shelter #2. This event follows “Eat Here Now” and is the second local food networking event highlighting local food issues. Cary Thompson of Helios says the “Eat Here Again” event will be a potluck featuring dishes prepared with local foods. All dishes should include an ingredients list with what is local/organic. People are encouraged to bring copies of the recipe for their dish. To supplement the potluck, Helios has procured a donation of at least 150 ears of local or- ganic sweet corn from Groundwork Organics. “As with ‘Eat Here Now,’ we hope for large participation from the general public,” says Thompson. “The focus will be on community networking regarding local food issues.” Sponsors also include Willamette Farm and Food Coalition, EWEB’s Healthy Farms Program, FOOD for Lane County, School Garden Project of Lane County, Eugene Permaculture Guild and Lost Valley Education Center. For more information, call 284-7020 or visit heliosnetwork.org. • Excellent Eugene Mike Clark Celebration and Parade last weekend. The theme this year was “Lighten Up,” a tricky mindset for the grumpy among us who feel a more appropriate response to our times is wide- spread outrage and political revolution. On the other hand, it’s refreshing to take a break from the barricades. We had a grand time in the parade dressed up like The Blues Brothers, making music as “The News Brothers and Sisters.” Thanks for the cheers along the parade route. The R-G was grumbling again this year about how the Eugene Celebration Parade was too liberal. Funny, with the corporate sponsorship and domination by downtown business interests, we were thinking just the opposite. This year needed more left-wing political hanky-panky. Not that we wouldn’t welcome more conservative color. We loved the bloody Christ dragging the cross a few years back. Just nothing boring. Leave the SUV rally for the mall parking lot. Keep it weird! Speaking of the parade, Eugene Councilor Mike Clark promised us a sur- prise on parade day, and we got it, sort of. We’ve been complaining editorially about the conservative Clark not living up to his campaign promise to surprise us with his votes. We’re still waiting for him to break ranks with the pro-sprawl, anti-environment special interests in town. His surprise on parade day? Clark donned a heavy, long-sleeved Eugene Weekly sweatshirt for the parade. Must have felt a bit like a sheepskin. Look for more parade photos this week at eugeneweekly.com. • We usually wait until ballots are in the mail to pen our endorsements for upcoming elections, but the arguments in favor of Measure 49 are com- pelling, and we can think of no good reasons to delay. We’ll write more about it later; meanwhile, it’s time for people who care about land-use planning in Oregon to get busy and help get this measure passed. Should we toss out Measure 37 instead of merely limiting it with Measure 49? That would be ideal, but the clock is running on thousands of Measure 37 claims that will be disas- trous if allowed to continue to the bulldozer stage. Polling indicates voters are not ready to abolish 37, but they are open to fixing it. Measure 49 is a painful compromise, but it’s also a timely step in the right direction and deserves our votes in November. Check out yeson49.com to get involved. • Former Eugenean Sam Adams is the name most mentioned to go for the Portland mayor’s mantle now that Tom Potter has announced he’s not going to run again. Currently a city commissioner, Adams gained fame as chief of staff for Mayor Vera Katz. He went to South Eugene High School, started his climb as a volunteer for Peter DeFazio and knows more than anybody else about the guts of the city of Portland. We wish him well. • Rumor of the moment about Eugene’s mayoral race in 2008 is that Pat Farr will challenge Kitty Piercy. City councilor, state legislator and, most recently, executive director of FOOD for Lane County, Farr has high name familiarity. He replaces John Brown, current EWEB board member, as the most mentioned chal- lenger. Probably there will be a dozen different names before the race really takes shape. Interested candidates and contributors should note a recent poll taken by a city consultant showing Piercy with a 60 percent favorable rating. That’s a mighty high level of agreement in this contentious town. • Gen. David Petraeus gave his long-awaited assessment of the Iraq occupation to Congress this week, and it was predictably over-optimistic. After all, Bush and Cheney went through a string of generals before they could find one who sup- ported their obsession with military solutions to political and cultural quagmires. The report Petraeus gave ignored the big picture: the chaos of the civil war in Iraq and the astounding tragedy of death, destruction and displacement suffered by the people of Iraq. Our continued occupation of Iraq will do nothing to allevi- ate this catastrophe, and in fact our presence appears to be making it worse. Eight more Americans soldiers died the day Petraeus addressed Congress talk- ing about how much progress is being made. As Peter DeFazio said this week, “There is no reason to prolong the U.S. involvement in Iraq if we want a stable country.” • One of our favorites from last year, the Peace Train was back in the Eugene Celebration Parade this year, looking a bit sturdier than last year. Peace, in all its forms, requires maintenance. We hear the Peace Train cars are safely tucked away in a barn, but the big engine still needs dry storage until next year. It’s about the size of a pickup truck. Got a space? Contact Betsy at 344-9343 or email nfp@efn.org SEPTEMBER 13, 2007 11
