letters
TO THE EDITOR
ENOUGH, I SAY!
Enough is enough! I, along with
millions of Americans, voted for change
last November, but instead we are getting
more of the same neo-liberal economics,
class warfare on the working people and a
militarist foreign policy with a smile.
The media has begun its positive spin
on the economy with stories of Wall Street
recovery (stock market up 30 percent), large
banks passing “stress tests” with fl ying
colors while at the same time millions of
working Americans are continuing to lose
jobs at an unprecedented rate. Billions of our
tax dollars are fl owing to banking industry,
Wall Street and the Detroit car industry
while average Americans are losing their
homes, jobs, health care benefi ts and hope.
The health care reform is heading away
from the single-payer system into the
direction of a subsidized private insurance
system that will further enrich insurance
companies and the pharmaceutical
industry. And instead of fi nancing this
reform by taxing the wealthy, the Obama
administration is proposing freezing Social
Security benefi ts for the next two years,
taxing health care benefi ts of workers and
requiring higher out-of-pocket Medicare
payments by the elderly.
Those who voted to end the war in Iraq
are instead getting an escalation of the wars
in Afghanistan and Pakistan, continued
occupation of Iraq with fewer troops and
not one military base closing in more than
120 countries.
Now is the time for average Americans
to organize and demand real change that
will benefi t the majority and not the wealthy
and the privileged.
Pete Mandrapa
Eugene
DROLL DEVICES
I read Steve Downey’s letter (5/7)
accusing Sally Sheklow of harboring hate
and perpetuating a stereotype “that being
a lesbian necessarily involves hating men.”
I frankly have no idea what Downey is
talking about. I consider Sally a personal
friend, and she has never been anything but
4 MAY 21, 2009
EUGENE WEEKLY
warm and friendly toward me, and the last
time I checked in the mirror, I was still a
man.
While I do not always agree with her
views, I believe she is a wonderful humorist.
She uses humor to highlight the absurdities
and hypocrisies that are abundant in
political and social life. Frequently, this
involves the use of devices such as irony,
sarcasm, satire and mock displays of
emotions to get the point across. Perhaps
her obvious frustration at these prolifi c
idiocies comes across as anger and hate,
especially to someone who himself might
harbor feelings of anger and hate.
I can think of few better role models for
any human being, not just lesbians, than
someone who dares to hold up a mirror to
society with such humor and compassion. I
say to Sally, “You go, girl … uh, excuse me
… woman!”
Daniel Borson
Eugene
POISONOUS POLICE
I think Ian Van Ornum got a raw deal and
is a hero. Here is a young man exercising
his freedom of speech on a very important
issue, trying to educate the public about
the dangers of spraying poisons in our air
and water. He took time out of his busy
life as a UO student near midterms to be
a responsible citizen. He gets Tasered,
arrested and thrown to the ground with
head injuries because he didn't cower to the
police. Then we have three UO athletes who
are shooting BB guns at perfectly innocent
ducks in a park pond to get kicks, being
stupid and potentially killing wildlife. They
get a slap on the wrist while Van Ornum’s
life is turned upside down.
Where is the justice? The police have
no right to hurt a citizen. They weren't
threatened by Van Ornum. Give me a
break! Their job is to enforce the law, not
give punishment. I am hoping justice is
found when the actions of the police are
reviewed, but based on past incidences,
like the violence done to the tree cutting
protesters by Eugene police years ago at
Broadway and Charnelton, I doubt true
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