Eugene weekly., January 21, 2010, Page 8, Image 8

viewpoint
letters
BY LYNNE FESSENDEN
TO THE EDITOR
Progress has been slow because the
how has lagged so far behind the why.
Hammurabi’s “eye for an eye” was, believe
it or not, a breakthrough at the time since
retribution had previously been unlimited.
Jesus’s “turn the other cheek” was another
hint, but his implementation is marketed
today as spiritual, not interpersonal.
Thoreau, Ghandi and King added another
piece when they suggested that silence is
an improvement over screaming, even if
that’s not yet talking.
Today, Marshall Rosenberg’s Non-
Violent
Communication
offers
a
remarkably
user-friendly
interface
— although NVC meetings are
overwhelmingly female, refl ecting the
widespread belief by both genders that
men are less peaceful than women.
Maybe the next piece is fi guring out
what we’re letting go. It’s thrilling to be a
warrior, even if lazy. Compassion for the
downtrodden is easy; doing the same with
our enemies remains almost impossible.
And the warrior spirit is everywhere.
If you hear a friend or a hero talk of
“empowering” anyone or “working for
social justice,” you should cringe. And
then gently enlighten them.
When someone like O’Brien’s father
fi gures out that vengeance against
Germany in 1919 was part of the problem,
we see how far we’ve come. When
Obama gets the Nobel Peace Prize while
supporting vengeance against Germany in
1939 we see how far we’ve yet to go.
Thanks for the nudge.
Steve Downey
Eugene
One Pound at a Time
How to buy and support locally grown food
orty-three thousand pounds of
produce would fi ll a tractor trailer
truck to the brim. That volume of
fruits and vegetables was purchased
by Lane County institutions from
Lane County farms in 2009.
Considering that the UO might
consume that much produce in
a week puts this quantity into
perspective. But as the start of an
upward trend, it is encouraging.
In March of 2009, food service
directors from the UO, LCC, and
Bethel and Eugene 4J School Districts
committed to buying locally grown products
when they were able. That means when the
triumvirate of price, availability, and convenience of delivery aligned.
Price remains the major barrier to purchasing locally grown food. Let’s
face it, a carrot grown on a small organic farm will never be as cheap as one
from an industrial farm (organic or not) in California or Mexico. Although
there will come a time in the future when increased fuel costs bring the price
of those carrots closer, it is hard to shop now based on a future reality.
While some of us have committed to paying more for our food out of
principle and health and in solidarity with our farmers, it is not an option
for all, our institutions included. However, the institutional food buyers
taking the lead in the past year forged new connections with farmers and
distributors and found ways to include more Lane County grown produce in
their offerings.
Can we step up to the challenge? Can we pick one item, beloved to our
households, and buy it from a local source? Can we commit to sourcing
local a day or two a month, on all family birthdays or as a percentage of our
grocery budget? Can we commit to dining out at restaurants that showcase
local foods?
We encourage the city and county to also consider making this kind of
commitment. They could mandate that any purchases of food in the usual
course of business (subject to availability) be locally produced food. Or, they
could start small and commit to sourcing local for one event a year.
It is important to note that if all of our institutions wanted to source
their food locally tomorrow, Lane County farms could not provide it. The
supply and demand of our local food system need to be grown gradually and
deliberately, one pound at a time, toward a food secure future.
If you are a restaurant chef or a food buyer for a business or institution,
interested in purchasing from local growers and processors, don’t miss the
networking opportunity of the fourth annual Local Food Connection on
Monday, Feb. 1. The event, which links farmers, fi shers and food buyers will
be held at LCC’s Center for Meeting and Learning from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.
Read more and register on-line at cascadepacifi c.org or call Kelly at (541)
341-4663, ext. 217. The Local Food Connection is hosted by Cascade Pacifi c
RC &D and is sponsored by EWEB, Oregon Tilth and LCC.
F
THIEVES ARE US
Regarding “Scrooges Among Us” from
Peter Holden (letters, 12/31): Responding
to theft by putting up surveillance in a
parking lot is a waste! These “Scrooges”
are people who are worse off than you! The
guys you saw at the parking lot — they are
part of our community.
If you don’t like what happens up there
at 50th and Donald, stay away, or leave
your car empty and unlocked. Locked car
= something, duh! Unlocked car = nothing
of worth or value to a thief! If you are
breaking into my car for something, you
must be worse off than me in many ways:
sick with addiction, alcoholism and likely
homeless.
Cameras in the Spencer Butte Trail
Lynne Fessenden is the executive director of the Willamette Farm and Food Coalition, a community nonprofit
promoting the purchase of locally grown and produced foods to keep our small farms viable and to strengthen
our local economy. See www.lanefood.org
parking lot will benefi t nobody, just put
more people in an overcrowded jail and cost
taxpayers money! Change your behavior
and think about the less fortunate for once.
Jonathan Guske
Eugene
WE WANT HIGHER TAXES
Actions speak louder than words. We
talk peace and charge off to war on any
pretext. We talk small government and
don’t vote or even put forth candidates to
curtail those who expand regulations. We
talk opposing taxes then add new ones with
nearly every election. Actions demonstrate
we love war, big government, and
transferring wealth to our rulers. We love
complaining and avoid getting involved.
The results published by Lane County
for the elections from March 11, March
1997, to Nov. 3 2009 were tabulated
(email bernhardt@oregonfast.net for the
spreadsheet). Recall and primary results
were excluded.
Computations show 71 percent of
those eligible to vote are registered, but the
simple average turnout is 48 percent. Only
a third of our adults, or 99,840 of 353,460
(28 percent) population, are choosing who
will rule over the rest of us.
Of 1,956 elected positions: For 178
(9 percent), no candidate bothered to fi le,
1,261 (65 percent) had only one, leaving
only 517 (26 percent) where the vote meant
anything. So a third of the adults decided
a quarter of who would rule all our lives.
Winston Churchill said, “The world is
ruled by those who show up.”
Of 153 measures to increase or sustain
taxes, 98 (64 percent) were approved by
the voting third. Measures 66 and 67 will
probably be approved. We talk no to sales
tax, will approve 67 with its gross receipt
(sales) tax and ignore that customers, not
the corporations, pay the taxes.
Perhaps one reason we love taxes is
because it’s like war except the expanding
transfer of wealth from others is from
within.
Keith Stanton
Florence
LETTERS POLICY: We welcome letters on all topics
and will print as many as space allows, with priority
given to timely local issues. Please limit length to 200
words, keep submissions to once a month, and include
your address and phone number for our files. Email to
letters@eugeneweekly.com fax to 484-4044, or mail to
1251 Lincoln, Eugene 97401.
Discover
Classes of 12-15 students
Individualized InstrucƟon
Drinking
Gourd
Open House
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Thursday, February 4
Drop in 6-8pm Meet teachers and parents
689-5255 • dgschool.org
2809 Shirley St., Eugene
(off River Road and Irving)
C A R I N G , F R I E N D LY K I D C U LT U R E
PEACE EDUCATION • ANTIͳBIAS AT TITUDES
• G LO BA L AWA R E N ES S • P ROJ EC T ͳ C E N T E R E D C U R R I C U LU M •
Come Rediscover Downtown Eugene’s
Favorite Dinner Spot
898 Pearl Street, Eugene
(541) 684-4000
www.zenoncafe.com
• S PA N I S H • M U S I C • D R A M A • T EC H N O LO GY • A DV. P L AC E M E N T •
8 JANUARY 21, 2010 EUGENE WEEKLY
WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM