letters
TO THE EDITOR
CUTS BOTH WAYS
Betty Taylor’s invocation of Yeats
(Letters, 2/3) is interesting insofar as the line
she quotes suggests, unintentionally, that
Handy and Sorenson lack all conviction.
Within Yeats’ poem, the conditions of best
and worst are relative distinctions arising
within the context of a dysfunctional
society. The poet is not saying it is good to
lack all conviction, but that in the moment
a society becomes critically incoherent, the
best lack all conviction while the worst are
overly full of it.
The point is not that the best are good
and the worst bad, but that both and all
have gone wrong. Understood in this way
the line seems to me quite accurate, both
as a general description of the dynamic
of social dysfunction and as a specifi c
indictment of our times. I get the sense
Taylor intends it as an indirect means of
disparaging Handy and Sorenson’s foes
without realizing the blade cuts both ways.
Timothy Shaw
Eugene
MISLABLED
Dear Kathryn Mason and so many
others: Breasts are not obscene. Sorry.
Megan Hinkel
Eugene
WE DESERVE BETTER
On Feb. 9, the R-G published a story
titled “County meeting limits sought.”
This article described the wall of secrecy
around the fi nancing of the suit against
Commissioners Sorenson and Handy for
violating open meetings law, really, I’m not
kidding. The folks who criticized Sorenson
and Handy for secrecy are being secretive
in who fi nanced their attacks against two of
the most progressive and effective leaders
we have. Clearly the only principle at stake
for them was their desire to destroy political
foes. They’re showing us the principle of
openness is not really important to them.
And recently I heard a city staffer say
they are all looking closely at city policy
and their email habits because “open
meeting and quorum laws suddenly don’t
mean what everyone thought they meant.”
It’s all so disappointing. The idea here is
to work together to bring a shared vision of
our community to life. I want our elected
leaders to work to make this a better place
to live and not be afraid to be creative, to
have conversations, or be afraid of sneak
LOC AL
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attacks by people with a hidden agenda.
All of us deserve better than that.
Tim Mueller
Eugene
CIVIC STADIUM
With all of the discussion of the Civic
Stadium options, no one seems to be
mentioning that not only would the Fred
Meyer/ apartments/ shops proposal get more
immediate cash for the school district, but as
a tax-paying entity, a project valued at $40
million to $50 million, would generate an
additional million dollars each year for the
city, county and school/community college
districts. The other two proposals, from tax-
exempt entities, would not.
Martin Henner
Eugene
TRUMPED-UP CHARGES
I think what the few are doing to Pete
Sorenson is wrong and mean spirited. I
have lived in Eugene for 22 years and know
that Sorenson has served our community
well. With his progressive ideas (since
when was progressive a dirty word
anyway?), he has fought for Eugene, Lane
County and Oregon time and time again
in his work as Lane County commissioner.
The letters in the local papers are
downright nasty and make a villain out of
this civic leader who has done everything to
represent the majority of people in this town.
A few disgruntled people are trying to ruin
his reputation but they won’t succeed; he has
far too many people who are behind him.
Over the years Sorenson has fought
hard to keep Eugene one of the most
progressive and green cities, and this is
the thanks he gets. No wonder people are
not willing to serve on boards as they risk
a few misguided people going after them
in some trumped-up charges. I only hope
that Sorenson knows that there are people
out here that support him and would not
want him to step down, and that we will
continue to vote for him in upcoming
elections.
Diane DeVillers
Eugene
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NOTICE TO FAMILIES
It’ss
school choice time
Visit your neighborhood
hb h d school—and
h l
d more!
It’s school choice time in Eugene School District 4J. Families who live in the e district
may enroll their children in any 4J school, provided there is space availabl
ble.
You can enroll in your neighborhood school at any time. To request enrollment
rollmen in
n
another district school for 2011–12, turn in a school choice request form
m any t time
me
before the deadline for your student’s school level. Placement order is determ
determined
ned
by the annual school choice lottery.
find it
School Visitation Weeks
Monday, Feb. 28–Friday, Mar. 4
Monday, Mar. 14–Friday, Mar. 18
fresh tracks
9a to 3p
mo to fi
4J schools are open for visitors!
Each school offers different activities
and times when parents can visit.
Please phone ahead or visit
www.4j.lane.edu/choice for details.
School Choice
Information Meeting
ngs
4J Education Center, 200 N. Monroe
nroe Stre
Street
Thursday, Feb. 24, 7–8 p.m.
Saturday, Mar. 5, 9–10 a.m.
.m.
Thursday, Mar. 10, 7–8
8 p.m.
p
Learn about the school choice
c
process.
proce
Spanish transla
slation will ll be provided.
More information is available at:
www.4j.lane.edu/choice 541-790-7570
Eugene School District 4J
200 N. Monroe Street, Eugene
WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
School
o Choice
Forms
r Due:
High School:
o March 18 at 5 p.m.
Elementary
y & Middle School:
April 22 at 5 p.m.
EUGENE WEEKLY FEBRUARY 24, 2011 5