like a fungus; however, that would
be cause for concern! I did see a rock
that looked like a penis though. Mental
note to self — in the event of needing a
personal ego boost, complain like crazy
and have that rock torn DOWN! Penis
rock must be stopped!
Oh, save the children! I say again,
really? Perhaps I’m just simple minded
because I still don’t understand all of the
hooplah. Legal cleavage and blue food
coloring are worth bitching about, say
the Mcgrumpy pants out there, but my
daughter can’t legally marry her longtime
girlfriend? Ah, what a world.
JeanMarie Indell
Eugene
CIVIC ASSET
letters
TO THE EDITOR
BENEFITS ARE NOT FREE
I am just one living example of Robert
A. Olsen’s Viewpoint (“Union Busting,”
3/17). I am a 55-year-old former public
employee from another state. I worked
very hard to earn my lower middle class
hourly wages and “benefi ts.”
While a public employee, I also put
myself through university on my own time
and at my own expense. In addition, I was
an unpaid volunteer (working neither for
money nor college credit) during some
of my off work hours (helping mostly
Hispanics to learn English). I was also
fortunate enough (or so I thought) to
contribute to both local and other charities.
Now, all that is lost. My public employee
pension is at poverty level, as I was forced
to take early retirement. Of course, I have
no health insurance and, sadly, can give
very little to any charities I believe in.
Thank you very much, upper class
corporate America! This country really
Treat Yourself Right:
Shop at Eugene’s World-Class
Neighborhood Grocery Store
makes me laugh when they talk about
spreading “democracy” globally!
Diane Van Orden
Springfi eld
THE SEXY BLUE VIAL
Really? People are still talking about
blue vial vs. boob issue (“It’s a Dildo”
letter, 3/10)? Which one offends the most?
Huh? I dug the issue out of my recycling
and gave it a real stern second look to make
sure I hadn’t missed something I should
be concerned about .... nope nothing.
If anything the blue vial resembled the
bottom half of my electric toothbrush —
eew — and, I would see more cleavage on
any given day walking by the local high
school.
I fi nd it curious that there is always a
percentage of extremely bored individuals
who see obscene words in the clouds and
claim mushrooms look phallic. I for one
have never seen any man parts shaped
I just received word that the 4J School
District has fi nished reviewing RFP’s for
Civic Stadium and surrounding property.
In their infi nite wisdom, they have denied
the only proposal that would ensure the
preservation of Civic as the community
asset for which it was intended. I should
probably mention that the money from
the sale, even by the most generous
estimates, would not even cover one year
of the district’s current budget shortfall.
I would like to take this opportunity to
urge anyone and everyone with a sense of
community and history to honor the spirit
of this historic treasure.
Please get involved and let 4J know
that they have a responsibility to this
community to be good stewards of this
piece of local history and failing that
(which they have), to ensure its transfer of
ownership to an entity that will.
To put things in perspective, what
would the public response be if I were to
propose the razing of the historic Shelton-
McMurphy-Johnson house to build a
Walmart in order to raise tax revenue to
fi ll a few potholes in the city’s streets?
Aaron Waghorn
Eugene
GET INVOLVED
March 8 marked the offi cial kick-off of
the Strong Schools Eugene campaign for a
temporary, local income tax to hold the line
on class sizes and reinstate lost instructional
days in the 4J and Bethel school districts.
More than 100 people showed up in support
of this measure, which is desperately
needed to address economic shortfalls in
educational funding from the state.
Strong Schools Eugene is a grassroots
effort to develop a local strategy for
dealing with the massive ongoing budget
cuts facing our schools. An amazing
number of people have stepped up over
the past few months to ask what they can
do to help. We know that many more have
followed our progress in the media, but
have yet to get involved. If you believe that
our schools are at the tipping point, and
that we can no longer wait for the state to
address the critical needs of our schools,
now is the time to volunteer your skills.
You can endorse the measure, make a
donation, deliver information to voters,
make phone calls, go door-to-door, host
a house party or informational event
at your home or business, provide in-
kind donations (printing, phone banks,
campaign materials, etc.), or share your
passion for our schools and neighborhoods
with a lawn or window sign. Wherever
your talent lies, we have a job for you!
To learn more or to download window
signs and information sheets, or to volunteer
go to www.strongschoolseugene.org
We have the power to make a difference
in Eugene. Volunteer your time and vote
yes on May 17.
Samantha Brauner
Volunteer coordinator
Strong Schools Eugene
HEAL THYSELF
Clarice Smart’s vitriolic and sexually
explicit rant against Mark Harris (letters,
3/3) betrays a confounding lack of foresight.
While professor Harris’ scholarship,
contribution and wit remain unimpeachable,
who will she blame for identifying herself
by name as a therapist to avoid?
She’d have to sue herself for restraint
of trade.
Lori Kasprzak
Eugene
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4 MARCH 24, 2011
EUGENE WEEKLY
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