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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (April 7, 2011)
letters TO THE EDITOR A CHALLENGE In response to the comments of Don MacQueen, made on 3/24. He asks if the writers of previous commentary “understood that they were attacking the basic economic system of our country?” Then asks us to give serious thought to the idea of abandoning capitalism, maintaining that a change could bring dire consequences such as “the drastic curtailing of present economic motivations” and “the instituting of severe population curbs.” I challenge Don MacQueen to watch the Oscar-winning documentary, An Inside Job, and then ask yourself whether unregulated capitalism is still the best economic system of choice. As the fi lm shows us, once again, this new generation of “robber barons” have demonstrated that unregulated “laize faire” capitalism gives license to unbridled greed. Greed on such a scale that our fi nancial institutions have made our brand of capitalism responsible for a global economic crash so devastating that millions of people world wide have lost their hold on any chance of escaping poverty. So much for supporting the “present economic motivations.” Here in this country, the middle class complain about high taxes while billions of the government bailout money was paid out in bonuses these rich cats who systematically defrauded investors and borrowers alike. The rest of us, including our children’s generation, have been left holding the bag while they sail away with their booty like the pirates they are. The only problem is, they haven’t sailed away. They are still here, running our government, corrupting everything any of us hold dear about our democracy, trying to convince us all with the latest market numbers, to be greedy (or just desperate) enough to get back into their rigged game. Perhaps you would dismiss Shannon Wilson’s comments (same issue) as a Utopian dream, but he is right, other countries around the world have been experimenting with hybrid forms of socialist/capitalist economies with growing success; a diffi cult thing to do when the global economy keeps trying to suck you in to the “Help the fi lthy rich get richer” game. Meanwhile, the ever-growing chasm between rich and poor worldwide is sparking revolutions all over the Arab world, leading to the kind of instability that has us engaging our military to oust a brutal dictator that would rather slaughter the people of Libya than give them a chance to make better lives for themselves. You maintain that “economic systems tend to come in packages,” but do they have to? Personally, I think we human beings can learn to think outside the package. M. Gabrielle Legault Eugene 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. E-mail to letters@ eugeneweekly.com fax to 484-4044, or mail to 1251 Lincoln, Eugene 97401. The Lane Peace Center Presents... Pioneer Quilters Present Water For Life rom privatiza s f tio ce n. r ou A Flowering of Quilts Honoring our member Martha Allwander M R tect our w Pro ate r s Featuring: Winnemen Wintu Chief Callen Sisk-Franco s t. igh Lane Community College Longhouse a fundraising event r is a H Wate um an April 15th, 2011 All li fe is d. re ac Not For Profit One. re e a W The 35th Annual Unbroken Thread Quilt Show April 9 - 17, 2011 A 10:00 - 11:30am - ‘Water and Indigenous Rights 1:00 - 2:30 PM – ‘Water Justice: Local and Regional’ 6:00 - 9:30 PM - ‘Water for Life, Not for Profit’ Hours Admission Tuesday - Saturday 10-4 Sunday 12-4 Closed Monday April 11 Adults $5 Children $4 Weekly Pass $10 Members Free Presenters: Tie Dye and Tofu will be clos ed April 6-17. Caleen Sisk-Franco: Winnemem Wintu Chief, ‘Return of the Sacred Salmon’ Mark Franco: Winnemem Headman, ‘The Shasta Dam: Where is Justice for the This exhibit runs 17 through September 2011 Winnemem Wintu’ Agnes Baker Pilgrim: International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmoth- ers, on ‘The Sacredness of Water’ At the fairgrounds 740 W. 13th Avenue, Eugene Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm. Debbie Davis: On ‘Water Privatization and Social Justice’ Teresa Huntsinger: On ‘Water and Justice in Oregon’ Mayor Kitty Piercy: ‘Water Issues in Eugene and Lane County’ Janet Essley: Artist, Presents ‘Daughters of the Earth’ Suggested Donation: $10 No one turned away for lack of funds. Students Free For program details visit: www.lanecc.edu/peacecenter WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM www.lanecountyhistoricalsociety.org EUGENE WEEKLY APRIL 7, 2011 7
