letters
TO THE EDITOR
dependent upon the productive capacities
of technology and organized labor. Such
an event may be close to inevitable,
regardless of how desirable or horrifi c
we regard it. Still, I wish Zerzan would
for once be clear in his letters about
what undoing civilization would entail,
rather than cloaking his anti-civilization
advocacy in terms of concern for human
casualties.
The desire to dial back human history
to some pastoral idyll is likely as old as
civilization itself. The question is how.
Ideological certainties about the evils of
technology, though they contain a critical
portion of truth, do not help answer that
question.
Timothy Shaw
Eugene
HAND JOB IS BETTER
Another case for legalized prostitution
in Eugene:
There is more dignity and public
service in offering a $5 hand job than
being dressed as a national monument and
dancing on 7th Avenue to remind us to get
our taxes done.
The fuck, people ...
Jeff Albertson
Springfi eld
LOCAL RACISM
I fi nd emails, letters and comments of
criticism and support motivating. But I have
to disagree with Fergus Mclean (letters,
3/24) about the Pacifi ca Forum being the
most receptive or effective venue for Cheri
Turpin’s research and my presentation of
the historical experience of people of color
in our town and state. Prominent in the
experience of people of color in this town is
the historical and continued presence of the
Klan and their supporters.
I spoke once at the Pacifi ca Forum not
really expecting a warm reception, hoping
for a fi ght. They were polite and the bad
actors were not in evidence, much to my
disappointed surprise, since we were talking
about the support racism has had historically
in our state and town. I haven’t been back.
Actually the most effective venue was being
on educational television for classes, as
well as Rites of Passage. Ironically, Barry
Sommers is currently on television more
than I am in an instructional venue, and
the controversy around his Islam class has
generated more attention.
Our original intention was to have
this information become part of school
curricula, but that hasn’t happened so much
either. Our kids, our original motivation
for doing this project for the schools, have
all successfully moved on, most of them
away from here, something we heartily
recommend, for everyone. Spend some
time getting comfortable in places where
people of color are in the majority. See
how the majority lives in a different kind
of normal. Where diversity is the reality
and doesn’t have to be “celebrated.”
Mark Harris
Eugene
© Donna Coveney photo
PRESCHOOL CUT
It was recently announced that North
Eugene High School will be eliminating
its Early Childhood Development Program
as part of on going budget cuts. While I
understand that 4J School District is facing
a huge budget shortfall, I feel the decision
to cut this program is a mistake. It is one
of the, if not the only, revenue generating
programs at North Eugene High. I pay
a monthly tuition for my sons to attend
North Eugene’s preschool and would have
no problem with a fee increase to help get
through this economic rough spot.
Over the last three years my experiences
and those of my children in this program
have all been wonderful. It provides a
place for my children to get a head start
on early education where they feel secure
and comfortable. The high school students
in the Early Childhood Development
Program have always been kind, creative
and supportive. My boys are always
excited to get up and go see Teacher Kelly
and their friends at North. Closing this
program after 33 years would be a tragic
loss to our community, from the families
that feel safe to have their preschoolers at
North, to the high schoolers planning on
going into careers working with children.
No one asked if we, the parents,
were willing to pay more, or donate, or
volunteer at the preschool to help save this
great program. Early education programs
are a valuable commodity, can we really
afford to lose one that has been a part of
our community for so long?
Rita Verdugo
Eugene
Noam Chomsky Speaking
World-renowned linguist, philosopher, political theorist
and activist to deliver the Collins Distinguished Lecture,
“Global Hegemony: The Facts, The Images.”
7:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 20, 2011
150 Columbia Hall, 1215 E. 13th Avenue
University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
Free and open to the public
Sponsored by the Department of English at the University of Oregon.
An EOAA institution committed to cultural diversity
uoregon.edu/~engl
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EUGENE WEEKLY APRIL 14, 2011 7