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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (June 2, 2011)
slant • On Memorial Day we remembered those who died for us in Iraq for, for ... what exactly did they die for? For Bush’s reelection? For Dick and Rummy’s delusions of weapons of mass destruction? Because Saddam dissed Shrub’s dad? To replace a dictator with corruption, election fraud and civil war? WTF? Why has America put up with this for almost a decade? The reasoning goes something like this: If we admit the war was wrong, then we are disrespecting those who died by admitting they died for nothing. Then more and more young people have to die to keep the never-ending denial going on and on, coffin after coffin, Memorial Day after Memorial Day. • By far the best Memorial Day message we saw covered most of page A7 of The Register-Guard Monday, May 30. More than 800 local residents signed an ad asking to “stop the wars and challenge corporate greed.” Progressive Responses, a program of Community Alliance of Lane County (CALC), urged us to demand that our elected officials “invest in the future of the planet and its people, not wars and the feeding of greed.” Seems so simple that we should stop glorifying wars, greed and selfishness and start demanding real democratic solutions. If you want to work with CALC, go to calcpeace@efn.org or call 485-1755. • When will the R-G stop mass distributing instructions on how to commit suicide with its hyped, explicit coverage of suicide “kits” made from readily available materials? Speaking of assisted suicide, the state of Oregon is rushing to assist in the suicide of murderer inmate Gary Haugen, who waived his right to appeal his death sentence. • A nod goes to Aaron and Marie Jones of Seneca- Jones Timber and other local forest-oriented enterprises on breeding Preakness winner Shackleford. The Jones’s top-ranked stallion Forestry is the sire of Shackleford. Shackleford came in fourth in the Kentucky Derby and is slated to race in the last race of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, on June 11. Forestry has also sired racers with names like Forest Danger, Understory and Forest Camp (standing at stud in South Korea). Another of Forestry’s offspring, Drosselmeyer, won the Belmont Stakes last year. The Triple Crown is the crown jewel of horse racing with millions of dollars in prize money, and many breeders never breed a horse that makes it to that level. • Looks like former Lane County commissioner Bill Fleenor’s break from politics was short-lived. Lane County Elections is reporting that Fleenor is the winner in the race between three write-in candidates for the Port of Siuslaw commissioner’s seat vacated by Ralph “Bud” Saulsgiver. We’re glad to see Fleenor is not letting political attacks like the case filed by former commissioner Ellie Dumdi and retired Eugene linen company owner Ed Anderson, funded by Seneca timber, discourage him from public service. • There’s supposedly a recession going on, but downtown Eugene is booming as it hasn’t done in decades with three large building projects within two blocks of the heart of the city. It’s great to watch the LCC, Beam and Bennett projects going up. The projects were subsidized with urban renewal tax diversion and the city promising to lease space, but they provide a much needed kick- start to a better downtown. We hope the struggling small businesses downtown can survive long enough to benefit from the increased foot traffic that’s coming. • Why do many people twist religion so dangerously in this age of mass education and enlightenment? Many thousands of Americans were shocked and disappointed when the rapture didn’t sweep them up to heaven May 21. Millions around the world are willing to kill or die based on their own or someone else’s interpretation of “holy” writings. Even some of our readers were highly offended by our reference to “Zombie Jesus,” an irreverent internet phenomenon. Religion can inspire great art and music and otherwise enrich our lives with positive ethics and philosophy, insights into the human condition, and a sense of community. But religion can also foster bigotry and intolerance; and when religion overrides science and logic with magic and folklore, it impedes humanity’s progress. What’s the solution? A little humorous perspective can help, along with not taking literally every religious story and admonition. Thomas Jefferson had a good idea: He took a razor blade to his New Testament and cut out what he called “the nonsense,” leaving only a 46-page “sublime and benevolent code of morals.” SLANT includes short opinion pieces, observations and rumor-chasing notes compiled by the EW staff. Heard any good rumors lately? Contact Ted Taylor at 484- 0519, editor@eugeneweekly.com LANE COUNTY SPRAY SCHEDULE • Greenleaf/Nelson Creek: Nicks Timber Service (503-910-1120) will ground spray 6000 feet of roadsides for the Oregon Department of Forestry with Element (triclopyr ester) starting June 6th (No. 2011-781-00393). • ODOT: Still spraying highways. Call Tony Kilmer at ODOT District 5 (Lane County area) at 744-8080 or call (888) 996-8080 for herbicide application information. • If you have suffered any ill effects from ODOT spraying, please let Forestland Dwellers know. We are encouraging ODOT to mow or manually manage vegetation in lieu of spraying. Compiled by Jan Wroncy, Forestland Dwellers: 342-8332, www.forestlanddwellers.org ACTIVIST ALERT • The Science Factory will offer families its first Farm Food Festival from 11 am to 3 pm Saturday, June 4. The event is geared towards families with children, and will give young visitors to the museum the opportunity to investigate where fruits, vegetables, and dairy products come from. The event is free for Science Factory members and included with exhibit hall admission of $4 for non-members. • The Take Back the Tap (TBTT) campaign by Food and Water Watch, is now being run on the UO campus by the Climate Justice League, and seeks to discontinue the sale, purchase and distribution of bottled water. The group says the UO administration is giving tentative support to the campaign. “President Lariviere has final say over whether or not our policy becomes a reality on this university, so having his support is very exciting,” says Manny Garcia, a campaign coordinator. UO will be the first school in the Oregon University System and in the PAC 12 to implement a campuswide discontinuation by passing this policy. WAR DEAD In Afghanistan • 1,576 U.S. troops killed* (1,564) • 11,541 U.S. troops wounded in action (11,314) • 763 U.S. contractors killed (763) • $418.6 billion cost of war ($403.8 billion) • $119 million cost to Eugene taxpayers ($114.8 million) In Iraq • 4,421 U.S. troops killed (4,421) • 31,931 U.S. troops wounded in action (31,931) • 185 U.S. military suicides (updates NA) • 1,537 U.S. contractors killed (1,537) • 110,421 to 1.2 million civilians killed* (110,061) • $781.3 billion cost of war ($781.3 billion) • $222.1 million cost to Eugene taxpayers ($222.1 million) Through May 30, 2011; sources: icasualties.org; defense.gov, U.S. Dept. of Labor * highest estimate; source: iraqbodycount.org; based on con- firmed media reports; other groups calculate Iraqi civilian deaths as high as 655,000 (Lancet survey, 2006) to 1.2 million (Opinion Research Business survey, 2008) KLCC IN B LOOM G ARDEN T OUR Art of the Garden Sunday, June 27, 2010 9 am to 5 pm • Rain or Shine f£äÊÊ>`Û>ViÊÊUÊÊf£xÊ`>ÞÊvÊÌÕÀ A self-guided tour of 7 splendid gardens in Eugene to benefit KLCC 89.7 FM ÛiÊÕÃVÊUÊ>À`iÊÀÌÊUÊ>ÃÃ>}iÊUÊ ÕÌÞÊ Ì Ã vviiÊEÊ->VÃÊvÀÊ`i>Ü>ÞÊ >iÀÞÊ ÜÜÜ°VV°À}ÊÀÊV>Êx{£°{ÈΰÈäää WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM EUGENE WEEKLY JUNE 2 2011 11
