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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 17, 2011)
letters TO THE EDITOR been well aware of the emotional and fi nancial burdens that transitioning from female to male would bring. If you took half the effort you put into waving your “I’m trans” fl ag, and applied it towards whittling down those six Gs needed for your surgery, you’ll probably get there quicker than you think. The road is long, but you’ll get there. Scott Wilson Creswell MAKE A SIGN For the many people who agree with the Occupy Movement, but can’t stay in the park, I have a simple suggestion: Take a piece of paper and a marker and write “99%” on the paper and then put it in the window of your house, in your car, at work. Show people that this movement is not just the folks in a park, but the vast majority of Americans who are fed up with taking a back seat to the 1 percent and the corporations. Walker T. Ryan Eugene FOOTBALL ONLY In response to the published letter last week (11/10) that called me a “basher,” I think the title is fair, and I welcome it when used in the right context. In this case, the context should be football, not college sports as the writer stated. Criticisms of UO football are valid, and should continue, whatever the source. Thank you for occasionally publishing mine. The public needs to be reminded. George Beres Eugene Eugene’s World Class Neighborhood Grocery Store 25'(5<285785.(<12: &DOODQGDVNIRU our Meat Department to place your UHVHUYDWLRQIRUDIUHVKYHJHWDULDQIHG UDQJHJURZQ'LHVWHO7KDQNVJLYLQJWXUNH\ KIDS ARE PEOPLE, TOO The second top pick for places to eat with children is to leave your kids at home (Best of Eugene, 11/3), as if children don’t deserve to be seen or heard. Are they disruptions to society or a charming component of it? Before becoming a parent I didn’t realize how often the rights of children are silenced. It really is astounding how many people feel children should be perfectly trained and groomed instead of allowed to enjoy their childhood with enthusiastic imperfection. I was in a local neighborhood restaurant and as my 18-month-old did something new, she screeched with joy. While hubby was respectfully explaining quietness to our daughter our meal was interrupted by a stranger barking frustration at us. Have we become so egocentric that we feel children should act as we want or stay home? Can we not embrace their newness in life, respect they have different needs, remember we were once children ourselves? Children are people, too, and they have a right to explore the world outside the confi nes of their home, even if it disturbs you. If you cannot share space with children compassionately then maybe you are the one who should stay home. Natasha Joseph Springfi eld THE REAL GORILLA Kathleen Shelley’s idea (letters, 11/3) to occupy the Legislature will not solve McKenzie school’s problems. Even if a person managed to get elected to offi ce it would take years if not decades to manipulate our starched system enough to direct money to a small rural school like McKenzie. The real gorilla in the room is the superintendent. Sally Storm has steamrolled over the staff and parents so effectively and often she is crushing the life out of the school. It is time to get rid of the gorilla and replace her with someone who treats everyone else like actual human beings. Sylvia Dion Vida UNHAPPY PEDESTRIAN I am writing to express my thanks for your Nov. 3 story on how the EmX on West 11th will improve our city sidewalks. I have been an unhappy pedestrian in Eugene for almost 30 years. The sidewalks in this town are a mess and are in desperate need of repair! I am constantly walking around with my head down trying to avoid the giant cracks and upheavals so as not to trip! I can only imagine how diffi cult getting around town in a wheelchair must be, or trying to push a baby’s stroller about. I was glad to see that someone is discussing the other benefi ts of the EmX for Eugene, other than the route expansions and speedy trips for us bus riders. Perhaps traffi c interruption will piss off people enough to get them to leave their cars at home and hop on the bus! Amy MacMillan Eugene 7+$1.6*,9,1*6,'(',6+(6 2XUGHOLLVRIIHULQJGHOLFLRXVFRPSOHPHQWVIRU\RXUKROLGD\PHDOLQFOXGLQJ 6WXIIHG'HOLFDWD6TXDVK0DVKHG3RWDWRHV&DQGLHG6ZHHW3RWDWRHV*UHHQ %HDQV &KDQWHUHOOHV&RUQEUHDG &KHVWQXW6WXIILQJ6RXUGRXJK 6DXVDJH 6WXIILQJ&UDQEHUU\&KXWQH\0XVKURRP*UDY\DQG3RXOWU\*UDY\ ORDER FORMS $5( $9$,/ $%/( $7 7+( '(/, 7 8 5 . ( < 6 $9$ , / $ % / ( 6 7$ 5 7 , 1 * 1 2 9 6,'(',6+(6$9$,/ $%/(67$57,1*129 :(·//%(23(1$03021:('1(6'$< 7+$1.6*,9,1*+2856$030 :LOODPHWWH6WUHHW 2SHQ'DLO\DPSPFDSHOODPDUNHWFRP 6 NOVEMBER 17, 2011 EUGENE WEEKLY WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
