Eugene weekly., January 05, 2012, Page 5, Image 5

letters
New Year’s Resolution…
TO THE EDITOR
Learn another language!
For 15 years the UO’s
Yamada Language Center
has offered instruction in
the world’s emerging languages
to adults in the local community.
Winter term course offerings
(LT 199) include:
Colloquial Arabic, Bamana,
Dutch, Hindi, Indonesian,
Lushootseed, Modern Greek,
Persian, Portuguese, Swahili,
Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese
and Wolof.
Interested?
Orientation is Jan. 12, 5:30-7:00.
Credit or non-credit options.
2 hours per week, 9 weeks, $125.
Yamada Language Center
Pacific 121, 346-4319 or:
http://babel.uoregon.edu
before picking up their belongings and
carrying them around like a turtle. The
other need is the opportunity to participate,
which fosters self-worth. A unique aspect of
the encampment is that it was co-created.
Everyone there had the opportunity to
participate in making decisions and in their
implementation. They had an opportunity
to be heard and to be useful. They were
creating a sense of community.
I, for one, will miss the colorful tents
and tarps of the encampment. They were
hardly an eyesore; rather, they caught
one’s attention and were a reminder that
there are many today who have no roof
over their heads. I recommend that the
police, the city and its better-off citizens
all go back and read to the end the stories
of the Grinch and of Scrooge and take to
heart the lessons learned therein.
Patricia Diehl
Eugene
NOT ANOTHER BUSH
I am writing this in response to the Slant
item (12/22) about the 2012 presidential
race. The part that was so infuriating: “If
you’re one of those independent voters
who doesn’t yet have a favorite candidate
in the 2012 presidential race, try these
names. Jeb Bush is surfacing again ...”
After all that was done under the reign
of George W. Bush and his father (not even
going to mention Prescott here), the author
of this piece has the audacity to throw Jeb
Bush’s name at the fi ne citizens of Eugene.
I don’t know what is more of a travesty,
seeing the infl uencing words of EW
endorsing a Bush family member who isn’t
even running or completely ignoring Ron
Paul as a choice in the GOP.
Not a single mention of the fi ne
congressman who is surging in the
polls and is currently polling at #1 for
the upcoming Iowa caucuses. The top
contender, front runner and role model to
many freedom-loving Americans has seen
a major media blackout and it saddens me
to see the infl uence here in my hometown.
I feel as though we the people of
Eugene have been paid a huge disservice
by one of our cherished news sources. I
put into question the motives behind the
publication. Please show us you have the
peoples’ best interest at heart and make it
up to us somehow.
t0mmy Newton
Eugene
EDITOR’S NOTE: We didn’t endorse Jeb Bush, just wrote
about his rise in stature among Republicans frustrated by
the current lineup, including Ron Paul.
PAINFUL TRUTH
Like many Americans I am disgusted
with the ineptitude of our Congress,
corporate greed and shady bank deals that
have helped push our country to the very
brink and for the most part send us into
our generation’s more toned down version
of the Great Depression. I was heartened
initially when the Occupy movement
started and was glad to see there was some
piss and vinegar in the younger generation
(as well as some old timers)
I think many people are yearning for a
focus for their anger and disappointment
with the direction of American politics and
social justice. But there are elements to the
Occupy movement that are discrediting
the rest of what could be a powerful and
elevating forward progression.
After reading the Dec. 22 cover story
“Disenfranchised” by Camilla Mortensen,
I catch myself saying “Good God! Lane
County is bursting with social services and
yet still people bitch about it,” or “Why are
taxpayers on the hook for a trashed park
fi lled with angry Occupiers with needles,
fi ghts and general chaos breaking out?” I
have worked with the homeless and I’m very
sympathetic to the crushing blow of losing
one’s job (I lost mine two and a half years
ago). But the world doesn’t owe you jack
squat. So if social services aren’t up to snuff
maybe you should just be thankful there are
any services available at all! Lane County is
one of the better places if you are hard up.
And if you’re really serious about
changing the world, start by elevating your
own movement, focus your statement and
stop acting like spoiled kids.
Patrick Kavaney
Eugene
%
SAVE
20-80
ON END-OF-SEASON STYLES
Friday, Jan 6 thru Monday, Jan 16
Awesome deals on all kinds of shoes
(Sorry, no Birkenstocks in this sale)
STARTS THIS FRIDAY
W FOLLOW
IS THE TIME
FOR
NEW
YOUR
FEET
TO SHOES
BARGAINS
Downtown Eugene
&#SPBEXBZt
'BDFCPPLDPNGPPUXJTFFVHFOF
.PO4BU4VO
Downtown Corvallis
48.BEJTPOt
'BDFCPPLDPNGPPUXJTFDPSWBMMJT
.PO4BU4VO
TARGETING THE RICH
Hurrah for the Occupy Eugene
protesters who carried their fi ght to the
home of City Councilor George Poling
Christmas night. Taking the fi ght directly
to the people who are part of the problem
is, in my view, an excellent strategy. These
WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
EUGENE WEEKLY JANUARY 5, 2012
5