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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 2012)
letters January 13 - February 4 previews January 11 & 12 Directed by Fred Gorelick Tom Stoppard’s witty and uplifting comic exploration of marriage, fidelity and integrity. Don’t miss Storm Kennedy, Dan Pegoda and a stellar cast in this Tony Award winning play. Thanks to our sponsors: Get Your Tickets Early... Call 541-465-1506 or at lordleebrick.org Winter Theatre Classes Registering Now Acting & Playwriting for Kids & Adults Call 541.684.6988 to register On new S. Willamette Street… Will Bicycles Be Welcome? Willamette St. draft design concept skips bike lanes. Ê7>iÌÌiÊ-Ì°ÊÀi`iÃ}ÊvÀÊÓ{Ì ÊÛi°ÊÌÊÓÌ ÊÛi°ÊÃÊÕ`iÀÜ>ÞÊ >`ÊÛ}ÊÊ>Ê`ÃÌÕÀL}Ê`ÀiVÌ°Ê-Ì>ÌiÊvÊ"Ài}Ê>`Ê Õ}iiÊ ÌÀ>ëÀÌ>ÌÊ«>ÃÊV>ÊvÀÊÃÕLÃÌ>Ì>ÊVÀi>ÃiÃÊÊÌ iÊÕÃiÊvÊ ÌÀâi`ÊÛi ViÃ]ÊÞiÌÊÌ iÊVÕÀÀiÌÊ7>iÌÌiÊ-Ì°Ê`À>vÌÊ`iÃ}Ê «>ÊV>ÃÊvÀÊÌ iÊÃ>iÊ`ÊvÕÀÊ>iÃÊvÊ>ÕÌÊÌÀ>vwVÊÜÌ ÊLVÞViÃÊ ivÌÊÌÊÕÃiÊÃ`iÜ>ÃÊ>`ÊÌ iÊiÝÃÌ}Ê«iÀiÌiÀÊÀÕÌið ÌÊÀÀÛ}Ê ÞÊ iÊÜiÊiÛÃÊ>ÊvÕÌÕÀiÊÜÌ ÊVÛiiÌ]Ê`ÀiVÌÊ LVÞViÊ>VViÃÃʼto’ÊLÕÃiÃÃiÃÊ>}Ê7>iÌÌiÊ-Ì°Ê>`ÊÜiÊLiiÛiÊ ÞÕÊÜ>ÌÊÌ >ÌÊ>ðÊ̽ÃÊ«ÀÌ>ÌÊÌÊëi>ÊÕ«ÊÜ°Ê ½ÌÊLiÊ`à ÃÕ>`i`ÊLÞÊÌ>ÊvʼV >}iýÊ>ÌiÀ]Ê̽ÃÊ«iÀ>ÌÛiÊÌ >ÌÊÌ iÊ`iÃ}Ê VVi«ÌÊ«>ÊVÕ`iÊLVÞV}ÊÊ7>iÌÌiÊ-Ì°Ê Ì>VÌ\ÊÊ «>ÌÀV>°Ì >ÃJV°iÕ}ii°À°ÕÃÊUÊÜÜÜ°iÕ}iiÀ°}ÛÉ-7>iÌÌiÊUÊx{£ÈnÓxxÈ£Ê Ê Coming soon: bikewillamette.com ÓÇäxÊ7>iÌÌiÊ-ÌÊUÊx{£°{n{°x{£ä 7/ Ê££qÇ]Ê->ÌÊ£äqÈ]Ê-ÕÊ£Óqx UÊ Õ}iiÉ-«À}wi`ÊEÊ>iÊ °ÊLiÊ>«ÃÊUÊ 6 JANUARY 5, 2012 EUGENE WEEKLY TO THE EDITOR tactics ought to be expanded to include others who are part of the problem. There are people living among us who make obscene amounts of money while others are homeless or living in poverty. Chip Kelly is a name that comes to mind as one of the obscenely rich (about $300,000 a month). Protesting in front of the homes and at the workplaces of the wealthiest among us is an idea whose time has come. Make their names public, along with how much they earn. See where the public outcry would fall then. Nobody should be homeless and starving while the few among us are getting obscenely richer and richer. Allan Grossman Springfi eld ‘ALTERNATIVE’ FACTS As expected, Nancy Willard (letters, 12/8) has begun her yearly rant about “4Js two-tiered system of inequitable schools.” Willard expresses her displeasure with our school district policies regarding choice. As a veteran teacher in my 30th year in 4J, the last 17 at Corridor Elementary, I do know a little bit about that school. I take issue with her comments about Corridor. Willard tends to lump all alternative schools together when discussing inequality. I will not disparage any particular school, alternative or neighborhood, because I know that all schools work very hard to educate the students we serve. However, I would like to clear up some misconceptions about Corridor that I believe her letter presents. It is not the information or statistics that she quotes that I am concerned with. I am certain she has access to district information. It is the facts and trends that she omits that I take issue with. Corridor has a continually changing demographic. While we do not have as high a percentage of “disadvantaged racial minorities” as some other schools, we do have a signifi cant number of economically disadvantaged families. In fact, Corridor this year qualifi ed for Title 1 federal assistance because our school ended last year with more than 40 percent of our families qualifying for free or reduced lunch. In addition, Corridor hosts a Comprehensive Learning Center for special needs children. Willard further states that “all of the alternative schools have far fewer students than the board has determined is the minimum size for an elementary school.” This is a grossly misleading statement. Corridor has been stymied for most of its existence by a district-imposed cap on total enrollment. Corridor has very little room to grow. We share the Silver Lea building with another alternative school, Yujin Gakuen, as the only example of co-located alternative schools. Our facilities are stressed to the maximum by two demonstrably different programs vying for space and time. Still, we work collaboratively to limit problems. As an elementary building Silver Lea is the largest in the district with 539 students. One can only hope that number exceeds the district minimum. In the future, Willard would do well to research “the facts” a little more deeply before lumping all alternative schools together. Thomas B. Hayward Eugene DOMESTIC REFUGEES The homeless people in our midst are a painful, visible symptom of unbridled capitalism — in effect, capitalism run amok. I propose that we be honest with ourselves and call homeless people what in truth they are: our domestic refugees. Like the Japanese people who were washed from their homes by the March 11, 2011 tsunami, our domestic refugees have been squeezed out of a competitive economic system where equal opportunity, honesty, fairness and humane-ness have eroded away. As a society, we help victims of natural disasters or of tyrannical regimes in other lands. What will we do with our own unfortunate ones? And with the disaster that is this broken economic system? Julie Rogers Eugene COVER FOR CUTS I received a letter recently from the Oregon Health Authority saying my Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) benefi ts will be reduced. This is nothing personal; I’m sure all OHP recipients got the letter. Apparently the state’s “transformation” of OHP is really a cover for cuts. I won’t be voting for any incumbents in 2012. Democrats are as worthless as Republicans. The purpose of government is to provide services. If it doesn’t provide them, there is no reason for us to support it. Lynn Porter Eugene SYSTEMIC INJUSTICE It appears that Eugene’s government, whether it be law enforcement or city councilors, are above the law of this land, our state Constitution as well as the U.S. Constitution. These employees paid from our tax dollars are lawless and don’t even abide by their own laws and rules. As for the homeless, I believe that the leaders would wish that they would just go away, but in this economy today we know that isn’t going to happen. And the justice system here in Eugene turns a remarkable number of citizens into a homeless life, with unjust convictions and systemic injustice, which is rife in our society and economy. This is not what Jesus would want. He tells us what we must do for those poorest of the poor: house them, give them food, drink and clothing. Don’t let them get sick or jailed without offering your help (Matthew 25). Our wealthy government used to guarantee this. What have we become? And let’s not forget, leaders of Eugene and afar: One day we are all going to meet our maker and have to give an account for our actions. Peace be with you. Maria Jenkins 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. Email to letters@ eugeneweekly.com fax to 484-4044, or mail to 1251 Lincoln, Eugene 97401. WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
