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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 19, 2012)
letters TO THE EDITOR SHOELESS AMONG BOOKS Since City Manager Richard Meyer of Cottage Grove ignored my fi rst letter, I now write regarding the Cottage Grove library. I appreciate the library a great deal, but recently witnessed an elderly man threatened with police action and banishment from the library by Director Pete Barrell in a short-tempered and inappropriate manner. The victim, Graham Lawrence, was mistreated for walking barefoot, which he does typically. When Barrell actually threatened him after being asked why the policy exists, there was no warning, no offer to discuss in another setting. I’d been told before that shoes are required and the librarian had said she “did not need to explain the policy.” As public servants, actually they are supposed to have reason for their policies and ought to have no problem explaining them politely. The argument that bare feet are somehow dirty does not hold; they are typically cleaner than shoes. Bacterial growth results from wearing shoes. Other religions view the foot as sacred, and the ground as sacred to be felt beneath one. If they need to post a sign saying that it is a person’s own risk to enter barefoot, let them. There is no liability implicit. I am still waiting for an explanation and believe the silence shows there is no good reason. Moreover, the police force is clearly not needed to deal with a peaceful guy with no shoes! At the very least I want the library director to write Lawrence an apology and respect citizenry in the future. Benjamin Raymond Selker Cottage Grove BUTTS ARE SICKENING I am writing to extend a belated thank you to the author of an EW viewpoint article published a couple months ago (10/13/11) on the problem of a proliferation of cigarette butts littering our local outdoor public spaces. Yesterday I was riding my bicycle along the beautiful and extensive Eugene park pathways along the river. Unfortunately, I couldn’t simply enjoy the sunny afternoon and fresh air when I was assailed by cigarette smoke from some walkers and another bike rider. Why are smokers allowed to continue to contaminate our air and litter our sidewalks and public pathways with their stinky cigarette butts? I sometimes suffer severe migraine headaches because of cigarette smoke. I doubt I am the only one unnecessarily sickened by inconsiderate smokers. Diane Van Orden Springfi eld TAXING FALLS SHORT Wow, it is pretty simple. In the 1950s through the 1970s, when people’s incomes surpassed a certain point, that extra income was taxed upward from 90 percent. Contrast this to current times when the tax on really, really high income is 35 percent. It is pretty ironic that the ’50s, ’60s, and early ’70s — referred to as an economic Golden Age — is when taxes on high earners was much higher than now. Do the political pundits know their history? People from well-to-do families with their physical needs, emotional wellness, and education provided for have a better chance to do well in this world. Our tax system says otherwise. The assumption that we all have a fair shot regardless of circumstances is profoundly untrue. I have been working in human services and it is getting to the point where we cannot do our jobs because the funding is not there. People are dying and people who are in dire need cannot get access to services because the money has been slowly receding over the past 30 years. Thirty years? That sounds familiar. Oh wait, that is the time the Congressional Budget Offi ce found that the income of the top 1 percent has gone up 275 percent. Coincidence? I think not. Any politician, lobbying fi rm or think tank that tries to pretend the troubles in our economy and society are outside of this imbalance are blowing smoke onto the issue. Please keep that in mind in terms of any activism and during the next two election cycles. Kerstin Britz Cottage Grove 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 submis- sions 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 St., Eugene 97401. traveling soon? medical advice for global travelers t he t ravel c linic John D. Wilson, M.D. 1200 Hilyard St., Suite S-560 541/343-6028 www.TravelClinicOregon.com Questions? Email us at travelclinicoregon.343-6028@gmail.com Questions? Email us at travelclinic3436028 @ gmail.com This Now tta See! o You G it’s fresh & fun! explore SHOP 250 GOOD EARTH Café & Music Stage sustainable exhibits homes gardens food 2 go arts recycle living J ANUARY 21-23 20-22 St. Thomas More Newman Center at the UO presents a two-part conference: JUSTICE & THE NW FARMWORKER Thursday, Jan. 26, 7 PM: John R. Morris, Dominican Scholar Catholic Teaching on Social Justice Friday, Jan. 27, 7 PM: Ramon Ramirez, Pres., NW Farmworkers Union Life & Needs of NW Farmworkers Plus Live Music and Personal History by Workers Fairgrounds Eugene FREE Admission 5180334J15 Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Founding of the United Farmworkers by Cesar Chavez FRI 5pm-9pm SAT 10am–8pm SUN 10am–5pm canned food donations FOOD for Lane County HOME, GARDEN & LIVING ® No Charge, Everyone Welcome, 1850 Emerald, Eugene WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM Seminars & Event Details: EugeneHomeShow.com EUGENE WEEKLY JANUARY 19, 2012 5
