letters
TO THE EDITOR
The city’s choice of delaying a vote on
the Social Host Ordinance until summer
when there is less resistance is an example
of laws targeting the student community,
and questions how valuable our voices
truly are. What’s a democracy without
debate? Besides, if you really want to
address underage drinking, and the minor
in possession citations aren’t solving the
problem, then maybe turn to the furnishers
of the alcohol who perpetuate the problem.
The ordinance focuses on house parties,
yet bars, liquor stores and markets are still
profi ting without harassment of police, or
the government reaching into their pockets.
I want local politicians who happen to fi nd
themselves on campus unscheduled. I want a
government that doesn’t just acknowledge
the students’ contributions to a city resistant
to growth, but rewards them. I don’t want a
written response, but discourse frequent and
regular between the groups.
Aidan R. Smith
Eugene
GREENHILL’S CHALLENGE
Now that their proposal to step in
for LCAS has been approved, Greenhill
Humane Society has less than a month to
fi ll some very large shoes. Taking over the
soon to be vacant building is the smallest
part of the transition. LCAS, with the help
of an advisory committee, has worked
very hard to become a progressive animal
shelter that explores every option before
resorting to euthanasia. I can’t say the
same about Greenhill. In the last month
Greenhill has killed animals for very
treatable skin and teeth issues. If animals
are being euthanized now while Greenhill
can turn away less than perfect pets, what
will they do with all the sick and stray
animals that LCAS usually deals with?
How will Greenhill maintain LCAS’s no
kill status and will it really save the city as
much money as everyone thinks?
To ensure that Greenhill maintains ethical
standards an oversight committee needs to be
created. The committee should be made up of
members of the community and should meet
regularly or before an animal is euthanized.
It was announced recently that the Eugene
Police Commission will assume this role.
While this is a move in the right direction,
will the new committee be as informed about
animal welfare as LCAS’s current committee?
Will this overlap of two very different fi elds
become confl icted? Will adding more
responsibilities to the police department lead
to cutting corners later? These are some of the
concerns myself and members of the animal
welfare community have.
Kelly Coulter
Eugene
SHRINKING OLDGROWTH
When most people envision Oregon,
they picture swaths of pristine forest,
salmon swimming up rushing rivers, and
majestic mountains overlooking rustic
logging towns and some of the most livable
cities in the country. At least that’s what I
pictured before I moved out here in 2005.
It’s still a fairly accurate portrayal, but for
how long?
Those pristine forests, some of which
are part of less than 5 percent of U.S.
native forests that have never been cut, are
disappearing at an alarming rate. The Elliot
State Forest, one of the largest remaining
sections of the original temperate rain
forest that once covered the coast from
northern California all the way up through
southern Alaska, has had the allowance for
logging almost doubled this year.
My fi rst child was conceived in that
forest. On a recent family trip down to the
Elliot, we saw a spotted owl, as well as a
small black bear. I can only hope that my
daughter will be able to share experiences
like those with her children, but with all
the clear-cutting and “thinning” operations
going on down there, I’m not sure if they’ll
be anything left for either those beautiful
creatures or ourselves to enjoy.
Benjamin Pinkney
Eugene
NOT SO RELIABLE EWEB
PUNCHING HIPPIES
EWEB’s intransigence in not allowing
divergent views on medical and other wired
or wireless smart meter controversies on its
website is disingenuous.
Emerging
health
issues,
fi res,
explosions, privacy concerns, meter
inaccuracy, hacking, smart grid insecurity
and interference with pacemakers and
other implants, amateur radios and wi-fi
are absent.
If this smart technology is transparent, why
not inform the public about pros and cons?
Staff refused at two May smart meter
sessions controlled by EWEB to ask
two questions submitted: Why not allow
divergent opinions about this controversial
technology on EWEB’s website? This is a
suggestion Families for Safe Meters has
recommended for 10 months.
And why not include recent warnings by
the American Academy of Environmental
Medicine on smart meter hazards?
No member of the public, doctor or
engineer, was on the panel of three “Let’s
Talk Smart Grid” meetings.
A public records attempt to obtain
copies of session evaluations was futile:
EWEB “recycled” the 19 surveys. Per
staff, respondents generally rated sessions
a six on a scale of one to 10.
EWEB’s board needs to be paid like
EPUD — can we afford not to pay a few
thousand dollars to encourage competition
for board seats (two positions were
unopposed in recent election; no woman
will be on the board). A $30 million to
$45 million smart meter decision, almost
rubber stamped, has been postponed,
possibly permanently, by alert citizens.
Put the public in our publicly owned
utility. Go to eweb.org to write to the fi ve
commissioners and general manager. For
information on Families for Safe Meters,
email kathy@kathyging.com or call 342-
8461.
Kathy Ging
Eugene
The extreme polarization in our country
is a blessing in disguise, it shows the battle
taking place in America and all you have
to do is listen to the message of both sides
to see which side you will land on. The
boomer generation who are in their 50s
and 60s must make changes that refl ect
our values. The term “punch the hippy” is
playing out all over the country and even in
our locally The generation of hippies who
chose to brake away from the ways of their
fathers tried to spread peace around the
world. We promoted civil rights, women’s
rights and people of color. We wanted
more environmental controls, organic
foods, alternative energy, and the end to
the Vietnam War.
For many decades many of the hippy
generation lay low, off the radar and
enjoyed their lives quietly. Now is the time
to stand up for our generation and to elect
people with like minds into political offi ce.
Women are still making 77 cents on the
dollar that men make doing the same job.
Feminism is not dead and hippy culture
is alive and well, just look around at the
Saturday Market and the local businesses
that are run by hard-working people.
So listen to the two sides. One side
is driven by fear of change. Do we want
the Tea Party and radical evangelicals to
run this country? The progressives are
inclusive and invite everyone to the table,
the gay community, people of color, the
young, and women. So what is so wrong
with that?
So let’s stop “punching the hippy” and
next time you see witch hunts being done
in our local government demand a loving,
peaceful way for solutions. Is that asking
for so much?
Diane DeVillers
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.
Go E ve
verr ywhere
re in Sty
tyle
2012 Green Neighbors
(Not Just) Bike Tours
The NLCCoS is hosting our 5th annual tours of neighborhood sustainability efforts by bike, foot, or
pooled transport. Please join us to visit neighborhood examples of grass-to-garden, permaculture,
green energy, rainwater collection, beekeeping, chicken-keeping, ‘hood initiatives and more!
Upcoming Tours:
The Dorith is naturally comfortable and strikingly beautiful!
utiful!
W IS FOLLOW
THE TIME YOUR
FOR NEW
FEET SHOES
TO COMFORT
WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
Downtown Eugene
&#SPBEXBZt
'BDFCPPLDPNGPPUXJTFFVHFOF
.PO4BU4VO
DATE
June 23
June 24
July 21
August 4
August 11
August 18
August 18
Sept 8
Sept 9
NEIGHBORHOOD
River Rd
River Rd Area
Crest Drive
Friendly Area Neighbors
South East Neighbors
Active Bethel Citizens,
Santa Clara
Whiteaker Neighborhood,
Amazon, South University
LOCATION, START TIME
Rosetta Park, Benjamin & Evergreen Sts, 11AM
1485 W. Hilliard, 11AM
TBA
TBA
Avalon Lodge, 5210 Canyon Dr, 11AM
Peterson Barn, 870 Berntzen Road, 10AM
Awbrey Park, Time TBA
Red Barn grocery, 357 Van Buren, 10AM
TBA
For more 2012 tour info please visit
The Neighborhood Leaders Council Committee on Sustainability at
eugenesustainability.org
For more contact Doug at deeblack@gmail.com
EUGENE WEEKLY JUNE 21, 2012
5