letters
TO THE EDITOR
CLICK YOUR HEELS
Like the Land of Oz, Eugene is a magical
place. But, as we learned from L. Frank
Baum’s story, magic can be complicated
and sometimes dark. Industry sorcerers are
presently employing black magic to conjure
up coal trains that threaten our fair city. If
they succeed, dark clouds of coal dust will
envelop Eugene as trains carry their toxic
loads from the Powder River Basin of
Montana and Wyoming through Eugene to
the Port of Coos Bay for export to Asia.
The sorcerers are spinning coal export
as “Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!” and energy indepen-
dence. But we know few jobs will be cre-
ated at the port, and the dirty fuel will be
burned on foreign shores before returning to
our own as air pollution. We know coal dust
pollutes our air, poisons our water and dam-
ages our health. And we know trains that
deliver it spew diesel particulates, congest
our traffi c and disturb our peace.
Our city councilors are returning from
summer vacation, hopefully refreshed
and ready to again consider a resolution
opposing coal transport through Eugene.
The choice is clear: support industry or
support our community.
Baum’s initially fl awed characters
ultimately fi nd the brains, heart and
courage required to defeat evil and earn
redemption. I hope wavering councilors
will fi nd those same qualities in themselves
and do the right thing for our community.
We all need to speak up on this critical
issue. So summon your inner Dorothy and
tell the councilors what you think. Just
click your heels and say, “There’s no place
like home.”
Benton Elliott
Eugene
CONFIDENT IN VALLE
As a member of the Police Commission,
I had the pleasure of working with Juan
Carlos Valle, a candidate for City Council
Ward 2. From the very fi rst moment,
Juan Carlos appeared to me as warm and
genuine, with a ready smile to go with
his sharp appearance. I saw fi rsthand
Juan Carlos’s dedication to searching for
the facts so he could make an informed
decision, to reaching out to the community
to discover the diversity of perspectives
to be found there, to treating others — no
matter who they are — with respect and
interest.
That respect extends to the police offi -
cers whose opinion he solicits at every Po-
lice Commission meeting, to the all mem-
bers of the public who share their views, to
so many members of our community who
are Spanish speakers and struggle with the
barriers they face, to seniors and people
living with disabilities that I work with
in KindTree-Autism Rocks, and that he
works with in his day job.
With Juan Carlos on the council I can
be confi dent the community perspective
will be represented in the proceedings, that
he will work tirelessly for positive change
that benefi ts all the people of Eugene,
defending families, the environment, and
our ability to live happy and fulfi lling lives.
From humble beginnings to an energetic
life dedicated to proactive service, I admire
Juan Carlos’s perspective. “A New Perspec-
tive.” That, I believe, is what we need now
to tackle the problems we are facing.
Tim Mueller
Former Eugene police commissioner
RE-ELECT BETTY TAYLOR
Reading in the Aug. 16 Slant that Betty
Taylor’s opponent for the Ward 2 Eugene
City Council seat recently resigned as chair
of the Police Commission makes you won-
der why anyone would do this in the midst
of a race. Doesn’t it have to involve some-
thing bigger than, as he maintains, need-
ing more time to campaign? People on city
boards, commissions and committees ac-
cept a responsibility to serve out their full
term, especially when they chair a commis-
sion to which they’ve been appointed by the
mayor, and confi rmed by the council.
Ward 2 voters can re-elect Taylor, a
veteran councilor with a consistent record
of environmental advocacy, or they can
switch allegiance in favor of a newcomer
to the ward, supported by money from
corporate interests who haven’t been
stroked by Taylor’s tell-it-like-it-is style.
Taylor will continue to be there for her
constituents, having no interest in using
one offi ce as a stepping stone to the next.
Anyone choosing Taylor’s opponent must
be comfortable with the reality that electing
him would yield a City Council made up of
seven men and one woman. For so many
reasons, that’s an environment way out of
balance.
David Sonnichsen
Eugene
TOUGH CHOICE
I want to add my own words of praise
and appreciation for the quality of public
service I’ve seen Juan Carlos Valle
perform for our community for a number
of years. My appreciation for his opponent,
councilor Betty Taylor, is exactly the
same, also for her many years serving the
community. As I do not live in Taylor’s
ward, I won’t be faced with making a
voting choice.
Voters in this ward will be facing a
touch choice, for Valle and Taylor share
many hopes and goals for the betterment
of our community. I have observed Valle’s
work on the Police Commission and I am
deeply grateful for the reasoned, fair and
professional voice he brings to that table.
I understand he resigned as chair in order
to work on his campaign, and to allow
another appointment to the leadership so
that this new chair could give full attention
to this vitally important task. That was
a responsible, community needs-based
choice Valle made.
This race is a win-win, no-lose situation
for our community. We will be well served
whether Valle or Taylor is chosen and I
wish them both the very best. I thank them
both for their past and present exceptional
service for our community.
Carol Berg-Caldwell
Eugene
MORE DISRESPECT
I was very dismayed to see a photograph
in your recent coverage of the Whiteaker
Block Party’s fashion show [8/9] which
featured a white woman wea ring a Native
American feather headdress. The feather
headdress is a sacred object to Native Amer-
ican culture. Throughout U.S. history, white
colonizers have specifi cally and intention-
ally perpetrated both physical and cultural
genocide against Native Americans. Every
attempt was made to annihilate and assimi-
late the Native American people and their
culture — to literally and symbolically wipe
them off the face of the earth. Considering
this recent, brutal history, the casual use of
this sacred object for a “fashion statement”
worn by white models is highly offensive.
For many Native people, it is yet
another reminder that their land has been
stolen and their culture appropriated and
disrespected. White people have already
taken everything from Native Americans
— and this use of a feather headdress for
“fashion” is just another example of these
offenses, showing a clear lack of sensitivity
to Native American culture.
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SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
EUGENE WEEKLY
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