Eugene weekly., September 27, 2012, Page 4, Image 4

LET TERS
WE NEED BETTY
BORDER WARS
Kansas is bleeding again
I
sit in the Free State Brew Pub in Lawrence, Kan., trying to make sense of
what I have just seen on Main Street. That’s what Kansans call the 424-mile
section of Interstate 70 that dissects their state: “America’s Main Street.”
It’s a reasonable marketing ploy for a straight stretch of road through the
geographical center of the U.S., but as I drove the fi rst 386 miles of that
stretch today, I was reminded that, politically speaking, I am not at all in the
middle of the country.
I was confronted by an abundance of political billboards with varied messages
on a single theme. “Thank Mom for Choosing Life.” “Adoption Not Abortion.”
“Breastfeeding — Let’s Talk About It.” And “Abortion Stops a Beating Heart.”
Kansas is where Dr. George Tiller was murdered in 2009 while serving
as an usher at his church. His killer justifi ed Tiller’s death saying, “preborn
children’s lives were in imminent danger.” Kansas is where the most restrictive
anti-abortion laws in the country have already passed or are being considered.
These contemporary and, in Tiller’s case, violent confrontations have journalists
once again talking about “bleeding Kansas,” a term that was used to describe the
Kansas-Missouri border wars of 150 years ago.
The American Civil War is held by many experts to have begun not more than
30 feet from where I wait for my sandwich. It was in this very tavern where the
abolitionist John Brown often spoke. The issue being debated then was whether
the institution of slavery would migrate with settlers into the new Western
territories, including Kansas.
Proslavery vigilantes from Missouri, known as Bushwackers, tried through
manipulation of the ballot box and ultimately with violence to infl uence the
outcome. The talking stopped on May 21, 1856, after a congressional committee
ruled in favor of a free state constitution. That didn’t sit well with the Bushwackers,
who rode into Lawrence, set fi re to the Free State Hotel, now renovated and less
than a block from where I sit. They terrifi ed citizens by ransacking homes and
businesses. John Brown, the abolitionist, and the advocates of a free state, known
as Jayhawkers, retaliated. Brown tracked down fi ve proslavery men, pulled them
from their homes and hacked them to death.
The violence of the border wars continued throughout the Civil War. In fact,
the violence was the main reason my own ancestors fi rst migrated from Missouri
to Oregon.
By 1864, after nine years of constant raids by both sides to steal food and
horses from his Missouri farm, my great-great grandfather on my mother’s
side was tired and afraid. Sometimes he even hid in the cellar to avoid his own
conscription into the raiding army. Eventually, he loaded a farm wagon with
necessities, took his family and headed out on the Oregon Trail to start a new
life. I have just driven the same 2,000 miles that my great grandmother walked
at the age of 9.
Some branches of the family stayed behind to hold their ground. My paternal
grandfather was always proud to call himself a Kansan and a “Free Stater.” He
valued the battle his ancestors fought to keep Kansas free from slavery.
What would he think of an article I just read in today’s Topeka Capitol-
Journal? The State Board of Objections held a meeting yesterday to hear
testimony regarding President Obama’s birth certifi cate and to rule on whether
his name should be placed on the November ballot.
My grandfather wasn’t a man who suffered fools and I think he would have
found Joe Montgomery, who fi led the initial complaint, to be one. There are 105
counties in Kansas. In 2008, Barack Obama won only three of them. According
to Nate Silver at 538.com, President Obama has a 0.2 percent chance of winning
Kansas in November. At the very least, my grandfather would have thought it was
a waste of time and resources to even discuss the subject of the president’s birth
certifi cate. Grandpa died before the civil rights movement of the 1960s began, but
I’d like to think he would disparage this type of thinly veiled racism.
I was very young when he died, but I miss him still. If we could talk, I think he
would connect the missing pieces of how Kansas has moved so dramatically from
one side of the political street to the other. More than anything, I wish he were
here to share lunch with me. They have beets on the menu, one of his favorite
vegetables, and his beloved Jayhawks are playing TCU just a short walk down
the street.
Nancy Webber of Eugene is a longtime Oregon political activist and author of Ground Game, a new book that
chronicles her time in the fi eld offi ces of the 2008 Obama campaign. The book is available at Amazon Kindle,
iBook, Kobo and Inkwater Press.
4
September 27, 2012 • eugeneweekly.com
The rarest things in politics are
compassionate liberals who are tough
and fearless. They are the ones the coal
shippers and exploiters spend tons of
money to defeat. You know where they
stand and will not fi zzle out when the
going gets rough.
We have such a one on the Eugene City
Council: Betty Taylor. I have been thrilled
over the years of her service watching
her work. I implore the voters of south
Eugene: do not be sidetracked. Keep Betty
Taylor on the council. We need her as
never before.
Jim Weaver
Eugene
STOP THE COAL TRAINS
I am strongly against the moving of
hundreds of thousands of tons of coal by
train through Eugene! Ward 7 is already
overburdened by diesel fumes from the
rail yards and all of the different chemical
companies spewing out contaminants here
[see cover story last week].
There are many reasons to stop adding
coal trains to the mix: the extra particulate
coming from the coal dust itself; the diesel
from the two or three locomotives pulling
1-1/2 mile long trains four times daily; the
traffi c snarls that will ensue as these trains
slowly move through town; the dangers
of a derailment in the city (which has
happened all over the country of late); the
very explosive nature of coal dust (which
is why it can’t be covered); the idea that
the city of Eugene will be condoning the
export of more greenhouse gases and
particulate pollution-causing coal to Asia,
while we claim to be trying to cut them
here; and that all of it will be blowing right
back to Oregon after it’s burned.
Most of the cities between Wyoming/
Montana and Oregon/Washington are also
working to stop this; and probably not
one more job will be added to Eugene’s
workforce! These projects are only about
rich corporations making even more
money at our expense, as usual!
Exporting of coal through Eugene
will adversely affect Bethel/Danebo,
Trainsong and neighborhoods north of
6th Avenue more than other parts of
town! Please do not allow this travesty to
further compromise the health of Eugene’s
citizens. Councilor Alan Zelenka is
right about the inappropriateness of this
proposal. Stop the coal trains!
Robin Bloomgarden
Eugene
INAPPROPRIATE FASHION
Jeff Holiday [Letters, 9/20] undermines
his position by telling someone to “shut
up” before he even offers any arguments
in favor of his perspective — a clear sign
he’ll be arguing for an untenable point of
view.
Worse, he uses his anger to shield
his ignorance of not only racism but the
history of genocide and appropriation of
Native symbols, spirituality and culture.
The world has not “moved on.”
Native people are still here despite
the horrifi c genocide Europeans and
Americans committed, despite being
forcibly assimilated after their cultures
were nearly destroyed, and despite the
forced immiseration on the reservations.
The reward for persevering? Continued
marginalization and ill-treatment by people
who think the Indians in old movies are
accurate portrayals — and now mockery at
fashion shows and childish screeds.
I suggest that Jeff check out
nativeappropriations.blogspot.com
for
reasons why feather headdresses are not
fashion accessories. Maybe he can take
his own advice, remain silent and listen to
others.
Ryan Foote
Eugene
SUCCAH CRAWL
BRING recently had its Home and
Garden tour. The Whiteaker has its garden
tour. Downtown has its art walks. The
Jewish community is now adding to the
this list of tours with its second annual
Succah Crawl.
When most people think of the Jewish
High Holy Days, they think of Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Well, after the
all day prayers of the Jewish New Year and
Day of Atonement, we Jews have a week
of fun living in succahs — temporary
structures with leafy branches for a roof.
And seeing as so few people know of
this part of the Holy Days, we decided to
make a tour of them — a different Succah
and a different event each day of the holy
days of Succot. You can fi nd them in
the Weekly’s calendar (starting Sunday,
Sept. 30), or by going to our website:
JewishEventsWillamette-valley.org
Shmuel Cohen
Eugene
LIVELY IS BEST
CANDIDATE
I was pleased and excited when I
learned that John Lively had chosen to be a
candidate to represent the Springfi eld area
as our state representative.
Having worked with John on a variety
of councils, committees and commissions,
I know that John does everything possible
to inform himself before taking any stands
or making any decisions. Then, with his
decisions based upon information rather
than emotion, he very passionately works
to accomplish what he feels best for his
community.
Yes, I’ll admit, I’ve not always agreed
with John’s positions; however, I’ve never
found him to be self-serving or taking a
stance that he didn’t believe was best for
those whom he serves — and darn it — he
was, most frequently, right. He cares for
his constituents, whether they voted for
him or not.
When I learned who John’s opposing
candidate was, I fi rst thought that since
Joe Pishioneri has done a fair job as a
Springfi eld city councilor, he’d not be a
bad second choice. Then the campaigning
began. Now there’s no doubt we have to
vote for Lively!
In the 40-plus years I’ve known John,
he’s been serving our community in such
a tremendous variety of ways, without
ever feeling the need to belittle, criticize
or defame those who disagree with him.
John’s much more interested in saying and
doing what’s best for those whose lives