Eugene weekly., November 15, 2012, Page 5, Image 5

guy. I have to assume listing him as Hubert
J. Prichard (as it must have appeared on his
check to Valle) is simply the writer’s, and
editor’s, ignorance of who he is.
This knee-jerk assumption that
because you own and/or develop property
automatically makes you some kind of
progressive pariah is the kind of holier-
than-thou ideological cul-de-sac that casts
a pall on the liberal/progressive movement
in general. All of the people listed above
are valued community members who
have advocated for progressive goals.
Whether EW’s characterization of them
as “far less progressive” is bad reporting,
clumsy editing, ignorance, or ideological
orthodoxy, it’s exactly the kind of message
that discredits progressives in general.
For the sake of all of us with progressive
values and goals, please, get it right, or
don’t write it.
John Wagner
Eugene
EDITOR’S NOTE: There must be 50 shades of
progressive.
FOOD BUSINESS ALLIANCE
As reported in last week’s [Biz Beat,
11/1], Mayor Kitty Piercy proclaimed
Oct. 24 as “Food Day.” But what wasn’t
reported was that this proclamation took
place at a meeting of the members of the
Willamette Valley Sustainable Foods
Alliance — many of whom graced the
“Best of Eugene” pages of the very same
EW issue.
The Willamette Valley Sustainable
Foods Alliance (WVSFA) is a group of
approximately 50 local food businesses
that have come together to establish
recognition of the Willamette Valley as a
premiere source of natural foods through
shared values, relationships, education and
sustainable business practices.
At the “Taste of the Valley” in the fall
and “Fun with Fermentation” in January,
WVSFA’s efforts are on display as member
businesses gather under one roof to sample
their products to the public.
WVSFA
member
businesses
themselves continue to innovate and
delight throughout the year, as evidenced
by last week’s “Best of Eugene” awards for
Ninkasi, Oakshire, Falling Sky, Sweet Life
Patisserie, Café Yumm and Vanilla Jill’s,
as well as the Biz Beat mention of “Jack
and Jill’s Courtyard.” We are truly lucky
to have such innovative businesses in our
backyard, as well as a city government and
public that supports them.
Zachariah Baker
Eugene
VULGAR ATTACK
An overtly racist letter entitled “The
Puppy Vote” was printed in EW Nov. 1.
This letter is a vulgar attack against women
and against interracial marriage. To refer to
Juan Carlos Valle’s family, using the words
“vanilla breeder credentials,” is racist and
sexually violent. In addition, misogynistic
sexual references are included in this letter
about Betty Taylor are an affront to women
and to Betty Taylor as a woman.
Words hurt and kill people every day.
This letter in EW supports disempowerment
and its inclusion confuses me. There is a
great danger in the use of blind words and
attitudes about people who are seen as
different from oneself. We all need to keep
challenging ourselves and those around
us to grow, to see where we can create
connection, not division.
The letter ironically comes after “You
Are Not Alone,” a letter from the Human
Rights Commission and Mayor Kitty
Piercy, which calls for Eugene to be
welcoming, and it expresses sympathy for
racism and acts of violence and hatred in
our community.
Barb Stevens-Newcomb
Eugene
The Shedd Institute
www.theshedd.org - 541-434-7000
EDITOR’S NOTE: We’re not 100 percent certain of the
author’s intentions but we perceived the letter as satire,
alas a risky form of humor.
BAD HANGOVER
Hey, the election is over and your guy
won. I know you feel great this morning.
I feel like I drank crappy Schnapps and
chased it with a six-pack of PBR. While my
head doesn’t physically hurt, my stomach
is a mess and my emotions are in a whirl.
But in the end, I am not just some
pissed off Republican who was hoping
for revenge. Oh, wait, that was your guy.
What I really am is simply and supremely
disappointed that enough lazy turds that are
content with being spoon-fed all their lives;
that are content living off their Oregon
Trail Cards (which is me, actually); that
think taking from others who may have 15
cents more than they do is justifi ed; that
think the unions are looking out for them;
got together and chose to push our country
closer to a pure drug-addled, video game,
spoon-fed haze of mediocrity largely at the
expense of others who get up every day
and go to work.
I wish more lazy turds had higher hopes
for themselves and their children.
I need another PBR.
Brian Palmer
Eugene
REALLY, OREGON?
I don’t know if I’m more shocked,
angry, or disappointed to see that
Oregonians failed to pass the measure for
legalizing marijuana in the recent election.
I originally moved to Oregon decades
ago, believing that Oregon was the most
progressive state in the U.S. I guess I’m
really going to have to rethink that at this
point!
So rather than collect taxes on marijuana
to aid the state’s failing budget issues
(among the worst in the U.S.), and end
the useless and ill-conceived enforcement
of Victorian-era prohibition, we have
instead chosen to spend even more state
revenue on enforcing that which can not
be enforced. This is proven out, as there is
better and more marijuana now than there
has ever been, despite almost a century of
prohibition.
Here in Lane County, we can not even
keep the perpetrators of violent crimes
in our jail, due to budget issues that keep
us from both maintaining and staffi ng the
county jail, yet we will now continue to
add to that problem instead of resolving it.
But what really shocks me the most is
that a more conservative state like Colorado
would be the fi rst to challenge federal laws
and break the ice on this issue, and classify
Sat, Nov 17
Chris Smither
Shedd Theatricals 2012
Shedd
Theatricals
2012
The Gershwin’s
1924 zany smash hit
musical comedy
SINGIN’ IN
Lady,
Be
Good!
THE
RAIN
Thu-Sun,
October
4-7 - The Shedd
Nov 30, Dec 1, 7, 8, 14 & 15 - 7:30 pm
Dec 2, 8 & 16 - 2:00 pm matinee
A Jazz Kings Christmas 2012
Let It Snow!
Dec 6 evening & 9 matinee
eugeneweekly.com • November 15, 2012
5