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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (April 10, 2014)
LET TERS GOODBYE, WHOVILLE As I came to your location on my daily visit to you and the trains, you were pretty much gone. The big machines were doing their job of scooping up everything in their path and slamming it in the waiting Dumpster. The police were gathered out front, their numbers indicating a “point” was being made. The “jail” van was still there, blocking Hilyard (it was sealed off from both directions). The large “incident response” vehicle was still there, a massive bus-like affair to be sure, further emphasizing the signifi cant presence of “order.” The TV cameras were still there, but not a lot going on, since you, gentle people, were all gone. Sorry I missed you — though, aside from the occasional letter to the city offi cials, I wasn’t much good to you. I’m not sure what would have been helpful since there was signifi cant support, from time to time. And yet, I wish you well — under the bridges or in the bushes or in the special hiding places you have returned to. Some of you have been “relocated” to one of the city’s “rest stops,” but from what little I know of the inclinations of some of you, there would not be appropriate “rest” for you there. Hopefully, there will be other days where you can exert the special kind of feelings you have for your presence in this life. For awhile, you were awesome, but, the man, oh the man, is so powerful, as you well know. You have blessed that small plot on the corner of Hilyard and Broadway, perhaps the same as others, the Indians who came before you, did as their presence was professional cannabis testing forcibly ended. Yet their spirit endures. To me it is sacred ground, showing what the collective spirit of our kind is capable of. Bob Coleman Eugene SELF-GOVERNANCE Judge Charles Carlson recently ruled to overturn the Lane County clerk’s determination that the Local Food System Ordinance of Lane County met all the requirements for initiatives. Support Local Food Rights remains dedicated to getting this ordinance on the ballot so the people’s voices can be heard. We are currently making adjustments so that the initiative can be resubmitted for review. In the judge's words, “The court recognizes that the proposed measure raises issues that are very important to a considerable number of Lane County citizens and may be subject to a future submission.” The Local Food System Ordinance of Lane County seeks to protect residents’ right to local farm and food systems free from GMOs, and will protect our right to save and share seed. It will do so by prohibiting unsustainable corporate practices from violating those rights within Lane County. We are advocating for our right to self-government. Being slightly delayed won’t deter us. We recognize the long- term efforts required when challenging corporate privilege that threatens our right to a healthy, economically vibrant local food system. For more information, join Community Rights Lane County at our monthly discussion forum, “Community Rights Conversations,” from 3 to 4:30 pm Saturday, April 12, at LCC Downtown, Room 105, at 10th and Olive, and visit our websites at localfoodrights.com and communityrightslanecounty.com. Michelle Holman Deadwood NO MORATORIUM If County Commissioner Jay Bozievich suffered from frequent nausea or painful spasms, then he might begin to understand the need for safe access to medicine immediately. Instead, he insisted that patients should wait up to a year during a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries throughout unincorporated areas of the county. What a relief when his push toward a moratorium had no support. Fortunately, Commissioner Pete Sorenson’s motion to table the subject prevailed, 4-1. There will be no moratorium. Thanks to strong, credible testimony from informed citizens for helping to turn the tide on this issue. Soon cardholders in unincorporated areas, as in most Oregon cities, will have safe, legal, regulated access to their medicine. This is a long overdue clarifi cation. The state law that voters approved in 1999 can fi nally fulfi ll its humane promise. Joan Dobbie Eugene FEEDING THE MACHINE Once again I am not paying all the taxes I owe to the IRS. Until the priorities of Congress change and the war machine stops being fed I will protest the gross amount of funding that is going towards killing people by refusing to pay for war. Following the example of Gandhi, Thoreau, Chavez and King, I am breaking an unjust law in the hopes of positive change. When all my taxes go to life-affi rming causes I will pay them all. Until then I will direct some of my taxes each year to organizations that have a positive infl uence on the world. This year I am giving money to Planned Parenthood, Community Alliance of Lane County, Sponsors, Occupy Medical, Cascadia Wildlands, Bring Recycling, Sheltercare, Community Supported Shelters and NWTRRC. Sue Barnhart Eugene PUSHED AROUND I was downtown enjoying a sunny day. I sat down at the bus station plaza to enjoy my lunch when one of the police offi cers who serves as the bus station security guard asked me not to sit there. I asked the reason and he said if one person sits, pretty soon people will congregate. I thought this sounded pretty stupid and unconstitutional. If someone is acting up, ask them to leave. Why should everyone suffer because some people think it’s bad decorum to have a lot of “ratty” people hanging around? 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