BLAMING MENTAL
ILLNESS CREATES STIGMA
As the city of Roseburg and the community around Umpqua
Community College try to process and recover from the Oct. 1 mass
shooting that killed nine people and injured nine more, Oregon and
the nation are seeking answers for why the shooter, who also died,
would bring six guns to campus and seek to murder his writing class.
Oregon State Rep. Val Hoyle (D-West Eugene, Junction City)
and Sen. Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis) say laying the blame at the feet
of mental illness just increases the stigma faced by those who suffer
from it, who are actually more likely to be victims of violence than
attackers.
“In the vast majority of these mass shootings, we know these
[shooters] tend to be white, male, angry and having a gun,” Gelser
says. She points out that “being an angry person with violent inten-
tions is not a subcategory of mental illness.”
Hoyle says we need to do a better job of understanding the symp-
toms of mental illness the way we do those of a stroke or heart at-
tack. She has worked hard to not read about the shooter, she says,
but points out that like the killer at Sandy Hook and Kip Kinkel at
Thurston High School, “they all displayed symptoms that they were
suffering from something, some kind of depression or break. Things
were going on, but the people around them didn’t recognize it, didn’t
do anything, didn’t get them the treatment they needed.”
She asks, “Is that because there’s a stigma around mental illness
or is it because the treatment isn’t there?”
Hoyle says Oregon’s gun laws wouldn’t have stopped UCC
shooter Chris Harper-Mercer from getting his 14 weapons, but re-
cent changes to the laws in the 2015 legislative session mean that
Cheryl Kidd, the woman who shot Eugene police officer Chris Kil-
cullen, wouldn’t have been able to get her weapon. SB 941 calls
for universal background checks and for judges who have ordered
someone to undergo outpatient mental health treatment to rule on
whether that person should have her gun rights suspended during
that treatment.
Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin testified against SB 941.
Hoyle says Kidd “was very clearly and obviously suffering
from severe mental illness, paranoid delusions and hallucinating
and was able to purchase a firearm.” She also says she had a friend
who was able to walk into a gun shop, purchase a gun and use it
to commit suicide. We need to protect civil liberties and private
health information, she says, but we do need to raise a flag when
someone needs help.
Pointing to online 4Chan postings the shooter allegedly made
warning of the attack, Hoyle asks, “What’s wrong with us as a
society that no one said, ‘I’m going to stop this’?”
She says we need to identify people like that as well as those
who could hurt themselves. “If you saw someone on the ground
with a broken leg, you’d call an ambulance, but who do you call
for mental illness?” she asks.
Gelser is currently traveling the state with the Oregon Health
Authority conducting behavioral health town hall meetings, reach-
ing out to those who have had difficulties accessing mental health
and substance use disorder treatment in Oregon. There is no Eu-
gene meeting scheduled, but Gelser says there are plans for a vir-
tual town hall that can be called into from anywhere.
More than 100 people showed up to the first two meetings
in Klamath Falls and La Grande, and a big issue is stigma, she
says. “Mainstream media is saying the main reason is because
the shooter was mentally ill,” Gelser says, and that’s “hurtful and
harmful and creates another barrier” for those who need access to
mental health care.
For a list of the OHA behavioral health town halls, go to wkly.
ws/0. — Camilla Mortensen
ELAW VOLUNTEERS WRESTLE
AN OLD TV UP THE RIVERBANK
ANNUAL RIVER CLEANUP
DRAWS RECORD TURNOUT
The seventh annual Great Willamette Clean Up Saturday, Oct.
3, saw a record turnout of 400 volunteers in Lane County to haul
truckloads of trash, tires and abandoned household and camping
items from the river shallows, riparian areas and islands. Another
400 volunteers were involved along the Willamette in other coun-
ties all the way to Scappoose Bay north of Portland. Kayaks, canoes
and drift boats provided access to areas not accessible by foot.
The event, organized by Willamette Riverkeeper, is timed to
take advantage of low water and keep tons of toxic trash from wash-
ing into the river. The Willamette provides not only valuable habitat
for fish and other wildlife but also drinking water for communities
downstream.
Joining the river enthusiasts locally this year for the first time
were members of the OURS homeless camp in Eugene. OURS
stands for Our Universal Right to Serenity, Safety & Sleep, and the
group tries to not only keep its own camp tidy and sanitary, but is
now encouraging other campers to move off the riverbanks, says
Michelle Emmons of Willamette Riverkeeper.
One of the worst sites in the Eugene area was a riverside home-
less camp on Union Pacific Railroad land near Franklin Boulevard
and Walnut Station. EWEB Commissioner John Brown says this
site was “just as bad this year” as it was last year when he and oth-
ers organized a major cleanup involving a Lane County Sheriff’s
Office work crew. Keeping this site clean over the years has been
a challenge, Brown says, because it’s on private railroad property
and out of sight.
Emmons says another bad site had four stacks of old roofing
shingles, along with construction debris, all below the high-water
line. “Needles were found throughout the urban waterfront, with
larger stashes collected off the south banks near Skinner’s Park
and the Franklin Boulevard bike path entry,” she says. “Mattresses,
cardboard, office chairs, recliners, paint cans, propane bottles, gas
cans, broken lawn mowers and all manner of bicycle parts were
among some of the trash removed.”
More than 285 large bags were filled, along with 59 yards of
trash. Waste Free Oregon sorted through the trash pulling out reus-
able items and recyclables, reducing the landfill burden by about
50 percent.
Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW) based in Eu-
gene turned out a crew this year, and the volunteers pulled many
bags of trash out of the riverbanks, along with a TV set and a shop-
ping cart.
The well-publicized event also inspired many individuals to
clean up parks, boat landings and other public and private lands in
communities along the river.
The mayors of Eugene, Springfield and Oakridge all spoke at
the volunteer thank-you party held after the event and hip hop artist
Lafa Taylor performed for the crowd. Numerous local government
agencies, nonprofits, clubs and local businesses participated this
year. — Ted Taylor
PeaceHealth Medical Group (PMG) has a new
anti-marijuana policy that was posted about the
same time recreational marijuana become legal for
adults in Oregon. The policy reads, “Our doctors are
not able to sign Oregon State attending physician’s
statements for medical marijuana, even though
some of our providers have signed the forms in the
past.” The memo was signed by Robin Virgin, M.D. of
Vancouver, Washington, who is the medical director
of primary care at PMG. This new policy “has
engendered at lot of internal discussion by
physicians,” according to an anonymous source in
a note mailed to EW. “It was enacted without input
from practicing physicians.” The source goes on to
speculate that “as a billion-dollar corporation, they
could not risk the problems associated with the
federal inconsistency with state law in Oregon and
Washington.” When asked if doctors had any input
into this policy, local PeaceHealth spokesman Jim
Godbold said, “I don’t have any additional
information to share on the subject.” PeaceHealth
has net revenues in excess of $1 billion a year and
operates hospitals and medical practices in Oregon,
Washington and Alaska.
We asked the competing Oregon Medical Group
in Lane County if it has a similar policy regarding
medical marijuana and did not receive a response
by press time.
S.A.R.A.’s Treasures has expanded its gift and
thrift shop and held a grand opening last weekend
at 871 River Road. The Shelter Animal Resource
Alliance is a nonprofit dedicated to removing
animals facing euthanasia from shelters and finding
them homes. The shop accepts donations and
volunteers, but not animals. See sarasavesanimals.
org or call 607-8892.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness
Month, and the local Womenspace is organizing a
series of trainings, events and fundraisers
throughout the month. Supporting businesses
include Pappy’s Pizza, Track Town Pizza, Hop Valley
Brewery, Plank Town and Red Barn. For more
information, call 485-8232.
On a related note, we hear a new women’s
shelter in Springfield is being organized and
meetings are being held that include homeless
people. The group is “assessing needs such as
transitional housing, medical, legal, trauma healing,
nutritional needs, pets, clothes and above all a safe
place to heal and grow while transitioning back into
society,” according to a flyer. Call Pastor June
Fathergill of Ebbert Church, 746-3513, to get
involved.
David Minor Theater is celebrating its seventh
anniversary in October. The movie theater and pub
at 180 East 5th Ave. has a new digital projection
system and in November plans to become a first-
run theater, according to owner and manager Josh
Goldfarb. “As always, we will be serving many local
beverages on tap,” he says. Call 762-1700.
The Spencer Creek Community Growers Market
in Lorane is wrapping up its sixth season and has
two events coming up. The first is a Harvest Fair from
10 am to 4 pm Saturday, Oct. 10, with live music,
cider pressing, crafts and food. The next is a
members-only, end-of-the-year meeting and
potluck Sunday, Oct. 25. To become a member,
email cookieconscious@gmail.com.
Marijuana and hemp advocates are gathering in
Portland Oct. 10-11 for the third annual Oregon
Hemp Convention at the Portland Expo Center. More
than 4,000 attended last year, and a record crowd is
expected this year. Admission is $10. No
cannabis products will be sold at the event. See
oregonhempconvention.com.
Falling Sky Brewing is hosting the second
annual World’s Shortest Bike Race, only 13.05
feet long, at 3 pm Sunday, Oct. 11, at the brewery,
1334 Oak Alley. Falling Sky introduced its own
free bike-sharing program last year.
eugeneweekly.com • October 8, 2015
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