LET TERS
done? What is the role of the micro-biome,
the bacteria and other microbes, which
live in and on the human body, in creating
healthy, resilient humans? How do humans
communicate in non-verbal ways, which
affect our births and our lives?
The Birth and the Human Future
conference is for everyone. Go to
birthandthehumanfuture.org for more
information. Can’t afford the cost? Follow
the prompts for low-income people on the
registration page. No one turned away for
inability to pay.
Marion McLean
Eugene
INCITING HATRED
I’ve consistently found the Weekly to be
the wisest reflection on the news and issues
of Eugene, which is probably the most
progressive place I’ve lived (including
Chicago, New York City and in the Bay
Area). Therefore I was stunned to see you
publish such a retrograde and offensive
letter to the editor this week [June 30].
Lon Miller of Drain says that he’s sorry
about the massacre in Orlando, but hey,
God was just giving us an example of His
punishment of “perverts and deviants.”
I’m no stranger to this type of
sanctimonious hate letter. At 62, I’ve read
many of them before. But not so much in
the last 20 years, and not at all in the last
10.
Upon opening them, editors elsewhere
now place these types of letters directly
into the trashcan. In 2016 they no longer
express a valid opinion, just as letters
claiming that African Americans and
Jews deserve whatever violence may be
visited upon them because they are sub-
human no longer do either.
If you are trying to cause a little lively
controversy, you’re mistaken. You are
inciting hatred.
Steve Lafreniere
Eugene
EDITOR’S NOTE: We often publish letters we disagree
with editorially because it is important that the community
know these opinions exist and be able to respond to them.
LON’S WRATH
As an individual who identifies as a
person of faith and a fan of Jesus, I would
like to respond to Mr. Miller’s letter [June
30].
Jesus teaches and encourages humility,
to love, forgive and to not judge, because
God, who indeed created all those
beautiful souls struck down in the tragedy
in Orlando, is the judge of us all, and the
Bible states that as mere humans, we are
absolutely incapable and never assigned
to decide and dictate the works of the
almighty Lord.
Mr. Miller should also be quite
aware that in this world, each of us has
committed sin and no sin is less or greater
than another in the eyes of our Father.
I take pity on this man, Lon Miller of
Drain, for he is also under the eyes of God
and is not free of sin. I kindly suggest he
pray for forgiveness for haughtily putting
himself in the place of God, passing
judgment with such pride and suggesting
that the hateful maniac who murdered
those folks was a part of His beautiful,
mysterious, unfathomable will.
Holland Erz
Eugene
I forgave it 15 minutes later. No decent
person would react by wanting the whole
breed wiped out. That would have taken
Lassie off the planet, too.
Our family includes the sweetest,
second-most-loving dog we have ever
had, and — counting foster dogs — that
is around 50 dogs. Yes, she is a pit bull
mix. So were 29 of the others. Not one
ever a problem. Ever.
You hear this from pit families all the
time: “It’s how you treat them.” If they’re
treated well, they are wonderful.
I suppose “Karl Stout” took into
account, loading up his poisonous pen, the
immense sorrow and grief that he would
gleefully cause in those who love their
dogs if suddenly the entire breed were
destroyed. And blithely disregarded it.
Brainless and heartless.
See, that’s what tips off the reader that
no human with a real heart and soul would
write such a despicable and horrible and
vicious letter.
Gotcha, Eugene Weekly! Clever, clever,
clever!
I love it! Nice try.
Rita Castillo
Springfield
VILE SPEWING
SHEEPY DEBATE
How clever of Eugene Weekly, being so
openhearted and open-minded about pit
bulls, to fake an anti-pittie letter. I refer
to the one purportedly signed by “Karl
Stout” [Letters, June 30].
Come on, EW! These things should be
faked with some shade of believability.
“Karl,” ahem, supposedly writes that
“society’s best interest would be served
by complete eradication” of the entire
breed. I’m sure “Karl” realized how it
would look if he said the same thing about,
say, Norwegians. Or redheads.
This kind of vile spewing reveals the
writer as so hateful and bigoted and stupid
that it defies belief.
I was bitten — totally unprovoked —
by an unleashed … collie. It just ran up
and attacked me. That was 40 years ago.
In regards to Barb Lomow’s
enlightening, albeit misguided, retort
entitled “Worthy Sheep” posted in June 30
issue of EW, I would like to simply say:
Please do some more research into the
“gatherings” you wish to downplay and
belittle.
Black Sheep Gathering has nothing to
do with “actual” sheep. It is a gathering
of people and includes music and food,
not the shearing of animals you are so
adamantly against. Thank you for opening
my eyes to the cruelty of animals. Now
please do the same and open yours.
Darrell Olson
Springfield
EDITOR’S NOTE: According to its website, the Black
Sheep Gathering is “an annual event during which par-
ticipants exchange their knowledge of and appreciation
for handcraft fibers and the animals that produce them.”
DESPICABLE NRA
Every summer, the Eugene Police
Department does an incredible thing for
incoming kindergartners. They run a
summer camp to teach kids about safety.
As a parent of two children (one of whom
went to Safety Town), I can say without a
doubt that this camp is an invaluable asset
to our community.
However, I have one major concern. The
camp uses NRA teaching materials. The
NRA’s political actions make our kids less
safe, not more. They believe suspected
terrorists on the “no fly list” should be able
to buy guns, they believe assault weapons
designed for military use should be sold
to the public, they believe it is OK to sell
guns without doing universal background
checks, they believe that domestic abusers
and the mentally ill should be allowed to
buy guns and they believe the government
should not research gun violence as a
public safety issue. As a result, we live in
a nation where every year, guns kill more
toddlers than police officers.
Equating the NRA with gun safety for
children is a complete farce. If EPD really
cares about the safety of our children, they
will sever any connection they have with
this despicable organization.
A. Foster
Eugene
CARBON TAX
Our energy comes from fossil fuels and
from various renewable energy sources.
Burning fossil fuels is the cause of global
warming and is an ongoing and increasing
global disaster. Fossil fuels are the
cheapest energy, but the climate damage
wrought by them puts civilization at risk.
Recent news accounts are full of
success stories about new and improved
renewable energy projects. However,
despite those upbeat articles in news
reports, the reality is deeply depressing,
as renewable energy is just a small part
(13.64 percent) of our energy supplies.
None of the plus or minus 20 years
of highly expensive, well-attended
Dance, Karaoke, Bike Fair, Slackline, Vendors, Live Music, Hula Hoop, DJ Sets and more!
Eugene St
Sunday
Sunday
July 31
NOON to 4 PM
Downtown
Eugene
Sponsors:
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July 14, 2016 • eugeneweekly.com
Sept. 25
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