LET TERS
ALL BLACK LIVES
I read with great interest the recent
cover story [“Black Lives Matter,”
7/14], particularly the article by Camilla
Mortensen in which she described an
unspoken but implied fourth word: “Black
lives matter, too.” That is certainly the way
I have always heard the slogan.
It seems to me that right-wing critics hear
a much different fourth word, an unspoken
but inferred “Only black lives matter.” That
they hear this word is probably not related
to cochlear function, but instead is related
to the cognitive processing that occurs in
their brains. I believe that type of cerebral
pathology is termed “racism.”
As for me, the original three-word
slogan is perfectly obvious, concise and
entirely reasonable. But if someone insists
upon a four-word slogan, might I suggest:
“All Black Lives Matter.”
Ronald Blanton
Eugene
THIRD PARTY
Third party person, me (Green Party),
says to my third party pals and all others
who might hope that “voting against
Hillary will be sending a good message.”
Think again; that is so last century.
In the first place, no one really cares
how anyone feels about Hillary. No one.
The question is not about emotional bias,
VIEWPOINT
it is: Can she do the job and can she help?
Yes, she can. Even Sanders now says
that she is qualified, will do a good job
and that we all have a chance with her.
It is understood that with a Trump-led
administration, we have no chance to solve
problems, as he is a problem-maker and
self-obsessed immature guy. Obviously
this is the time to support Hillary and at
the same time make sure that she hears
us when she is in office. Be smart. Don’t
waste your vote.
Deb Huntley
Eugene
CARBON FEE
Tom Giesen [Letters, 7/14] is so right! All
those upbeat articles reducing a climate
disaster are not giving us the action we
need! A carbon fee has proven successful in
British Columbia and now they are hoping
for a national policy in Canada. Where are
we? I’m afraid nowhere!
Ruth Duemler
Eugene
HAPPENING MARTIAL ARTS
I enjoyed reading about the Moore
(taekwondo black belt) family in your 7/21
Happening People article.
However, the article erroneously states
that taekwondo will be the only martial
art to be contested in next month’s Rio
Olympics. If you mean Asian martial arts
— Judo athletes will also be representing
the U.S.
Judo has been contested by men in
the Olympics since 1964, and by women
since 1992. Compare this to taekwondo,
which only joined the Olympic fold as a
demonstration sport in 1988, and as an
“official” sport in 2000.
Fencing, a Western martial art, will also
be at Rio, and the sport has been contested
in every modern Olympics (since 1896
for men and 1924 for women). For those
looking to cheer on an Oregonian, Mariel
Zagunis, a Beaverton native, is a three-time
Olympic medalist and two-time champion
(gold in Athens and Beijing) in women’s
saber, and the most decorated fencer in
U.S. Olympic history.
Natalie Whitson
Eugene
SUICIDE & DEPRESSION
In the last couple of weeks, two people
in my wider circle attempted suicide. One
succeeded. The other is getting out of the
ICU, saved, just barely, by community and
by grace.
I feel compelled to write this, not only
to honor these women, but also because
I have direct experience with suicidal
depression. I’ve also watched others walk
this path — even warm-hearted, spiritually
centered people: Their sadness slopes into
depression, and depression eventually leads
them into believing their negative thoughts.
Wisdom and logic can’t easily reach
this dark place, and as joy disappears, so
does normal attachment to life. Suicide
seems like an accessible way out.
I am not a professional in psychotherapy,
but I have a sense of what people can do to
be of help. Even if the depressed person
doesn’t reach out (s/he probably can’t), I
suggest:
Get close. Stay close. Visit or send
someone. Don’t just watch the depressed
person from afar.
Let the loved one know you want them
here.
Let her or him know that they matter,
and that their life has value.
Tell the person that you are available
for an emergency call — it might prevent
an attempt to end her/his life.
Help them get to a counselor; like friends
or family, a counselor can be a lifeline.
We are all in this together.
K. Bragg
Eugene
OIL TRAIN DISASTER
PREVENTION
So, what legislation pending or who/
what persons are accountable for future oil
train disasters?
BY GARY CRUM
County Power Grab
LANE COUNTY COMMISSION USURPS DEMOCRATIC FREEDOMS
T
he Lane County Board of Commission-
ers, at the behest of Dennis Morgan, a
local businessman and conservative po-
litical activist, is considering a proposal
to grant themselves authority to review
Lane County citizen initiatives, which have met all
legal standards for placement on the ballot. The pro-
posal would allow the board to declare that an ini-
tiative does not meet the board standard for “county
concern” and, thereby, to bar it from the ballot.
Succinctly put, the commission would grant
itself preemptive veto power over all initiatives
proposing Lane County ordinances. Initiatives would
be submitted to voters only if the Board of County
Commissioners pre-approved them. The proposal is
the most egregious power grab I’ve seen in the 45
years I’ve lived in Lane County.
Recent Register-Guard stories have revealed that
the measure mirrors a lawsuit, which was recently
dismissed in Lane County Circuit Court. While the
proposed measure uses the same key term, “county
concern,” as the metric for veto consideration
and seeks the exact goal, the board’s vetoing of an
initiative measure by disallowing it to be considered
by voters, Mr. Morgan claims he was unaware of the
just-dismissed lawsuit or its content and goals when
he submitted his measure.
The lawsuit was “fronted” by Harrisburg grass
seed farmer and conservative activist, Marie Bowers,
4
July 28, 2016 • eugeneweekly.com
who was the sole listed plaintiff in the case. Bowers
acknowledged the case was financed by “a coalition
of farm and forestry interests,” but refused to name
them.
Circuit Court Judge Charles Carlson dismissed the
lawsuit, declaring the county clerk’s sole responsibility
in determining an initiative’s approval for placement
on the ballot was judging that it addressed a “single
subject as required by the state Constitution.” He
determined that the ordinance sought in the lawsuit
was a violation of the State Constitution — that the
preemptive veto based on “county concern” (or lack
thereof) was an unconstitutional infringement on
Oregon citizens’ right to the initiative process.
Despite Judge Carlson’s dismissal of the Bowers’
(and unlisted et al) lawsuit and despite the clear
protection the state Constitution provides for the
initiative process, three of the Commissioners
(Bozievich, Stewart and Leiken) seem committed to
advancing the veto measure proposed by Morgan. The
measure is now with county counsel, being prepared
for a “first reading” toward adoption.
The initiative, referendum and recall are three
very specific powers provided to citizens in the U.S.
Constitution and the Oregon Constitution. They are
opportunities for citizens’ direct involvement in
seeking “redress of grievance” and, of considerable
importance, they’re citizen checks on the abuse of
power by an over-controlling government. They
are key blocks in the very foundation of American
democracy. For citizens to surrender their right to the
initiative to a County Commission or other governing
body is unthinkable.
The initiative and the recall have their own “checks”
to shortstop frivolous and unwarranted efforts. They
require a significant number of signatures on petitions
before they will qualify for the ballot. We’ve recently
seen recall efforts in Lane County fail because of an
inability to get such signatures.
Most initiative petitions, likewise, fail to achieve
enough signatures to reach the ballot. If an initiative
or recall petition does qualify for the ballot, it is then
subject to the vote of the citizens. We just saw a recall
effort fail badly in Harney County. If an initiative
reaches the ballot, county commissioners will have
every opportunity to campaign either for or against
it. We voters are “big boys and girls” and will study
such proposals and make-up our own minds. Lastly,
any initiative passed, like any law passed by a
legislative body, is subject to judicial review and can
be invalidated by a court.
This preemptive veto measure is a terrible,
undemocratic idea designed to usurp the public’s
political freedom by granting a governing body, in
this case the Lane County Board of Commissioners,
the authority to, quite literally, stifle the will of the
people. It must be stopped.
Gary Crum is a retired teacher/counselor who has lived in rural Lane
County since 1971. He’s a former Junction City School Board member,
was the Democratic candidate for State House District 43 in 1996 and is
actively involved in local political issues.