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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2016)
The architects proposing a Kesey Square redo won (not the first try!) the City Hall “competition.” Does anyone doubt who will prevail in Kesey Square? And the unpopular Multi- unit Property Tax Exemption (MUPTE) — does anyone question that officials will extend it? Park Blocks plans: whereto the vagrants that dominate during non-market hours? Is there any city that pays greater lip service to inclusiveness? “Come, speak to us, participate in meetings, join advisory committees!” And be ignored. Bend. Salem. Corvallis. None of these has the setting of our Eugene, with lofty Skinner Butte — and none of them allowed a Ya-Po-Ah obscenity. In a city boasting resources of a respected architectural faculty, this continued despoiling is shameful. It is tragic. And, in its dismissal of the will of the citizenry, it is profoundly un-American. Jayme Vasconcellos, Eugene Feb. 18 ACTUAL VOICEMAIL RECEIVED MONDAY AT 9:20 AM: DISEASED HILLARY You have made it quite clear that you hate Hillary Clinton with that hideous “artwork” on your cover of March 24. I actually laughed because it was so blatant. Diseased skin, huge wrinkles and actual blood dripping around her. All I can say, I guess, is that I am a fervent supporter of this tough, brilliant woman. She is bloody but unbowed. Viva la presidenta! Deanna Kuhn, Eugene April 7 EDITOR’S NOTE: Artist Jeremy Okai told EW “I wanted her to appear powerful, especially being the first viable female candidate to run for president.” WTF? Who the fuck is Rick Levin and why the fuck can’t he use a more creative and illustrative verb than “fuck” in the subtitle of a movie review [1/28]? Please buy him a fucking thesaurus or send him to the fucking J-School to learn some fucking new words. This paper should be for everyone, not just the fuckety fucks. Love, Lara Sheridan, Eugene Feb. 11 [Response to Anomalisa movie review by Rick Levin] LOCAL DEMOCRACY IGNORED Library. Police station. City Hall. Civic Stadium. Capstone. EMX extension. Willamette bike lanes. None of these city-altering initiatives won voter approval (voting to staff the library isn’t approval; it’s resignation). In fact, the first two went down to multiple voter defeats over years. Our mayor and council members cynically decided to go it alone on the others, not risking certain defeat in the face of overwhelming opposition (polls so showing). This is regarding the flyer disrespecting Springfield In the recent Eugene Weekly article, Uhhh … if you are listening to this … I hope you are FUCKED for the company that you work for running such a shitty fucking article about any business in Oregon ... or town in Oregon. And that your whole fucking newspaper is wrong. And you guys oughtta just fucking BURN AND DIE! Unknown Caller March 2016 Editor’s note: The employees of EW would very much not like to fucking burn and die. [Response to “All Quiet on the Eastern Front” Springfield cartoon by Ben Ricker] BAD CIG ADS I find it very interesting that the Weekly condemns the use of herbicides and seems to strive for healthy, natural choices and yet will be willing to run full-page ads for cigarettes. You are aware that cigarettes cause cancer and a host of other maladies that have been plaguing society for decades, right? I am sure that full-page ad is not cheap, so it is clear that your need for the almighty dollar gets in the way of your basic sense of right and wrong. Make the right choice and get rid of the cancer. It is the right thing to do. John Carlson, Eugene April 28 A MODEST PROPOSAL I am making a trip to Eugene in July and was reading EW’s “Best of Eugene” to get an idea of the culture and the city. I enjoyed the article until I came to the “Extras” section, “Best Places to Take Your Kids.” For a paper that lists cultural diversity and tolerance in its mission statement, I was deeply disappointed at the flippant attitude of hate toward children. If the threat of being “rounded up and ‘cremated’” had been directed toward any other group or minority, regardless of race, religion, gender, orientation or age, it would most certainly warrant and receive a public outcry. Treating the murder and imprisonment of children with off-hand humor is irresponsible, using that particular imagery is egregious and I can’t understand why you would give those ideas any validation by printing them. COW MOTHERS Last Mother’s Day, May 8, many of us celebrated the powerful bond between mother and child. Tragically, the worldwide symbols of motherhood — dairy cows — never get to see or nurture their babies. Newborn calves are torn from their mothers at birth, so we can seize and drink the milk that mother cows produce for them. The powerless, distraught mothers bellow for days, hoping in vain for their babies’ return. The babies are kept alive elsewhere to soon become veal cutlets. Dairy cows spend their lives on a concrete floor, chained, with no outdoor access. To maintain their milk flow, they are artificially impregnated each year. Around four years of age, their milk production drops and they are turned into hamburgers. Let’s honor motherhood and our natural compassion by refusing to subsidize cruelties of the dairy industry. Let’s replace cow’s milk and its products, laden with fat and cholesterol, with delicious, healthful, cruelty-free nut or soy-based milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream offered in every grocery store. Mother cows and our own bodies will thank us. Edward Newland, Springfield May 19 Hate speech is hate speech, no matter at whom it is directed, especially children. Heather Bair, Los Angeles, California June 2 EDITOR’S NOTE: The suggestion to round up and “cremate” children came from a reader’s Best of ballot. DIRTY UNDERGRADS Why the big fuss about the University of Oregon’s Greek culture trashing Shasta Lake? If you live near the university (as we do), every year — long about this time — dozens of rental houses vomit forth dilapidated couches, mattresses, busted IKEA furniture and bags of random crap over the parking strips and street, often to sit there for weeks before somebody comes along and cleans it up. No news here. Lea Jones, Eugene June 2 E U G E N E W E E K LY “Every Issue of Eugene Weekly = blah blah Trans community blah blah rape culture blah blah blah homeless rights blah blah kitty Piercy needs to listen blah blah blah marijuana ads blah blah blah misogyny blah blah blah black lives matter blah blah blah.” Michael Reeder Oct. 21, one star REVIEWS 14 December 1, 2016 • eugeneweekly.com “Well, best issue so far. Best Of. Dont mind the Mary Jane ads, it’s a free country. Other than that the Op Ed is nothing short of Chicago Communist Pravda… What crap. You dont have to be a Left Wing moon bat to like good weed, food, beer, art or be accepting of the LGBT folks. So quit shoving your Commie BS down peoples throats.” Steve Jadus Nov. 5, one star
