LET TERS
LUCKY TO HAVE LEVIN
Although Rick Levin does not need
anyone to write in his defense, I feel the
need to at least register some opposition
to a recent letter accusing him of showing
“condescension,” “cruelty,” “arrogance”
and of being both “smug” and “self-satis-
fied” (“Levin Is Wrong,” Letters, 1/18).
I don’t know Mr. Levin, and at times he
may exhibit all of those qualities. But I do
know that he is, along with many on the
Eugene Weekly staff, a creative, thought-
ful, always provocative writer. He thinks
beyond the topic under discussion.
Like any top-notch journalist, Levin
sees more than a narrow subject to be de-
scribed; he goes after implications, nuanc-
es and the entanglement of ideas. I don’t
always agree with his conclusions, but I’m
always stirred and excited about what he’s
discovered. We’re lucky to have him.
Lou Caton
Eugene
THE FLICK IS JUST MEH
I must disagree with Rick Levin’s re-
view of The Flick at Oregon Contemporary
Theatre (“Imitation of Life,” 1/18): While
it is by no means a bomb, it is, for sure, by
no means a hit. That makes it a “miss” (that
is, you can safely miss it, with no harm
done to yourself), at least in my book.
I have no idea what other members of
the audience felt, but at least two mem-
bers of that audience walked out of Sun-
day’s matinee. Their actions do not reveal
“faith in the fact that the audience will fall,
slowly and surely, into its strangely punc-
tuated rhythms …”
My own high point was when Tara
Wibrew and Jonathan Thompson settled
down to watch a movie. It could be any
movie, but I (correctly) noted it was Sam
Peckinpaw’s The Wild Bunch. That was my
high point.
Michael E. Peterson
Eugene
CARNIVOROUS HYPOCRISY
How disheartening that the Jan. 25
EW attempted to romanticize the killing of
animals (“Meat Isn’t Just Murder”). The so-
called “ancient process of food preparation”
4
needn’t include using fellow sentient beings
as ingredients, especially since we aren’t,
obviously, living in ancient times.
Using “tradition” as an excuse to use,
abuse and kill animals cannot be moral-
ly justified. To suggest that killing animals
“creates a sense of connectedness to nature
and to each other” is utter nonsense.
One point I agree with is that
those against hunting who continue to use
animal products are hypocritical. While
hunters and others who kill animals undoubt-
edly differ psychologically from the Average
“I could never kill an animal myself” Joe, the
Average Joe’s continued participation in us-
ing animals for food and clothing is no dif-
ferent ethically. Whether deer or lamb, elk or
cow, sentient beings value their lives equally.
This hypocrisy shows up everywhere,
such as animal rescues serving dairy/
eggs/meat at fundraisers, or environmen-
tal groups decrying the killing of wildlife
while not promoting veganism; or “bird
lovers” who dutifully keep their bird feed-
ers cleaned and filled for certain birds, while
eating certain other birds. And so on…
The do-it-yourself-butchering glorified
in the EW piece caters to an infinitesimally
small niche market; ethics aside, it’s totally
unsustainable based on land requirements
alone. Animal agriculture uses up land at
an astounding rate, including the tremen-
dous number of acres required to grow
crops to feed the billions of farmed ani-
mals killed annually. And it sucks up water
at an equally deplorable rate.
Barb Lomow
Eugene
NO NEW ZONE?
I opened the Eugene Weekly with eager
anticipation only to feel a keen sense of
disappointment when I saw that New Zone
Gallery was not mentioned in your gallery
issue (Bravo, 1/18).
New Zone has been a presence in Eu-
gene for well over 30 years. Many galler-
ies have come and gone during that time
— and yet we persevere in conditions that
have become ever more difficult for the vi-
sual arts. A tight budget leaves no resourc-
es for advertising, making our omission
that much more painful.
February 1, 2018 • eugeneweekly.com
Many of Eugene’s successful artists
have come through our membership, and
we continue to nurture 65 accomplished and
emerging artists each month. Our First Fri-
day celebrations find the gallery packed
with appreciative viewers and art buyers.
In our best month we sold over $6,000
of art. Many community members chose to
do their Christmas shopping at New Zone,
as we offer original art for most income
levels.
Visual arts are the one art that requires
no ticket to enjoy and has the most diffi-
culty supporting itself. Our very low gal-
lery commission of 25 percent puts the ma-
jority of the purchase price into the artist’s
pocket and then back to community.
In our past, with no grant writer, grants
have been beyond our reach. Our 65 mem-
bers all volunteer to keep the gallery run-
ning and our manager works 32-plus hours
a week for only a $500 stipend.
New Zone Gallery has a big heart and
is vital to our community. Please don’t ig-
nore us.
Dianne Story Cunningham, president
New Zone Board
Eugene
CONTRA TOXINS
Farewell, Lynn Bowers, warrior, in-
deed. As did Jan Wroncy, thank you for
your years of work and using your voice
to show the real-life impact of exposure to
toxins; thanks for the fight to educate for
the greater good (Letters, 1/18).
I want to add to your voice and remind
folks that when the neo-cons took over the
Board of County Commissioners (Boziev-
ich, Leiken, later Farr and then, later, Wil-
liams for Stewart), among the first things
they did was to eliminate important citizen
advisory committees. The Vegetation Man-
agement Advisory Committee (VMAC)
had informed citizens to advise commis-
sioners on roadside toxic spraying issues
in Lane County. No more!
Elections matter. With neo-cons mak-
ing up the majority on the Board of County
Commissioners, the soon-to-retire Commis-
sioner Sorenson has little ability to get im-
portant issues seconded even for any discus-
sion. If you care about issues such as toxins,
it’s vital to elect people who care about them,
too. 2018 is a great start to do that.
Lynn Bowers, you and Jan Wroncy in-
formed us about so much. Please know, as
you deal with your cancer and its impact,
that your courage, vision, heart and voice
have influenced many, and that we thank
you. Your legacy continues.
Rob Handy
Eugene
UNIVERSITY OF
OVERDEVELOPMENT
I run along the river almost every day.
The University of Oregon’s riverfront
land north of the railroad tracks near the
Frohnnmayer Footbridge is truly magical.
On my runs I often think how special it is
to have such a beautiful wild place in the
middle of Eugene.
Running throughout the year I see peo-
ple walking to football games, classes of
students and those just seeking solace in
nature. I know I am not alone in enjoying
the open space, the birds and the trees.
Now it appears that this open space
enjoyed by so many is threatened. I have
learned that the university is proposing
buildings and large artificial turf fields that
would be brightly lit at night ("UO Plan-
ning to Expand Toward River," 1/18). If
the land is developed in this way, a unique
part of what makes living in Eugene spe-
cial will be lost forever.
As Eugene’s population grows and the
UO develops, the open space that remains
will be even more valuable. The University
of Oregon has an opportunity to preserve
the natural character of its riverfront land
for the enjoyment and education of future
generations.
The preservation and restoration of the
riverfront could be an educational opportu-
nity. The natural beauty is a major selling
point in attracting talented people to come
work at the university.
The UO can demonstrate its commit-
ment to environmental stewardship by pre-
serving and enhancing the natural beauty
that makes this city unique.
Jackson Kellogg
Eugene