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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (June 7, 2018)
The Shedd Institute www.theshedd.org - 541.434.7000 Shedd Theatricals 2018 Roberta 1933 By Otto Harbach Jerome Kern June 8-17 When Trump’s supporters are shown his blatant treason and money laundering, will they still buy into his Fox News branding of the Republican white nationalist party? Tell me again how the FBI skipped a vetting process and allowed a tax-evading gangster to become our “grate” President? Sorry Marvel heroes — crime pays. Glenn Jones Eugene if only someone would give them the opportunity. We are now standing on a cusp. The president-who-would-be-king is taking the stand that he is totally and absolutely above the law, and we now must hope that some Republican senators and congressmen find a spine, some testicles and a conscience. I hold little hope. Jamie Selko Eugene The Mildred Baker Fund for the Arts sub-fund of the Western Oregon Arts Foundation at the Oregon Community Foundation REFLECTIONS I’ve been ponderin’ the division of folks these days and came to realize that we are livin’ the days of ME vs. WE. (Duh!) The sad thing is, if you put ME over WE, you just get a reflection of ourselves. What are we doing? Do we just think of ME, or, should we think of All of US? Just asking. Your choice. Rick Blake Springfield NO EXCUSES FOR ICE There are two reasons why ICE agents rip crying kids away from their parents, and “Orders are orders” is not one. The two reasons are because it makes the Rippers feel powerful and because they like it. If they didn’t enjoy it, they could refuse or quit. “Following orders” is neither excuse nor explanation. Nazi perpetrators said “If we didn’t they would have sent us to the front.” Well — you were “soldiers,” and millions of your countrymen fought the Russians while you stayed behind safe, bullying, torturing and murdering. No one in the German armed forces was ever pun- ished for refusing to murder people. Sol- diers who declined were given other duties (while eager volunteers took their place). No one is forcing these agents to behave like monsters. If Nazis could decline, so can they. The really scary thing about the Trumpists is that there are tens of thousands who would love to take part in savagery, love to watch parents and children cry, love to be guards at camps set up to hold “undesirables” where they could act like gods. And, just as certain but even scarier, there are thousands who would willingly perform state-sponsored mass murder, DON'T DROP AUDITOR IDEA On vacation while auditing votes were counted, I have been bemused by post- election comments. One side says Eugene avoided an autocratic, over-priced elected auditor promoted by a narrow neighborhood cabal; the other side says the people’s prefer- ence was defeated by a late insincere option aimed at vote-splitting, resulting in continued double-dealing by local government. As someone who voted “no” on both, I am not one of those opposed to hiring an auditor (Letters, May 24). I found both proposals too flawed to warrant support, but hope an improved design, from an in- clusive process, could garner a majority. I don’t pretend to know its full details, but even in our current weak council-strong manager governance structure I suspect most citizens agree the council is currently far too weak. Auditor support — similar to what Congress gets from the Congressional Budget Office and Government Account- ability Office — could help strengthen the council. Yet making the auditor entirely subject to, or independent of, the coun- cil also seems unproductive. The auditor needs some control of his or her agenda, budget and personnel to be effective. But complete autonomy may frustrate shared responsibilities and shared powers among branches of government, and contribute to continuing toxic mutual suspicions. Here's hoping that Eugene citizens will see the late election not as an end, but rath- er the start of an extended but ultimately productive effort to make an auditor an effective part of Eugene government, and foster a shared spirit of cooperation and accountability to Eugene residents by all involved. Branden Johnson Eugene Amy Adams, director Th e Shedd Choral Society Gabriel Fauré & Camill e Saint-Saens Sunday, June 17 - 7:30 pm free The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts Community Music School Summer camps & classes begin June 17th Try The MusicBox! Sign up for private lessons any time! Contact the registrar at 541.434.7015 / registrar@theshedd.net eugeneweekly.com • June 7, 2018 5
