LET TERS
SHEDDING THE HYPOCRISY
breed like fury; they’re delicious, which
is perhaps why the guy who marketed
the creatures called them “nutria” — the
Spanish for otter — instead of using the
Spanish/indigenous name “coypu.” I can
vouch for the veracity of all these reasons.
Because of reason two they became re-
garded as invasive. Because they are a
rodent, albeit a large one, the third reason
hasn’t caught on in the US.
But for those who don’t eat meat for
ecological reasons, what’s the problem?
Generally you’ll hear something like “I
can’t see eating a giant rat!” Rest easy! They
are not closely related to rats, but to capybaras,
the largest living rodent, and like every spe-
cies in that group I've had the chance to try
when in South America, they are delicious.
And they’re adaptable to a wide range
of recipes. I’ve had ecologically inspired
vegetarians say they’d never tasted any
meat so tasty ever in their life when I bar-
becued a young one caught on a Santa
Clara organic farm, marinated overnight
for a patriotic Fourth of July barbecue.
Rick Valley
Eugene
I was slightly ambivalent about the re-
cent protest at The Shedd, which was called
because it had signed a letter thanking City
Manager Jon Ruiz for nixing a planned
homeless camp in downtown Eugene. The
Shedd did sign the letter, but it was hardly
the only downtown business to do so.
I changed my mind when I found out
The Shedd was featuring White Christmas
that night.
The Shedd is entitled to pressure the
city government if it feels its patrons
should not have to look at homeless peo-
ple. It is also free to help its patrons cele-
brate a holiday dedicated to the proposition
that God incarnated Himself on Earth as a
homeless child.
But to do both at once strikes me as
mind-boggling hypocrisy.
Let the pickets roll.
Art Bollmann
Eugene
OUR PUBLIC EMERGENCY
There has been quite a bit of anger and
frustration on all sides recently regarding our
challenges of both homelessness and down-
town business survival. I share these feelings
and still believe the City Hall lot is the right
place for a temporary day center, at the very
least, and an overnight Dusk to Dawn.
It will not work to continue to ask peo-
ple to change their behaviors when there
are no alternative choices.
I also believe there was insufficient out-
reach to homeless advocates, the homeless
themselves and the business community.
The lack of shelter and restrooms down-
town is an emergency.
However, the proposal was announced
with so little time no one could ask ques-
tions, consider options or speak to the Eu-
gene City Council before our work session
and vote.
People do not feel heard. People are
stirred up. On the good side, this gives us
an opportunity and energy to connect. After
all, that is our end goal — to work together
to find equitable solutions for these critical
issues of safe shelter for, and decriminal-
ization of, our vulnerable unhoused and a
safe, welcoming-to-all, thriving and suc-
cessful downtown.
I urge all of us to take this chance to
communicate with each other, assume
good intentions, leave behind boycotts
H
A
P
P H
Y O
L
I
D
A
Y
S
(they worked; let’s see what happens), be
open to outreach and respond thoughtfully
to suggestions.
Come together, right now, and give
peace a chance. It’s really the only way we
will succeed.
Emily Semple
Eugene City Council, Ward 1
WORLD ON THE BRINK
I appreciate Congressman Peter De-
Fazio’s 20-year history of climate-saving
accomplishments (EW Viewpoint, Nov.
29) and his involvement in the Kyoto Pro-
tocol. Our current global climate crisis
would be worse without his efforts.
However, Kyoto, DOHA Amendment,
Paris Agreement and COP 21 all fall woe-
fully short of reaching global carbon re-
duction goals and are inadequate. These
assemblies produced non-binding pledges
of fossil fuel reduction promises with no
metrics to evaluate voluntary carbon emis-
sion reductions.
October’s release by the IPCC, Novem-
ber’s Governmental Climate Assessment
Report and the Stanford University Report
signaled emergency action is needed to curb
global warming and that the world’s 20-year
bureaucratic efforts were window dressing.
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4
December 13, 2018 • eugeneweekly.com
The Green New Deal, The One Year
War Plan, The Climate Mobilization Vic-
tory Plan and The Solutions Project are
frameworks with teeth for immediate im-
plementation that would reduce global fos-
sil fuel usage and GHG emissions.
DeFazio should publicly oppose the
Jordan Cove LNG Energy Project, enact
a statewide fracking ban, legislate incen-
tive programs for EVs, rooftop solar, fuel
switching from gas to electric and prohibit
gas infrastructure.
Nationally, the list is long, and I would be
willing to discuss these GHG reduction so-
lutions with him — but not until legislators
stop taking fossil fuel campaign contribu-
tions and giving subsidies to carbon majors.
Jim Neu
Eugene
DELICIOUS NUTRIA
Camilla Mortensen’s roadkill cuisine
article (Nov. 21) was great, thoroughly re-
searched, except for: “Please don’t tell me
to eat nutria!” which betrayed deep ethno-
centrism, I am sorry to say. As noted, nu-
tria are considered an invasive species in
Oregon (and elsewhere).
Well, the species was introduced for
three reasons: they have soft fur; they
Editor’s note: Camilla Mortensen is more likely to eat
roadkill tofu than anything else.
DEFAZIO RESPONDS
Regarding “Poor Showing, Pete” pub-
lished Dec. 6 in Letter to the Editor: Lee
Gire states his letter never received a re-
sponse. Our records indicate that Mr. Gire
wrote to me on Nov. 13, 2016, regarding
Trump’s proposals to roll back Obama’s ex-
ecutive orders reducing carbon emissions.
I strongly opposed Trump on those
measures and I responded to Mr. Gire four
days after receipt of his email. I take con-
stituent correspondence very seriously. My
office receives thousands of letters, calls
and emails every week, and we respond as
quickly as possible.
Please continue to keep in touch with
me on issues that are important to you, and
be sure to check your spam filters.
Peter DeFazio
Congressman, Oregon’s
Fourth District
LETTERS POLICY: We welcome letters on all topics and
will print as many as space allows, with priority given
to timely local issues. Please limit length to 200 words
and include your address and phone number for our files.
Email to letters@eugeneweekly.com, fax to 484-4044 or
mail to 1251 Lincoln, Eugene 97401.