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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 22, 2019)
letters SURVIVING FASCISM I read Dan Buckwalter’s “No Sermons to Be Seen” (EW, 8/15) with great inter- est. More than sermons, I think we need a healing event to help white supremacists (and their ilk) get past their hatred. I’m in touch with Community Alliance of Lane County and Cahoots to provide crisis counseling for those people influ- enced by the 10 warning signs of fascism from Jason Stanley’s book How Fascism Works. All we need is advertising and com- munity support. Stephen Cole Eugene agreement to whatever it was she was saying. Then I watched her hand a bottle of water to her friend who was on the “other side,” and then offer one to the “red hat” man’s friend. He declined, in- dicating the people on the “other side” needed it more than him. I wonder how much would have actu- ally been accomplished, communicated, changed if everyone had spoken gently and offered water to one another. I don’t have to wonder how little got accomplished un- der the constant torrent of hate-filled lan- guage, chanting and gestures. Sue D. Nim Eugene SERMONS OF HOPE Reflecting on the Gods, Guns and Liberty rally, Dan Buckwalter (8/15) says, “There were no sermons to be seen.” I recommend reading Peter Walker’s Sagebrush Collaboration — not quite a sermon, but with a hopeful message. Walker analyzes the failed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in 2016. More importantly, he shows how the citizens of Harney County had over years built up trusting relationships and an ability to work together in spite of deep disagreements, so that they were highly successful in rebuffing not only the occupation but its mentality. All in all, Eugene handled the Aug. 10 rally with no major incidents — good start. Can we learn from little Harney County and develop our collaboration muscles? An excellent book, readable, and one we should think about. Sara Van Dyck Eugene THIRSTING FOR PEACE Do you know who will change the world? Do you know who will help make strides toward the change she wants to see in the world? The homeless woman at the Aug. 10 rally who had two causes — one sup- ported by each side. I watched her talk calmly for a very long time to one of the young men in a red hat; he nodded in IN PLAIN SIGHT I was interested in the photos at the rally showing four men (EW, 8/15), all of whom were wearing sunglasses despite a significantly cloudy day, one was debas- ing the flag by wearing a flag-designed neckerchief around his mouth, and not one of whom had appropriate facial hair that would pass a military inspection. I wondered for a bit why they would be wearing sunglasses. Maybe they thought they were cool, hiding their identity from the feds, or being heavily armed among those who were not. Maybe they all had the same ophthalmologist, but I conclud- ed that if one spends most of his life in a cave, coming into the bright light of free- dom might be blinding. Michael S. Smith Eugene NOT THAT SEMPLE The would-be Napoleon (See George Orwell’s Animal Farm), Chris Wig, has launched a vicious attack on two of our most-solid progressives on Eugene City Council — Emily Semple and Betty Tay- lor (Letters, 8/8). Wig hurled the absurd accusation that Semple and Taylor don’t “oppos[e] white supremacy.” Wig went so far as to impugn these two stalwart councilors by hinting they “believe in white su- premacy and white nationalism.” Was the chair of Lane County Demo- cratic Party just, once again, “Wig-ged out,” or is there another explanation for his attack? There is this: Wig and a small cadre of similarly anti-democratic zealots have been organizing secretively in Wards 1 and 2 to replace Councilors Semple and Taylor in the 2020 election. Their goal is to elect comrades who will represent their own small group’s agenda, rather than the interests of constituents in their respective wards. Having lived and voted in Ward 1 for over 40 years, I can attest that Semple follows in a long tradition of councilors, such as George Brown and Bonny Bet- tman McCornack, who have brought intelligence and respect for our Consti- tution to their service as elected repre- sentatives. Semple is widely appreciated by her constituents for standing up against hate and bias in all forms. We don’t need a “leader” like Wig to dictate his ex- treme views on Ward 1 voters. We voters believe in true democracy and both Semple and Taylor honor that principle. Paul Conte Eugene OLD FARTS UNITE! Count me as another “print-loving old fart” (Letters, Jack Cochran, 8/15). Nothing can beat the pure pleasure of sitting in my easy chair each morn- ing turning the pages of my news- paper with a cup of coffee on one side and (often) a purring cat on the other. Jane Dods Eugene SAFER CYCLING Otis Haschemeyer recently wrote about being “scared biking along 11th and 13th through the center of town” (Letters, 8/15). He was cycling from the Jefferson neighborhood to the east Uni- versity area. I have cycled in Eugene for 45 years, and I always avoid busy streets like 11th and 13th at all cost. I remember the fel- low who got killed in the strange bike lane on 11th in downtown Eugene. Much safer and more pleasant to ride on read- STORE CLOSING EVERYTHING in the Big Y Shopping Center Next to Harbor Freight 50% OFF 541-485-2665 ALREADY DISCOUNTED PRICES Quality Used Books Huge COMIC Selection THROUGH AUGUST 31 2166 W. 6th, Eugene 4 A U G U S T 2 2 , 2 0 1 9 E U G E N E W E E K LY . C O M
