4A |
WEDNESDAY EDITION
| MAY 1, 2019
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
| 541-902-3520 | NHICKSON @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
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ment for a redress of grievances.
“I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.” —Thomas Jefferson (1800)
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Copyright 2019 © Siuslaw News
Siuslaw News
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Letters to the Editor policy
Do-gooder billionaires should do some actual good
(Editor’s Note: Viewpoint submis-
sions on this and other topics are always
welcome as part of our goal to encourage
community discussion and exchange of
perspectives.)
I
t is a shame that the Norte Dame Ca-
thedral had such a tragic fire. In 1964
while stationed in Germany, a buddy
and I spent five days in Paris playing
tourists. We took a tour boat ride down
the Seine River and saw Notre Dame in
the distance, which at the time was the
largest church I had ever seen. It was
not until 2017 that I actually walked
into the cathedral. Outside I was fas-
cinated with the gargoyles and inside
the rose windows. Other than the win-
dows, I was not impressed with interior
and put off by the ATM machine that
was inside.
I do not understand what all the fuss
is about because the main structure was
not destroyed, nor were the rose win-
dows.
Now, if the world lost one of the fol-
lowing, it be it would a tragic loss of
architecture and sensory experience:
York Minster in York, England, which
is built on Roman ruins; The massive
Cologne Cathedral in Cologne, Ger-
many, where American GI’s took rifle
Guest Viewpoint
By Win Jolley
Florence
practice in the nave; Florence Duomo
in Florence, Italy, that has the wonder-
ful subtle white, pink and green façade
and inside the dome.
Lastly there is St. Peter’s Basilica in
Rome with the square designed by Ber-
nini to exterior and interior archeicture
designed by Michelangelo, Barmante,
Maderno and Sangallo The Younger.
The exterior and interior are an over-
powering visual experience.
My words are not really about
churches or cathedrals but donations
that are given to replace what was lost
and donations that are not given. As I
write this, donations of about $1 billion
have been pledged to rebuilding Notre
Dame, which will take at least 10 years.
Because of this spike in giving, the
three African American Churches
that were recently destroyed in Lou-
isiana have now received $1.5 million
in donations, which is embarrassing; it
should be about $20 million.
What our giving billionaires should
really concern themselves with when
giving is not to a destroyed edifice but
to those estimated 16 million children
in our country that only have one meal
each day, if any.
To feed all the children in the U.S.
with three balanced meals each day
would cost $1 per child.
For $1 billion we could possibly feed
all the starving children in the world
for years to come.
Do-gooders should learn how to do
good instead of getting their names in
media and print.
LETTERS
We all lose
In reference to the Siuslaw News
article, “Public Art Committee
Moves Past Mural Controversy”
(April 24), it is unfortunate that
FURA removed funding from our
community’s Public Art Commit-
tee (PAC) because there was dis-
agreement about a single piece of
public art.
The PAC has done a great job in-
stalling public art throughout our
community; it has enhanced and
bettered our community overall
which, if I’m not mistaken, is one
of the goals of FURA.
It appears that FURA has chosen
to align itself with only a portion of
our community rather than to rep-
resent the whole. In the end, all of
us (100 percent) in our community
will be penalized by this “taking of
sides” resulting in the reduction of
public art.
It would be rare to have complete
agreement on any piece of art —
which is one important functions
of art: To engage people in thought
and discussion. It is sad to think
that future public art installations
may not happen because a portion
of our community dislikes a single
piece.
I hope FURA and the Florence
City Council will reconsider this
decision.
—Dina Pavlis
Florence
How will new courthouse,
more taxes benefit us?
I just received the Lane County
Voters’ Pamphlet and did a quick
scan through it. I was amazed to
find only one argument against
any of the tax measures.
The information furnished by
John G. Cox, a retired Lane Coun-
ty Attorney, has me thinking about
what Lane County has done for us
in Florence.
His arguments make a lot of
sense to me. What benefit are we
in Florence going to get from this
$252 million dollar expenditure
from our tax payments?
Both Coos County and Doug-
las County have a county annex
on the coast to help serve their tax
payers. Lane County had one in
Florence but decided to close it.
Now our taxpayers have to go to
Eugene for court, for permits and
for jury duty.
Couldn’t a lot of the business be-
ing handled in Eugene be handled
just as well in Florence and at less
cost per square foot?
I think Lane County needs to
take a look at how our counties to
the south are handling things and
stop wasting our money and time.
—Robert Miller
Florence
Kent has proven
track record
Nora Kent gets my vote for Lane
Education Service District (ESD)
Board because she lives, breathes
and works hard for our kids. She
has a proven track record of ser-
vice to our rural schools, such as
Lane Community College, EC
Cares and others.
She brings a wealth of knowl-
edge and proven activism that
are integral to grow and support
important resources needed for
student achievement in our rural
schools. I particularly remember
the packed classroom when she
brought together our communi-
ty to meet her English Language
Learner students and families so
we could hear their stories.
It was an emotional evening
filled with kindness and under-
standing … through their words
and their cultural food as well.
Nora Kent helped create an
anti-bullying event, Gift of our
Wounds, and helped raise funds
for Heart of the Coast Housing Al-
liance to support affordable hous-
ing.
You don’t do such community
activism without a caring heart.
There’s no one better to represent
Position 4 for Lane ESD Board
than Nora Kent, who will help our
students in West Lane County have
opportunities to succeed.
—Sally Wantz
Florence
The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the edi-
tor as part of a community discussion of issues on
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Email letters to:
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WHERE TO WRITE
Pres. Donald Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
TTY/TDD Comments:
202-456-6213
www.whitehouse.gov
Oregon Gov.
Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court St.
Salem, Ore. 97301-4047
Governor’s Citizens’ Rep.
Message Line:
503-378-4582
www.oregon.gov/gov
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office
Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
541-431-0229
www.wyden.senate.gov
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753
FAX: 202-228-3997
541-465-6750
www.merkley.senate.gov
U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio
(4th Dist.)
2134 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6416
541-269-2609
541-465-6732
www.defazio.house.gov
State Sen. Arnie Roblan
(Dist. 5)
900 Court St. NE - S-417
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
FAX: 503-986-1080
Email: Sen.ArnieRoblan@
oregonlegislature.gov
State Rep.
Caddy McKeown
(Dist. 9)
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1409
Email: rep.caddymckeown
@oregonlegislature.gov
West Lane County
Commissioner
Jay Bozievich
125 E. Eighth St.
Eugene, OR 97401
541-682-4203
FAX: 541-682-4616
Email: Jay.Bozievich@
co.lane.or.us