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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (June 26, 2021)
4A | SATURDAY EDITION | JUNE 26, 2021 Siuslaw News P.O. Box 10 Florence, OR 97439 CHANTELLE MEYER , EDITOR | 541-902-3520 | CMEYER @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM Opinion The First Amendment Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibit- ing the free exercise thereof; or abridg- ing the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peace- ably to assemble, and to petition the Government 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) Live theater returns with ‘Monologues’ Shut down by the pandemic for narrator, introducing a topic. Then her hilarious monologue about Bob, more than a year, live theater is set a monologist proceeds to tell her an ordinary man who loved the va- to return to Broadway in September, experience with the vagina — ex- gina. but it returns to Florence this week. ploratory, aggressive, affectionate or First-time actors give striking per- Always in the vanguard, Florence’s nostalgic. formances. Jacquelyn Serrano is de- Last Resort Players is kicking off its If while you’re watching this you lightful describing the vagina work- season with Eve Ensler’s jaw-drop- become uneasy hearing so much shop. Beth Kilmurray is passionate ping, remarkable play, “The Vagina about the vagina, the skillful actors explaining the torturous existence Monologues.” of a Bosnian woman. Nora The show has played June Kent recalls with gratitude Last Resort Players’ 24 and 25 and continues June the awakening of her Coochie 26 and 27 on a stage at City “The Vagina Monologues” Snorcher. Justine Parker plays Lights Cinemas. Movies and a lawyer turned sex worker Theater Review By Burney Garelick plays, uniquely different en- dominatrix for women, and tertainments, have always she’s so convincing it’s fright- been complementary, with one of- and generous script will soon allow ening. Denise Diamond speaks up ten adapted to the other. This time you to relax and enjoy the show. for another, percussive, four-letter the big screen remains a softly lit There is a lot to laugh about, and word for the vagina. Mary Conley, backdrop while the lights go up on there is a lot of sadness that will also stage manager, runs through the stage, and the actors take their move you to tears. Like the heart, the audience to the stage to express places at seven chairs and a podium. the vagina beats with the full spec- vociferously an angry vagina. Originally presented in 1996 in trum of emotion. Who would have guessed this New York, Ensler’s “Monologues” Sometimes the actors perform as a fine production was directed by a has been staged throughout the Greek chorus, asking and answering man! But Jim Wellington is an ex- world in 140 countries in 50 lan- questions including: What would perienced dramaturge who knows guages. Like the elephant in the the vagina wear? What would a va- his way around the theater. He un- room, the vagina had always been gina say? Other times the actors re- derstands women and gives all the front and center, but one no one cite a long, long list of synonyms for credit to his “belles.” wanted to talk about it. When the the vagina. My favorite is “Cooch- Congratulations to the Last Re- “Monologues” broke the glass ceil- ie Snorcher.” If ever this play were sort Players for the return of live ing, women and men were better for merchandised, a Coochie Snorcher theater and for the extraordinary it. Women’s lives matter. plush toy would be a best-seller! production of “The Vagina Mono- Of course “The Vagina Mono- Returning actor Sally Wantz de- logues.” The future looks brighter logues” is no stranger to Florence. livers a bittersweet hirsute mono- every day. The play has been performed here logue about the vagina. Returning As it says in the program, this pro- twice before, in 2005 at Driftwood actor and assistant director Annie duction may not be suitable for all Shores and in 2007 at the Florence Schmidt reprises her monologue audiences. In addition, tickets were Events Center. Three of the actors as an elderly woman who, due to unavailable at press time due to sold- return to this third performance. an unfortunate occurrence “down out shows. An episodic play, the “Mono- there,” has shut off her vagina. Re- Learn more at www.lastresort logues” includes nine actors, all turning actor Ginny Kelly, in addi- players.com and www.citylights women. One of them acts as the tion to playing the narrator, reprises cinemas.com. USPS# 497-660 Copyright 2021 © Siuslaw News Siuslaw News Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon. A member of the National Newspaper Association and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Periodicals postage paid at Florence, Ore. Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439; phone 541-997-3441; fax 541-997-7979. All press releases may be sent to PressReleases@TheSiuslawNews.com. Jenna Bartlett Chantelle Meyer Front Office For Advertising: ext. 318 Publisher, ext. 318 Editor, ext. 313 541-997-3441 For Classifieds: ext. 310 DEADLINES: Wednesday Issue—General news releases, Monday noon; Classified line ads, Monday 10 a.m.; Legal Notices and Display Ads, Friday noon. Saturday Issue—General news releases, Thursday noon; Classified line ads, Thursday 10 a.m.; Legal Notices and Display Ads, Wednesday 5 p.m. NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In Lane County — 1-year subscription, $79; 6-month in-county, $56; 10- week subscription, $25; Out of Lane County — 1-year subscription, $102; 6-month out-of-county, $69; 10-week subscription, $35; Out of State — 1-year subscription, $134; E-Edition Online Only (Anywhere) — 1-year sub- scription, $65. Mail subscription includes E-Edition. Website and E-Edition: TheSiuslawNews.com Siuslaw News Office: 148 Maple St./PO Box 10 Florence, OR 87439 Office Hours: Monday to Thursday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday: 8 a.m. to noon Letters to the Editor policy The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the editor as part of a community discussion of issues on the local, state and national level. Emailed letters are preferred. Handwritten or typed letters must be signed. All letters need to in- clude full name, address and phone number; only name and city will be printed. Letters should be limited to about 300 words. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and clarity. Publica- tion of any letter is not guaranteed and depends on space available and the volume of letters received. Letters that are anonymous, libelous, argumen- tative, sarcastic or contain accusations that are un- sourced or documented will not be published. Letters containing poetry or from outside the Siuslaw News readership area will only be pub- lished at the discretion of the editor. Political/Election Letters: Election-related letters must address pertinent or timely issues of interest to our readers at-large. Letters must 1) Not be a part of letter-writing campaigns on behalf of (or by) candidates; 2) En- sure any information about a candidate is accurate, fair and not from second-hand knowledge or hear- say; and 3) Explain the reasons to support candi- dates based on personal experience and perspec- tive rather than partisanship and campaign-style rhetoric. Candidates themselves may not use the letters to the editor column to outline their views and plat- forms or to ask for votes; this constitutes paid polit- ical advertising. As with all letters and advertising content, the newspaper, at the sole discretion of the publisher, general manager and editor, reserves the right to reject any letter that doesn’t follow the above cri- teria. Email letters to: cmeyer@thesiuslawnews.com WHERE TO WRITE LETTERS President Joseph Biden (Editor’s Note: Viewpoint sub- missions on these and other topics are always welcome as part of our goal to encourage community discus- sion and exchange of perspectives.) Discomfort with letters This week’s Letters to the Editor made me wonder what a newcomer might conclude about Florence. My discomfort comes from the litany of “Trumpisms” which drip with dis- dain (“Suckered into Belief,” Harold Titus). Instead of a tone welcoming diversity of thought, these diatribes claim to be facts. Publish more topics of shared in- terests and concerns, please. — Bou Kilgore Florence Theory intended to affect change I enjoyed Mark Brennan’s article “Honoring Juneteenth and Libera- tion” (Siuslaw News, June 19). I read his passage: “General Gor- don Granger announced in Galves- ton, Texas, that more than 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were free.” This may have been true on paper, but many former slaves soon found themselves bound to a new system of inequality, capitalism. Lincoln’s Emancipation Procla- mation did not bring immediate freedom; it announced the opening of a gate revealing one long road with freedom far off in the distance. This gate did not open easily. This gate was pried open by the 110,000 Union soldiers who died to provide hope to people they had never met. This road was paved with preju- dice, cruelty, and hatred. This road traveled from slavery through ser- vitude, segregation, and subjuga- tion. This road climbed mountains of violence and across vast plains of poverty. For over 150 years, black men, women and children traveled this road but have not yet reached the destination. They are close, but stubborn obstacles still impede their path. One obstacle is per- sistent racist policies and proce- dures within our institutions — systemic racism. The 13th, 14th and 15th amend- ments to the U.S. Constitution pro- hibit overtly racist laws, but histor- ical policies, designed to segregate, still unfairly disadvantage African Americans. From abortion to zon- ing, these policies may be unbiased on their face, but impact one race more than another. Critical Race Theory (CRT) has been used for over 40 years to help change these unfair practices. The tenants of CRT are that rac- ism exists, we should discuss it and we should try to affect change. CRT does not accuse people of being racist. It creates awareness that we have divided ourselves by race, as evidenced by the terms “black” and “white,” which alleges we are diametrically opposed. Teachers have gone astray of CRT if they accuse children of being racist, or play racist games. It is a teacher’s job to impress children to uphold the ideals expressed in our Constitution, Bill of Rights, amend- ments and common decency. Some teachers do a better job than others, but the practice of discussing racial differences to create a more peace- ful union should not go away. — Bill Shepard Mapleton The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 TTY/TDD: 202-456-6213 www.whitehouse.gov 900 Court St. NE - S-417 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1705 Email: Sen.DickAnderson@ oregonlegislature.gov Oregon Gov. Kate Brown State Rep. Boomer Wright (Dist. 9) State Sen. Dick Anderson (Dist. 5) 160 State Capitol 900 Court St. 900 Court St. NE Salem, Ore. 97301-4047 Salem, OR 97301 Message Line: 503-986-1409 503-378-4582 Email: Rep.BoomerWright@ www.oregon.gov/gov oregonlegislature.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 Lane County Dist. 1 Commissioner Jay Bozievich 125 E. Eighth St. Eugene, OR 97401 541-682-4203 Email: Jay.Bozievich@ co.lane.or.us 313 Hart Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 202-224-3753 | 541-465-6750 Florence City Council www.merkley.senate.gov & Mayor Joe Henry Florence City Hall, 250 U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio Highway 101, Florence, 97439 (4th Dist.) 541-997-3437 2134 Rayburn HOB ci.florence.or.us Washington, DC 20515 Email comments to Florence 202-225-6416 City Recorder Kelli Weese at 541-269-2609 | 541-465-6732 kelli.weese@ci.florence.or.us www.defazio.house.gov
