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Editorial:
War in Our Cities
Viewpoint:
MetroNet On the Line: If EWEB doesn't do it, it won't get done.
Viewpoint:
Race to the Bottom: PeaceHealth play sthe sprawl option.
Living Out: Poe Me: Cease that bleeping downstairs
beeping.
Letters:
EW readers sound off.
War
in Our Cities
As we go to press this week,
the U.S. is reeling from terrorist attacks that show
how vulnerable we all are to violence
at the hands of fanatics. The personal tragedy is overwhelming for
all those who have lost family and friends in the destruction, and
other tragedies will doubtless follow.
Peacetime provides opportunities to broaden our thinking,
but war has the opposite effect. People wanting simple answers to
complex problems will create their own enemies to persecute. These
may not be good times for anyone who questions authority, anyone who
questions the "American way of life," anyone who questions an empowered
police state and the restrictions on freedom of speech that always
accompany militarization.
And it makes us nervous to have trigger-happy Bush,
Cheney and FEMA running the country, looking for suspects to arrest,
people to shoot and countries to bomb.
Every tragedy has lessons. One we can learn here is
that we need to redefine our national security. A multi-billion dollar
missile defense shield is obviously no deterrent for this kind of
warfare. What has the best possibility of preventing such terrorism
in the future is U.S. investment not in weapons, embargos and oppressive
regimes, but in peace, education and economic justice worldwide.
Viagra for Downtown
Nearly everyone agrees Eugene's downtown
needs a heavy dose of vitality. Will opening Broadway to vehicle traffic
get the heart of our city beating faster? Will a spunkier Broadway
lure more downtown residents, more nightlife, more business investment?
Maybe, maybe not. What we do know is that our flaccid Broadway pedestrian
mall needs some stimulation.
Our news story this week outlines some of the options
we have for revitalizing downtown, and we should pursue as many of
these as possible. But the decision before the citizenry right now
is Ballot Measure 20-25. We have until Tuesday, Sept. 18, to cast
our ballots and we recommend a "yes" vote.
It's painful for us hard-core enviros to endorse cutting
down trees, spending millions of public dollars and creating a dusty,
noisy construction zone for a project that may or may not jumpstart
downtown. But there's nothing enchanting about rows of empty storefronts.
And right now we have a fresh Downtown Vision that calls for a "predominately
pedestrian character" for Broadway if and when it is reopened.
Broadway's revamping will include a public design
process in which the whole community can participate. We must show
up and support low speed limits, bicycle traffic accommodations, benches,
brickwork and other aesthetic features. We can ask for low curbs and
other features that allow the street to function well when closed
off during celebrations and festivals.
At the same time, we should push for new city ordinances
that discourage sprawl, encourage investment downtown (such as the
construction and renovation of second-story apartments), and eliminate
those damned parking meters. Solid planning will provide the real
Viagra for downtown.
'Yes' on Preference
Voting
We have an opportunity in Measure 20-51
to take a leadership role in reforming not only Eugene's election
process, but the rest of Oregon's as well.
Preference voting allows you (if you wish) to vote
for not only your favorite council and mayor candidate, but also your
second and third choices. If no candidate gets an outright majority,
the candidate with the least first-choice votes is eliminated, and
the voters who picked the eliminated candidate get their second choice
counted, and so on until a winner is declared. It's a more democratic
system, and it will eliminate expensive run-off elections.
Preference voting has a few bugs to be worked out
regarding interpretation of state law and some balloting mechanics
(we need to dump punch cards anyway), but the concept is sound and
simple, and a "yes" vote will set the wheels of change in motion for
all of Oregon.
Don't Blame the
Council
It's absurd to blame city councilors for
the fiasco surrounding PeaceHealth's decision to build its new mega-hospital
in north Springfield. The councilors were simply looking out for the
best interests of the citizens and demanding public input into a decision
that will cost taxpayers many millions of dollars.
And from a practical point of view, whether the new
Sacred Heart is built in north Eugene or north Springfield pales in
comparison to the hospital's decision to flee to the suburbs. PeaceHealth's
abandoning downtown is what deserves the outrage, and we suspect the
R-G, Mayor Torrey and Councilors Pape and Farr all know it,
but are using PeaceHealth's decision as a political club to beat up
on their fellow councilors. -- TJT
Back to Top
MetroNet
On the Line
If EWEB
doesn't do it, it won't get done.
September is a critical month for the community's
high-speed telecommunications network
known as MetroNet. On Sept. 19, the City Council will make a decision
that either will allow the Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB)
to move forward with building the initial phases of this fiber-optic
system, or will throw up a road block in this vital component of our
economic future.
For nearly a century, the citizens of Eugene have
owned their own electric and water systems, not the stockholders of
a large, profit-driven corporation. You, the consumers, elected the
five EWEB commissioners to run the utility. You own the wires, poles
and pipes that supply your water and electricity.
Now EWEB wants to build a high-speed telecommunications
system. You would control how it is built, managed and operated. Public
ownership of this "next utility," telecommunications, is a vision
that eventually will give everyone high-speed access to a network
that offers electronic communication, entertainment choices, data
transmission, and perhaps even interactive participation in public
events and meetings. It makes sense that EWEB should operate what
is becoming a service as essential as water and electricity.
Some have questioned the appropriateness of EWEB's
involvement in telecommunications. They've asked if EWEB is taking
a gamble on such a venture. Shouldn't high-tech be left to AT&T
and Qwest, they've asked? If EWEB doesn't do it, it won't get done.
AT&T has broken its franchise
agreement to make their high-speed network available to
everyone in Eugene. Now it says it need another three years for a
job the company was supposed to finish last year. With AT&T Broadband
for sale, it is unlikely the company will invest in Eugene, a "Tier
4" market. Qwest, meanwhile, has filed a lawsuit to get out of paying
its franchise fees to the city. Do they look like companies ready
to invest in our future?
In May 2000, a ballot measure gave EWEB authority
to provide telecommunications to the community. Subsequent analysis
showed it wouldn't be financially prudent to spend more than $100
million now on a "universal" buildout. It would have given you a system
only slightly better than what is currently available. Hence, we decided
not to go forward at this time.
At no time did we think we would abandon our initial
investment in the fiber we already have placed around the city. We
worked hard to develop the PAN (Public Area Network). A component
of this is a joint project with Chambers Communication called "Light
the Apple." This connects our schools with a state-of-the- art, high-speed
fiber network, and saves the school district thousands of dollars
in Qwest charges.
The second project is EWEB's
proposed MetroNet network. It promises transmission speeds
up to 1,000 times faster than what businesses currently get in the
city. No private company offers this service. That means MetroNet
will not compete with local businesses. Unlike Qwest, MetroNet will
increase competition by opening up its network to as many Internet
Service Providers as possible. ISPs can then offer connections to
their customers on MetroNet.
That's why EWEB's appearance before the council is
crucial. We are asking it to revise an agreement signed last year
that will clarify how EWEB plans to proceed. We would use about $4.5
million in previously approved bonds to finance the network's startup.
We will take a cautious approach by providing fiber to existing customers
only, instead of trying to attract prospects. EWEB is committed to
making MetroNet independent, with no cross-subsidization by electric
or water ratepayers.
MetroNet will initially serve businesses and other
large users in five areas of town. After six years of operation, EWEB's
Board will then consider asking voters to approve bonds to complete
the network everywhere, and possibly provide entertainment services.
EWEB is committed to its goal of hooking up every home, apartment,
business and school in the city, but only if the service makes sense.
It will be no small task to get council approval.
The council is being lobbied by AT&T, Qwest, and certain "Gang
of 9" members trying to thwart our efforts. This well-funded initiative
by corporate interests to stop municipal ownership is no different
in Eugene than elsewhere nationwide. AT&T and Qwest spent over
$80,000 to try to defeat us from having the authority to provide these
services, but the people prevailed. We must do so again. We are counting
on the council not to be swayed by corporate giants.
Peter Bartel represents Wards 4 and 5 on the Eugene
Water & Electric Board.
Back to Top
Race
to the Bottom
PeaceHealth
plays the sprawl option.
The charade is over. On Sept.7 PeaceHealth announced
it was dumping Eugene as a site for its new hospital and was going
to north Springfield. According to the corporate version, this ends
a long and frustrating saga of trying to find the perfect "healing
environment" in Eugene while being buffeted by pesky city councilors,
growth management policies, and a public process that actually allows
citizens and elected officials to raise some questions about the best
location for a hospital that will require millions of public investment
dollars.
If corporations wrote our history books, we'd be in
deep trouble. Here's another take on the last few months of "as the
world turns."
PeaceHealth's claim it wanted to be in Eugene and
was later driven away into developer (and Gang of 9 founder) John
Musumeci's hands is poppycock. A Register-Guard story by Christian
Wihtol on the same day contained this nugget: Musumeci's Arlie &
Co. put together the deal for the Gateway property with $4.2 million
in financing from a group of anonymous investors formed by one of
PeaceHealth's Seattle lawyers, Mark A. Rowley.
This was back in April, two months before the
Eugene City Council sought to put together a series of options for
a downtown Eugene site and months before the council raised the issue
of what the actual zoning rules and history were at the Crescent site
in north Eugene.
There are two possible scenarios here:
PeaceHealth knew in April it wanted the sprawl option in Springfield,
but needed someone else to take the hit for the community outrage
that would follow Eugene's only hospital up and leaving after benefiting
from years of community tax dollars and support. Who better than the
progressives on the Eugene City Council? Everything after that was
a set-up.
Or, taking a page from the Transnational Corporation
Handbook, PeaceHealth played Eugene and Springfield off against each
other like two Third World countries, seeing which could be bid down
to the fewest land use and zoning rules, the biggest subsidies, and
fast-track approval status. Springfield, in part because their negotiations
were done in secret without public participation, "won."
In either case, the losers in this race to the bottom
in urban planning are the working people and taxpayers of both cities,
who pay the developer's bills for the ensuing sprawl and don't even
get the usual carrot held out by the big guys. The jobs are already
here, and would be regardless of where PeaceHealth located.
Like a Greek tragedy,
the knives were drawn and blood was flowing within minutes of PeaceHealth's
announcement. Mayor Jim Torrey and Eugene Councilor Pat Farr turned
on their fellow councilors to fix the blame, Farr calling Eugene "the
laughingstock of the Willamette Valley." The R-G editorialized
against Eugene's "regressive" councilors, who should like lap dogs
have "been at PeaceHealth's doorstep to fast-track the process."
Blaming Eugene's city councilors for PeaceHealth's
duplicity is as absurd as a recent Gang of 9 cartoon that blamed the
council for Hynix's shutdown of its Eugene factory. And let's face
it, rhetoric like this, and the verbiage coming from Musumeci, Liz
Cawood and The Gang has done more damage to the business climate in
Eugene than could a band of 500 anarchists working overtime.
The Eugene business community should be advertising
for some mature, responsible new leadership, people who can sit down
with everyone in the community to talk about the kind of place we
want Eugene to be.
But hey, it's the Eugene Celebration -- on to the lighter side.
Some soon to be announced slogan changes: Gang of 9, "Springfield's-or-anybody's-true
friends." PeaceHealth, "We'll go to war to provide you a healing environment."
And ODOT is preparing new signs for the just announced $50 million
I-5/Beltline interchange: "Welcome to Downtown Spugene." The arrows
point in six directions.
I'm going downtown to celebrate with Eugene's true
friends this weekend, the hundreds of volunteers staffing the booths
of social service and civic groups, environmental and human rights,
labor, women's and gay rights organizations. Folks who make this not
just a city, but a community worth living in.
But tonight I need a break from city politics. Think
I'll go by Flics and Pics and rent a movie. Let's see -- haven't
seen Chinatown for a while.
Greg McLauchlan is a Eugene sociologist who writes
about social justice and urban livability issues.
Poe
Me
Cease that
bleeping downstairs beeping.
Once upon a morning dawning, while I stumbled stiff and
yawning, over many a quaint and curious volume of lesbian lore. While
my love still lay there sleeping, suddenly there came a beeping, something
birdlike gently peeping, peeping from the downstairs floor. "'Tis
the smoke alarm," I muttered, "beeping from the downstairs
floor, only this and nothing more."
Ah, distinctly I remember, it was hot, not yet September, and each
sunbeam like an ember warmed the day while still she snore. Eagerly I then descended,
down the stairs to have it ended, problems much worse I have mended, mended as a
dykely chore. For a strong and competent woman can do any household chore, prove
her worth for evermore.
And the brightly proud and certain rustling of our rainbow curtain,
thrilled me, filled me with fantastic pride I've often felt before. So that now,
to still the bleating smoke alarm, I stood repeating, "Tis a battery it's needing,
any dyke could this restore. Just a battery it's needing, any dyke could this restore.
This it is, and nothing more."
Presently my soul grew stronger, hesitating then no longer. "Smoke
alarm," said I, confronting, "I must stop your rude uproar. For the fact
is you are keeping, me from any further sleeping, with your loud incessant beeping,
beeping through the office door." Here I fetched the small step ladder, climbed
two steps above the floor, poised to do the brawny chore.
Then my hand upon it twisting, its round plastic case resisting.
Screeching, beeping beeps no mortal's ears were meant to hear before. But the racket
was unbroken, and the ruckus gave no token, and the only words there spoken to the
screeching troubadour were my muttered, "I'll fix you," and its reply beeped
back full score. Only this and nothing more.
I resumed my twisting, turning, all my soul within me burning,
pulled it out but still the beeping, somewhat louder than before. "Surely,"
said I, "surely this is not a job for wimps or prisses. Something very much
amiss is, I'll this mystery explore. Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery
explore." This I thought and nothing more.
From its socket I did take it, wrenched it out but did not break
it. "Doubtless," said I, "I'll find spare batteries in the kitchen
drawer." Here is one task I can master, and avert this loud disaster, beeping
fast now, beeping faster, till my nerves were getting sore. Replaced the batt'ry
with a new one, still my nerves were getting sore, while it beeped and beeped some
more
Tiny print upon the plastic, forcing visual gymnastic, to decipher
why the screech still pulsed insanely from its core. But the noise had made me weary
and my eyes were getting teary, hence no answer to my query and no silence furthermore.
With no answer to my query, and no silence furthermore, I flung it out the kitchen
door.
Yet no surcease was forthcoming, from outside the beep kept drumming,
to my violent urge succumbing, I flung wide the kitchen door. "Wretch!"
I cried and grasped a cleaver, acting like Sigourney Weaver, whacked it in a frenzied
fever, then I grabbed a two by four. Smashed its little plastic guts out with a heavy
two by four, stepped inside and slammed the door.
Despite how violently we scuffled, the part that beeped still sits
unruffled, and its horrid noise unmuffled by the cleaver, board, or door. Any dyke
who's self-respecting would this problem be correcting and continue vivisecting till
she'd quietude restore. But my spirit fully daunted could not quash the beep that
taunted and forever will be haunted like a wounded matador.
Stop the beeping? Nevermore.
Sally Sheklow has been a part of the Eugene community since 1972
and is a member of the WYMPROV! comedy troupe. Her column, which began at EW,
also runs in several other newspapers around the country.
Back to Top
SOMETHING'S
ROTTEN
So, the good Sisters are picking
up their medicine ball and taking it to Springfield. To a playing
field purchased by Gang of 9 leader John Musumeci in April with a
$4.2 million loan from PeaceHealth. But wait a minute... April? And
a loan from PeaceHealth? Methinks there's something's rotten in Springfield,
and it isn't Weyerhaeuser. Well, it could also be Weyerhaeuser!
What was the spring and summer of angst visited on
the Eugene community all about? More bargaining chips for the Sisters?
More time for harmless fun by the Gang of 9? Retribution? If these
past five months of city/hospital "negotiations" had been organized,
there would be fodder for an unfair labor practices claim: withholding
information critical to the bargaining process.
And what part of the PeaceHealth mission statement
covers commercial banking? Do the Sisters regularly make multi-million
dollar loans from their non-profit charity to for-profit developers?
Or was this something special? CEO Alan Yordy claims that the investment
was unrelated to any hospital development plans. Sure, and pigs fly.
I won't be satisfied until this is cleared up with a credible public
statement, such as: "We have not had an intimate relationship with
that developer."
This whole thing sounds as obscure and unbelievable
as a X-Files script ending with an alien abduction. The truth
is out there (but we'll never know it). What's the real story? God
only knows.
Via con Dios, good Sisters!
Benton Elliott
Eugene
GANG
NEEDS HELP
The Gang of 9 is struggling with
the concept of preference voting. That's sad because it is something
we all do at least several times a week. I believe it is important
to help those less fortunate than ourselves, especially in the matter
of brain power, so let's clue them in.
There are a dozen detergents on the shelves at Albertson's.
Which do you prefer? If it's out of stock, which is your second pick?
There are 20 movies available at Gateway. If your favorite is sold
out, what is your second choice? If that theater is full as well,
what's your third choice? There are 30 microbrews at a good store.
Which will you purchase?
See, kids? Wasn't that easy?!
When my children were 2 years of age, they had no
problem deciding which toys they preferred among the dozens their
grandparents purchased for them. Apparently the Gang of 9 think that,
along with themselves, you're not even that smart. Show them how wrong
they are: Vote Yes on 20-51. And if you run into a Gang member struggling
through the aisles in Safeway, be nice and lend them a hand.
Bonus points: Elections will cost less because we
won't have to pay for primaries!
Charlie Magee
Eugene
ONE
COMPLAINT
I was fortunate Thursday night (9/6)
to enjoy the grand opening of the McDonald Theatre. Good music, nice
venue and fantastic crowd. I wish Kesey Productions great success
in the future in offering Eugene an alternative music venue that is
both comfortable and affordable (although I would suggest dropping
Fastix over personal ticket sales).
My only complaint with the evening was with the opening
invocation of the McDonald Theatre's reopening. I've listened to and
read Ken Kesey's work for over 30 years and I respect his ideas and
"role" in the community. If he prefers to go to the mountains to see
a tree and favors returning the downtown area to concrete and motor
vehicle access, he is entitled to his opinion. While I don't agree
with it, so be it.
Major Torrey's speech, however, amounted to little
more than political grandstanding which was inappropriate and unwelcome.
Providing an historical perspective to the theatre is all well and
good! but leave your private agendas at the door.
The city's attempt to mask the reopening of the downtown
mall as an improvement for business is nothing more than their unwillingness
to address the issue of our city's youth. The money needed to reopen
the mall could be better spent in providing alternatives for youth
that are attracted to the mall rather than merely displacing them
to another neighborhood. Let's work together with all our residents
to improve our city rather than attacking some that we perhaps don't
understand or appreciate.
Dennis Griffin
Eugene
FREE
PARKING
Have you ever noticed that Valley
River Center has no cars driving down the middle of it? It makes for
a relaxing and healthy time. Of course, we all want a vital downtown
and I know businesses are hurting. I suggest rather than opening the
only pedestrian street in Eugene (except for the malls), let's make
parking free (not a new idea). The cost would be offset by not doing
new construction on Broadway. Further revenues could come from businesses
paying more taxes and rent (if times were good). Ask most small business
owners what problem number one is downtown and they'll say tickets
and meters.
Opening night at the McDonald, Mayor Torrey proposed
opening Broadway to resounding boos. Then Ken Kesey takes the stage
and suggests the same to polite clapping. I say thumbs down to both.
Kesey's comments included, "The city is a place to
come to do business," and "If we want to see trees, go out to the
hills." Easy to say for a guy who lives in the country. City people
like trees, too. Perhaps it's time to get off the bus and walk the
mall.
Please vote "no" on opening Broadway.
Donald E. Burton
Eugene
COVER
BROADWAY?
Before we open Broadway and create
two more intersections and maybe a dozen parking spaces, let's remember
that two of the reasons people shop at the Gateway and Valley River
malls is because they are car-free and indoors. No idling cars, trucks
and buses, no wind or cold drizzly rain. If downtown wants to compete
with malls, it should become a better one. A clear roof, lights and
doors would offer a year-round shopping environment. Maybe even move
the Saturday Market inside for the winter.
Opening Willamette Street was a failure; so were the
parking meters. Nobody shops inside a car.
Mark Murphy
Eugene
BAD
FOR BUSINESS
I am writing in support of opening
Eugene's blocks-long pedestrian mall to automotive traffic. Especially
at peak shopping times, I often am forced to park as far as 100 yards
from the shop I am trying to visit. This must be bad for the struggling
business owners! Plus while walking to these shops, I must pick my
way past large numbers of youth loitering about. These idle individuals
are -- let me phrase this politely -- quite different from
me.
For these reasons, it is clear that we should be allowed
to drive our cars through the Valley River Center.
Eric Pederson
Eugene
TOUGH
ENOUGH?
We saw your reference to rugby last
week (cover story, 8/30) and wanted to tell the folks in Eugene a
little more about the game.
Rugby is presidential (Bill Clinton played while at
Oxford). Rugby is un-presidential (President Theodore Roosevelt insisted
on reform of the game to lower the brutality and threatened to abolish
the game by edict). Rugby is the holy game (Pope John Paul II is a
rugby player and represented Poland at rugby). Rugby is a fast-paced,
hard-tackling running game with a position for every athlete, regardless
of size and shape.
Although gridiron football is the spawn of rugby,
the two games are very different. Without a helmet, the head makes
a poor weapon. As a result, there are far fewer injuries in rugby
than in American football. In rugby, even the big boys run 5 to 7
miles per game; consequently, your average prop is in far better shape
than an NFL lineman.
The sport is built around camaraderie. The post-game
party is a good way to relax and get to know your opponents in a friendly
way. Let all the antagonism go, and have a few beers with your mates
and the guys you were just stomping on.
If you think you might be tough enough to play, come
out to a practice session at Tugman Park on 36th and Hilyard in south
Eugene on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:15 pm. Now is the best time
to learn the game. For more information, call 338-0443 or visit www.EugeneRugby.com
C. Michael Arnold
Eugene Rugby Football Club
BYPASS
GOVERNMENT
Once in awhile I see something that I just
have to comment on, and Kenneth Wilson's letter last week (8/30) has
prompted me to speak out. Mr. Wilson decries the fact that the federal
government is failing to take care of social problems in our local
community. He then tells us that he will take his tax return and use
it to support local groups.
WOW! Isn't that exactly what we should be using our
money for? Do we really want to trust a huge government bureaucracy
to take care of our local problems? To feed the families in Eugene
who are falling through the cracks? To protect and comfort women trying
to untangle themselves from abusive relationships? To provide health
care for the uninsured on our streets?
Why do people get so self righteous when they are
"forced" to do something they should have been doing all along? We
should be taking care of the people in our community who need help.
Our money and energy should go to help the people in our area who
need us. We cannot sit around and wait for the federal government
to make things happen in our community. How much is your tax refund?
$300? $600? Hold that up to the budget of the U.S. and see how it
looks. Now hold that up to the budget of Womenspace, or White Bird
Clinic. That could make a lot of difference couldn't it?
We have the potential to be much more caring, and
efficient then large government agencies could ever be, so lets quit
moping around and do it.
Lucia Burnett
Eugene
EASY
SOLUTION
For those concerned about the increased
Eugene garbage pick-up cost, there is an easy alternative: Just recycle
more and use a smaller garbage can. People should keep in mind that
the yard debris pick-up program is designed to divert an estimated
5,000 tons of materials to such useful purposes as making soil amendments.
Otherwise, these materials would be going to our landfill operation,
a very costly alternative. Other major cities have long had such a
yard debris pick-up service. I am delighted with the options this
new service provides, and I hope people will take full advantage of
it.
Kess Hottle
Eugene
RIDING
THE BREEZE
I ride the bus for all my errands,
attend a class, etc. I have observed that the ridership is composed
of elderly, poor and handicapped people. The new schedule beginning
in September has a new bus service cleverly called Breeze. If you
read this schedule, one can see that there is a definite slant. One
of the routes is to the 5th St. Public Market. I understand that the
shops there are so expensive that the ordinary bus rider couldn't
afford to purchase anything. Another route is to Country Club Road.
I'm sure members of the Eugene Country Club will all start riding
the bus. Another route is to the Valley River Center.
Those buses could have been used more effectively
in the outlying districts where people need the buses to get to their
jobs and buy groceries. The Breeze routes are duplicates of already
existing routes. I didn't realize LTD's purpose was to promote businesses.
LTD raised the bus fare. LTD should discontinue asking for input from
the public. We submitted a petition, as did another senior complex,
to retain a stop at Jacob's Drive. It had no effect whatsoever. It's
ironic that they installed a new bus shelter at that stop, as there
is no use for it now. Perhaps transients from Highway 99 can come
down and sleep on it.
I have come to the conclusion that the elderly, poor
and handicapped have no influence in Eugene -- only money does.
I'm beginning to understand the anarchists' point of view.
Ruth Nelson
Eugene
STOP
BUYING THEM
About a month ago EW called
attention to the extremely harsh sentence meted out to Jeff "Free"
Luers after his accomplice, "Critter," was jailed. "Free" got more
than 20 years for setting fire to sport utility vehicles (SUVs) at
a Eugene car dealership to call attention to the environmental destruction
these low gas mileage, overweighed autos cause.
Manufacturers and dealers will continue to deliver
SUVs and 4x4 light trucks as long as we, the public, buy them; so
it's really up to you and me to become more responsible citizens and
select more economical and efficient cars, carpool, ride public transit,
bike or (heavens!) walk. The EW article seemed to decry the
apparently unjust sentence, but didn't mention where donations may
be sent to help fund an appeal. Any amount will surely be appreciated
and can be deposited in the "Free and Critter Legal Defense Fund"
at O.U.R. Credit Union.
John Saemann
Eugene
LETTERS POLICY: We welcome letters on all topics and will print
as many as space allows. Please limit length to 250 words, keep submissions to once
a month, and include your address and phone number. E-mail to editor@eugeneweekly.com, fax to 484-4044, or mail
to 1251 Lincoln, Eugene 97401.
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