Many of my fellow citizens rue the triumph of Trump — his style of pre-emptive prevarication, his fraudulent contributions to the commonwealth. I argue that big D’s historical significance should not be overlooked.
I think he will be remembered as the Great Composter of institutions that certainly needed to be composted.
An organic gardener knows the value of compost, the ripe teeming rot of decomposition. It is where the treasures of regeneration are born, the black soil that grows the gorgeous tomato and the juicy golden corn.
So it is with institutions. They need to be broken down so that new life can be cultivated from the fertile muck of their residue. Such institutions like the State Department and the FBI are examples.
I don’t know your opinion of these institutions, but the past 50 years of their activities has not resulted in many gorgeous tomatoes or golden ears of corn. Despite their amply remunerated talent, in fact, the institutions themselves have become pathological.
So citizen gardeners like myself plan the season. We ask ourselves how best to utilize the disintegrating components to grow the good stuff.
David Hugh Tyson, Eugene
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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