Remember a few weeks ago when the first news of families being separated at the border appeared? The stories and images were horrifying, and our repugnance toward Trump grew even greater.
But some of the liberal voices in response were pretty repugnant, too — those who moaned that splitting up families like this “isn’t us, this isn’t who we are, this isn’t the American way.” I guess it’s good to be reminded that liberals can be just as historically ignorant as conservatives. Denial comes easy, and has many motivations.
But do those folks really know nothing of how slavery in America operated? The separation of families was central to that institution, and that institution was central to what America was.
And I guess even fewer know of what happened to millions of Native American families through the boarding-school systems, the Relocation Act of 1952, long-term cultural depredation and the destruction of traditional means of livelihood — and other elements of the systematic (and often policy-based) American holocaust.
So guess what, folks: That’s exactly who we are, and it always has been.
Jeff Harrison, 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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