On July 29, I witnessed the Black Unity protest march in the Thurston area of Springfield. The state of Oregon is absolutely right in investigating the illegal actions of the Springfield Police Department. Not only did the SPD actually surge the barrier that they themselves had set up, but they knowingly worked in concert with the counter protesters, many of whom were armed, unmasked and openly drinking alcohol.
This is not behavior unique to SPD. It is nationwide. We need a national set of credentials for police. That needs to include having the Supreme Court look at the concept of “qualified immunity,” as there are no consequences for illegal behavior. We also need a national registry of police misconduct. Most of all, we need to curtail the undue influence of racist policies of the police fraternal organizations, and the police unions. This can only be done by local and state authorities. Until these things are addressed, we can expect more unrest from our BIPOC sisters and brothers. And I will be joining them.
James Gibboney
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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