I find Bob Warren’s response to Paul Conte (“Don’t Count Me In With Conte,” Letters 9/1) to be both confusing and disingenuous. I’ve not a clue what might be at issue between the two, if any, yet if I read between the lines, so to speak, it would appear that Warren’s rebuttal might be alluding to some personal animosity, and possibly his and EW’s political views over Claire Syrett, Lucy Vinis and the EmX issue. Otherwise, Conte makes some perfectly good points about past bait and switch boondoggles in Eugene. The Hyundai plant is definitely one for the books, in conjunction with other bait and switch city council decisions in and outside of Oregon.

Although I’m not fully versed on Syrett’s recall or her progressiveness, or on public opinion regarding EmX, whether Syrett has possibly fostered another bait and switch on Eugene is fair to “de-bait.” She may be progressive, yet she is political, and many so-called progressives (and otherwise) bait and switch aplenty to preserve their own political asses. And Warren essentially pointed out that Eugene has not been so different in this regard.

Which is why Warren’s stating that he didn’t want “to be associated in any way” with Conte, and that Conte’s examples don’t relate whatsoever to his viewpoint, is so perplexing. Because Warren not only mentions the town square debacle, he goes on to remind us of other current and past misdeeds in Eugene’s history. So how would this not square with Conte’s point? Or is Warren’s point political, too?

Sean Doyle

Corvallis

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