Today (10/23) my friend Robert was shot right between the eyes by a bully with a paintball gun, in broad daylight, with plenty of witnesses, outside Old Nick’s Pub.
Robert is a photographer. He takes pictures. He takes stock. He shows up and documents us, here in Eugene. He is a gentle soul with a great heart. And some asshole takes careful aim at his head. Some white asshole who has the privilege to show up ARMed and camouflaged, ready to defend all patriots against — a fuckin’ drag show. Had that asshole been Black or Brown, he’d have been arrested, or killed, for rendering his opinion with his ordnance. But a white boy with a balaclava, a big gun and a teeny little dick can swagger down Main Street, intimidating and silencing us. Free to cancel the guy with the camera. And no one bats an eye. Congrats, Eugene; congrats, America.
Rebecca McCroskey
Eugene
Editor’s note: Robert Scherle is a local freelance photographer whose work has appeared in Eugene Weekly, Double Sided Media and other publications.
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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