Eugene Is Too Fascinated By Shiny New Things

Is anyone in this town feeling embarrassed by the ostentatiousness of the spending and building projects put forth from the University of Oregon? I think it’s a very weird combination of excessive showmanship and school and town pride, with the blatant and unfortunate reality of our town’s homeless problem side by side. Is it somehow someone’s idea that if we just keep building, maybe tourists and fans and people will eventually not notice our tents and trash and people trying to cope with excessively high living costs and/or mental illness and addiction?

I don’t think that another shiny huge athletic complex will do anything to help unless it could be used for a warming center.

How intuitively intelligent and classy it would be if more of all this money went to domestic violence shelters, more available counseling, affordable housing and maintaining a more classic old university and town feel.

Widening West 11th out to Veneta? Pushing out into the habitats and preserves so we can, what? Drive even faster, have more wrecks, not seeing the landscape and getting nowhere immediately? The coolness of this town was that it had a reputation of college life, hippies, intellectual deep thinkers and great strong family lines. 

Eugene, don’t let us get swallowed up and mesmerized by the fancy and new. I know there are some incredible artists and revolutionary minds out there. Don’t let the COVID consciousness continue to constrict. People are scared and angry and stressed out and venting, but we are all people. The elders have so much to teach us and vice-versa. I hope nothing but good energy for Eugene in 2023! 

Sasha Norris

Eugene