Thank You, Frog and EW
I’m a PNW native who now lives in Chicago, and I recently had the pleasure of reading Savannah Brown’s obituary of Frog as published on your website (“Thank You for the Laughter, Frog,” EW, 11/7). I don’t really have much to say other than I really loved it. The tone was so joyous and it was a true celebration of Frog’s life, outlook and unique energy.
I love local journalism and appreciate the loving care that went into this obituary. Thank you for the great work that you do.
Amy Do
Chicago
A Glimpse of the Working Poor
I notice a male EPD officer in what appears to be a respectfully distanced conversation with a man who appears to be unhoused, standing beside two large trash bags bulging with empty beverage cans. A female officer walks up alongside.
“I hope this conversation goes well,” I silently breathe.
This is what the working poor look like, after a day or night of humiliating hard work. We have a crisis on our hands.
Individuals with even one large trash bag bulging with empty beverage cans can’t board the EmX to get to Eugene’s one BottleDrop Redemption Center, far from downtown. And most don’t own a pickup.
I respectfully suggest that the city department that carries out the homeless encampment sweeps mobilize a city pickup truck on some kind of weekly schedule, from some easily accessible location, to help the working poor receive pay for their labors and feel dignity in their humanity. They’ve suffered enough.
After 20 years of living in Eugene, I still believe that this city possesses every form of wealth it needs to address this poverty crisis. Show us, please, city of Eugene, what imagination, courage and transformative justice can do, to relieve the cost of working while poor.
Mary Sharon Moore
Springfield
From the Faithful
Thank you for your article on the closing of Trinity United Methodist Church (“Sunsetting the Sacred,” EW, 11/14). I appreciate the comprehensive coverage and the views of long-time members being expressed. It is sad how many congregations have been closed in this area and the number of people who have been affected by the methods of closing. Coburg United Methodist was also closed. It would serve justice if the UMC reimbursed all the donations raised by the congregants at Trinity towards the kitchen remodel. I hope the members of the closed churches are able to find a new church home.
And please know there are Christians who did not vote for Trump.
Celeste Rossetto
Springfield
Something We Can All Agree On
OMG, I think that there is another bipartisan topic. Leaf blowers suck — and blow. The amount of noise generated by leaf blowers is a lot. And for what? To make a pile of leaves. I use a rake and a broom on our .28 acre property. I’m 72 years old. Please love thy neighbor and get rid of these awful and overly noisy machines. The stupidest invention ever.
Tony Brandt
Eugene
Get to Know History
History is people!
People are complex, fascinating, better than fiction. While technology marches on, human nature remains largely the same. We have much to learn from people in history. They’ve already lived through many of our experiences. They lived and died; loved and hated; did good things and bad things; lied and told the truth; served themselves; served others; were apathetic or, if fortunate, followed their dreams.
Looking back on their lives, I am comforted. We are not alone. We are not the first people to go through many of our challenges. If those before us overcame, so can we. They were strong. We are strong! We benefit from remembering them. Memory of them has value. All people, in their own ways, have value.
A basic truth is our history is life affirming!
History can enrich our lives if we let it, if we just remember. Remembering the past, we join a journey to a fuller knowledge of who we are.
And the best place to start that journey is with the history of where we live, the history we’re a part of, the history we’re continuing. If we learn and appreciate our history, we give ourselves a running chance to change our own history, of affirming all our lives.
We’ve got to look at all our history, the bad and the good. Only then can we truly honor the people of the past. Only then can we truly honor ourselves.
Randy Gudeika
Eugene
The Right-Wing Conspiracists
The election of Donald Trump is proof of what I’ve long suspected. The majority of white voters prefer to be judged by the color of their white skin, rather than the content of their character. They have always been treated better being white.
Many Trump voters fear being replaced by non-white immigrants. They never believed that Barack Obama was a legitimate president. They have been buying overpriced guns and ammo ever since.
The MAGA folks don’t want their children to learn American history, for fear that they might make common cause with the rest of us. They don’t want their children to learn that the USA would not exist without race-based slavery and ethnic cleansing of the natives. Racial profiling makes equal protection under the law impossible.
The European refugees were at the bottom of society in Europe. They would do anything to escape suffering in Europe and be accepted here.
They had to assimilate here by becoming white. They did that by learning to fear, hate and resent everyone darker than them here. Once they became white they got all sorts of free stuff from the government, at the expense of everyone darker than them here.
The 1 percent don’t need democracy or human rights to make profits. Anything can be monetized. That includes bigotry, sexism, fascism and racism to name a few of the profitable sins. We have never lived up to the ideals of “liberty and justice for all” and “equal protection under the law.”
Charles Dalton
Eugene
One Small Act at a Time
Like many like-minded people, I was stunned and depressed by the results of the election. I am filled with compassion for the millions of people who felt that Donald Trump and his followers were the best choices to lead this country. That must be a very uncomfortable view.
From what I read, many people elected to not vote at all. Only they can evaluate the consequences of that choice. Now that the election is over, I have some decisions to make. I believe Trump’s next four years will follow the pattern set by his previous administration, and I followed that closely. Only those who voted for him, or didn’t vote, have anything to learn from this round. I will be as detached as I can be from the events of the next four years.
What I will do is support what is healthy and sound in my community and nation. Each person has the ability to make the world a better place, one small act at a time. Even at 83, there are things I can do. I will not blame or second guess. The past cannot be changed; we can only learn from it.
We need a path forward that unites as a nation behind the values that formed it. Freedom is not a right. It is a responsibility. I am confident there are those who are able to formulate that path.
Joan Mariner
Springfield
What Lurks in the Shadow?
There is a shadow lurking over Donald J. Trump, the next president of the United States. The shadow is seemingly casting a grayish hue over Trump’s perfectly groomed hair and that shadow is created by none other than the richest man in the world — Elon Musk. The X-Man, Tesla Man and the Rocket Man, Musk.
Throughout Trump’s campaign and all the while stepping on Trump’s coattails was Musk who championed the persona as the Black MAGA. Where did Elon come up with that title? Unlike Trump, he is known to be well read and maybe he read Is Tomorrow’s Hitler’s, published in 1941, written by reporter John Gunter.
Gunter interviews H.R. Knickerbocker (nicknamed Red because of his flaming red hair) who has interviewed Hitler many times. Red explains during the interview that on June 14, 1934, Benito Mussolini arranged a meeting with Hitler to take place in Venice, Italy. At the meeting there were representatives of the Italian armed forces, including the Black Shirt fascist militia. Did a light go off in Musk’s brain, minus a worm, to come up with Black MAGA? What lurks beyond the shadows? We will find out after Jan. 20, 2025.