In particular, no one has ever been ar- determining mileage driven, mailing a bill Believers in him should especially feel solid <br /> rested for the arson at the Oakridge Ranger to every registered owner, monitoring the in their liberation from this secular pollut- <br /> Station, much less tried and convicted. receipts and following up on tax er of Christmas. I do indeed believe in <br /> There is no evidence that a person of any delinquents? Christ, but I do not believe I am any better <br /> particular persuasion started that fire. The Why flx something that isn't broken? than those who do not, or are not sure. <br /> fact that the Oakridge arson is an unsolved The current fuel tax is inherently fair, and They have every right to be liberated from <br /> crime is common knowledge. The statement its administration is already set up and the money - spending hypocrisy game also, if <br /> is an obvious smear of the environmental covered in the budget. The best solution to for no other reason than personal integrity. <br /> movement. our need for more revenues is simply to Perhaps you could be the first in your <br /> In general, the R-G's paragraph gives the increase it. family, if they subscribe to the commercial <br /> impression that violence, similar to that of PAUL SCOTT Christmas madness, to liberate yourself <br /> burning down ranger . stations, has been a Eugene MARK T. SVARVERUD <br /> common occurrence related to forest protec- Eugene <br /> tion. That is completely false. Season to be careful <br /> I would not be surprised to fmd that <br /> hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent All must rise <br /> planning and arranging the "protection" of Give our volunteer and professional fire <br /> the sale of Salem watershed forest from fighters, and police, a break this season. Sherri Buri's articles about Hyundai's <br /> "demonstrators" and "protesters" — per Put up and maintain smoke detectors in impending toxics use and precarious fman <br /> sons merely exercising their right to free every room. Drive smart. Keep the tree cial situation have been informative. When <br /> speech and/or contemplating nonviolent watered. While you're at it, take some time a giant such as Hyundai locates in any <br /> to thank those who put themselves in community, it's best to pay attention. , <br /> civil disobedience. These U.S. Forest Ser- harm's way to protect life and property. Hyundai is slated to become Eugene's <br /> vice military-scale preparations, together They will be found working extra duty this biggest user of toxic chemicals, its largest <br /> with false press accounts justifying these holiday season. consumer of water and electricity, its big - <br /> preparations as defenses against crimes <br /> such as arson, smear the forest protection WALTER C. GARRETT Best beneficiary of tax breaks and, if efforts <br /> to sidestep Eugene's wetlands plan succeed, <br /> community, and they smear all citizens in- Lowell its biggest filler of wetlands. All this in a <br /> terested in civic issues, whatever their in- community whose residents said by a large <br /> strators" so long as they are labeled "demon- Tppi i <br /> strato t t majority in Eugene's Growth Management <br /> rs" or "protesters." o n g sn <br /> Study that they wanted economic develop- <br /> The R-G should be ashamed; the spread - On Dec. 12, the city of Eugene issued a ment focused on "small, locally owned and <br /> ing of this contrived, false information is press release stating, "To temporarily stabi- environmentally sensitive business." <br /> absolutely inexcusable. lize six hazardous trees in Hendricks Park, But The Register -Guard missed a story <br /> TOM GIESEN their tops will be removed next week." The on Dec. 5. Representatives of local labor, <br /> Eugene six trees that are going to have their tops Latino and environmental organizations <br /> cut off will not view this as a temporary tried to meet with Hyundai executives, and <br /> Set an example me asure. then they held a rally to discuss the plight <br /> p As members of the Hendricks Park Tree of workers at the Hyundai - affiliated Han <br /> The United States should step forward Committee, we have argued for six months Young truck chassis factory in Tijuana, <br /> p that these trees are being prematurely sub- Mexico, where workers, who make about 85 <br /> with the industrialized European nations jected to the chain saws of another city of cents an hour, voted for an independent <br /> and Japan and set a positive example for Eugene "oops." We are not opposed to cut - union. In response, the Hyundai supplier <br /> the rest of the world. It has been these ting trees that are hazardous to people in fired the organizers, and the Mexican gov- <br /> nations that have industrialized first, the park or to our neighbors. We are op- ernment overturned the election results. A <br /> through no fault of their own other than posed to cutting trees when there is a Dec. 6 New York Times editorial called this <br /> the actual course of human and industrial strong possibility that their removal will a blatant violation of both Mexican labor <br /> evolution. expose the remaining trees to an even law and NAFTA labor rights provisions <br /> America's plan to insist on the develop- greater danger of wind throw. Trees in a and urged the Clinton administration to <br /> ing nations' agreement to carbon trading as forest have group resistance to wind forces, pressure the Mexican government, and <br /> the prerequisite to our agreeing to reduce and the trees in question are in a direct Hyundai to pressure Han Young, to recog- <br /> our carbon emissions does not lead by ex- wind channel up Summit Boulevard. nize the union. <br /> ample. The developing nations of the world The circumstances that brought several What do Eugeneans and workers in Ti- <br /> have every historical reason to suspect trees down in the last two years — i.e. high jug have in common? When corporations <br /> "carbon colonialization" from this kind of winds, saturated soils and snow -laden roam the world to fmd the cheapest labor <br /> arm- twisting. Europe, Japan and the United branches — do not exist currently. And if and natural resources, and the weakest en- <br /> States own the smokestacks across the the weather forecasts for the rest of the vironmental protections, the impacted com- <br /> globe, and we derive our wealth from them. winter (right so far) can be relied upon, munities can fruitfully join together to pro- <br /> It is not now equal, and we must unequally they are not likely to occur this winter. tect living standards and their environ- <br /> reduce. This can occur gradually but will These 100 - year - old -plus trees have with- ments. To create a truly livable world, an <br /> succeed only if the developed nations step stood far worse winters than we are cur- boats must rise together. <br /> forward alone and set the correct example. rently experiencing, and left to live, they GREG McLAUCHLAN <br /> We can suck it up, to leave a healthier may safely withstand many more. In the Eugene <br /> world for our children to play upon! meantime, careful study should be done <br /> RICK HERSON regarding the healthy future of these irre- <br /> Eugene placeable trees and this magnificent park. Hunting for a name <br /> RON R. FUNKS I thought that good, newsworthy names <br /> Gas tax works and four co- signers / 2674,7 <br /> for President Clinton's puppy might be "Ep <br /> Eugene sy," "Cisneros," "Hubbell," "Habbitt," <br /> In regards to the proposal from the gov- "O'Leary" or "Ronbrownie." But on second <br /> ernor and the Oregon Environmental Coun- Liberate yourself thought, the name "Diversion" would prob- <br /> cil to institute a new tax based on miles ably be more to the president's liking, sb <br /> driven, clearly more tax revenues are need - Ah yes, Christmas, with all its various I'm sending it off to the White House today. <br /> ed to maintain the transportation infra- manifestations and meanings. And here ALICE GEORGE <br /> structure as well as to allow for investment they come, manifesting themselves again: Eugene <br /> in alternative transportation methods. But Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus, the birth • <br />