WW welcomes letters to the editor via mail, e-mail or fax. Letters must be signed by the author and include the author's street address and phone number for verification. Preference will be given to letters of 250 words or less. TIME IS ON OUR SIDE The corporate trash written in the Willamette Week cover story "Y2k Hippies" [Dec. 2, 1998] is elementary reporting and is out right deceiving! After spending over 40+ hours interviewing Kin, researching the Planet Art Network, and reviewing the Thirteen Moon Peace Calendar Change Movement, Nigele your employee [reporter Nigel Jaquiss] fell short of his obligation to report to the public the reality and benefits of 13:20 natural time. Under pressure from the artificial 12:60 reality, and under the corporate banner reading "Time is Money," he has neither the clarity or integrity to honestly report the truth that he has experienced while in the presence of natural time revolutionaries like Justin Time. His slanderous comments, projections of fear and violence, conspiracy references and cultish twists are projections of a mind in dis-ease. The DreamSpell Calend refers to this year as the Red Rhythmic Moon Year of Purification and Organic Balance. You my friends might consider getting organized in order to purify, because you have failed to balance the flow you are soon to be weighed by the scales of organic balance. As for I and I we are guided by our own powers doubled, as galactic activation portals and gate keepers only the worthy may enter into the Law of Time. We do not endorse cyber-terrorism, capitalism, or any other type of izm schizm. Anyone seeking references to grass roots, community Y2k preparation should check out the hotmail bulletin board (www.hotmail.com), simply login pany2k and the password is 1320. Jason Gibson JahSun Blue Lunar Hand Red Rhythmic Serpent Rhythmic Moon 17 North State Street, Lake Oswego OUR HOUSE IS EVERYONE'S HOUSE I was disappointed in the portrayal of my opinions in the article "A Plague Out of Vogue" [Dec. 9, 1998]. While Ms. Wentz correctly quoted me, the spirit of the article was not what I thought I had communicated to her when we spoke on the phone. Granted, care of the poor, those with drug addictions, and the mentally ill is much more challenging. But we at Our House are committed to doing it. We have expanded the training of the staff in mental health issues, we have a mental health specialist who has experience in drug treatment programs attend our resident care conferences, and we still provide the same loving and compassionate care to all our residents that we did when our patient population was different. She didn't mention that residents often stay for very long times and many still die in our care, surrounded by nurses, volunteers, and others, yes, even including friends and families, in a home-like environment with their comfort needs met. The problems we are having in funding care at Our House is not just the fault of the gay community, which I believe the article implied. The fact that the poor, the mentally ill, and the drug addicted have few options for effective care is a shameful result of our society's failure to deal with these problems. It's the result of decades of cutbacks in federal funding of programs, of the willingness of the public to put their health care into the hands of for-profit insurance companies instead of seeing the wisdom of a national health plan for all, and the growing inequity of wealth in this country. Finally, to refer to a real person (Jeffery Dickson), whose picture was even portrayed in the article, as a "fund-raising nightmare" was especially insensitive. He can read, you know! Can you imagine how he felt when he saw that? I think journalists have a responsibility to consider the impact of their work. I recall a very different reason for his decision not to take protease inhibitors--they make some people feel terrible! Many patients, rich and poor, drug addicted or business professionals, homeless or penthouse dwellers, make that same decision. It's a question of "costs" and "benefits." The cost of the drugs is much more than just money--it orders your life, it sometimes makes you sick, it defines who you are. So some decide not to take them. Frankly, I think he pulled the wool over the reporter's eyes when he allegedly gave her the quote about not taking them so he could take drugs. He told her what she wanted to hear. Kenneth Brummel-Smith, M.D. Medical Director, Our House of Portland A Mere Formality Kevin Mannix's opposition to same-sex marriages illustrates how far out of touch with reality people like him are [Rogue of the Week, WW, Dec. 22, 1998]. Such marriages have always existed but we can't admit it. There are three parts to marriage. The real marriage is the commitment the couple make to each other. The second aspect is that of the community, where in a wedding service or other celebration the community welcomes the couple. The third aspect is the legal one, which is for protection of property, sharing of rights, etc. It is likely that Mannix, Witt, et al., have never known same-sex couples who have been committed to each other for 20, 30 or more years in a marriage relationship. They are not that difficult to find, and they can tell the facts about the problems they have faced. Heterosexual couples, by virture of having a legal document, enjoy countless rights which same-sex couples don't. All that same-sex couples are asking for is equal treatment. Is not a society composed largely of committed couples and families more stable than one largely composed of uncommitted individuals? As a male who has been married to the same woman for over fifty years, I am not pleading a personal cause, but simply asking for equal rights and justice for all. We should encourage people who want to legitimize stable, loving relationships and not penalize or ostracize them. Nestor Perala Southeast Market Street ART FOR NON-ARTISTS' SAKE In Mr. Silvis' latest trashing of the Portland theater scene, "In a League of Its Own" [WW Dec. 29, 1998], a common thread seemed to emerge from this ever so diverse group of "artists." They don't go to theater! It seems if you want a valid opinion on the local scene, you should probably ask someone who bothers to support it. Are those people out there? If the attendance for our last production of Ubu Roi is any indicator, yes! Not to mention we had more than just "artists" coming to our play. In fact, some of our most loyal patrons don't consider themselves "artists" (thank god). Theater in this city (or any other for that matter) is not intended for "artists" alone. Nor should they be the sole voice on what is good, "mediocre" or "amateur" about our theater scene. I do not believe Portland theater is playing to the "lowest common denominator." In the last year alone I have seen some very exciting work--Sowelu's Savage in Limbo, Raindog's presentation of Kathy Randal's Rage Within/Without, Liminal's Jowl Movements--I would not consider any of these works amateurs. I found them intriguing, invigorating and inspirational (I also know a few "non-artist" types who agree with me). I wonder what message Steffen intended to convey with this trite barrage of insults. Four of the "artistic contributors" in his article work in publications. Perhaps as "artists," they could put their pens where their opinions are and do something about it; but please, not as Steffen has. All of this griping further convinces people to stay away from the theater. Apathy should never be the answer. Sean Doran The Other Side Theater - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Willamette Week | originally published January 6, 1998