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. VERA'S POLE POSITION I have to say that I am really happy to see that our mayor is focusing on the things that really matter, like the ads that people put on the utility poles ["Attack of the Naked Pole Katz," WW, Nov. 21, 2000]. I mean, I can't think of anything more important than that, surely not the hundreds of gun laws that go unenforced every day, etc. I always thought that the pole ads were a great way of reaching a specific audience of people. But this is "The City That Works," so we just better create some more pointless work for volunteers and (I'm sure) city employees sooner or later, being paid with our tax money of course. When and where does it end? I somehow feel that if the posters said "Re-elect Vera Katz..." she would not feel so much negativity for them! Jacoby Burns Northwest Countryridge Drive LEADERS OF THE PAC Many things happen when your project is the target of ridicule by the local weekly ["Last Week's Real Winners," WW, Nov. 15, 2000]. First comes disbelief ("What? Loser column?"), then anger ("#%&@ reporters have no clue!"), followed by depression ("It's over!") and, finally, acceptance ("I'm a loser baby...so why don't you kill me."). Much of what WW wrote on Nov. 15 was true. X-PAC did not raise as much money as the original project chair had predicted, and the OSA kicks major butt. We'd like to add a few details WW missed, which prove X-PAC provided a hell of a service for young voters. Our eZine online voter guide was a smash success. We had over 312,000 hits in the five weeks leading up to the election. On Oct. 23 alone, the day ballots arrived, we had 48,000 hits. This blew away the 30,000 circulation of our printed 1998 voter 'zine, which WW called Portland's "Best Voter Drive." Our partnership with Coffee People slapped 180,000 eZine promo stickers on every caffeine addict's cup in the tri-county area. Fox 49 used our eZine as a part of their political coverage and promoted it on the air. We were all over town engaging young voters at places such as the Alberta Street Fair, Hip Hop In the Park, and the Rock The Vote events. Our email list hooked up interested people with volunteer campaign opportunities. Our postering campaign reached young voters in neighborhood hangouts. We even co-sponsored some of those fine OSA candidate debates. Trust us, we're only scratching the surface of the thousands of volunteer hours that went into this. But the work is not over. Plans are already being set in motion for the 2002 Young Voter Project--and we intend to be in the winners column for the Nov. 13, 2002, edition of WW. Tim Mooney, Young Voter Project Chair Kari Chishom, Chair Laura Bridges, Vice-Chair X-PAC TYPING AND SPITTING I cannot see that Nick Budnick can look at the information regarding Chief Kroeker and conclude that "in the eyes of City Council and most Portlanders" his standing is diminished ["Tugging on the Watchdog's Chain," WW, Nov. 8, 2000]. In the first place, the City Council is tuned only to its political future and those with the loudest voices--facts be damned. Secondly, those of us who can type and spit at the same time are clearly not in the majority in taking an 11-year-old speech, out of context, and foisting responsibility on the speaker for all the woes of Portland Town. Such a statement is clearly irresponsible. Tom Joseph Beaverton CLEAR AND PRESENT Letter-writer Charley Korns shows that he's missing the point himself, when he says that the Borders Perrin Norrander ads ("Don't vote. Things are perfect just the way they are.") depict "dire potential consequences" of not voting [Letters, WW, Nov. 8, 2000]. The photographs aren't showing potential consequences at all--whether staged or not (were they?), they graphically depict current crises that will not improve unless we work to change them. I applaud WW for running the ads, and I applaud the voters of Oregon for having turned out in record numbers this year to cast their ballots. Alan P. Scott Southeast 60th Avenue Editor's note: All photographs used in the "Don't Vote" ads were drawn from stock collections except the electric chair scene, which was staged for Borders Perrin Norrander, and Keith Collier's shot depicting police brutality, which was taken during the May Day march. HANGING OFFENSE My name is Dennis G. Payne. I am a native-born African American (Hubbard, Oregon, 1948), and I'm writing in response to your article "Rac_sm?" [Nov. 8, 2000]. I find it racist that the state of Oregon's labor commissioner, Jack Roberts, would undermine the integrity of African Americans by his ruling that there isn't "evidence to suggest that a noose, by itself, is a racial symbol." To cite the Old West standard of hanging to justify his racist position is pathetic. For him to assert that a "reasonable African American" would not have interpreted the nooses and gang-banger talk as threatening or racially motivated is applying a white standard to what people of color are allowed to feel, sense and know. This type of "Master knows best...white is right" attitude is what keeps people apart and continues the racist nature of this country. Once, the Bible was used by whites to justify their enslaving of African Americans, and it appears that still is the underlying belief today. I call for Jack Roberts' firing and for the state of Oregon to apologize to Ms. Morgan and all people of color for this man's racist beliefs. We have to hold our elected officials accountable to a higher standard of professional conduct, and Mr. Roberts is a complete failure in this regard. Dennis G. Payne Northeast Hoyt Street STAGING A COUP Too bad Willamette Week doesn't have a sound chip, so we could hear the violins in the background for Steffen Silvis' piece on the Northwest Children's Theater ["Children's Theater at Critical Stage," Buzz, WW, Oct. 11, 2000]. Mr. Silvis' twisted summary of events is as remarkable for its mind-boggling omissions as it is for its astigmatic vision of what is actually occurring. The theater does not hesitate to hide behind children in an unsavory attempt to appropriate a community center building for itself, acquiring a several-million-dollar property without paying a dime. The building belongs to the surrounding neighborhoods, who bought it from a church many years ago and incorporated a non-profit entity to run it for the community's benefit. In the last several years, the theater shrewdly took note of a power vacuum on the board running the building, and moved to take it over. When the board attempted to have an annual meeting, as called for in its bylaws, the theater responded with a nasty lawsuit against fellow board members and refused to negotiate, though neighborhood leaders made every attempt to accommodate the theater's concerns. The Northwest neighborhoods are dedicated to the maintenance of a community center that can become a vibrant center for arts events of many kinds, including but not limited to children's theater, as well as community-building and service. To that end, I hope that a legally elected board will be able to direct the building in a future unclouded by power grabs and lawsuits. That certainly doesn't set a very good example for the youngsters. Louisa McCleary Northwest Seblar Drive