MOVING
To Dan Savage: Thank you for your article “In Defense of Dignity”
[Oct 9]. I lost my mother a year ago to ALS, and for the last three
months of her life they had to stick a tube down her throat every 20
minutes to suck out the mucus since she could no longer swallow. In the
end, they drugged her up and removed her feeding and water tubes. It
took five more long days for her to die. I had the same thoughts as
you—was she still aware, was she in pain?
I learned one thing from this experience—religious or not,
anyone who opposes a reasonable right-to-die policy has been lucky
enough never to have witnessed a loved one go through that. My heart
goes out to you for your loss. As I wipe the tears from my eyes after
reading your article, I can at least take comfort in the fact that my
mother and yours are at long last freed from all pain and
suffering.
Mark Oberlander
SCARY
MS. BARNETT: Thank you for your warning about how scary the prospect
of Dino Rossi in the governor’s office is [“Meet Your New Governor,”
Erica C. Barnett, Oct 2]. A Rossi victory would certainly dampen the
thrill of an Obama presidency for those of us in Washington State. So
where do I go to volunteer for Gregoire? Why is her campaign so damn
invisible? There must be thousands of us in Seattle who are fired up
about the election this year but realize Obama already has our state
locked up so are not very active. Why is Gregoire not channeling all
this excess energy into her campaign?
David Moser
Erica C. Barnett responds: If you’re interested in volunteering,
contact Gregoire’s Seattle office at 382-2008. The campaign has
canvassing events on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and
phone-banking every weekday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT
Mister Kiley: Thank you for writing “Ten Things Theaters Need to Do
Right Now to Save Themselves” [Brendan Kiley, Oct 9]! It’s already
created discussion on Portland’s theatrical
listserv. I wanted to
tell you, just in case you were getting a lot of flak from the story,
that you’re absolutely right on every single point. These are things
we’re going to have to realize sooner or later if we ever want to be
culturally relevant again—or even survive. Thanks again!
James Mapes
A GRIM SITUATION
EDITOR: I am writing in response to Dominic Holden’s “Home Free,
Foreclosure Crisis Benefits at Least One Group: Renters” [Oct 2]. I
work in the housing department of Solid Ground, a HUD-certified housing
counseling agency. I am generally grateful for Mr. Holden’s attention
to the issues that impact tenants, as their perspective is often
excluded from the housing crisis. However, I take issue with the
general portrayal of the foreclosure crisis being a positive
predicament for renters. It is quite the opposite; not a week goes by
that I don’t talk to renters across Washington State either evicted or
forced out of their housing as a result of foreclosure.
In fact, under current laws there is no requirement to notify
tenants that a home is in foreclosure or that the homeowner is in
default. Once the home is foreclosed on, the law even allows the
renter’s lease to be dissolved, catching people off guard with only 20
days from the date of the sale to find other housing. For many,
especially low-income people or those with disabilities, this will
often result in homelessness.
The article focuses on a unique situation and portrays it as a
trend. In reality, the foreclosure crisis is quite a grim situation for
renters caught in the middle of a homeowner’s bad loan. I have spoken
to renters who came home only to be greeted by the sheriff, not even
aware they were in danger of being evicted. There are consequences: If
the eviction lawsuit is filed, it will show up on a renter’s permanent
record, following them everywhere as a mark that will deny them
housing…. This is the actual trend that exists.
Renters should also never withhold their rent; that is not a legal
right of the tenant. It only gives the property owner the upper hand to
evict the tenant for nonpayment. If renters ever have questions
concerning their rights, they should call our tenant services hotline:
694-6767 Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m.
Jonathan Grant
EDITOR’S NOTE: Although the article explained that these renters
lucked out, the headline made it sound as if all renters were in
clover. We were drunk when we wrote the headline and we feel
terrible.
“Renters should also never withhold their rent; that is not a legal right of the tenant.”
In regards to Mr. Grant’s letter about Mr. Holden’s article:
It should be a legal right of renters/tenants. I’ll be damned if *I’m* going to be evicted in an unfair manner due to someone else’s irresponsibility! This is a roof, access to water, and access to heat we’re talking about here, the very things needed to survive!
“In fact, under current laws there is no requirement to notify tenants that a home is in foreclosure or that the homeowner is in default. Once the home is foreclosed on, the law even allows the renter’s lease to be dissolved, catching people off guard with only 20 days from the date of the sale to find other housing.”
This needs to be changed, *pronto*. This is unfair to *all* renters, whether rich or poor, disabled or abled (sorry if my attempts at pc are incorrect) (although I do feel sympathy esp for disabled and for low means people, the last grp which I may be a member of soon).