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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1969)
Organization leaders say Students upset by leftists compose YAF membership By STEVE SMITH Of The Emerald Among the great many political oriented or ganizations which inhabit the University cam pus, Young Americans for Freedom claims to stand alone. Described by its leaders as a conservative group dedicated to classical liberalism, YAF serves as a rallying point for students who are upset with trends towards “left wing radical ism.” “Our role is to instill respect; not in an en tire philosophy, but in individual rights as de fined by reality,” said Gaines Smith, chairman of the organization. In an Emerald interview, Smith and YAF Vice-chairman Jim Wickre made it clear the job of YAF faces is as large as it is complicated. “There is a small number of people, on both ends of the political spectrum,” he said, “who participate actively. Then there is the larger group in the middle which really doesn’t give a damn what is happening.” It is to this larger group, according to Smith, that YAF is attempting to direct its voice. Smith, a graduate student in political science, has been active in campus YAF for two years. He was elected chairman of the 26-member group fall term, and will serve through the spring. According to Smith, the local Students for a Democratic Society offers the greatest opposi tion to YAF. “SDS outnumbers us 10-1,” commented Wickre, but that is because its ‘in’ to be a member of SDS.” ‘SDS, A SOCIAL IN’ “SDS is not a political or intellectual organi zation, but a social ‘in,’ ” asserted Smith. “It is simply not cool to be a YAF.” Both students blame the educational atmos phere at the University for the trend towards "left wing radicalism.” “The whole campus atmosphere tends to make people leftists or hippies,” said Wickre. “Class instruction does this; it is an in-breeding type affect.” “People who stay in the system stay liberal, they are politically motivated,” said Wickre. “There is complete hypocrisy in the way con servative points of view arc presented,” added Smith. “Students are given the impression that everyone who is intellectual is a liberal. It also helps in getting better grades and in working within the system.” According to Wickre, the fact that most ol the campus is leftist, makes YAF the only “real intel lectual group of radicals on campus.” Both YAF leaders have seen a change take place in the direction the group has taken over the past few years. In the past, according to Smith, YAF served as a central organization for the support of conser vative ideas and candidates. “Since the destruction of Columbia University,” said Smith, “YAF has devoted itself to combat the efforts of SDS to desroy the University. We are trying to prevent another Columbia at Ore gon.” The whole national YAF movement is geared towards the anti-SDS effort, said Wickre. Ac cordingly, the group is attempting to educate people in the YAF philosophy. Part of YAF’s educational campaign is a peti tion now being passed around campus which con demns violence and coercion in pursuit of cam pus change. ‘Public made aware’ “We have collected about 800 signatures in two days of campaigning,” said Smith. “The pub lic must be made aware that not everyone on campus is determined to destroy the system.” Neither Smith nor Wickre attempted to explain the positions of the national organization. “Our personal ideas do generally reflect the positions of most people in the local group, how ever,” Smith indicated. On the most common issues of the day, Smith and Wickre take the following positions. • The Draft: “Both the right and the left are opposed to the draft, but for different reasons,” said Smith. “The left does not oppose a draft, but this type of draft. They do not oppose the princi ple that the government does not have the right to determine the actions of individuals. By sup porting Soviet Russia, Red China and North Viet Nam, the left is saying that governments do have the right to dictate to individuals what they must do. The opposition of the left to the draft is the height of hypocrisy.” • The Paris Peace Talks: “We would like to see a democratic government in South Vietnam, the kind of government the people want. If negotiations in Paris can accomplish this, fine and well.” Said Wickre, “When the North Vietnamese see that Richard Nixon will not sell out to a coali tion government, then the war will probably grad ually de-escalate.” • Black Power and Black Capitalism: Accord ing to Smith, Black Capitalism is ultimately “the only way the Blacks will become free. Blacks dedicated to socialism are committing suicide. Socialism would mean the ultimate destruction of the Blacks. “Blacks today,” said Wickre, are physically free, but mentally, they are as much slaves as they were in 1860. The individual Black man is subjugating individualism to the group.” • Richard Nixon: Wickre and Smith gener ally agree that Richard Nixon is the best man conservatives could have realistically supported in 1968. Similarly, both see California Gov. Ron ald Reagan as the best conservative now in pol itics. “Ronald Reagan is the only poltician I per sonally admire,” said Smith. “We do not believe we will ever become the controlling influence,” said Smith, “but we are sure rational men will eventually reject SDS, even if they do not accept all we believe. We hope to become the rallying point for what is establishment on campus.” Billlllllllllllllllllllllllll Marry-Go-Roii nd aniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!inii ESVELT—SITES Karen Esvelt a junior in education from Longview, announced her engagement to Ed Sites, a senior in Political Science from Portland with a candle passing ceremony at the Tri-Delta house January 7. The wedding is planned for late this summer. HUGDAHL—KLEBNOW Sharon Hugdahl, a senior in Physical Education from Medford announced her engagement to Robin Klebnow at a family dinner on Christmas Eve. Klebnow is a senior in Finance from Grants Pass. No date has been set for the wedding. HOOPER—HACKETT Cecily Hooper has announced her engagement to Waller Hackett, Jr in a candle passing ceremony at the Zeta Tau Alpha house. Miss Hooper is a junior in German from Los Altos, Calif. Hackett is a 1968 graduate from the University’ law school. He is presently in Officer’s School at Fort Benning, Ga. No date has been set for the wedding. .. SPENCER—MODEN Laura Spencer, senior in English from Orangeville, Idaho, has announced her engagement to Gary Moden, a graduate student in political science from Albert Lea, Minn. The announcement was made at a candle passing ceremony at the Delta Zeta house. GREENE—OLSON Caroline Greene of Salem announced her engagement to Jerry Olson of Seaside at her house Dec. 27 in Salem. Miss Greene is a senior in journalism-education. Olson is a senior in political science-journalism. The wedding is planned for this summer. MARRIOTT—MEACHAM Nancy Marriott, a senior in elementary education, from Pacific Palisades, Cal. announced her engagement to John Meacham of Coos Bay Monday. Meacham is a graduate assistant at Temple University. The announcement was made at a candle passing cere mony at Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. The couple plan an August wedding. FOUTS—STALEY Carol Anne Fonts, a senior in recreation management from Sea side, announced her engagement to Pfc. Carl Staley at a candle passing ceremony at the Zeta Tau Alpha house January 14. Staley is presently stationed at the Defense Language Institute in Monte rey, California. Prior to being in the service, he was language major at the University. The wedding is planned for this summer. LOCKIE—SLAUGHTER Joyce Lockie, a junior in elementary education, announced her pinning to Steve Slaughter, a pre-med major. Both are from Port land. The pinning was announced at a Delta Zeta candle passing on January 7. Slaughter is a member of Cambell Club. FORT—BUSH Sarah Fort of Portland announced her engagement to Steven Bush of Menlo Park, California, at a candle passing ceremony at the Alpha Phi house, of which Miss Fort is a member. Bush is a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Both are seniors and the wedding is set for September. STOP BY TODAY! • Breakfast served anytime • Complete Dinners • Wide variety of sandwiches and burgers • Homemade pies and soups • Complete fountain service • 33 varieties of shake and sundae flavors 6 a.m. to I I p.m. daily • Phone orders accepted Orders to go "Where There's Always Quality" DARI-DELITE 1810 Chambers 343-2112 Group discusses University roles The second in a series of ses sions concerning “The Role o the University” was held Mon day night in the (Graduate Cen ter. Lead by Dean Leona Tayloi and assisted by Don McLarrin graduate student majoring in ed ucatiou, twenty graduate stu dents and faculty member broke into smaller groups to dis cuss new ideas of higher educa f tion. Topics included: how Ihc University can help prepare stu dents for their professions, how the the University serves society and brings knowledge to the public, and how it assists stu dents in determining or identi fying their goal. The group plans to evaluate its ideas in a written document. A meeting will be held Jan. 27 to continue discussion. U of 0 BARBER SHOP Specializing in EUROPEAN/ HAIR STYLING Across from the Co-op 866 E. 19th Typewriters Rent to Own Apply Rental to Purchase Price Only $5 per Month Hermes Olympia Royal Smith Corona IBM Olivetti STEREO EQUIPMENT Ampex Kenwood Bozak AR-Inc. JBL Fisher Sony Dual KLH Garrard McIntosh Quality Repair on all Stero Components, Typewriters Recorders, and Bus. Machines Oregon Typewriter & 30 E. 11th Ave. 342-2463 Recorder Co. 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