Malcolm X
Editor’s note: The following comment on Malcolm X was
released by the Black Student’s Union, in commemoration of
Malcolm X Day.
Much has been said and written about the man Mal
colm X. Malcolm X. A man. A Black Man. A Great Man.
A great man for many reasons. It was four years ago
today that he was silenced. Malcolm X speaks no more.
But Malcolm's influence, as far as shaping basic present
day revolutionary thought, lives on. Malcolm’s contribu
tions to his people and all mankind are infinite. This day
should be spent in deep reflection as to who, and what
and why a Malcolm X came to be.
What can and should be said of Malcolm X, and what
can be considered to be one of his most valuable assests,
was his tremendous capacity for change. We, as a Uni
versity community should focus in on this particular at
tribute because we realize that it is through change that
a better society can come to be, and because we realize
that it is through the process of education that we can
begin to build a better, more humane society.
Change, in Malcolm's life, was composed of many
things. It meant the ability to think for himself, taking
into account all that was said, but being able to rationally
and logically draw personal conclusions. It meant analysis.
Malcolm reanalyzed existant situations and problems,
thinking about where they had come from, where they
were now and who was keeping them there. If Malcolm
had told him to be nonviolent. lie looked to see if they
themselves had been nonviolent and if they were now
being nonviolent.
Change meant incessant questioning of not only him
self. but institutions, system and structures. The truth
was not accepted as such, until it had been questioned
and found to be true. And if what had been thought to
be true was found false, it meant a reorienting of self.
Malcolm’s development from Black nationalism to human
ism on the international level is an example of this.
The ability to find new solutions marked Malcolm
throughout his life. Ilis brilliance in this area was in
tensified by the ability to communicate these solutions
into a language easily understood by everyone. Malcolm
was a man. Malcolm was a student of the world forever
striving for a better world for his people and oppressed
peoples everywhere. lie was flexible.
To say that he was flexible is to say that he had a
capacity for growth—that he could change.
As a university community we recognize the value of
change, the need for flexibility in a time when inflexi
bility and a resistance to change are stifling and crushing
the lives of aware people everywhere.
The ability to think. To analyze. To question. To re
orient oneself, and to find new' solutions helped make
Malcolm the great man he was.
Footnote
“He (the Whiteman) will make use of me dead, as he
has made use of me alive, as a convenient symbol of
“hatred”—and that will help him escape facing the truth
that all 1 have been doing is holding up a mirror to reflect,
to show, the history of unspeakable crimes that his race
has committed against my race.
—Malcolm X
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Another step for Democracy
Editor’s Note: Roger Mellem,
a sophomore in economics at the
University, is also chairman of
the. Students for 18-Year-Old
Vote Committee. The following
is a summary of his views on
extending the franchise.
“The hour has come to take
the next great step in the march
of democracy.” With this state
ment former President Lyndon
Johnson urged Congress last
spring to refer to the states a
constitutional amendment low
ering the voting age to 18. That,
of course, has not yet happened.
However, there are three bills
in the Oregon Legislature to
lower the voting age; shortly
one should be referred to the
people. It is quite possible that
100,000 young Oregonians will
be able to cast their first bal
lots in November, 1970.
Young people have “adult”
responsibilities but we have
been denied the “adult” vote.
We are raising families. We are
legally responsible for nearly
all of our actions; e.g., we can
be sued. And we pay taxes.
Tax statistics
UO economics Professor
James Tattcrsall and Bruce Mc
Kinlay of the Bureau of Gov
ernmental Research recently es
timated, after hours of careful
statistical analysis, that 18- 19
and 20-year-old citizens of this
state pay taxes of $20 million an
nually, including $10 million in
property taxes. Yet we have
no say in how that money is
spent.
Lowering the voting age would
result in more and sustained in
terest and civic participation
among young people. People who
could vote during their senior
year in high school, or shortly
thereafter, would be more like
ly to keep up their interest aft
er graduation. Averell Harriman
said, “Young people are encour
aged to take an interest in gov
ernment in high school, and
the right to vote would main
tain this interest without lapse.”
State Treasurer Robert Straub
said at a mid-January press con
ference, "The minds and knowl
edge and enthusiasm of our
young people are critically need
ed in government today.”
More graduates
In 1920, the year American
women got to vote, less than
30 per cent of the high school
age population was in high
school, and only 17 per cent of
that group actually was gradu
ated. Today, 85 per cent of the
14 and 17 age group is in high
school, and three-fourths re
ceive diplomas.
In 1920, fewer than 000,000
Americans were enrolled as col
lege students; that was less than
8 per cent of the 18 to 21 pop
ulation. Today the nation's col
lege enrollment exceeds five
million, which is almost 50 per
cent of the 18 to 21 population.
That people mature at an ear
lier age than ever before was
expressed by Marcus Bickford
in his argument for lowering the
voting age from 21 to 18 at the
New York State Constitutional
Convention—“In this age in
which we live, in this fast age.
men mature both in body and
mind at a great deal earlier pe
riod than formerly.” Marcus
Bickford said that in 1867.
From the Student National Ed
ucation Association comes this
statement: “Opponents of the
18-year-old vote charge that
young people lack ‘maturity of
judgment.’ Aside from the fact
that the charge cannot be sub
stantiated, “maturity of judg -
ment’ was never a factor in se
lecting 21 as the present age
of franchise.
Actually, we merely adopted
the old English ‘age of knight
hood' as our age for voting. The
Normans and early English pick
ed it as a magic number —
three times seven. It was never
related to any concept of ‘ma
turity.’ ”
Nearly every recent major
presidential contender has sup
ported this goal.
In a letter to this writer U.S.
Senator Edmund Muskie said.
“We have assured the right to
vote to women, to minority
groups, and to the citizens of
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Emerald
Editor:
Campus backlash
Emerald Editor:
It's lamentable what kind of
a White backlash we still get
on campus towards the present
mood of many Black students—
and from a coed who calls her
self a senior in political science,
too. Is she serious?
I see why the Negro attitude
(Continued on pttge 11)
the District of Columbia. It is
now time for us to continue this
expansion . . .”
Senator Ted Kennedy and
his two brothers long favored
this suffrage extension. A spe
cial commission on voting ap
pointed by President Kennedy
in 1963 recommended, after an
eight month study, that 18-year
olds be given the right to vote.
In 1954 President Dwight Ei
senho'.ver urged Congress to pro
pose, to the states, a constitu
tional amendment lowering the
voting age to 18: it failed in the
Senate by only five votes.
The physical qualities which
would make a man capable of
fighting certainly would not nec
essarily make him an intelli
gent voter. But that is not the
point. As Gen. Eisenhower stat
ed, to deny the right to vote
to men who can be summoned
to die for this country “is far
worse than taxation without rep
resentation—it is sacrifice with
out representation.” That is the
point.
Must have faith
The President, June 27, 1968:
A nation wuthout failh in its
sons and daughters is a na
tion without faith in itself.”
Polls have shown that most
people do favor lowering the
voting age. The Playboy College
Opinion Survey of 1965 found
55 per cent of both students
and faculty lending at least mor
al support. A recent telephone
poll by radio station KEED re
sulted in a 3 to 1 “Yes,” show
ing added strength.
Gallup polls have shown that
the percentage of the American
public favoring giving 18-year
olds the right to vote has been
steadily increasing over the past
several generations. It now
stands at over 60 per cent.
How can you help? Join the
Students for the 18-Year-Old
Vote Committee, or other such
organizations. Devote your time
and eneries to the task ahead
and success is inevitable.
1
Oregon
daily
EMERALD
Opinions expressed on the editorial page are those of the
Emerald and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the
ASUO or the University. However, the Emerald does present on
this page columnists and letter writers whose opinions reflect
those of our diverse readership and not those of the Emerald itself.
RON EACHUS, Editor
RICH JERNSTEDT
Business Manager
Associate Editors
Cindy Boydstun
Rick Fitch
Stan Horton
Chris Houglum
Gil Johnson
Doug Onyon
Steven Smith
Jaqi Thompson
DOUG CRICHTON
Advertising Manager
ELLEN EMRY
National Advertising Manager
University ol' Oregon, Eugene, Friday, February 21, 1969
Jules Feijjer
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