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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 21, 1971)
Letters Non-ratification At the faculty meeting of May 5, most students were so disappointed at the failure of the motion to “ratify” the People’s Peace Treaty that they left the meeting. It is unfortunate that the vote against “ratification” was apparently taken as a vote against the proposals and hopes contained in the People’s Peace Treaty; but that could hardly be the case, since the faculty had just voted in favor of the resolution calling for withdrawal by the end of the year. The motion to “ratify” failed, in my opinion, because it presented faculty members with an unreal world—a world in which sincere people keep good faith, in which national ambition is subjugated under the people’s needs, in which in ternational accord, harmony, and government of, by, and for the people are realities. In short, the motion to “ratify” asked me to take a sentimental journey into the world of noble dreams and naivete; but I have long since left that world, and I cannot return. When Jesus died on the cross, as Albert Schweitzer pointed out three quarters of a century ago, his dreams of the coming of the Kingdom of God and its righteousness died with him. We should not now, after 200 years, be trying to revive those dreams. Withdrawal of American military presence from Indo china I can appeal for, and I can also hope for world peace and harmony; but I must also constantly remind myself that those two possibilities belong to two different worlds. Jack T. Sanders Associate Prof, Religious Studies About Travis “I am not non-violent, either by nature or by ideology,” Tim Travis said in the Emerald, May 12. Then, by pointing out the political psychology and effect of violence, proceeded to offer an excellent argument for non-violence. If he will extend the same logic to all efforts toward long-term, humane goals, e.g., individual freedom, world peace, or equal opportunity in the economic system, the abstract of his argument will be a realistic, non-violent ideology—militant, but non-violent. His final paragraph implies the goal of a social or political situation in the United States that is better than, “the mess that we have on our hands at the present time. ” He continues, “when enough people get turned on to the world we live in then we might be able to get out from underneath ‘i—by any means necessary.” But when that many people get turned on to the mess we have on our hands, the most successful path to our goal will be non-violent. Along with ms message to those who plan their own demonstrations, Travis’ article is a call for self-control by people who accept the popular call to non-violent demonstration, but are suddenly violent when under emotional pressure. Bruce Hickman Journalism. 1970 Congratulations Congratulations are in order to Major James McDaniel for his letters to the Emerald, his speech to the Eugene Ministerial Association, and his recent Emerald column recapitulating that speech. As a public spokesman in favor of the policy of this country in Southeast Asia, he stands alone on this campus, or nearly so. This is not an easy position for any man, nor was it one the Major was compelled to take so openly. That he has done so and continues to do so is greatly to his credit. As it happens, I personally disagree with the views expressed by Major Mc Daniel, as does in all likelihood a majority of the University community, and even (according to some much publicized recent polls) a majority of the nation at large. My purpose here, however, is not to contribute one more sortie in the verbal war the Major has brought upon himself. This note is prompted, rather, by my in creasing concern over the treatment accorded any who would dare openly to express unpopular opinions on an merican campus. It has, for example, been several years since an informed and responsible advocate for U.S. foreign policy was able to speak without in terference at this University, and if current trends continue it may be years more before it will again be safe to do so. The parallel with the situation prevaililing in the early Fifties is too marked to be passed over lightly, though admittedly it is less striking to one who during the Army McCarthy hearings was just learning to walk. In any case, this state of affairs is much too dangerous to be allowed to flourish indefinitely. One may hope that the end of the Vietnam War will bring a resurgence of tolerance and intellectual freedom in American universities, though I have my doubts on this score. In the meantime, however. Major McDanile is providing an important service to this community by his courageous expression of an unpopular view, and in so doing has, no doubt unintentionally, given us a very good reason—perhaps the only reason—for voting to keep R.O.T.C. at the University of Oregon. „ Paul Horwitz Research Associate Institute of Theoretical Science Better publicity Last Thursday evening the University Chorale, Chamber Singers and Musicians gave a sterling performance in the School of Music Auditorium. Professors Saltzman and Wilson, demonstrating their expertise at conducting, drew on exceptional talent which made for a fine evening of musical appreciation. However, it was disap pointing to me—and to the performers also, no doubt—that the audience, although enthusiastic, was such a small one (less than 100 I would estimate). I should like to request that the Emerald continue to give publicity to such quality musical events here in our own midst. In addition, I would like to request that greater in-depth coverage be given to reviews of such musical performances in the Emerald’s “Review of the Arts” section which appears periodically. It is my feeling that the Emecald can provide a great service to the academic community by helping to keep these musical concerts in the foreground of our consciousness. Alan Stephenson Visiting Ass’t. Prof., Dept, of Religious Studies Need for maps Because of the interest of prospective travelers in maps and for the interests of various university departments in urban studies the map room bulletin board has in recent weeks been featuring European city maps, old, recent and the unusual. Many of these map sheets are those donated to us by travellers of past seasons. As campus community members plan to bicycle, trian, fly or walk beyond Lane County this summer we would like to help them plan in advance—with maps. We would also like to be remembered next fall by donation of the summer’s personal map collection, or, before that with donation of any maps no longer useful in that closet, file or attic. Edward P. Thatcher Map Librarian Drop-out Please apply your boldest “Drop-out” stamp in the appropriate blanks (for of ficial use only) on my records and strew bureaucratic tacks in your paths in the event that I should come courting your favor again. Perhaps someday soon your isolation and lack of function will be complete and we can deal with you as with our vestigial appendix and operate if the health of the organism is threatened. At present, you absorb resources and energies maintaining and adding to your vested interests, and use the euphemism “higher education” in you public relations campaign to forestall public outrage. In fact, you have joined your corporate relatives by dealing with acknowledged problems and public demands with public relations assaults rather than analysis and proposed solutions possible because you have unsystematically driven out, in timidated or otherwise alienated those people with the vision and resources to at least recognize the shortcomings of our society and the human experiment in general. You have peopled the positions of power with functional Babbits, who play the bureaucratic game expertly, but have litter personal criteria for setting effective policy or the flexibility to adjust policy to the needs of present or future, since your halls hand heavy with intoxicating odors from the past. Today’s college education might have been barely adequate for the early part of the century, but universities now can’t come up with a workable equation for what L • It will take one billion dollars to restart the SST program.” —Boeing Corporation education is or should be, let alone provide such an opportunity. Instead of taking a step out of the morass, you have served the loudest and wealthiest, and have totally lost the initiative to determine your own destiny. Well, destiny, like charity, begins at home and we must absorb our disillusionment with the university, get our houses in order and our heads together. Possibly the negative example set by the universities and “intellectual” communities in general will provide the education that was only obstructed by the mythologies propagated at our institutions of learning. Someday, if we survive and learn how to function as well as our capacities in dicate we can, you can remove your non heads from the polluted clouds and discover what the world and the human experience is all about. Charles Gregory ex-CSPA A need for pictures When real issues that need to be resolved are ignored and petty issues such as the ID card receive so much attention the motives of those protesting should be examined. The ID card is a functional and valuable piece of identification. Who should pay for the card is a valid question. California has pictures on its drivers license and by both Calif, and Oregon law Uie license must be presented to any law officer at his request. There is also a law requiring all males 18 or over to carry a draft card. “The law requires you to notify you local board in writing within 10 days after it occurs, (1) of every change in you address, physical condition and oc cupational (including student), marital, family, dependency, and military status, and (2) of any other fact which might change your classification.” There are already papers that must be carried that can be checked to see if they are in “order.” It is ludicrous to think that if the ID card did not exist that the FBI could not just as easily obtain all the in formation they wanted. With credit card fraud, forged or stolen checks etc. there is a definite need for a means of positive ID for everyone, including non-studetns. The irony of the situation is that those protesting the pictures are the first to jump in front of a TV camera or news photographer. Pictures on drivers license have not stopped protests in California nor have OLCC cards in Oregon. Unless in dividuals are willing to commit them selves and come forward to be identified their sincerity can be questioned. The FBI knows who they are, so why try to hide from the fact that you are trying to im prove our country by the only apparent means. Do we really believe the police would not recognize Joe Schoenfeld if he didn't have his ID with him? Jim Lapping Jr. CSPA Student court Experienced in such matters, I would like to say a few things about Student Court: Whenever the court finds it has no evidence against a student, the prosecutor always says something about how “childish, immature, spoiled” the student is. These words set off a time mechanism in the jury’s head and the student is suspended. (And anyway, the jurors have been sitting there for a long time; they’ve got to do something exciting.) I’d like to know how throwing one out of school makes one more mature. (Maybe there ought to be a Search course in Maturity? Maybe Mr. Chez, who is still in his first childhood, repeating things that he hears VP Agnew say, would like to enroll?) Kangaroo court acts as a hand slapping device: when the law is broken every night by the use of drugs, alcohol, etc., and then some girls are suspended for being ‘childish’, then I say Student Court is as two-faced, as ineffective as unfair, as blind, as ‘immature’ as anything could possibly be. Jeff Perrone Freshman
