f Letters
Asian studies
There are indications that soon the
Asian studies are to be placed on the block
and that the ax will fall on the Chinese and
Japanese Bachelor program.
This comes as a shock at a time when
there is a need for Asian studies to be
broadened, and more incentives to be built
up to attract more students into the
program. If this decision had been taken a
few years back, there would have been
enough reasons for doing so.
The need tor me expansion oi Asian
studies comes from the latest effort of
Nixon to launch his peaceful co-existence
with China. He, and many others like him,
are convinced that China is too important
to be ignored, and that no expense is too
great to bring China into the world picture.
His recent visit to Peking was a good in
dication of what he had in mind. This trip
had cost the tax payers plenty; but
thinking in terms of its ultimate value and
achievement which at one time was
thought to be impossible, was worth it.
The important role played by Japan in
international trade is a known fact, and
that such importance demands constant
contact be maintained between that
country and the United States.
American businessmen, newsmen, and
airline officials are quick to sense the
importance of Nixon’s visit to Peking, and
are getting ready to “invade” China once
again as soon as the green light is given. If
these right thinking people are quick
enough to respond to Nixon’s “thoughts,”
other related organizations should be
equally fast enough to react to them. One
such organization is the university which
holds the key to the understanding of a
nation by adopting a good and extensive
study program of the nation, so that
through a perfect understanding of its
literature and historical background, a
student is helped to better understand its
culture, custom, and behavior.
There is a popular feeling that America
is increasingly turning her attention to
China, and Japan, and that this attention
will keep increasing as the years go by. As
a result, there will develop a new field in
international relationship with job
openings for many students of Oriental
studies. Out of it comes another im
portance and that is prestige to the
university for having a good and ex
tensive program in Oriental studies.
From what I was told, the Department
of Oriental Studies is fortunate to have a
very efficient and capable teaching staff
many of whom I have not yet had the good
fortune to associate with. But from my
brief association as a student with this
department, I can at least name two: Mrs.
Palandri and Mrs. Schneidereit.
If it is the cost the university is thinking
of, then may I say that this cost is but a
drop in an ocean when compared to the
huge benefit that it will bring. So much
money is being spent in perfecting
weapons and bombs that will create bigger
and greater destruction and misery in
human lives and property. It is high time
that the same amount of money and at
tention be diverted to the creation of a love
bomb that would result in world peace and
a better understanding of other nations,
namely China and Japan.
Patrick Leong
International Business
Senior
For Merrill
Ben Merrill is a bright second-year law
student who presently serves as state
chairman of the Oregon Student Public
Interest Research Group. In that position
he has done an outstanding job on behalf of
students throughout our state. It is
because of his leadership that
0 S.P I.R.G. has now an excellent
executive director and is on its way to solid
gains against the corporate despoilers of
Oregon's environment.
Merrill has my wholehearted support in
his race for student body president.
If elected. Merrill would, among many
other things:
1* Send an A.S.U.O. representative to
the Congressional hearings on French
Pete in Washington, D.C. on May 25.
2) Donate his entire salary back into the
A..S.U.O. for the purpose of hiring four
additional assistants. This would very
significantly increase the effectiveness of
the A.S.U.O.
3) Work hard for federal and foundation
supplementary funding for student
projects such as SEARCH and ESCAPE,
but he would only use such funds if this
does not weaken student control over these
programs.
In addition, Ben is an unequivocable
supporter of the Environmental Studies
Center, the Survival Center, MITS-OFF,
and the Outdoor Program.
The great amount of experience Ben has
had in working with legislators, state
agencies, the Governor, and the State
Board of Higher Education has given him
a superb preparation for the office of
president.
We cannot emphasize strongly enough
the importance we think is attached to this
race by Georgia-Pacific, Ira Keller,
Publishers Paper and the many other
financial backers of conservative causes
in this state who have given more than
$40,000 to an anti-O.S.P.I.R.G organization
which is preparing its destructive cam
paign. If you want an extremely capable,
trustworthy and courageous student body
president, please vote for Ben Merrill.
Thank You.
Roger Mellem
Independent Studies
BSUbudget
The ASUO recently passed a budget for
the BSU in which that organization was
docked $2970. This seems to me a giant rip
off. Realistically, we need a University
where Women, Black people, Chicanos,
Asian Americans, Native Americans and
poor Whites control their own programs or
departments. We need a school where
student fees aren’t used to perpetuate
tokenism and where the administration
supports adequate funding for the obvious
priorities. But we haven’t got that. We
have the present system working to
reproduce itself.
We also have a group of people—faculty,
staff, and students— on this campus who
purport to be humanitarian. These people
feel there is a place in education for Black
consciousness, history and culture. I think
this is a good chance for those people to
prove it by sending contributions to the
BSU to make up for the money which the
ASUO docked them. There is no justifiable
reason for the BSU losing this money in the
first place; there is every reason for us to
“put our money where our mouth is” and
in doing so recognize their right to use
their funds as they see fit. I hope faculty
members will take this request to heart
because of the relative economic freedom
their salaries allow them. I make this
request and pledge myself to it as an in
dividual. I hope others see the necessity of
contributing.
Mary Coleman,
Grad, English
Imprisoned Citizens Union
Last year a large number of us prisoners
formed the IMPRISONED CITIZENS
UNION in an effort to change the Coun
try’s barbaric prison system
Some of these unlawful conditions are:
prisoners being viciously beaten and even
killed by sadistic guards; the in
discriminate use of chemical MACE; lack
of proper food, clothing and Medical
Treatment; slave work for 15c per day;
depraved abuse of the mentally ill and
Youthful Offender, The use of torture
devices such as the sweat box, wall chains,
wrist clamps and underground dungeons
where the prisoners are held in
communicado from everyone including
their Family, Friends and Religious
Ministers.
These violations are committed by the
very same people who have sworn to
uphold the law, but who have instead
created much tragedies as Attica and the
CRIME Factories that they call Correc
tional Facilities.
Early this year the “I.C.U." filed a Civil
Rights Petition in the Federal Court of
Philadelphia, Penna. hoping to overhaul
the Penal System of Penna.
The results of this Civil Rights Action
will effect “all” other prisoners, directly
or indirectly.
Some of the I.C.U.’s objectives are:
1. Enfranchising the prisoners
so that we’ll be able to vote.
2. Oustering all sadistic and
incompetent prison employees.
3. Eliminating all torture
devices.
4. Proper food, clothing,
medical treatment and Religious
Rights.
5. The elimination of fascist
type censorship of our mail and
literature.
6. The right to pursue our
political beliefs without
harassment.
7. Time off for good behavior.
8. Unobstructed access to the
News Media and the Courts.
9. To set up a practical
rehabilitation program,
especially for Juvenile Of
fenders.
10. To support any legislation or
movement that we feel will
guarantee to all citizens a decent
wage so that they can live in
dignity and that their kids can go
to bed with a full stomach.
11. To assist, in our capacity,
those who are trying to bring a
speedy and peaceful end to the
Vietnam War.
We of the Imprisoned Citizens Union do
not kid ourselves. We fully realize that our
opponents in this battle are powerful,
wealthy, influential and possess that
“Holier Than Thou” image. However, with
the help of conscientious citizens we are
hopeful that our goals will be reached.
If you wish to help in our campaign then
will you kindly fill out the coupon below.
Thank You.
Richard J. Mayberry
Director
(editor's note: Anyone interested in
helping the Imprisoned citizens Union may
contact their headquarters at PO box 47:11
Philadelphia, Penn., 19134.)
A reply
Yesterday, April 5, you printed a report
of the Affirmative Action Task Force
meeting. The report distorted my
statements at that meeting to the point of
falsehood. Your description of the
sequence of events was incorrect, your
paraphrase of my remarks was incorrect
and completely out of context.
The implication (not based on
quotations, since I said nothing even
remotely similar) was that I asked for a
white woman to be appointed director of
the affirmative action office, because
women’s needs were more important than
minorities. I did not say anything like this,
and I do not believe anthing like this. More
important than the fact that you
misrepresented me is the fact that I at
tended the meeting as a temporary
representative of the Status of Faculty
Women Committee, and you are thus
misrepresenting that committee as well.
The Status of Faculty Women Committee
is a group of people committed to
eliminating all kinds of discrimination on
this campus.
The facts:
1. After Barbara Aldave noted that it
would be difficult to find a qualified
minority woman in the community, for the
interim director, I said I believed there
were several. Then the committee
members, including myseif, suggested the
names of several minority women and
men, who will be contacted for ap
plications.
2. I did not reply to Ed Coleman's
statement about his possible resignation
by saying a minority woman could not
“understand” the needs of both minorities
and women. The remarks which you
misparaphrased came earlier in the
meeting and were in an entirely different
context: 1 was asking the committee to
seriously consider the possibility of 2 or
more co-directors. 1 pointed out that af
firmative action offices at other univer
sities commonly have one person to handle
each of the affected groups. I did say that
all the constitutent groups on campus are
likely to be worried that their interests
would not be represented by the ap
pointment of one director, who cannot
possibly be a member of all groups at
once. 1 did say that I felt only a woman
would have the depth of commitment
necessary to address women’s problems. I
did say I felt the problems of sex and race
discrimination on this campus are too
large for one person to handle.
This piece of misreporting is one of a
series of misreports or non-reports of
events relevant to women by the Emerald.
In this case, as some others, the Emerald
reporting has been not only incompetent,
but divisive and detrimental to the needs
of both women and minorities on this
campus. The effect is to create un
necessary suspicion and drive a wedge
between oppressed groups. Divide and
conquer is the name of that game.
Jeanette Sllveira
Asian studies
It is ironic that just as universities
across the nation plan expansion in their
East Asian course offerings (see ‘‘China
visit spurs interest on campuses,”
Register-Guard, March 30, p. 14-A), the
University of Oregon’s HPUP has
recommended severe cut backs in two
East Asian programs.
For a savings of $5,038, which is being
used this year to provide minimal sub
sistence for six Asian Studies teaching
assistants, the panel has recommended
the elimination of the Asian Studies
graduate program. For an additional
savings of $9,601, HPUP suggests
suspending the majors in Chinese and
Japanese and all courses taught in those
languages beyond the third-year level.
The times in which we live suggest that,
if anything, such programs should be
expanded. In fact, in the last two years, the
Asian Studies program has been greatly
strengthened by the addition of three
exceptionally able faculty members—one
in history, one in the Chinese language and
one in economics. They—along with a
geographer who will arrive in the fall, and
the many other dedicated and able faculty
members already here—form a strong
nucleus which should be built upon, rather
than jettisoned.
Interest in the language program has
been growing and one could only expect—
in view of recent international develop
ments-that it would continue to grow,
Panel members may well be unaware
that, while three years of either language
gives a student a solid foundation, it does
not give a student a working knowledge of
them. To speak only of the language I
know—Chinese—without the courses in
literary (classical) Chinese, it is im
possible to pursue serious study in the
language. Colloquial Chinese has been the
written language for only the last sixty
years and is still heavily infused with the
classical language ... to the extent that
even reading newspapers requires a
knowledge of classical Chinese
I hope that HPUP will seriously re
consider its recommendations For less
than $15,000, both the graduate program in
Asian Studies and the majors in Chinese
and Japanese can be retained. Cutting
them means a small savings to the
university; preserving them costs little
and represents an invaluable savings in
cross-cultural and international un
derstanding.
Karen Gernant.
Graduate Student
Department of History