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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 28, 1976)
Letters Editor’s Note: Over the past two weeks, the Emerald has received a larger than normal volume of let ters from our readers. While we are pleased at this response, we have not been able to print as many as we would like to be cause of space restrictions on the editorial page. In order to publish as many of these letters as possi ble, we have decided to devote today's entire editorial page to these writers. Style thrills This letter is in reply to Mr. Lewis' letter in the Friday Emerald and others who subscribe to the same feelings. Why is it so damn important that Oregon win all its basketball games? It is very easy to second guess and hypothesize about what is going wrong and place the balme on any one person. But not being directly involved and knowing all the facts is little more than back seat driving. Anyone can do it but dompetency is another thing. To me, the greatest thrill of the Duck basketball games has been the exciting style of play and not the final score. The fact that those 12 guys have the ability and cour age to step onto a basketball court is enough to amaze me and wish I had the same. Vince Lombardi's words, “Win ning isn’t everything, it is the only thing" seem to have installed itself in a lot of Duck faithfuls. If you believe that winning is all impor tant, I suggest you re-evaluate your values. Let’s give the Ducks the support they deserve regard less of the final outcome. Michael A. Stepka Recreation and Park Manage ment Senior Poor thinking Your interview with Nancy Johnson (Emerald, Monday Jan. 19) raises some troubling ques tions about the nature of the Graduate Student Council (GSC) and its financing. To many of us who come from countries more frugal than the US and to many of our American colleagues who know what it is to live with the barest necessities, it seems scandalous to spend $13,025, or anybody's money, on a venture which seems at best poorly thought-out. Is it necessary to spend any money to inform graduate students of degree re quirement proposals (there is no hard proof that they form the most stupid category of students, un able to draw any more on their long experience of ferreting out in formation for themslves) or to im prove relations with graduate school personnel (what exactly does this euphemism mean)? The other suggestions have a common thread, but their execu tion could better be carried out by agencies other than the GSC. Invi tations to speakers from outside the university are surely better handled within or between de partments. Here the channels of communication, amply mentioned in your article, already exist, and here, the qraduate student finds a far greater identity of academic in terest than with the 4,000 other graduate students scattered ac ross many departments. Discovering what research pro fessors across the campus are engaged in is certainly an urgent Page 4 need, but it can be done far more thoroughly than full-page ads in the Emerald or clinking coffee cups with “interesting profes sors.” What about the querulous, the eccentric, the uninteresting ones who shun coffee sessions because they may be too busy edging the light farther back into the dim corners? What is needed is a comprehensive well catalogued, up-dated inventory of researcn being carried out on campus by faculty and graduate students, for the use of all in terested persons. Who better to do this than the library? All this is not to deny that graduate students have needs, social and adademic, that are peculiar to them, but rather to ask for a detailed list of those needs and possible ways of filling them, which would form a rationale for the GSC petition to the IFC. If there are detailed plans, the Emerald article would have been an excellent (and free) channel of communication for sharing them. Farrel Corcoran Graduate student Communications Parallel seen I feel compelled to respond to the pet lover article (Jan. 21, 1976). I see such a parallel between the unwanted pets and the un wanted children in our society. Newson says the pet owners lose interest when the animal outgrows the cute stage." This is also true of people when the child is no longer a baby. Everyone loves a baby, but when it outgrows in fancy the kid is pushed aside to make room for the next baby. By the time it reaches school-age, it already feels that it is unwanted. It turns inward, becoming extremely sensitive; or it compensates by becoming an extroverted, obnoxi ous brat. Both these extremes stem from home environment, but the schools are made a conve nient scape-goat. The end result is a world full of unhappy, unloved teen-agers, then unhappy, unfulfilled adults. Many fill the mental institutions, many more end up in prison. Statistics tell us that most inmates have feelings of inadequancy, have never felt loved or wanted. The remainder propogate more off-spring to keep the cycle per petuated, and also become pet owners, with the same casual in difference to the animals and chil dren alike. According to Newson, the ans wer to animal control is preven tion. May I offer the same solution to alleviate more human suffering. Phillis Atwood, Library Board blest Your cartoon of Jan. 26 showed a Nazi labeled "Publication Board" molesting PSU editor Kathleen Hawkins, who is thumb ing her nose, sticking out her ton gue and clutching the Bill of Rights. The captions say, "You vill do as ve say, Liebchen.” (this is subtle stuff!) and "Thank heavens for a few disrespectful young brats." Actually, Ms. Hawkins is a brat and every night I get down on my knees before bed and thank God for the PSU Publication Board. The Vanguard is supported by mandatory student fees and is therefore governed by a written policy and by a publication board made up of faculty and students (just the type of committee the Emerald incessantly campaigns for). It was the student members of the committee who raised the objection and convinced the other members that Ms. Hawkins was violating the policy, which requires the paper to sell space to all points of view. If Ms. Hawkins insists on cen soring a newspaper, she should quit her student-supported paper and open one with her own money. No one will object then. Perhaps the cartoon should have shown her blindfolding a PSU student and saying, "You vill read vat ver let you, tovarisch.' By the way, what all ads does the Emerald censor? I know, for starters, that we never see any massage parlor or Gallo wine ads. Mike Sytwester Russian Editor's Note: As a general adver tising policy, the Emerald feels that its position should be one of a place for free exchange of goods and services. The position of the Emerald should be to insure as far as possible that the content of the ads, and the goods and services, are valid and legal. However, no ads will be accepted if they dis criminate against any age, race, sex, color, national oriqin, religion or sexual orientation. IVo choice The UO screening committee has gotten down to two the number of applicants for the job as athletic director. Frankly, I don't see that there is really a choice. Norm Van Brocklin has proven that he can throw a football, 15 years ago that is. Other than that he was an unsuccessful football coach at Minnesota where his main claim to fame was trading Fran Tarkenton. Then he went to Atlanta where he unsuccessfully guided the Falcons amid fights with the press and constant com plaints of his players. While I'm not familiar with Bill Cobey at all, I do know that the University of North Carolina has a fine sports program and is highly regarded for community work by their personnel. He also has ad ministrative background in a good college seeing. Like I said, I don't understand that there is a choice. Howard A. Pergament Journalism Respect lost A few days ago, in response to the inaugural demonstration, Greg Stiles wrote to you on behalf of the Coalition against the UFAB (United Front Against Boyd) of which he was the sole member. I d like to congratulate him for his success in capturing so accu rately the spirit and mentality of the UFAB; make known my in terest to become the second member of a non-existent coali tion; and, in the light of recent de velopments, add a few serious comments of my own in way (much like the Emerald's Tues day, Jan. 20 editorial) of brotherly advice. For in a way, UFAB, though I would identify myself with the CUFAB, there is a siblingship be tween us. President Boyd, like any human being (especially one with the extra responsibility of high of fice), is not above criticism. Neither is the University; nor any of the other oppressive' institu tions as you, in your un-united en deavors, have called them. In this sense I'll agree with you: there is a real need for a change ("constant revolution" as Papa Mao would say). But responsible change: in this I think you yourselves are open to criticism. Rebecca Vance, you say that the vicious" arrest of the demon strators while Boyd continued with his speech on The University as an open society, guaranteeing freedom of expression to all who would exercise it is a clear con tradiction between his verbal statement and his practice." But sister. I'm confused. In court Fri day eight demonstrators pleaded not guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct. Does this mean you folks believe that you have the right' to do anything you please without being accountable for it? Perhaps you will argue that since our laws are corrupt, you are not humanly obliged to them. Whatever I don t know how others are responding to you, but by such cowardly and irresponsi ble behavior, you have at least lost my respect and support. The day you adopt the freedom of Soc rates, Thoreau and Martin Luther King and break a law but then stand up and say Yes, we are guilty and we will take the conse quences. But we would do it again—and take the consequ ences again—for our cause is worth it." On that day I'll know you take your cause seriously and will begin to listen. Jim Ralph Anthropology-English Junior Pure drivel Statements to the effect that preserving agricultural land and wildlife is unimportant are pure drivel. The person to whom they were attributed in a recent Emerald interview, one Orpha Thomas, now asserts that in the case of agricultural lands she was misquoted. However, in advocat ing repeal of Senate Bill 100, Oregon s pioneering Land Use Act, she made other assertions in the interview so grossly mislead ing as to deserve response. The Bohemia lumber plant con troversy is not a result of SB100 or LCDC actions, as she claims, but rather the result of the recent Oregon Supreme Court Baker vs. Milwaukie" decision. This de cision bas based on ...a well considered plan." SB100 and LCDC are to ensure development of the best possible well considered plans for Oregon. The heart of that program is wide spread citizen involvement. But perhaps Thomas prefers that land use decisions be in the control of a few special interests with no con sideration of society's needs. Thousands of Oregonians par ticipated through workshops, hearings, advisory committees and work sessions in the dev elopment of the LCDC Goals adopted a year ago. They are hardly an example of total control by a dictator.' Copies of these goals as well as flyers briefly de scribing SB100 and comprehen sive plans are available from LCDC, 1175 N E. Court St., Salem, 97310 or from the Bureau of Governmental Research Lib rary in Hendricks Hall. Dorothy Anderson LCD Commissioner Means provided If you have ever had a question about your Bookstore's policies or operations, or had a grievance to which you have never received a satisfactory answer, or had a sug gestion as to how the Bookstore could be improved; then the UO Bookstore s Sounding Board should provide you with a means for obtaining an answer or a reply The Bookstore s Board of Direc tors, composed of two faculty and eight student members, has re cently approved the construction and operation of the Sounding Board, to be located on the Bookstores main floor Its pur pose is to receive from students and faculty suggestions, ques tions and comments about your Bookstore, and within ten days, post such inquiries with re sponses on the Sounding Board for everyone to read. You can now learn about such Bookstore policies as pricing, ordering, de lays and other such matters You can also contribute ideas and in formation to your representatives on the Board of Directors as to what policies you think are best for the bookstore to pursue, or sug gest to the management how op erations can be improved. An example of the use of the Sounding Board is the Bookstore manager s response to Mr John Billingsley s letter regarding text book shortages that appeared in the January 21st issue of the Emerald Although Mr Henson responded to the letter through the Emerald, a copy of Mr Billingsley's letter and Mr Henson's response were also posted on the Sounding Board As a member of the UO Book store Corporation, you are entitled to know about and comment on your corporation s policies and operations Because is provides you with a means of learning and affecting the policies and opera tions of your Bookstore, I urge you to utilize the Sounding Board s service Frank Papagni, Jr. Member, Bookstore s Board of Directors 1 Emerald letters policy The Emerald will accept and try to print all letters contain ing fair comment on ideas and topics of concern or interest to the University community Because of space limita tions, letters must be no more than 200 words, typed, triple spaced, dated and signed with the person's major No unsigned letter will be pub lished. Longer opinion columns will be published whenever pos sible after being submitted to the ediorial page editor The limit on opinion columns is 800 words, using the same format as letters Wednesday, January 28, I97W
