Minorities try to avoid American melting pot
Editor’s note: The following is
the third in a four-part series
examining the problems of
racial minorities at the
University.
ByDOUGFICK
Of the Emerald
“Ha men loses anything and
goes back and looks carefully
for It, he will find It.” - Sitting
Buff
"And that's what the Indians
are doing now,'' says David
West, a Potawatomi Indian who
co-directs the Native American
Student Union. Upholding eth
nic heritage in the white man’s
world has become a primary
concern of American Indians,
he says.
But Indians aren't alone in
their effort. Many minority peo
ple are fighting to avoid the
American melting pot and as
similation into the white man's
world.
“Most of us try to maintain our
educational vision and to
balance that with our cultural
and spiritual vision,” West says.
Because of the significant
differences between minority
and white cultures, maintaining
that vision in Eugene can be
difficult, he adds.
The University has failed to
“acknowledge and adjust to the
individual needs of American
Indians,” says George Wasson,
an Indian who works in the Of
fice of Student Services.
“They’re stepping
on
Food Service
SALAD
(small .50, large 1.00)
FRUIT
CAT A FY (small .50,
0/lL>nL/ large 1.00)
CHEF
KAI An
1.25
Page 8 Section A
someone's cultural toes."
He says he’s seen many toes
stepped on since he came here
as a student in 1953.
“I’ve watched young Indians
who can’t make it at the
University because there is no
give, no take, no room for their
other part, which isn’t part of
this culture,” Wasson says.
The University’s cultural in
flexibility also affects Wasson,
he says, adding that occasion
ally he feels the need to return to
his people, "but that doesn't cut
shit with the University.”
Janet Crawford, a black
University law student says, “It’s
harder to maintain your culture
without people around you to
remind you of it.
“If you stick me in a white
community, pretty soon I'm go
ing to start trying to speak more
property, and I'm going to stop
saying' Ya’ll’ and ‘what is it’ and
what's happening,’ because I
don’t constantly hear it. What I
constantly hear subtly brain
washes me into forgetting
what’s natural to me.
Pool issue floods council
More than 100 people crowd
ed into the Eugene city council
chambers to hear testimony on
the fate of the city pool system,
especially the Jefferson Pool, at
Wednesday’s city council meet
ing.
The city would like to fund
every program, but it doesn’t
have the money, said councilor
Gretchen Miller.
Faced with a $1.6 million
deficit, the council cut program
budgets by an average of 6 per
cent to ensure Eugene would
make it through the current fis
cal year, which ends June 30.
City pools were closed on a
rotating basis, ball field main
tenance dropped, and library
hours reduced by the budget
cuts, but everything was hurt,
Miller said.
“It is exceedingly important
that an aquatic program happen
in Eugene,” said Jane Wilson, a
member of Citizens for a City
Center Pool Committee. “The
issue needs to be addressed by
citizens, not sent off to the joint
parks committee."
To increase the funding of the
pool program and reinstitute
ball field maintenance will
require budget cuts some
where, Miller said. “It’s only fair
to people that we let them know
where the cuts are going to be
made.
“But can we afford to keep on
keeping the pools open,” said
Bob Martin. “Looking at it from
an economic point of view,
you’re asking too much to keep
the pools open.”
The city council requested
that City Manager Charles
Henry itemize possible areas
the city could cut to obtain
funds for the three projects. The
council will review the sugges
tions Wednesday at 11:45 a m.
in the council chambers.
"Not only are there few min
orities (in Eugene), but the min
orities here have brought very
little culture with them," she
says, adding that many minority
people in Eugene are content to
abandon their cultural identity.
American-lndian students of
ten do the same thing, says
Bucky Minthorn, co-director of
the NASU.
"Half the problem, once they
(Indian students) get here, is to
keep them in focus of what they
are doing here so they don’t get
sucked up into the
mainstream," Minthorn says.
“Because everything here is
geared toward perpetuating the
white society."
Education in a white-domin
ated environment has tradition
ally been a way to destroy In
dians’ heritage, Minthorn says.
“That’s a subtle way of
assimilation. Their argument is
to educate these pagans and
set them on the road to Chris
tianity and the Republican way
of living. They want to do that so
they can steal what we have.
“They’ve tried to kill us off
and move us and throw us into
the melting pot, but we still keep
popping up,” he says.
Cultural events and educa
tional programs at the Universi
ty can help Indians keep their
cultural vision and help whites
better understand Indian ways,
West says.
Indians at the University can
uphold their cultural tradition if
they stick together and maintain
a strict sense of purpose, West
says.
“I’ve lost something and now
I’m back on the path to find ;t —
keeping my eyes down that path
toward my Indianness, toward
my spiritualness, toward my be
ing one with the rest of humanity
and the rest of creation.”
KAPPAS: You topped off our mystery exchange
with a secret Monday night party Champagne
and the Kappas, what more could we ask tor.
Thanks, Sig Ep's
The University of Oregon declares that no
person shall be denied partidaption in or benefits
from any of its programs/and or activities on the
basis of age, sex, race, marital status, religion,
handicap, or national origin. If you think you
encountered acts of discrimination, contact the
Affirmtative Action Office, 472 Oreqon Hall
68&-3123.
DESTITUTE FOXHOLLOW male wishes any
sort of animal to converse with. Hey, I'm inter
ested but not interesting. Send your cage to Matt,
Apt 11 Foxhollow.
ONE MORE
DAY!!
UNTIL THE PHI PSI SMOKER
We ll see which fraternity knows how to box
Trophys for the winners, beer for the losers
Campus Interfaith Ministry
presents
DR. LINDA OLDS
MOSES
TO MARY
From the Frying pan into the fire?
Integrating the masculine and
feminine into theology today.
Feb. 22 - 23
Fri 7:30 pm
Sat 9:30 pm
Wesley Center
Students $10
General Public $15
Scholarships available
1236 Kincaid
344-4219
ANDERZ: Belated birthday wishes to the most
handsome, witty, fantastic man I know. Have a
wonderful day. lover. GOONERZ
Earth to ANNICK: Mission accomplished -wait
ing for intake Meet you at the Gut Pretty Boy
Floyd
TO THE GUY who has turned twenty-one today
To the guy who insults "boat people" in Bend
To the guy who thinks he's getting pretty hot on
skiis
To the guy who gives me a basketball game ticket
and then take it back
To my big bro who helped me out while I was just
a meager puke.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOAT
Sammy
KEVIN DANE GERNHART Happy Late 21er!
Let’s celebrate our birthdays. I'll buy you a
birthday drink. You're a sweetie TERRI
EUGENE: You'll always be my special friend
ILY-PAMELA
TO THE UNHAPP Y CUSTOMER:
I can rock all night
And satisfy you to your hearts delight
I know how to groove and what to more
To make your fantasy come true
I' ve got style finesse and a pair of blue eyes
I'm guaranteed to satisfy
So the one who says that I’m no good
Come to my room like you know you should
I’M blow you away by the way I play
Anytime night or day
The big E.H. will get you right
EBEN H.
BECAUSE PEOPLE CARE .free pregnancy
testing, confidential. Birthright 687-8651.
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE Organization Meeting
rhursday, 5:00 p.m., EMU. Room number will be
acsled on EMU daily schedule All are welcome.
tk?ao:H
CRISIS CENTER
U of O-Telephone Hot Line from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m.
Help with personal & emotional problems.
StnoMy confidential. Call 088-4488. 5784MH
LADIES NIGHT
Thursday 8 PM to 1 AM
All draught beer 4 house wines 45 cents
Foos Ball-Pool-Giant Screen TV
SUD S FACTORY TAVERN
30lh 4 Interstate 5 747-5131
5885:H