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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 1980)
opinion_ I ken sands even editors get the blues Springfield people are tired of being called stupid. “We’re not just a bunch of half-witted, low-ly ing drones, but we have a tendency to be treated as such,’’ says one Springfield woman. “And we re turned off by the way we are treated.” Eugeneans think Springfielders are just a pack of red-neck, low-class mill workers. Actually, Springfielders simply prefer a less hectic small town life than Eugene provides. “The minute you cross the bridge you can feel the quiet, comfortable pace. The people in Eugene move faster and are more erratic,” says the Springfield native. “The ‘cultured’ people of Eugene just think they are more sophisticated." Springfielders have different priorities. “Generally we’re clean-cut American people who don’t put up with a bunch of bullshit,” she says. Lawyers and doctors live in harmony with mill workers because “we value people for people, not what they do for a living.” And that’s another big difference between Eugene and Springfield. Eugeneans are cultural and intellectual elitists. “Springfield people are considered uncul tured and unintellectual. People think that Springfield is just a bastard child of Eugene.” But Springfield has its own merits. Ethereal Eugeneans may gloat over their performing arts center, but Springfielders point to their parks program that has won national awards. Rent is cheaper in Springfield. There is less traffic on the broad, tree-lined avenues, and there is easy access to goods and services. University students think Springfield is a red neck town where they will be accosted for being students. But Springfield residents don’t have much to say about students one way or another. Actually, Joe Blow Eugene may have more misconceptions about college students. Eugene citizens sometimes blame the University and the students for the city’s problems. Still, students are reluctant to live in Spring field. “I never thought I’d live in Springfield.” says one University student. “To me, Springfield was a place where you could see a double feature for 99 cents, not a place to live if you were enlightened in any way.” But after living in Springfield for a year, she saw the light, Springfield style. “I think Springfield residents see through Eugeneans’ quest for sophistication through granola and unsweetened fruit juice and settle for meat and potatoes,” she says. The man who answers the phones at the Chamber of Commerce would rather live in Springfield than Eugene any day. “People in Eugene may look down on us, but that’s their problem, not mine.” And what’s the man’s name? “Bob Smith, common as dirt. “Adios.” va rs More on abortion We would like to point out what we and others consider to be some errors in R.G. Bowman’s letter (Oct. 28) concerning abortion. The human embryo, up to or shortly before birth, is completely dependent on the mother for its physiological function ing - life, if you will The fetus would quickly die outside of its mother (unless hooked up to some elaborate machin ery). Bowman points out that at three months, all of the fetus’ organ systems are functioning, but does not mention that the systems cannot function on their own. With regard to fetal breathing, Dowman is wrong The fetus gets all of its oxygen from the mother’s blood (via the placenta - fetal urea is also carried away by maternal blood). The lungs do not function until birth. The fetus cannot exist as an "individual", or as a “live human being”. The definition of an "in dividual’’ is a "single person, considered separately". It is impossible to consider an embryo separate from its mother. Now we get to some more subtle state ments which we believe reflect Bow man’s desire to consider the fetus a normal human being. Bowman states that the fetus "adjusts position to get comfortable”. Might the fetus be moving as the result of developmental steps resulting in (or requiring) certain motions? What is "comfortable" to a fetus? Bowman referred to the fetus as an "individual” and as an "unborn child”. We have seen that the use of “individual" is not correct. Furthermore, "unborn child" is a contradiction - similar to “born fetus" or the "fetus was delivered”. Why not just "fetus” or “embryo"? We believe that the fetus is not a human being Abortion is at most “murder” of a potential human being, but then, what is the significance of this “potential"? Every egg in the human female has this potential - especially considering recent technological developments (not all good). Perhaps someday some will consider “waste" of a letters policy The Emerald will accept and try to print all letters containing fair comment on ideas and topics or interest to the University community. Letters must be typewritten, using 65-character margins and should be triple spaced Letters must be signed, the Suthor's field of study (or faculty status) noted and should include address and phone number where possible n « A pH* I BusSAiJcasnc I^TUKSAID uv 'THE COW&tf IS (DMING! THE GMOi IS (OWING!' single human egg (even during the nor mal menstrual cycle) to be "murder"! We do not at all favor the use of abor tion as a primary method of birth control. However, abortion is sometimes the best or only alternative. We are not pro-abor tion; we are pro-choice (and by our beliefs and definitions, the fetus cannot have a choice in the matter). Moreover, we strongly believe that answers to questions such as "when does individual human life begin?” (and other subjective spiritual matters) rest with the individual We do not tell you what to believe in, or how you must think. Those are your choices - choices not to be taken lightly, and certainly not to be legislated. Jeff and Kim Goddard Graduate Students in Biology and Historic Preservation Fiszman replies Gabriel Boehmer reports me as "re sponding" to Professor Ivan Svitak's remark about his life in Czechoslovakia ("I always thought I lived in the worst country in the world") by saying "Wait 'till Reagan comes.” Having lived in Czechoslovakia myself for over a year, as well as in Poland and the USSR, in addi tion to living under three different oc cupations, this off-the-cuff quip of mine was simply an attempt to be “funny” or “cute" and it — very obviously — mis fired Although I do not particularly look forward to four years with Reagan I hard ly think, even if he does his ‘'utmost,” as promised, that this would replicate the misery of life under Novotny in Czecho slovakia or Stalin in the Soviet Union. It takes a special kind of genius to do that and Reagan is simply not quite up to it. Joseph Fiszman Professor, Political Science Bike advice As a bicyclist, I wish to address Leon Nawrocki’s letter concerning his right eous interpretations of “Bike Rights" (Nov. 3). Contrary to Mr. Nawrocki’s reasoning (or lack thereof) a bicycle is not hard to see because it is environmentally pure, producing neither heat nor pollution; a bicycle is hard to see because it is small, skinny object on the side of the road that doesn’t lend itself to visibility Furthermore, Mr. Nawrocki vows to keep his "ineffective strap-on light” in an effort to put bike lanes on "every street in Eugene.” How ludicrous. The cheap, strap-on lights just keep the rider nominally inside the law and offer the rider very little visibility, which is what he is complaining about. If anything, the law should be strengthened and require bicyclist to use better lighting. And in no wav will the widespread use of these cheap lights lead to more and wide spread bike paths. Come on, Mr. Naw rocki, let’s at least think. Mr. Nawrocki also claims that if he and Ms. Lambert (“Use Bike Lanes" Oct. 21) ever crash fenders on a night when he is without a light, he will sue her for every dime she has. That, Mr. Nawrocki, as sumes you are alive to collect the money, and if so, you are not paralyzed so that you could enjoy it. With reasoning like Mr. Nawrocki’s, I would like to close by giving him one piece of advice: Buy a bicycle helmet, I don't think your thick head is enough protection. Peter Cooper Senior, History Peanuts’ petition We urge the editors of the Emerald to reintroduce the comic strip “Peanuts” in place of “Sparrow.” In two days, this letter was signed by more than 1,000 members of the Univer sity of Oregon community — a clear indication of the support "Peanuts” has on campus. The organizers and supporters of this letter hope the Emerald recognizes its readers' sentiments and acts accord ingly. David Newell Sophomore, French and 1.084 co-sianers
