opinion
I©
greg wesson
tabled indefinitely
The king is dead. Long live the king.
And it usually made little difference to the
ruled that the monarch had changed. When one
person extracts tithes, it feels pretty much the
same as anyone else extracting tithes — it tends to
be a drag
America, being the fair and equitable
democracy that it is, has developed new methods
of transition, but there are those who would argue
that it still makes little difference which candidate
wins, that Jimmy Carter isn't much different than
Ronald Reagan. As voters become more and more
disenchanted with the two major parties, there’s a
growing search for a meaningful alternative.
One unfortunate byproduct of this disillu
sionment is the increasing strength of the Liber
tarian Party. In their quest for something better,
many voters are blindly accepting a party whose
approaches might have worked well in the Garden
of Eden, but have no place in 20th Century dis
cussions.
Libertarian philosophies can best be de
scribed as vacuum politics, based on the idea that
what I do with what’s mine is of no concern to
those around me. The government shouldn’t in
terfere. If I want to rape the resources I own, that’s
my own business and no one else’s. It’s reasoning
that’s easily refuted.
Consider Ya-Po-Ah Terrace, the retirement
apartments at the base of Skinner’s Butte.
Used to be, that one got a clear view of
Eugene and the surrounding area from the top of
this highly accessable hill. Then, the owners of the
land decided to construct a multi-story building
near the park, providing residents with a good
view and nearby open land, but taking away from
the rest of us a large chunk of our unobstructed
view. I would contend that the building’s pro
prieters made money at my expense. To argue that
I should have no say in how and where such
building’s are constructed is folly.
And what about the building of an additional
multi-unit dwelling nearby? Does it make any
sense that the property owners be guided only by
their own consciences and needs? Or does it
make sense that city agencies be consulted
before the desecration is allowed?
But probably the silliest contention is that
companies like Weyerhauser and Georgia-Pacific
won’t overcut the forest because it doesn’t make
economic sense. It makes a great deal of sense to
the corporate mentality to generate as many
bucks as you can then move to another part of the
country or the world.
Whether America would benifit from the
emergence of new parties is a question for an
other column. Whatever the answer, the country
won't gain from the continued rise of the Liber
tarians.
yours
Open eyes
For years this institution of higher
learning has blindly encouraged men
who appear to have gained a fairly large
following, teaching certain myths as
facts Among these men is a Dr Sanders,
who holds to certain “explanations" of
the Hebrew Scriptures: that Hebrew
“prophecies” were written after the his
toric occurences they claim to have
predicted; that there is no God who
judges sin or man.
If these explanations are true, then it
would appear that some predictions
could be made from them.
The Hebrew Scriptures that now exist
could never adequately predict an im
menent, present-day war (Unless, of
course, they had been re-written after
such a war).
The God who does not judge sin or
man might not consider Himself
personally committed to fulfilling any
such “prophecy."
While still holding to the old myth that
the ancient Hebrews could not face the
reality of their day, these men diligently
become the fulfillment of their own ac
cusations, spouting theories that are
blind to the reality of our own day.
Meanwhile the world prepares for its
most viscious war yet — exactly as out
lined in the Hebrew Scriptures before the
time of Christ
This institution of higher learning need
no longer encourage these men. Instead,
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it can encourage learners to open their
eyes, acquire the present-day facts, and
thus be part of the twentieth century
Eric Engelman
Graduate student, physics
Feminists will win
These pages have lately been host to
the whining of a few little fellows all hot
and nasty about threats' to their right' to
pant, gape, and paw themselves on
campus It seems that second only to
their ‘right’ to drink beer till they barf and
bellow at all hours comes this (no doubt)
God-given ‘right' to sell, buy, and view
pornography on campus without cri
ticism.
One grows accustomed to such drivel.
Many, however, in their ridiculous ob
fuscation, begin to confuse Feminists
with Fundamentalists. A trip to the library
might lift their fog Knowing the density
of the fog, however, I will try to help you
demented darlings along by defining one
of these: a Feminist.
She (or more rarely, he) rightly views
the normal' male/female roles as anyth
ing from mildly boring to dangerous and
disgusting. Fluffiness in women and
crustiness in men is dull, dull, dull. Pas
sive victimization in women and domin
ant egomania in men is dangerous: these
roles breed rape, beatings and murder.
The feminist finds you repulsive when
you stump around, slamming each other
on the back, mouthing off about your
'right' to your woman’ and/or any
woman. Feminists want to see the whole
world set right so that women are treated
with real dignity, respect, and honest
caring for their needs and rights. This is
to be contrasted with the things you
“value” in women: big tits, a tight ass,
bubble-headed giggles, and shaken or
smash self-respect
Women (hats off to Marcia Kraus) and
men who are feminists don’t think your
'right' to beat off in 150 Geology watch
ing 'films’ precludes their right to
demand dignity and respect for all
women in a very loud voice.
Feminists aren’t going to rest — or let
you rest — until women have the power
and respect their humanity deserves.
Cringe, whine or carp if you will, little
fellows: Feminists will win.
Jean Lorraine
SEARCH Instructor
What’s in store?
What’s in store for us over the course
of the next four years? That seems to be
the question most people have been
asking since the Nov. 4 election. .
There has been a lot of speculation
and gossip but not a lot of hard fact.
However, I’ve found out some things
which haven’t been put out by the local
media, which is the reason for this letter.
First, John Tower, the new chairman of
the Senate Armed Services Committee
has announced a major restructuring of
subcommittees to make them “mission
4
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ft BACK OF THE BUS
oriented.” New subcommittees to be
created are Tactical Warfare, Strategic
and Theatre Nuclear Forces, Prepared
ness, and Sea Power and Force Projec
tion. The Arms Control Subcommittee
will be abolished.
Secondly, Strom Thurmond, new
chairman of the Senate Judiciary Com
mittee, has announced the formation of a
new subcommittee on Terrorism and
Drugs which is to be chaired by freshman
senator Jeremiah Danton of Alabama.
This is an attempt to bring back the old
Senate Internal Security Subcommittee
In order to create this new subcommittee
Thurmond is eliminating the one on
monopolies.
David Isenberg
Junior, international Studies
Dollar check-off
It is appalling to see election cam
paigns more and more fall into the hands
of big money special interests. The
recent 2nd District Congressional race
where more than $1.5 million was spent
is a case in point. That campaign had
megabucks flowing in from out-of-state
banking, oil and aluminum interests, to
name just a few.
Fortunately, in Oregon we have a
democratically-controlled form of public
financing in the form of the dollar
check-off for political parties. Individual
taxpayers may check off a dollar on their
Oregon return for their favorite political
party. Allocations of these funds are
made democratically in a system based
upon locally-elected precinct commit
teepersons.
In 1981 strike a blow for the public
interest and check-off a dollar for you
favorite political party. Our only defense
to the onslaught of big money special
interest political action committees is a
strong and viable party system.
David McTeague
Democratic National Committeeman
Salem
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