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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 1981)
opinion va rs Religious body The Latter Day Saints Student’s As sociation is not just a "cultural” or “social” body, it is an extension of a religious body. Mormonism is a religion, sometimes represented to others as “Christian" or as a non-religious body with cultural goals. Mr Harris, the LDSSA director, feels that "students may be interested in facets of unique Mormon culture” and mentions the Mormon interest in gen ealogy What he neglects to mention is the religious doctrine of Mormonism which is essential to Mormon genealogical work — Baptism for the Dead Of course, here we see it is not just a matter of culture, but of the promotion of a specific religious belief! The LDSSA promises to refrain from actively seeking to convert people, but there are other non-direct methods, such as inviting students to visit the LDS Insti tute of Religion for discussions on “Mormon culture.” If the LDS students can be funded to promote their "culture” why not allow the Christian students the same right to share their “culture” also? Of course, the IFC felt that the Mormons were more convincing than the Christians. Perhaps it is just a matter of what you say and how you present yourself! Michael Kerns Northwest Christian College (Student) Trapping, stuffing You guys are amazing. First, you glor ify and try to humanize (?) a professional trapper in order to “give the other side” of the leg-hold trap issue months ago (we're not stupid, we'll never think leg hold traps are humane) and now, you think we're interested in taxidermy? I’m referring to Thursday's article, "Family stuffs with pride." Do you think people who make their living stuffing elephant feet and other wild animal parts are concerned with conserving endangered species? I'm glad you made some men tion of "legal proof of government sanc tion” (whatever that really means) regarding each animal, but do you ex pect us to believe any of these animals died of natural causes? People don’t have "trophies” mounted of animals they don't kill. I can't believe your reporter didn't question an attitude that brags about "doing African safaries," an atti tude that promotes hunting for sport, not survival. Why won't Adams Taxidermy "do reptiles or dead pets?" I can't believe it's for any moral reasons. This article further reinforces the non-progressive trend of your paper reflecting the "Reaganism of America.” Too bad Shawn Rossiter Graduate, journalism Energy co-ops During the next four weeks, Pacific Power and Light and its political action groups will engage in trying to convince the voters that the Emerald People’s Utility District is a bureaucratic waste of money. Nothing could be further from the truth! They have and will claim that EPUD wasted $380,000 this year when in actuality, this money was spent for a vital engineering report necessary to any large-scale procurement of generating and transmission facilities, the rest is still in EPUD coffers Any long-term resident served by the local public utilities in this area can tell you that they have enjoyed lower rates and excellent service for the past 30 years. A comparison of actual rates per 1,500 kilowatts of residential usage as of January 1981 reveals that Springfield Utility Board charged $17.29 less that PP&L Blachly-Lane Coop charged $17.64 less, EWEB charged $19.10 less and Lane Electric Coop charged $22.14 less or almost half of the PP&L rate! To put the matter into better perspec tive, one should realize that if you com bined the salaries of just three PP&L vice presidents (there are many), it just about equals the entire EPUD operating budget this year One can only conclude that PP&L’s own excercise in bureaucratic mis-information and efficiency resulted in higher rates for us and bigger salaries for them. Mark Schwebke Eugene Bad precedent We feel that with the release of the hostages from Iran a dangerous precedent has been established. After the cheering stops, the ticker-tape is swept up and the former hostages are safely reunited with their families, then the real issue arises. Just who, may we ask, is paying for all this: the chartered jets that flew them to Germany; the accomodations at Wies baden; the 52 overseas telephone calls; the transportation of former-Pres. Carter’s entourage to greet them? That’s right! Once again the American taxpayer has to foot the bill for someth ing he was neither consulted on nor in the least benefits from. Don’t get us wrong. We’re not saying that the hostages wanted to be taken hostage; but, nevertheless, it seems only fair that the'Postages assume part of the burden for this whole extravaganza. Once before a people was outraged by taxation without representation. A revolution resulted. That was in 1776. Joe Sacco Richard La Sasso Senior, journalism Senior, English Sanders replies In the last week and a half, you have seen fit to print two letters from students, one of whom has never been in one of my classes, alleging all manner of nastiness in the way in which I teach courses on the Bible here in the University. I am frankly surprised that you would print such petty libel; most newspapers would not. By refusing to print my reply to the first letter, you have abetted the libel and have placed yourself in a somewhat difficult position, and you have revealed once again your willingness to coddle the Crazy Christian right. (I refer to your fairly regular news coverage of off-cam pus “Christian” education and coun seling centers and to the fact that, if one of their fly-by-night evangelists comes to town, he will be all over your front page for three days; wheras, when the Department of Religious Studies brings an outstanding scholar in some field of religion to campus for lectures, we can hardly get four paragraphs on page five, and I can't recall your ever having pub lished a news story on the Campus In terfaith Ministry.) I should like to offer some advice. To the Emerald: You should read your own letters policy printed on your opin ion page. Had you done so, you would not have printed the quasi-rational fel gercarb from your two correspondents. Having done so, however, you would have printed my earlier response (It was hand-delivered to you). To impartial observers: The CCR, like the Moral Majority, is not an innocent potage, however much they may shout slogans about Christian love. One notes the maliciousness they direct toward someone who disagrees with them, but especially the vehemence they will direct at whole groups like, God help us, the Roman Catholic Church. To anyone who ma^ be interested in the Bible: First, the reason that biblical scholars claim that the Book of Daniel was written during the Seleucid period i§ that it was written during the Seleucid period. The book fairly reeks the atmos phere of Jerusalem in the days just before the revolt. To overlook that is to miss its splendid religious point, abobt hope that continues to look to God in totally hopeless situations. Second, any one around here who wants to learn anything about the Bible had sure better take my class. J.T. Sanders Professor, religious studies The other crisis While Americans should rejoice at the return of the hostages, they should not allow their celebration to overshadow their sense of history and the serious problems facing America in the present and in the future. Americans must remember that, in a very real sense, the people of Iran were “hostages” of the despotic regime of the Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. Americans must remember that the CIA played a major role in the overthrow of the popular Mossadegh in 1953 to establish an Iran ian government favorable to U S. inter ests. Americans must remember that international human rights organizations thoroughly, completely and repeatedly documented a pervasive and wanton disregard of human rights during the rule of the shah. Of course these considerations do not justify the seizure of hostages. How ever, the current outbreak of patriotism and nationalism, fed by the glare of TV cameras, must not be allowed to distort the American perspective of the hostage crisis. We must return and examine with fairness and honesty, the roots of the situation which gave rise to the seizure of the hostages. Finally, there are other hostages, numbering in the millions, who deserve 444 days of concentrated media atten tion. In America, there are hostages of unemployment, ignorance and poverty. There are hostages of mental illness, blindness and physical impairment. Abroad, there is mass starvation and war. A modern day holocaust went largely unnoticed in Cambodia which should shame Americans for their dis proportionate response to the Iranian hostage crisis. So rejoice for the hostages. But let us do it quickly without the patriotism and saber rattling. Let us now turn to the other hostage crisis with equal solidarity and with equal media attention. David Frank Doctoral student, Rhetoric and communication letters policy The Emerald will accept and try to print all letters containing fair comment on ideas and topics of interest to the Univer sity community. Letters must be typewritten and no longer than 250 words. Letters must be signed, the author's field of study or faculty status noted and must include address and phone number for verification.
