opinion
Renewed buzz of saws—welcome nuisance
For a fund-shy bureaucratic institution, the
University responded with relative dazzling speed
in modifying the EMU Fishbowl for
handicapped-student access.
It was just less than two months ago that
Chester Faller formally complained about the
discrimination inherent in steps-only access to the
new upper level of the remodeled Fishbowl. After
initial hesitation, Acting University Pres. Paul
Olum expressed sympathy for the plight of phy
sically disabled students, and approved plans to
construct a wheelchair-elevation device to the
east portion of the upper level.
He should be commended for his quick
response to the oversight and good faith in
overseeing the construction.
Even the elevator construction project, which
should be completed by the beginning of spring
term, only winks at satiating the needs of han
dicapped students, however.
First, it is regrettable that only half of the
Fishbowl’s upper level is being modified. For all of
their apologies and hasty construction, University
officials still spent remodeling funds in the neigh
borhood of $167,000 to make an accessible room
partially inaccessible to handicapped students.
Wheelchair-confined students still have the jus
tifiable gripe that window seats are available only
to students who have use of their legs.
Second, the incomprehensibility of the whole
situation remains. For five months only
construction workers gathered in the most
popular gathering ground on campus. And when
the Fishbowl finally reopened, less than two
months passed before the familiar buzz of saws
joined the not-so-familiar buzz of purple neon
lights.
That the University went through two years of
planning, three separate planning committees
and $167,000 before completing the remodeling
project in the EMU is bad enough. That the
extraordinary amount of planning and money
resulted in a product that lasted only a week
before falling to the flaw of discriminatory over
sight is almost beyond belief.
But nuisance that it is, the current construc
tion is correcting the Fishbowl accessibility
problem — partially, at least.
Now all that remains is to tackle the other 54
accessiblity projects on campus.
vours
Think twice
I bear much grief on the fact that two
“fraternity pledges" were seriously in
jured on Feb 22 during an initiation
stunt It's disheartening that it happened
during an event which was “geared to
bring the fraternity pledges closer
together." I am more disheartened by the
fact that this type of “positive interac
tion” is occurring within groups of
people who will form the economic
backbone of our nation’s future.
I hope that we can learn from our
mistakes, and trust that this and other
incidents will speak loud enough to the
greek community; and help everyone
think twice before we act.
Larry Flack
Senior, architecture
Minority rights
The Eugene Commission on the Rights
of Minorities is concerned about the
state of anti-minority actions, including
the most recent incident here in our own
community.
A key function of the commission is to
monitor the ups and downs of our var
ious minorities as Eugene continues its
growth pattern and to serve as a “relief
valve” for any minority citizen who,
rightly or wrongly, believes that he or She
has been a victim of unlawful discrimin
ation.
Accordingly, the City Council has seen
fit, wisely, to constitute the Minority
Commission with a cross section of its
various minorities. We do not deny the
right of anyone to voice his or her opin
ion. The need to maintain free speech,
spoken or written, is the bulwark of our
society. It is a privilege which only those
deprived of it can truly appreciate. But
when zealots, of whatever ilk, cause fear,
harassment, and jeopardy to whole
groups of citizens, it behooves our
elected and appointed officials to raise
the level of their concern for those
groups targeted by the zealots.
We heartily support Governor Atiyeh’s
proposed legislation to combat racial
harassment. We urge our fellow citizens
to rise above the vigilante mentality of
zealots who abuse our democratic heri
tage of free speech and free press.
Eugene Commission on
the Rights of Minorities
Demand apology
When Victor Tomseth was at the
University Feb 9, an incident occured
that needs to be exposed. During the
question-and-answer period, where all
people were welcome to ask anything of
Tomseth, an Iranian student posed a
question. Ves, this person was angry, as
many of us were that day.
The incident that was upsetting was
not the question, or the anger, but it was
a subsequent attack by an American
towards an Iranian student. After the
question was asked and answered, this
particular bigotted person lunged for
ward and punched this student in the
back, all the time yelling hostile and
racist statements.
We the undersigned feel that any at
tack, verbal or physical, towards a
woman, child or man of any background
is intolerable. Without exception, this
type of behavior is always unacceptable,
but it is even moe appalling when it
comes from a recognized educator in the
University system. To see a man who is
supposedly “setting examples” and
teaching others act in this fashion blew
our minds.
We expect equality and humane
treatment from all people, and for this
kind of abuse, we demand a public
apology for this Iranian student and
those persons susequently hurt by
similar incidences.
You know who you are.
Robyn Braverman
Junior, sociology
and seven co-signers
El Salvador
The military regime in El Salvador has
one of the worst records of human rights
violations in the world today and is a
totally illegitimate government (one
never elected). A recent report by the
Council On Hemispheric Affairs estimat
ed that of the 10,000 people murdered
last year in El Salvador, the vast majority
were victims of the government's
“security'' forces. I am personally out
raged that the U S. government is using
our tax money to aid in the torture and
murder of the citizens of another nation
The opposition is fighting a courag
eous revolutionary war to throw off their
oppressors with the support of the Sal
vadorean people, in a similar way our
founding fathers fought a revolution for
our freedom in the late 18th century. The
opposition is a broad-based coalition
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called the Democratec Revolutionary
Front and is made up of the country’s
Democratic, trade union, church, pea
sant and farming union, and Marxist
leaders. Because it is every nation’s
sovereign right to self-determination, it is
clear our government must stop interfer
ing in El Salvador’s internal affairs — but
they won’t stop unless we raise our
voices together in the name of compas
sion and demand it. The United States
government must: 1) Stop sending all
military aid to El Salvador; 2) get all our
military advisers out; 3) guarantee no
military intervention.
I urge you to write to President Reagan
and your congressmen about your con
cerns and questions on this issue.
John Jordan
Junior, CSPA
No subsidies
In a column by Greg Wasson, dated
Feb. 2, your paper, in part, stated that the
Northwest Power Bill contains “contin
ued subsidies for the aluminum in
dustry.’’
Nothing could be farther from the truth
and certainly your paper should know
that. It is possible that beginning Oct. 1,
the Northwest aluminum industry could
be paying as much as 234 percent more
for its power than it was a year ago. This
huge rate increase comes about
because under provisions of the bill, the
aluminum companies will exchange less
expensive hydro power for more
expensive thermal power, and in so do
ing, pay the net exchange costs of the
transfer. That hydro power will go dir
ectly to residential and farm customers of
privately-owned utilities. Thus, in Oc
tober consumers on such utilities will
likely find their rates going down, while
aluminum plants’ rates will increase
sharply.
Instead of subsidies for the aluminum
industry, the bill contains subsidies for
the consumer; subsidies the aluminum
industry is paying for.
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.
W.E. Campbell
Northwest Power Manager
Reynolds Aluminum