emerald
Amazon residents’ spray injunction valid
The spraying of the herbicide “Round-up” by
the Eugene School District has residents at the
Amazon housing complex angry and concerned. The
concern expressed by the Amazon residents is
justified
Herbicide use by the school district has long
been the subject of controversy. The school district's
use of the herbicide 2,4-D had Eugene residents up
in arms. Only last summer a parent filed a class-ac
tion suit against the district in an effort to stop the use
of herbicides containing 2,4-D. The school district
suspended spraying for the rest of the season after
continued harassment of weed-control crews
The use of herbicides for weed control by the
school district was hotly contested in board meetings
and hearings throughout last summer In the end the
school board formulated a comprehensive weed
control policy The use of 2,4-D was restricted in the
policy. Instead of 2,4-D, the school district increased
its use of the herbicide “Round-up '.
“Round-up” (Glyphosate or N-Phosphon
Onethyglycine), according to a school district
representative, is the safest herbicide they've found
It is used extensively as a lawn weed-killer. The
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'I'M PREPARED TO 60TwE EtfRA MILE...' SAID THE PRESIDENT
school district requires licensed applicators to apply
the herbicide The district also has criteria for spray
ing. They don’t spray lawns, nor on or near play
ground areas
The primary issue in the Amazon spraying in
cident is the application of “Round-up.” The label
cautions against spraying in winds gusting over five
miles per hour. Apparently, the winds were from six to
10 miles per hour on the day of the spraying at South
Eugene High School The label also warns not to
"feed or forage for eight weeks after application,''
and not to plant crops within a year of application.
There are chemicals mixed with "Round-up" to
prevent drifting But Amazon residents believe the
wind negated the anti-drift chemicals and caused
chemical trespass If Round-up" blew over into the
Amazon complex it would quarantine the yard and
day-care areas from children for weeks and prevent
crop-planting and gardens until the chemical
dissipates
But the health hazard to Amazon residents —
young and old — is the major concern Amazon
tenants are currently considering an immediate
injunction against future spraying in the area In the
wake of Monday's spraying six residents complained
of nausea, diarrhea, headaches and throat irritation
Blood tests were taken and are being analyzed The
possibility of herbicide poisoning should be enough
to cause the school district to halt future spraying
until the results of the blood teste are known
Amazon residents are also asking the school
district to notify them in advance of spraying — or to
change their method of herbicide application But no
law suit, as previously reported, will be lodged
The Emerald supports the Amazon residents
injunction against future spraying of the South
Eugene High School running track with "Round-up "
Amazon residents are reacting from legitimate con
cerns regarding their health and safety When it
comes to herbicide use can caution be
over-estimated?
letters
Night crime
As you sit in class today, take a good look
at the women in your classroom One in
three will be raped in her lifetime By the
time class is over, approximately 16 women
will have been beaten in this country and 10
raped (FBI, 1981).
These acts of violence are not isolated
social problems Rape, domestic violence,
pornography, incest and sexual
harassment all function to maintain exclu
sive male power by keeping women afraid
Women Take Back the Night is a group
confronting and struggling to end all forms
of violence against women On Saturday,
May 8, they are sponsoring a day of work
shops at Harris Hall and a candlelight
march and rally at night.
We recognize that there are men who are
also horrified by sexual violence against
women and we encourage their support on
street comers during the march
Sexual violence infringes on every
woman's human right to independence If
you value your freedom. Eugene women,
joins us on May 8 to take back the night
Kay Kelly
Junior, fine arts
Mature publication
While I normally do not pay much
attention to Emerald editorials, your "For
ces for Life'’ platform (20 April) was an
exception that has provoked this response
What made this editorial different was its
Neanderthal manner of making its point; it
sank beneath even the Emerald's unusually
low standards of journalistic ethics In
particular, I refer to your criticism of the
Reagan administration's statements
regarding nuclear policy
Apparently you are incapable of realizing
that your editorial opinions are not
necessarily the only ones worthy of con
sideration Labeling the administration’s
statements as lies and likening them to Nazi
propaganda techniques smacks of self
righteousness born of ignorance and
arrogance While I would expect such
behavior from small children, I was sur
prised to observe it coming from a sup
posedly mature publication
To whoever wrote the editorial, I can only
say that, should you be so foolish as to
attempt a career in journalism, it would
behoove you to remember that calling
those of differing opinions liars and
comparing them to Nazis seldom
impresses or persuades an adutt audience
It is unfortunate that the editorial was
unsigned; I would prefer to address its
author by name But then again if I wrote it,
I would've been ashamed to have signed it,
too
Todd Weber
Senior, journalism
editor's note: the editorials are unsigned
because they represent the views of the
Oregon Daily Emerald and its editorial
board (C.F )
Pill misinformation
Your article of March 12 entitled Pill
Offers Alternative' contains misinformation
which should be corrected for your
readers It states that the pills (Calorex or
Carbolite) have been prescribed to
overweight persons for approximately ten
years” by dietitians Members of tie Lane
County Dietetic Association a group made
up of the majority of registered dietitions in
this area, have not prescribed such
preparations at any time In addition, the
long term effects of these products has not
been scientifically determined
Emilie York, R.D.
Secretary, Lane County Dietetic Assoc.
Newspaper forum
The only thing skeptical about author
Karl Grossman in Katherine Merrill's April
26 article is his ability for logical thought
He says when researching nuclear power
don't believe any source Yet the whole
article is made up of his quotes from
nuclear power sources Then he twists the
quotes around until they're completely
illogical He says " a nuclear power
plant accident could result in 3400
deaths, killing everone within 15
miles " Does that assume 3400 people
within 15 miles of the plant? What if no one
is near the plant7 Do 3400 people still die7
Then he uses his journalistic background
to expound upon the finer points of nuclear
engineering It's really hard to study in the
science library with all those journalism
majors clamoring for more books on
thermodynamics and materials science
All this guy wants to do is sell books If he
has to twist some facts and pervert a few
minds in the process that's okay too It's
too bad this newspaper gives him a forum
to do so
Douglas Sheldon
GTF physics
staff
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