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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 10, 1982)
Deathwatchers: the fans The recent execution of Charles Brooks Jr in Texas proves we haven’t come much further in stopping the most gruesome of spectator sports — capital punishment Students — mind you. students — carrying bloodthirsty signs with such humane sayings as Kill 'em in vein' and "Justice finally prevails' gathered outside the prison to experience the aura of the spectacle It is difficult to be unemotional about this issue It is more difficult to read the play-by-play in the papers The execu tioner's friends are given all the coverage they want Why? Because violence sells Capital punishment is real violence It is more entertain ing than the violence we watch on television Brooks was an actual citizen gone wrong Capital punishment is clean, quick and appeals to a bizarre medieval sense of justice It also appeals to the baser interests If the sign carriers in front of the prison were any indication, some consider capital punishment great sport The Supreme Court made their decision to allow state's to reinstate the death penalty in 1974 Each state decides the method The people decide to watch or read about it Each state's vote against capital punishment, something rumor has it Gov Vic Atiyeh is considering reinstating, is the only end to capital punishment Until it is outlawed the media should refrain from the sports-like coverage of executions Making a difference Ray Hawk as been a force for good at the University for the last 32 years This month he retires However, he will continue to aid the University as a volunteer in the University Relations office Hawk has always enjoyed working with and for students, something a bit unique among veteran administrators who can at times forget the students they serve Hawk has also been a friend to the University He has been a public servant in the best sense of the word — more than considerate of the students, the University and higher education in the state, in that order What Hawk has done here has made a difference The Emerald continues to appreciate his support of its move to become an independent publication in the early 1970s We ll miss him I letters opinion Real violence Preachers Do the preachers in the EMU courtyard bother you? They bother me I made a conscious decision years ago to leave or ganized Christian religion To have these men (I've never seen a woman there) telling me how to conduct my religious life irri tates me I do not begrudge them their beliefs Let them live and believe the way they want, as I expect to be able to live and believe the way I want If I want to hear a preacher I can go to church anytime I avoid such places for a reason These men who preach in the courtyard are infringing on my choice America believes in free speech Does that mean I need to have this version of Chris tianity shoved down my throat? Margaret Laurlne junior, elementary education (X. OK. KNOCK rr OFF, WALTER.' »/ Troublesome As a member of the 'trouble some ’ law school faculty, I feel that some response is required to the statements of Mr L L Stewart before the American Association of University Professor's meeting last Satur day According to the reports of his remarks, given in the Emer ald on Dec 6, Stewart stated that professors who publicly take controversial stands are doing higher education a dis service, ’’ and he "pointed to the University law school faculty as a good example' of faculty who cause problems. In 12 years as a member of the University law school faculty, I have frequently observed my colleagues taking public stands upon any number of issues. In fact. I have watched them provide literally thousands of hours of voluntary service to the state in a variety of law reform and law improvement activities These activities include legal research, publication, speaking and service for a variety of pub lic bodies and private public interest groups, providing legal drafting and assistance for the legislature and state adminis trative agencies, and involve ment in public interest litiga tion This, I believe, has been a substantial contribution which ultimately benefits all of the people of this state, including Stewart These activities, however, are only possible because law faculty members take public positions on matters relating to law and legal activities These public positions, of course, could always be viewed as "controversial” by anyone who disagreed with that position To suggest that this activity is im proper is ridiculous and reflects a serious lack of understanding of the public service obligations for higher education faculty in general and law faculty in par ticular Fredric Merrill professor, law Life dilemma Once again we are torn between the two different view points on abortion: pro-life/an ti-choice, or pro-choice/anti life Eichner's letter Mother hood" (Emerald, Nov 29) is an excellent defense of freedom of choice, with strong supporting data However, instead of il luminating why woman's choice is superior to unborn life, he qualifies life, showing that wanted babies mature into more productive adults than do their unwanted counterparts Yet, the abortion issue concerns the value of life itself, not compari sons of one life over another Be practical," you say. "this is the real world " So it is, but since when do we sell our humanity to the heedless cog of efficiency? To approach our dilemma from another angle It seems reasonable to assume that the developing embryo is indeed a human being, since despite what "it" does or does not look like, it is impossible to pinpoint a transition from a nondescript fetus into an unborn child If the expectant mother believes that her womb cradles a human life, should she not place that life above her own choice? "But my choice doesn t just reflect my unwanted child " You are qualifying life again Life itself transcends choice "But we must choose that life " No — we must be alive before we can choose. "This is a free country!" Freedom of life over freedom of choice Please John Gibbons junior, English Old-age funds If you think the problems with Social Security are going to disappear then you had better think again Current fiscal prob lems are just the beginning According to the Nov 8 issue of US News and World Report, "lower birth rates are expected to shrink the number of workers under Social Security, forcing them to pay astronomically high taxes if the system is to remain self-financed " Those currently receiving checks have little to worry about (except those healthy enough to last until the turn of the century) but people my age (I'm now 20) certainly do. When those now in their early thirties start retiring there will be one recipient for every two workers! When the system was established there were sixteen workers for every one recipient Oh well, perhaps the national birth rate will increase but since it's now at a low level of 1 7 percent it will take a lot of doing to make up for the past decade of sub-replacement levels Of course, those who raise families at least will have someone to rely upon, if worse comes to worse But who is go ing to care for those who want to retire yet have nobody to rely upon except the government? Think about it because that's a question my generation will be faced with In a matter of years Eric Stillwell political science Oregon daily _ _ emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald is published Monday through Friday except during exam week and vacations by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co at the University at Oregon Eugene OR 97403 The Emerald operates independently of the University with offices on the thud floor of the Erb Memorial Union and is a member of the Associated Press News and Editorial SM-SS11 Display Advertising and Buis ness SSS3712 Classified Advertising MS-4343 Production MS-43111 Circulation IS** SS11 Editor Marry E Steve Managing Editor News Editor Assistant News Editor Editorial Page Editor Photo Editor Sports Editor Associate Sports Editor Entertainment Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Higher Education Departments and Schools Student Government Features Politics Community General Sled Advertising Manager Classified Advertising Production Managei Controller John Mealy Miinn Green Corl Eemald Joan Nyianrt Boh Bakei Mihe Ripiinge' Pam 0 an/e' Jonathan $wgi» Corf Eernakf Dehhie Hewlett handy Johnstone Bernard Bun Sean Meyers Michele Matassa David Brown Danene Got# Sally Ot|*r Vic. in ms Koch Jean Ownhey letters policy The Emerald will attempt to print all letters containing fair comment on topics of interest to the University community Letters to the editor must be limited to 250 words, typed, signed and the identification of the writer must be verified when the letter is turned in to the Emerald office The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length, style or content "Your turn" is an Emerald opinion feature submitted by members of the University community "Your turns" must be limited to 500 words and typed This editorial column will not be edited by the staff but selection will be based on appro priateness letters to the editor and Your turns" should be turned into the Emerald office, Suite 300 EMU Unsigned editorials appearing in the Emerald are based upon the majority opinion of the editorial board
