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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 1983)
harry esteve Independence For the past 12 years, the Emerald has considered itself “independent.” Its legal ties to the University administra tion were severed — politely — in 1971 when the Emerald incorporated as a nonprofit organization. Now, more than a decade later, the Emerald is starting to question just how “indepen dent” it really is. At the heart of the problem is a $5.50 per student yearly subscription fee that is assessed through the inciden tal fee fund. Incidental fees, which also fund the athletic department, the EMU and various clubs, are controlled to a certain extent by the ASUO president. This year's ASUO president is C.J. Balfe. And Balfe is less than happy with this year's Emerald The reasons for Balfe’s dissatisfaction with the Emerald are complex, and for the most part, irrelevent. Newspapers never have been considered great buddies with governmental leaders. They would be considered irrespon sible if they were But because of his dissatisfaction, we hear he is considering a large cut in the Emerald’s fee allotment or try to eliminate it altogether. And that has the Emerald wonder ing about its independence. When money is used as the tool to influence Emerald policy, it’s a threat that’s dif ficult to Ignore. It’s difficult because the subscription fee is crucial to the Emerald. It pays most of r what it costs to print the paper each day at the Springfield News. Advertising sales pay for everything else: equipment, salaries, taxes, phone bills, etc. Without the subscription fee, the Emerald would be hard pressed to stay afloat. In February, the Incidental Fee Committee will begin its annual series of hearings where they will undertake the unenviable task of deciding which programs to fund and which programs to cut. The Emerald will be there, as it has been for the past 12 years, asking the IFC to allocate next year's student subscriptions. We know most students want to read the Emerald. Thousands of copies disap pear off the racks every morn ing. We also know most students don’t mind paying a small fee to receive it. In a vote last year, they overwhelmingly approved the current method of funding the Emerald. If funding for the Emerald is cut, then the Emerald may ask the students to /ote again We think they’ll continue their subscription. And perhaps that’s the only way to be truly independent. A final note of irony to this unfortunate situation is that the ASUO was highly suppor tive of the Emerald’s initial drive for independence In fact, when the Emerald was on the rocks financially a few years after independence, it was the ASUO that bailed it out with a long-term loan m JlSf LOOK AT YOU! ALL VOJ IMpi AKS DO IS HArtG AROUNP TVft ^KlRVATiON Wi DONY vfoU 60 OUT AND SET A JOB ?' letters Two kinds I’ve heard of dead baby jokes before but this exhibi tion in front of the EMU is pro foundly distasteful Granted an aborted fetus is a gory sight but what is even more grim is the misrepresentation of the facts. There are two kinds of abor tions: legal and illegal. A legal abortion is a simple five to 15 minute procedure performed in the safety and cleanliness of a clinical setting and often includes extensive counseling for both partners. However, I strongly suspect that the mangled bodies -i I letters L Maligned Usually one can overlook your shoddy journalism by simply realizing that your reporters are “just practising" for the real world while in col lege. However, your article ti tled "Cuba Group Loses IFC Funding" (Emerald, Jan. 11) should not go without a response. Your reporter interviewed two members of the Cuba Study Groups and stated several negative remarks at tributed to them but failed to report the accomplishments mentioned by them in his in terview. In contrast, Alan Con treras (not a member, nor have we had any contact with this "expert”) was quoted as call ing us a "bogus” organization. To set the record straight: We are a small group of people interested in Cuba. Some of us have visited there. We taught two terms through the Search program about Cuba and received extremely positive evaluations from the students in the classes. This entailed much research, lime for ar rangements for guest speakers, films, etc. None of us were paid a cent for many hours of work. We feel it was unnecessary to take up one-fourth page of the Emerald to malign a small group like us. Perhaps we are pawns in some internal power struggle between various groups at the University? We did not ask for funding this year. The funding we were awarded last year ($60) was taken away once, reinstated, then revoked again. We have netted more money and tar less hassle in one bake sale at the University Bookstore Perhaps this undue distor tion of what we are about has to do with the current rage of creeping conservatism taking place on campus and national ly. Does it make the Emerald, ASUO, IFC, etc. see “red” to have a groups with the name “Cuba" on campus? How about some responsi ble journalism, folks. As Jack Webb said: "Just the facts, ma'am. Get them straight." Jantc* Zagortn mmmbmr, Cub* Study Qroup displayed by the “pro-lifers” resulted from the latter. One common variety of il legal abortion is performed by amateurs for an outrageous fee on a kitchen table with crude, unsterilized im plements and no anesthesia. If a woman cannot produce the “blood money” demanded by outlaw abortionists, she is left with one desperate recourse — the coat hanger. As unthinkable as either of these illicit alternatives may seem, ask any nurse with 30 years experiencece of the women they have cared for who were brought to the hospital with a perforated or severly infected uterus, of those who bled to death or of the “lucky" survivors who were left sterile for life. Legal or illegal, an abortion is not an action lightly taken. I thank God everyday that I have the right to choose a safe and legal abortion H.W. Hartshorn landscapa architecture Essence Referring to the recent arti cle published in the Emerald about Christianity (“Spreading the Word"), I offer these comments: Many of those who discuss and/or debate the subject of Christianity seem to have missed its essence altogether. To paraphrase a statement by Josh McDowell, Christianity isn't just a religion. Religion is people trying to work their way to God through good deeds. Christianity Is God coming to men and women through! the gift of Jesus Christ, offering them a relationship with Himself. Some people may continue to reject Christ and His love because their ‘‘will" doesn’t allow Him in. instead they adopt tactics and attitudes that will preserve their egos and their pride (i.e. ‘‘Christiani ty is a state of mind”). As far as spreading the word of God goes, there is nothing "neo” about evangelism, which as been practiced con tinually by His disciplines since Jesus came to earth and has its roots in the testimony of His Life, not Oriental religions, as Hee-Jin Kim suggests. Rarely have I seen such a wide degree of fault-finding notions expressed about Bud dhism, for example, as those hurled at Christianity Could it be that the key reason for this selective criticism isn't so much from feeling condemn ed, but rather from feeling convicted by the heart when one hears the gospel of Christ? Pascal, the French writer, said, "The evidence of God's existence and His gift is more than compelling, but those who insist that they have no need of Him or it will always find ways to discount the offer." If anyone is templed to let this same kind of tunnel vision get in the way of discovering the truth about God, I urge him or her to first read and study His Word in its entirety before deciding whether or not God is everything He claims to be Lyn Gaston Oregon daily _ _ emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald Is published Monday Ihrough Friday except during exam week and vacations by the Oregon Dally Emerald Publishing Co at the University ot Oregon Eugene OR. 97403 The Emerald operates independently ot the University with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union and is a member of the Associated Press News and Editorial •••-SS11 Display Advertising and Business ••• 1712 Classified Advertising ••• 4343 Production ••• 43«1 Circulation S8S SStt Paae 2 Editor Managing Editor News Editor Assistant News Editor Editorial Page Editor Photo Editor Sports Editor Associate Sport9 Editor Entertainment Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Higher Education Departments and Schools Student Government Features Politics Politics Education Reporter General Staff Advertising Manager Classified Advertising Production Manager Controller Harry f stnvr John Nealy Marian Often Cort Farnald Joan Nyiancl Rob Oak pi Mike Miplingpr Paul Dan/ar Jonathan Stag)# Darn* (iau*»*#>n Sandy Johnston© f rank Shavy Rk:ha*d Run Sean M*y©»» MtChat* Matavfca Aieta /as OaripMw (ioiv Sally OlMP Victoria Koch Jean OwnhOy 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 into the Emerald office The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter tor length, style or content "Your turn" is an Emerald opinion feature submitted by members of the University community Your turn columns must be limited to 500 words and typed This editorial will not be edited by the staff but selection will be based on appro priateness Letters to the editor and Your turn ' columns should be turned into the Emerald office Suite 300 EMU Unsigned editorials apearing in the Eemrald are based upon the majority opinion of the editorial board Thursday, January 27,1983
