opinion
High-profile ASUO
a visible difference
Perhaps it's just an exuberant start, but it does seem the
"new and improved" high-profile ASUO is out of the blocks at a
streak.
The ASUO this year appears more politically visible which
may be because they're more politically aware. This ASUO is a
far cry from ASUOs of old which gave only lip service to political
issues.
The headline on the page one article in Tuesday's Emerald
stated: "ASUO declares war on draft amendment." It's only the
first week and already the ASUO has, so to speak, "taken it to
the streets."
The ASUO have gone to the barricades over the Solomon
Amendment — taking a populist stand against the very un
popular amendment.
The Solomon Amendment, as anyone who receives financial
aid knows, requires all males born after 1959 to provide written
proof of draft registration in order to receive any federal finan
cial aid. A test case brought by the American Civil Liberties
Union and a public interest group against the Selective Service
System and the Department of Education, originating in Min
nesota, is pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Kevin Kouns, ASUO vice president, noted in the Emerald ar
ticle they were "straight up" in their opposition to the amend
ment. And straight away the ASUO added its "straight up" ob
jections to the Solomon Amendment by filing a friend-of-the
court brief in the Supreme Court case. That's really straight
ahead action.
The ASUO objections were that the amendment forced fi
niancia! aid offices into becoming "a political force." It stretch
ed the already thin funds of financial aid offices.
Probably the ASUO's strongest objection to the amend
ment, and it took some wading through the rhetoric in the arti
cle to get there, was perhaps it violated constitutional protec
tions, including the privacy act and the right against self
incrimination, the Fifth Amendment.
The "new politics" of the ASUO are evident in the "new
look" at Suite Four. Gone are the layered hairstyles, bright
freshly shaven faces and sorority-chic fashions of last year.
Like.. .workshirts, beards and free flowing locks (dread and
otherwise) are the Suite style these days. Groovy.
The ASUO is undertaking a "new and improved" voter
registration drive on campus. The voter registration drive is an
* annual event. Each administration vows fervently to register
such and such percentage of student-voters over the paltry
percentage of the year before.
Usually these voter registration drives are doomed to failure
— but this year the political zeal of the ASUO may be infectious.
Who knows? If students are reminded their vote can change
things, maybe they'll register and vote.
We admire and encourage them to continue in their political
activism. It's been a long time since students have really taken
the initiative and been so politically involved.
A 'Shot-in-the-foot'
award for Kouns
Perhaps a "Shot-in-the-Foot" award, a la Interior Secretary
James Watt, should be presented to Kevin Kouns, ASUO vice
president, for his inappropriate remarks during the grand in
augural Sept. 19 of the New Student Host Program.
Kouns speech to the upturned eager faces of trusting first
year students was not as "Go-Ducks” peppy, nor as optimistic as
the host program people hoped.
Kouns' spoke on a wide variety of topics ranging from bleak
economic trends, dismal prospects for employment after
graduation, world hunger and the very real possibility of nuclear
war.
Reportedly, the new students were surprised and host pro
gram coordinators were outraged.
While we may agree with Kouns' views, we think he should
have considered the audience and the spirit of the host pro
gram. His remarks were out-of-place, ill-timed and not "Go
Ducks — Go."
tm MKNIE MINIS MO,
rn,a -rtircc KMOMS,TWO REPUBLICANS,
A BLACK, A WOMAN,TWO JEWS AND A CRlPPLt
WMTOE
IF THEY HOUER, WHO CARR?
GfiS&tSiSK*&/
letters
Favoritism
I found the Emerald's August 11
editorial on the Christine Craft sex
discrimination case disappointing
in that its author seems to be as ig
norant as some of the courts
about a major issue pointed to by
this case. The issue is that of many
women's tacit acceptance of sex
favoritism which in turn serves to
perpetuate sex discrimination.
On several occasions I have
been in hiring situations where I
have missed out on the job, only
to find that it had been given to a
less qualified (but sexually attrac
tive) woman. Many of these jobs
involved working in view of the
public for long periods. Never in
any of these situations have I
known the women to refuse the
job, even when she knew that part
of the reason for her hiring was
her sex and appearance; in point
of fact, many women, even those
who would consider themselves
“liberated", exploit this fact to the
maximum in their job hunts. It is
true that some of the women in
such situations eventually find
their situation intolerable and
leave their jobs. Of those who re
main it is only the few who are
eventually demoted or fired who
cry "sex discrimination", but at a
very late date.
If Craft was really hired, even
partially, for her looks and "sex
appeal" rather than her jour
nalistic talents (as implied by the
Emerald), she should have claim
ed sex discrimination at the begin
ning and refused the job. Instead
she has accepted the discrimina
tion so long it worked to her ad
vantage and rejected it only when
she finally reaped the true fruit of
her acceptance.
"Reverse discrimination" in the
form of sex favoritism in hiring
and job promotion are in reality a
means of perpetuating discrimina
Oregon doily _ _
emerald
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Cunt rafter
Debbie Howfett
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Frank Shaw
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Corf Fernald
Dave Kao
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Kim Carlson
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tion against women by publicly
placating a token few, shifting the
emphasis, but not the attitude of
such discrimination. Favoritism
and equality are incompatible, yet
many women seem to want it both
ways. If the Emerald's editorial is
accurate, the Craft case furnishes
an excellent example of this. The
Craft decision is a victory, but not
a small one for civil rights. It is a
large victory for Craft and a set
back for women's rights.
Hiawatha
music, philosophy
Dear, Yuri
A copy of this letter was sent to
Pres. Ronald Reagan and Soviet
Pres, yuri Andropov, August 4,
1983.
On behalf of the students of the
University, I would like to inform
you that the University was
declared an official "Nuclear Free
Zone" in a campus-wide election
in April. The measure was approv
ed by 79 percent of the voting stu
dent population.
The measure prohibits "the
design, testing, production,
deployment or use of nuclear
weapons" on campus. Any other
research supporting the develop
ment of nuclear weapons is also
prohibited.
We request that the University
campus be officially and per
manently removed from the
USSR’s nuclear weapons list, as
we pose no threat to other
peoples and do not feel secured
or protected by these weapons.
We denounce the use of and
threatened use of nuclear
weapons as a defense.
We believe that this declaration
and our request to be removed
from the target list of the USSR
will contribute to individual and
global life and security.
The University joins hundreds
of other campuses, cities, towns,
countries and geographic loca
tions which have already made
such a declaration and as a result
have contributed to the Interna
tional Nuclear Free Zone
Movement.
We trust that you will give this
your immediate attention as this is
a matter of national and interna
tional importance.
Mary Hotchkiss
ASUO, president
Kouns errs
In response to the article on
Kevin Kouns' NSHP (New Student
Host Program) speech in the Sept.
27 Emerald — we are pleased the
Emerald decided to publicize
Kouns' display of carelessness.
Not only did he take advantage of
the host program, he abused his
opportunity to help welcome in
coming students by offering all
services at the University rather
than just SPA (Students for a Pro
gressive Agenda) related activities
and his own political views.
As a host in the valuable NSHP
program, Steve Hansen observed
many reactions to the Kouns'
speech: boredom, adversity, con
fusion and student departure
from the Hayward Field stands.
He observed people feeling that
they had come to the wrong place.
Some seemed to wish that the
University would be divided into
two parts: one for "them” and one
for "us".
In the future, if Kouns is provid
ed another opportunity such as
the one by NSHP, we hope he acts
more responsibly and will provide
useful facts and information about
our University. We also hope that
NSHP will have more responsibilfj
ty when choosing its speakers.
Scott Thompson
senior; geology
Steve Hansen
senior, architecture
Soap box
Your recent editorial that
chastised our Secretary of the In
terior, James Watt, was uncalled
for. Liberals (both Democratic and
Republican) merely used the
remarks Watt used in describing a
committee to get on their soap
box and embarrass this decent
man.
Is it the remarks they really ob
ject to or Watt's policies? I feel
this issue shows insight on how
anti-conservatives go about mak
ing their decisions... not by the
real issue (Watt's performance as
Sec. of the Interior) but by
emotion.
Watt's remarks have nothing to
do with his performance. Instead
of praising his resource recoveries
plan and other noble ac
complishments, liberals kick Jim
Watt in the teeth.
The same people who are
outraged that Watt referred to a
select committee as "a woman, a
black, two Jews and a cripple," are
calling Watt an idiot, goon and
fool. Is this fair to Watt?
James Watt is not an embarrass
ment to our fine Pres. Ronald
Reagan, nor is he a racist. Liberals
of America owe lames Watt an
apology.
Dan Goulet
sophomore