letters
Crazy kid?
In the storm of public outcry
that will surely be heard over
the Autzen stadium shooting, it
will be tempting for some peo
ple to pass off the whole inci
dent as the work of one
screwed-up individual involved
in a “crazy coincidence.” But it
was no “coincidence” that this
individual was a member of a
fraternity, dressed-up in
military fatigues, read Soldier
of Fortune magazine, revelled
in ROTC-military “science,”
and just happened to gun down
a black man on the bikepath.
And from the perspective of
some of the highest officials in
the White House, Pentagon, and
CIA, this guy wasn’t “crazy”
either — just a little “off
target.” For they would have
preferred to ship him down to
Nicaragua, where he could’ve
been a counter-revolutionary
terrorist on the U.S. govern
ment payroll. Then again, he
shouldn’t have missed that boat
to Grenada where he could’ve
participated in the “legal” mass
murder of black people. No, in
the official eyes of the U.S.
government’s terror network,
this guy wasn’t crazy at all — in
fact, if he had been a little more
“on target,” he would have
been called a "freedom fighter”
in Nicaragua or a "hero” in
Grenada.
And neither was it just a coin
cidence that he glorified war
fare, for as long as camouflage
clothing is sold in the kid’s
department of Sears, Soldier of
Fortune magazine is peddled in
McKay’s market, the ROTC
killing-curriculum is pushed on
us in the EMU, and fraternities
unswervingly follow the neo
fascist line of Reaganism, there
will be many more deadly in
cidences of crazy kids just like
him sowing terror from Autzen
stadium to Central America.
Tim Ingalsbee
Eugene
Soapbox talk
!n response to Ann Piazza's
letter on “gay tendencies”
(ODE. Nov. 8):
Any first year psychology stu
dent could say (using your own
logic Ms. Piazza) that your fear
of the ku klux klan stems from
the possibility that maybe you
fear their traits exist in yourself.
From reading your attack on the
kkk, perhaps (still using your
logic) you are reacting to fear
that you yourself have the at
tributes of the cross-burners
who react with hostility to those
they disagree with (your state
ment about Brigham Young
University might imply you
have hatred and prejudice
aganst Mormons).
Get off your idealistic soap
box. Ms. Piazza. Anyone with
an ‘‘open mind" wouldn't rely
on the type of diatribe you
directed against Mr. Shepard to
make a point. Also, the Idea that
one who attacks something
(let’s say homosexuality) is do
ing so because they fear they
have that tendency (closet
gays?) is not at all correct. Are
those who protest nuclear
weapons really trying to hide
their feelings that we should
nuke the world? Do those who
protest rape and pornography
secretly hide the desire to com
mit rape? Com’on Ms. Piazza,
your “logic" and reality seem
to be in conflict.
Michael Cross
History/Political Science
Get it right
In two recent articles by the
Oregon Daily Emerald discuss
ing Ballot Measure 51 (passed
by Eugene voters by a substan
tial margin on Nov. 6), I have
been mis-identified as a staff
member of the Alliance for
Peace in Central America, the
coalition responsible for
developing and promoting the
advisory measure that called for
a cut-off of U.S. military aid to
Central America.
As I told your reporter on
several occasions, I am a staff
member of the Council for
Human Rights in Latin
America, which was one of
several organizations taking
part in the Alliance. I took part
in Alliance deliberations as a
representative of the Council.
At no time did the Alliance
itself have a formal staff
member, deciding instead to
have the work performed by
volunteers from the member
organizations and from the
community.
I might also note that in your
generally well-written coverage
of the visit of Marta Benavides
(ODE, Nov. 6), a Salvadoran
Baptist minister, you failed to
mention that the Council for
Human Rights in Latin America
sponsored Ms. Benavides and
that other campus organizations
co-sponsored her. Such infor
mation, I believe, is generally
considered by journalists to be
important detail for inclusion in
news articles.
The Council for Human
Rights in Latin America, which
has been working to educate
Oregonians on issues such as
these for nearly 10 years, ap
preciates the continued interest
of the Oregon Daily Emerald
and the University community
in our activities and the critical
events now taking place in the
region.
Glen Gibbons
CHRLA Newsletter Editor and
Project Coordinator
Long enough!
This never-ending argument
between proponents of
homosexuality and Christianity
has gone on long enough. Let’s
put it to rest. The real crux of
the matter really lies in whether
or not you believe that the Bible
is the word of God.
If you believe that the Bible is
the word of God, then homosex
uality is wrong. It is a sin and
condemned by God (Gen.
19:1-29, Lev. 18:22, Rom. 1:26
ff). But God does not hate
homosexuals: he hates
homosexuality, just as he disap
proves of stealing, lying,
murder, or any other sin. There
is a difference. He is a just God,
desiring that everyone should
come to repentance.
But, if you do not believe that
the Bible is the word of God,
then do whatever you will.
Your opinion regarding
anything of a moral nature,
homosexuality included, is as
good as the next person’s. If we
have no standard set by God to
live by, then it’s up to each in
dividual to live their life as they
see fit. Your ideas of right and
wrong are as good as anybody
else’s. Personally, I feel as
Joshua did when he stated, ‘‘but
as for me and my house, we will
serve the Lord” (Jos. 24:15).
Scott Bixler
Business
History
In reference to your editorial
entitled “Reagan re-election a
frightening reality.” I would
like to point out the following:
Your statement: “Europe dur
ing the last five centuries and
Egypt. Rome. Phoenicia. Aogea,
and China during the previous
thirty centuries all followed this
philosophy ‘peace through
strength,” is not quite accurate.
While Egypt. Rome, and Car
thage existed in antiquity as
unified states and China still
does. Phoenicia. “Aegea” and
Europe never did.
In historical times Phoenician
cities had numerous colonies
which formed alliances that
were predominantly religous.
economic and at times political.
However, this did not deprive
the individual city states and
their colonies of independence
or autonomy. A good example
of this kind of alliance was a
union of Phoenician cities form
ed in the eighth century B.C.
against the Assyrian Empire (a
state which did practice the
“peace through strength
philosophy”). Aegea is a region
in the Mediterranean Basin in
which colonial powers such as
Mycenae. Carthage, Ionia, and
Etruria had colonies. No nation
by the name “Aegea” ever
existed.
Since the fall of the Western
Roman Empire in 47(> A.13.
Europe has been divided into
various Germanic, Romance,
and Slavic kingdoms and
nation-states. In the previous
century the idea of a balance of
power emerged. Its failure in
this century resulted in two
world wars. A better understan
ding of the past may help
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Americans, including President
Reagan, avoid repeating it.
Sharifah Aiatas
Sociology
True identity
Jesus Christ claimed to be
Cod. He didn't claim to be a
great prophet or moral teacher.
Such a statement leaves one
with three logical alternatives:
Jesus was a liar, a lunatic, or
God.
Perhaps Jesus was a liar. This
also would make him a
hypocrite, since he told others
to be honest while living a col
ossal lie. This also would make
him a demon, because he told
others to trust him for their eter
nal destiny knowing he
couldn’t back up such claims,
lastly, he would be a fool
because his claims to deity led
to his crucifixion. Yet his
character and perfect lifestyle
couldn’t have been invented by
a fraud, it would have taken
more than a Jesus to create
Jesus’ character.
Maybe he was a lunatic. Yet
the depth and sanity of his
moral teachings is left unex
plainable. Neither history,
humanity, nor nature offer one
anything comparable to Jesus.
Calmness and self-possession
characterized his every act. and
he devoted his life to mankind.
His intellect was unmatchable.
and he continuously turned
men’s minds toward heaven
with timeless speech and ac
tions. Lunatics simply don’t
lead perfectly sane lives.
Yet one is faced with Jesus’
claims to deity. Whom one
decides Jesus is must not be an
idle intellectual exercise; be
morally honest with oneself,
bogie and intellect destroy the
‘‘great moral preacher” argu
ment; Jesus is either a liar, a
lunatic, or Lord Cod.
Brandon Shepard
Eugene
Get together
During the last few weeks. 1
have noticed that there; has been
much political turbulence and
division on campus. Whether a
person is a Reagan supporter
(and therefore desires to die by
the inevitable war the ‘King
Reagan' will bring upon us) or a
Mondale supporter (and
therefore a spineless tax hungry
pacifist) is really of little
importance.
We are all in the same boat,
people, and we must make the
best of it. Needless san;asm and
complaining will do rtltle good.
Arguing with our neighbors
about how our lives have been
worsened by presidential
policies, real or forseen, is
useless and senseless.
What is important is that we
pull together and make the best
out of what we have and close
our self-centered complaining
mouths. Perhaps we should
recall and apply to our lives the
all but forgotten phrase with
which this country was found
ed: One Nation Under God.
Christopher Welborn
Science
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