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editorial The fee committee should think twice Once again the 1984-85 Incidental Fee Committee is em broiled in controversy. Several IFC members — Bob Mead, Lori Lieberman, Mary Kay Menard and Lloyd Athearn — are pushing for the removal of Ryne Jackson from the commit tee. Jackson, a second-year law student, was Kevin Lewis’s vice presidential running mate in the recent ASUO Presidential Election. Supporters of the move to oust Jackson are upset with what they consider her lack of atten dance at recent meetings, her alleged inability to maintain office hours and her lack of preparation for IFC budget meetings. Athearn argues that the group’s attempt to oust Jackson is “based on principles.” He believes that Jackson has neglected her duties. But Jackson discounts the charges as “vindictive and politically motivated.” During the past year, the IFC has been ridden with inter nal tension. Committee meetings have often been heated, with Mead, Lieberman, Menard, Athearn and Adam Apalategui forming a majority coalition, and Darris Rowell and Jackson often voting in the minority. Throughout this period, the majority coalition has consistently held Jackson and her opinions in low regard. The final straw may have come when Jackson ran for office in the recent election. The Lewis-Jackson ticket ran against the victorious Pinckney Dreeszen ticket, which was supported by the Students for a Progressive Agenda. Both Menard and Apalategui are active SPA members. While supporters of the Jackson ouster may claim their ac tion is motivated by principle, it is clear that Jackson has never had many friends on the IFC. The past three weeks have been tough ones for Jackson. She was involved in a hot ly contested political campaign that monopolized a great deal of her energy. At the same time she has had to prepare for her law school final exams, which are scheduled for next week. Committee members should have greater empathy for Jackson’s plight. Throughout the IFC budget process, ASUO program directors told Emerald reporters that Jackson was well prepared in arguing their cause. She put in long hours dur ing the winter budget process and was consistently present at committee proceedings. Jackson’s removal from the IFC is an unreasonable penalty for the charges her opponents have made. Most IFC members have missed meetings during the year. And no IFC member has maintained all of his or her scheduled office hours. Rather than pushing for her dismissal, Jackson’s op ponents should consider a less severe method of censure. With less than a month left in their term, the IFC should avoid juvenile, vindictive politics. President's Contra policy is old-time Yankee bullying The U.S. House of Representatives should be applauded for their rejection of President Ronald Reagan’s proposed $14 million aid package to Nicaragua’s right-wing rebels. The Democratic majority in the House voted on four occa sions Tuesday and Wednesday to defeat the Reagan plan. Reagan has advocated the overthrow of the Sandinista government in Managua, since his inauguration in 1981. Through the development of his anti-Sandinista policy, the president has forced Nicaraguan leader Daniel Ortega to look elsewhere for financial and military support. As a result he has turned to the Soviet Union. Ortega’s dependence on Russia is not the result of some Communist-conspiracy, in stead it is the product of Nicaragua’s struggle for survival. The Ortega regime has its shortcomings. It has suspend ed many freedoms that we in the United States associate with a free society. But, while Reagan points to this as proof that Ortega and the Sandinistas have forfeited their right to rule that country, Reagan continues to support other govern ments that have committed similar civil-liberty violations. As is the case with most of his policies, the president does not understand the effects of his Nicaraguan program. Through his advocacy of an anti-Sandinista policy, he has unnecessarily exacerbated America’s relationship with Nicaragua. He has taken a relationship that had the potential for a peaceful co-existence and turned it into the traditional U.S.-Latin American “Big Stick’’ relationship. By rejecting Reagan’s aid package, the House has sent a positive message to Ortega and the world community. Page 2A letters A big event We would like to call the at tention of the University com munity to a presentation about an issue of utmost importance to the people of Eugene, as well as the rest of the world Thursday. David Brower, founder of the Friends of the Earth, will give a presentation on the plight of our global, tropical rain forests. The continual destruction of tropical rain forests will be the most critical threat to continued existence of huumankind, sans nuclear war. Scientists are quite certain this ecological crisis will come to a head within 10 years. With the occurrence of species extinction in tropical rainforests, stability of our global ecosystems is jeopardized. Genetic stability of all species is directly dependent upon the stability of the species they rely upon. Thus, continued produc tion of everything form the food we grow, to the medicines we derive are dependent upon ecological balance to protect them from drought, disease, genetic collapse and extinction. Over half of all plant and animal species are present in tropical rainforests. Thus, stability of ecosystems thousands of miles from us is critical for our survival. While we hear much about potential species extinction such as the Snail Darter, we do not hear that we lose over five plant species every day in the Amazon rainforests alone. The rate of extinction in the rainforests continues to grow exponentially. Some of our tropical rain forests have already been vir tually destroyed, most are over 50 percent eliminated. We sincerely hope students, faculty and concerned citizens attend this event and become involved in what will be one of the most critical public issues in our lifetine. Douglas P. Norlen Survival Center Don’t deny it If Scott Elliot wished to enlighten us on the Middle Ages with his article, “The Dark Ages” (ODE, April 11), he should have addressed the Black Plague, which wiped out half of Europe's population. The AIDS epidemic and the Plague have much in common. Mr. Elliot tells us that homosexual sex doesn’t cause AIDS. Yet, who could deny that the peculiar sex habits of most homosexuals are responsible for the epidemic? Very few non homosexuals have an average of several dozen sex partners per year. Face reality, if homosexuals or any other segment of society goes out and participates in un sanitary “sex" (golden showers, fisting, etc.), and then shares all their germs with dozens of partners, they provide the perfect host population for these microbes and “mutated virus". Their bodies become biological incubators for old and new forms of disease to flourish and spread. Europe’s demise by the Plague was enhanced by un sanitary living conditions that allowed rats (and their fleas) to multiply and spread the disease. True, fleas didn’t create the Plague — they just spread the bacteria. Homosexuals didn’t create AIDS — but their sex habits are keeping the virus supplied with hosts, and infected homosex uals are rapidly spreading the disease. Dan Goulet Eugene 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. The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or style. Letters to the editor should be turned into the Emerald office. Suite 300, EMU. Oregon doily emerald The Oregon Daity Emerald is published Monday through Friday except during exam week and vacations by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co., at the University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403. The Emerald operates independently of the Universi ty with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union and is a member of the Associated Press. General Staff Advertising Director Production Manager Classified Advertising Controller Susan Thelen Russell Steele Vince Adams Jean Ownbey Advertising Sates: Laura Buckley, Tim Clevenger, Jen nifer Fox, Marcia Leonard, Rick Martz, Nancy Nielsen, Brett Pickman, Tim Swillinger, David Wood. Production: Kelly Cornyn, Stormi Dykes, Manuel Flores, Kathy Gallagher, Dean Guernsey, Susan Hawkins, Grant Keltner, Rob Kraft, Ross Martin, Karin McKercher, Laurl Neely, Kelly Neff, Kara Oberst, Curt Penrod, Michele Ross, Alyson Simmons, Peg Solonika, Karen Stallwood, Tim Swillinger, Colleen Tremaine, Hank Trotter. Editor Managing Editor News Editor Editorial Page Editor Photo Editor Sports Editor Sidelines Editor Friday Edition Editor Entertainment Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Administration Higher Education Politics ASUO Student Activities Community Features Michele Matassa Mike Sims Michael Kulaga Costas Christ, Dave Berns Brian Erb Brent De La Paz Sheila Landry Kim Carlson Michael Duncan Kim Carlson Jolayne Houtz Scott McFetridge Paul Ertelt Julie Shippen Diana Elliott Cynthia Whitfield Lori Steinhauer Reporters: Sean Axmaker, Kirsten Bolin, Michelle Brence, Dave Carlson, Robert Collias, Thomas Henderson, Robin Joannides, Allan Lazo, Capl Lynn. Photographers: Dean Guernsey, Kirk Hirota, Jim Marks, Ross Martin, Karen Stallwood, Hank Trotter. News and Editorial 686-5511 Display Advertising and Business 666-3712 Classified Advertising 686-4343 Production 686-4381 Circulation 686-5511 Thursday, April 25, 1985
