opinion
EMU Board policy
is a regressive plan
A university should inspire open, robust debate. It
should provide a forum for a wide array of religious,
political and social ideas. And it should make its facilities
available to groups that wish to relay their messages to the
University community. For these reasons, a recently
adopted EMU Board policy should be vetoed by University
President Paul Olum.
The policy, which was narrowly adopted by the
15-member board last week, requires that groups comply
with EMU affirmative-action policies before they will be
eligible to use EMU facilities. Groups that practice
discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex and/or sex
ual preference will not be allowed to use EMU facilities.
Groups funded by incidental fees will be exempted from the
guideline.
On the surface, the board’s policy appears to be a
positive step. Few members of the University community
are willing to support any organization that discriminates
against others. Millions of Americans have courageously
struggled during the past 40 years to defeat social prejudice
embedded in our system. But rather than prohibiting
discriminatory groups from using the EMU, the policy ac
tually censors political discussion on campus.
Recruiters from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines
will not be allowed to use the EMU. And FBI and CIA
recruiters will also be denied the use of the building:
The EMU is the political and social center of the cam
pus. It provides a forum through which people can relay
their thoughts and beliefs to the University community. The
military does discriminate on the basis of sexual gender and
preference. But this does not mean it should be denied the
use of the EMU.
Many students who attend the University plan to enter
the military following their graduation. The military’s occa
sional presence in the EMU allows these students the oppor
tunity to gain information. Students should not be denied
this opportunity. The defense budget is the largest line item
in the national budget. It plays a major role in our daily
lives. Students must not be denied the opportunity to ques
tion military recruiters about the military’s role in world
events.
The EMU Board must ensure that the student union tru
ly provides students with a “cultural forum.” To deny
students the opportunity to hear presentations from diverse
governmental, political and social groups is a violation of
this trust.
Smoking should be banned
in the EMU’s Fishbowl
The EMU Board House Committee is investigating
whether students wish to prohibit smoking within the EMU
Fishbowl. Through the use of a brief questionnaire located
near the Fishbowl’s cash register, students are asked to res
pond either in support or opposition to a limitation on
smoking.
Anyone who has ever had to endure a meal that was
ruined by another person’s cigarette smoke should heartily
endorse the prohibition. Many argue that smoking is a per
sonal right. But what about the right of others to breath air
that has not been polluted by cigarettes? Many Eugeneans
suffer the effects of hay fever during the spring. Cigarette
smoke further exacerbates such respiratory problems. All
students who use the Fishbowl should support a prohibition
against cigarette smoking and make the Fishbowl a more en
joyable place for all students.
Penalizes
In his letter (ODE, April 18).
Tom Visoky spoke out against
the “phony biblical” arguments
some people use to defend
homosexuality.
What is phony is to rely on
biblical quotes as the basis for
one’s argument? If a truth is
self-evident one need not rely
on “authority” to prove a point.
I have a growing suspicion
that fundamentalists raise these
issues soley for the opportunity
it gives them to parrot dogma.
In a letter (ODE, April 18),
condemning homosexuality,
Peitra Leo quotes Romans 1:27
”... and in the same way also,
the men abandoned the natural
function of the woman and
burned in their desire toward
one another.”
Ms. Leo apparently wants us
to believe that the “natural
function” of a woman is to be a
sperm receptacle. Fundamen
talists find biblical quotes to
“prove” that women are also
defined as fetus receptacles or
that the “natural” order of
things is for a woman to sublet
her belief system to the will of
her husband.
These people even define the
“failings” of women in relation
to men.
The present welfare system
under Reagan’s born-again hen
chmen penalizes (translate
Penile-izes) women who are
“unable to get a man and keep
him.”
I am amazed at the voices of
women in this column urging
other women to sell their souls
into Fundamentalist Christian
bondage.
Much evil has come into this
world as a result of people who
believe their own truth to be ab
solute and who act as if their
blindered universe manifests
“God’s Will”.
Jack Straton
Graduate, Physics
Irresponsible
It seems like all of the efforts
that people are putting into
creating and making a non
sexist society are going down
the drain.
In the (ODE, April 17) as I was
going through the classified
section, I read, “GIRLS” (in
bold letters). The next line said,
“Want to Win $50, Enter the
New Heaven’s Gate ‘Wet T
Shirt Contest’.”
It was uninformed of the
Emerald staff to publish such an
ad when just last term the
University went through some
important issues.
For instance, the por
nography display, abortion,
human rights, and women’s
Oregon doily _ _
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 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 Sales: Laura Buckley, Tim Clevenger, Jen
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Production: Kelly Cornyn, Stormi Dykes, Manuel Flores,
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issues and rights.
It seems like the Emerald is a
black board that everybody
writes on.
I think that the paper should
reflect the University’s thoughts
not anything that is offensive
against some group of people.
Women who go to college are
not “girls”. They don’t want to
be called girls. Such ads should
not run in the Emerald even if
they bring profit.
The Emerald’s staff is mostly
composed of students. They
should be sensitive to the
University issues that effect a
lot of students.
Let New Heaven’s Gate
publish its ads elsewhere.
The Emerald should remain
at least neutral if not insulting
and/or offensive.
I hope that concerned
students respond with
seriousness.
Ibraheem Wahab
Eugene
Bewildered
I am utterly bewildered by
Dan Goulet’s recent attacks on
homosexual activity.
He seems to express
repugnance at the mere thought
that two human beings of the
same sex could be sexually at
tracted to one another.
But what bewilders me is that
just last year Goulet was in
timately involved with a group
that blatantly advocated for
nicating with sheep!
While I respect Goulet’s right
to ‘‘do the dirty deed’’ with
sheep, I cannot understand why
he is so intolerant of others.
I suppose it is easier to point
one’s finger in judgment than it
is to find one’s own personal
identity and manifest love into
the world.
Steve Richkind
Law
Say that again
Anyone looking for a place to
take a sauna?
Go to the Computing Center.
It’s like going to lift weights
at Taco Bell: ‘‘Ya, I’ll have an
enchilada, two Bellburgers.
four taco’s and a complete set of
Nautilus equipment... Just
bring it over in the corner, near
the bench press.”
It’s that bad, really.
Jay Dinneen
Rhetoric and Communications
No benefit
While thumbing through the
(ODE, April 11), I acquired a
terminal case of indigestion
when my eyes beheld an article
suggesting the date for dropp
ing a class be moved up.
Being a reasonable soul, I
decided to read the rest of the
article and find the reason that
the change was proposed.
Much to my amazement, the
only reason that I could find for
the proposed change is that
there are other colleges in the
vicinity that use the two-week
deadline.
Is this brain storm another
case of keeping up with the
Joneses or is there some other
reason why we should waste the
time of the administration in the
change-over process?
More importantly, is there
any tangible reason for the crea
tion of a situation that can only
result in a restrictive at
mosphere for the students, or is
their “they all do it, and so
should we” attitude they only
rationale behind this push?
I see no way that this change
would benefit the student
population.
I am graduating this term, so 1
really have no interest in this
issue except that I would hate to
see the current and future
students at the University
beholden to a deadline that
significantly restricts their
academic freedom.
If there is some other reason
for the moving up of the
deadline, 1 would like to hear it.
One of the only wise things
that our “fearless leader” has
ever uttered, (when referring to
the governmental breakup of
AT&T). wa3 "If it’s not broken,
why are we fixing it?”
David Johnson
Eugene
Thanks a lot
At long last it appears the
Oregon Commentator is here to
stay.
After two years of funding
problems and the inability to
find an advertiser within a hun
dred mile radius of Eugene, the
IFC has finally seen the light
and secured the Commentator's
existence on this campus well
into the future.
i nan*, you.
Monday another issue of the
Commentator hit newsstands all
over the campus, and we got to
see exactly what we are paying
for.
1 must admit I've never been a
big fan, but Monday I thought I
would take a look.
Proponents of the paper claim
students at the University are
narrow minded and that the
Commentator provides a second
point of view as well as giving
opportunities not presently
available through the Emerald.
Well by golly last Monday
they were right.
On the very last page of the
paper a plea for money ap
peared, which looked identical
to those asking us to send
money to Ethiopia. This one
said, “Send Democracy Around
the World...Save The Contras.”
For only 53 cents a day you
can support oppression and
murder in Central America
without even leaving your liv
ing room. . . what a unique
opportunity.
I was so excited with my find
ings that 1 was compelled to
alert everyone.
1 must point out that the
OTHER paper never offered us
this.
Once again my thanks to the
1FC, may you never have a
restful night again.
John Tapogna
University Democrats
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. Let
ters to the editor should be turn
ed into the Emerald office, Suite
300 EMU.
Mnndav. Anril 29. 1985