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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 30, 1985)
editorial Slaughter symbolizes Palestinian tragedy The tragedy of the Palestinian people is not simply the product of an Arab-Israeli conflict. During the past 10 days, three Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut have been sur rounded by Shiite Moslem forces. Beirut police estimate that more than 390 people have been killed and about 1,755 have been wounded since the battle for the camps began. According to the Associated Press, Shiite military forces unleashed the offensive on the camps in order to smash Palestine Liberation Organization chairman Yassir Arafat’s attempt to rebuild the Beirut power base he lost during Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon. Certainly, the PLO has been responsible for many tragic terrorist acts in past years, and Yassir Arafat has done little to ensure the survival of Israel. Nevertheless, the Palestinian people are pawns in a tragic Middle East power struggle. While the governments of Lebanon. Syria, Iordan, Iraq, Iran, Egypt and Libya all vehemently criticize Israel for treating Palestinians as second-class citizens, none of these governments has undertaken a humanitarian program geared toward the protection of the Palestinians. Not one oil rich Arab country has developed a comprehensive aid pro gram structured for the economic relief of the Palestinians. Other than the late-Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, who was murdered for his attempts, not one of these nations has seriously tried to negotiate a peaceful settlement of the Jewish-Palestinian conflict. In fact, Jordan’s King Hussein ordered the mass execution of Jordan’s Palestinian popula tion in 1970. The Israelis are also responsible for the current slaughter in the camps. No Israeli government has ever sincerely worked for the establishment of an autonomous Palestinian homeland on Israel’s West Bank. Instead, recent Israeli regimes have ig nored the legitmate aspirations of the Palestinians. The United States must also accept responsiblity for the slaughter. While the Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan ad ministrations all stated their support for a Palestinian homeland, none of them placed any legitimate pressure on the Israeli government to negotiate with the Palestinians. In stead they continued to increase annual aid expenditures to the Israelis. Current events in Lebanon are truly tragic. Shiite Moslems indiscriminately murder men, women and children; no one can justify these acts. But we all must share responsiblity for the almost 40-year plight of these homeless people. The past week’s events demonstrate one more time why the Palestinians must have their own secure nation. New EMU Board policy is a victory for students The EMU Board must be applauded for its decision last Thursday, initiating a new EMU affirmative action policy. Several weeks ago, board members approved a policy that would have excluded non-student groups that violate University affirmative action guidelines, from using the EMU. The policy was specifically targeted against the military and the CIA, which discriminate on the basis of sex ual preference. At the time of its passage, President Paul Olum and the Emerald both opposed the policy fearing that it would limit issue-oriented discussion on the campus. Olum, who has the authority to veto such rulings, asked the board to negotiate a new, more agreeable policy. The new policy requires that all groups using EMU peg boards, lobby tables and office space, post their position on affirmative action, and they must state whether they discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. The new policy is a healthy one. Rather than closing channels of free speech, it will enlighten students about the individual organizations using the EMU. We believe that ac cess to information is key to a University education. The new policy enhances such access. And you threw out ash trays from high school shop class A Navy inspection revealed Wednesday that Grumman Aerospace Corp. charges them: • $660 for two ashtrays. • $400 for a pair of socket wrenches. • $2,710 for a clamping device that cost $107 in 1983. What more can we say? letters Free advice Advice to next year's EMU Cultural Forum: t When the Willamette Folk Festival is open for auditions, the announcement should in elude the names of all selection committee members. Shrouding their identity in secrecy leads to the perception, probably cor rect. that the selection process is subjective and unaccountable. 2. Do not restrict the audi tions to tapes and records Anyone can perform countless takes of the same song until it is right, yet be unable to do it right the first time on stage. Live auditions should be held for those musicians who prefer it, with all selection committee members present. The auditions should be free to the public, prominently advertised, and open to all musicians in an open micro pohone format, with 15 to 30 minutes per act. The sound system should accommodate blank cassette tapes, supplied by the auditioning musicians, to be retained by the selection committee during the selection process, and then returned to the auditioning musicians so that all receive a live tape for their efforts. 3. The musicians in the Fri day afternoon session should receive the same billing and advertising as all other musi cians, and all should be on the same stage. To do otherwise is to publicly ridicule the opening acts as second-class musicians. Equal treatment will be im possible so long as an “outdoor beer garden” is integrated with the folk festival, because the au dience would have to be remov ed after the Friday .afternoon session, and then be carded and charged admission to get right • back inside the fence.' Richard Phillips Eugene Trash I have long suspected an ele ment of non-intejlectualism on • this campus. With the furor, over Playboy's photographer. David Chan, I’m now quite con vinced of it. ° ' Perhaps, while attending this - university, these students could . take a lesson in logical arguing. Then they might sound as if they belong here. Sound arguments are based in fact, not emotion,, illogic, in substantial evidence or innuendo. The protest, editorial and let ter* against Playboy are guilty of all four. I have not seen a - scrap of evidence for anything that's been said against r Playboy. On what do they haw their information? Freedom of the pres.* guarantee* there can be publica tion* like Playboy and the Oregonian, and also Iriuh like '* Hustler and the Oregon Dally.". Emerald. School has taught me ,V : to see the difference for myself l spent two hours witl^David Chan ’and Sherral. Snow that •Mo.nday.' They' were delightt'uj. and seamed to enj(p^ my com- • pany. likewise.. Our conversa tion might have surprised some. . and* if you ask me>-picely, *!• • might show you-the portraits David took. *.. • By the way. We suspected one .. of the'‘protesters also came for an interview for the pictorial. T’d also like* to say something to the Women's Resource, and Referral. Service: just ‘becatise . we- have . the*' same type of-' reproductive organs doesn't . "j mean we have anything else iii common Your sexist ijeh'avior. has- deeply offended this. . egalitarian. '*. .•*••• 0 ' Colleen Mahoney,. Eugene Letters Policy The Emerald will attempt to print all letters con taining 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, EMIJ. Oregon daily _ . emerald The Oregon Dally Emerald Is published Monday through Friday except during exam week and vacations by the Oregon Dally 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 Susan Thelen Production Manager Russell Steele Classified Advertising Vince Adams Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey Advertising Sales: Laura Buckley, Tim Clevenger, Jen nifer Fox, Michael Gray • Intern, Robin Joannides Intern, Cartos Lamadrid - Intern, Marcia Leonard, Rick Mart*, Nancy Nielsen, Brett Plckman, Laura Willoughby • Intern, David Wood. Production Kelly Cornyn, Storm! Dykes, Manuel Flores, a Gallagher, Dean Guernsey, Jackson Haring, Susan Ins, Kirk Hlrota, Grant Keltner, Rob Kraft, Ross Mar tin, Karin McKercher, Laurl Neely, Kelly Neff, KaraOberst, Curt Penrod, Michele Ross, Alyson Simmons, Peg Solonlka, Karen Stallwood, Colleen Tremaine, Hank Trot ter, Mary VanCura. Editor Managing Editor New* Editor Editorial Paga 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 Barns Brent De La Paz Shelia Landry Kim Carlson Michael Duncan Sheila Landry Jolayne Houtz Scott McFetrldge Paul Ertelt Mary Llchtenwalner Diana Elliott Cynthia Whitfield Lori Stelnhauer Reporters Sean Axmaker, Kirsten Bolin, Michelle Brence, Robert Collies, Julie Freeman, Thomas Henderson, Robin Joannides, Allan Lazo, Adam Worcester. Photographers Dean Guernsey, Kirk Hlrota, Jim Marks, Ross Martin, Karen Stallwood, Hank Trotter, News and Editorial 866-5611 Display Advertising and Business 086 3713 Classified Advertising 888-4343 Production 688-4381 Circulation 686-8511
