Emerald editorials
have a key purpose
The start of dead week presents an opportunity to reflect
upon the purpose of the Emerald editorial page.
Throughout the year the Emerald has used this page to
discuss a variety of local, national and international events.
We have focused upon President Ronald Reagan’s
weaknesses as well as the effects of his policies. The
Emerald has often criticized Reagan's policy toward South
Africa and Latin America as well as his domestic policy. We
have commented on the state Legislature’s attempts to
change state elections law and we have critiqued a wide
range of campus issues.
Many have said that we have rarely come out in support
of anything; instead they charge we have simply been a
voice of negativism — anti, anti, anti! This has often been
true, but if events warrant negative discussion then that is
the purpose of a newspaper.
We are not cheerleaders. We are not in the business of
public relations. Our job is to report on and critique world
events.
There is just too much pain and anguish in the world for
an editorial page to ignore these events. We live in a great
country. There is much to be proud of. but we as a society,
and as individuals, have our shortcomings. It is our respon
sibility to inform you about them. We hope we have done
this well.
Surprisingly, the letters to the editor have raised much
more campus debate than our editorials. Issues such as
homosexuality, AIDS, abortion and South Africa have
monopolized a great deal of the letters section.
We have often been criticized for running many of these
letters. But we believe it is important for the Emerald to pro
vide a forum for community residents who wish to state an
opinion.
Many of the letters we have run, we believe, were in
poor taste. Nevertheless, if they were not libelous and did
not violate fair comment guidelines, we chose to run them.
We did so simply because our definition of poor taste may
not be the same as yours.
In this country we have a responsibility to remain in
formed on the issues. We hope we have helped to make our
readers a little more informed and a little more conerned.
editori
We should all be proud of
the women’s track team
Congratulations to the Oregon women's track-and-field
team, which won its first-ever NCAA track-and-field cham
pionship Saturday, after a grueling four-day meet in humid
Austin, Texas. The women were picked to do well in the
meet, and they did not disappoint their fans.
The women were led by Claudette Groenendaal, of
Salem, who placed first in the 800-meters and second in the
1,500-meters. Others who scored points for coach Tom
Heinonen’s team included Leann Warren, of Corvallis, who
was third in the 1,500 and fourth in the 800; Kathy Hayes, of
Newberg, who was fifth in the 10,000-meters and third in
the 5,000-meters; Brenda Bushnell, of Eugene, who was
seventh in the 3,000-meters; Sally Harmon, of Springfield,
who was fourth in the javelin; and Quenna Beasley, of
Pasco, Wash., who placed sixth in both the discus and the
shot put.
The women’s weeekend victory and the men’s victory at
last year’s NCAA meet prove that Eugene is a successful
training ground for track stars. Eugeneans should be proud
of these fine athletes.
letters
Decency
The obvious has been ignored
in Sharon Ellison's commentary
{ODE. May 7).
For several years. Dr. Nathan
son operated the world's largest
abortion clinic. He personally
performed some 5,000 abor
tions. and was a leader in the
pro-abortion movement, co
founding the National Abortion
Rights League.
Gradually, however, as he put
it, the “accumulating weight of
evidence’* broke down the
“mechanism of denial." and he
came to see abortion for what it
is.
This very real denial system
can clearly be seen when pro
abortionists use such terms as
“fetal tissue." "pregnancy ter
mination.” and one used by Ms,
Ellison, “undeveloped fetus"’
Such language seems designed
to keep our minds from grasp
ing the fact that it is living,
growing children who are being
brutally killed..
Having’ children destroyed
before birth is presented as a .
“reasonable, and ..healthy
choice’’, that is “frequently”
preferable to allowing adop
tion by. any. large number of
qualified, loving couples who
are more than willing to do so.
Ignored are the many, many
women who must subsequently
live with deep emotional scarr
ing. and the many deaths that
take place, both in the course of
“safe, legal" abortion pro
cedures, and by suicides among
women who have been persuad
ed to follow such “reasonable
and healthy" advice.
Once we open the door to
solving admittedly real and
often severe problems by
O.D.E. LOGO
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University ot Oregon. Eugene. Oregon, 97403
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destroying unwanted or in
convenient human lives, we
cross a moral boundary where
we lose much of what is decent
and humane about our
civilization.
William Moore
Eugene
Unfair
There has been a sudden
change in the designated smok
ing areas in the EMU, Apparent
ly there was a box put in the
EMU with a sign that stated
“Smoker Survey Preference. “
The students were to place their
comments in the box. i don't
feel the method by which the
survey was taken or the change
that was made was done with
fairness.
There was little if no effort
made to inform the students of
the survey and the change.
Tuesday morning we came into
the Fishbowl where signs had
been frosted "No Smoking.*’ I
hunted dpwn the new
designated smoking sections
and found that there are only
two places; an eight-table area
outside the Fountain Court
Cafe,' and the Skylight and
Refectory.
If anyone has ever tried to
find a place to sit and study in
these areas, one knows it is a
difficult task. There is very little
ventilation in the area near the
F'ishbowl to disipate the smoke,
rather than force the smokers in
to areas not well ventilated and
difficult to find seats.
I ran empathize with the non
smokers for their right to an area
free of smoke, but 1 would like
to see an effort to accommodate
the smokers as well.
1 don’t feel the personnel of
the EMU have given the
smokers equal consideration.
Karen Heldstab
Eugene
What are you?
Dear Dan Goulet.
Concerning your criticism of
Eugene Free South- Africa and.
it's efforts to free those oppress •
ed by institutionalized racism;
Surely you must understand
that the efforts of the Free South
Africa movement 'will' not' in-* • .•
volve only boyciitting South 1
Africa but awakening a sleep-?
ing world. -In .aii age.-where
"prudent investor'-' means one •
who. considers profit over Fife
and liberty, to-speek out against
this unjust pojicy is to strive '•
toward a peace with all.victims - '
of injustice.'-. '.- ••** »
We must jreaibte that suppor
ting.the Oppressed-pimple of. the •. '
world is indeed-awiie.lind "wor
thy Investment,-* while, suppor- -.
ting the oppressors of ihe world .
is short 'ighted’ at IVest >tp sup .
port an enlightened policy bas
ed on. .huma'h rights' Instead, of •*
capital is prudent, pricticul.ahd
flexible in application-' ’ . *
"Boycott" is. hot pur. magic
word. Dan?'"fWdbm" i'%,
Bishop Desmond *f'utu;has
smd thaUhtl ,SouQ> Afric an pen-,
pie will remnmtg’r who .their*
friends are. f see ottr rnovenferit •
as an attempt Vh the pari of.lJf.S-*
citizens to be, fiends -with the
future rulers’ .of: South Africa,
And divestiture is an attempt by
our government to develop
allies In a . reformed South
Africa. • -. ;
But this is .my view-. I invite
ypu to learn moje and to. joih •
Eugene'Free South' Africa. Do*
not just sit back and be cynical,
about other people's attempts- to •
act upon their conscience. They
are part of the solution Den.
What are you? .. •'
Michael Walker
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 identifica
tion 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.