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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 1985)
Editorial GWEN project has no redeeming merit If the U.S. Air Force has its way, Eugene may become part of a nationwide communication system. Eugene became a proposed site for a Ground Wave Emergency Network relay station in July. Eugene citizens, most of whom oppose the project, met Monday night to gather information about the project and exchange ideas. The meeting was organized by a local op position group, the NO-GWEN alliance. The Air Force decided not to attend. Citizens oppose the project for good reason. The $750 million system is planned to incorporate 240 stations across the nation and is designed to work after a nuclear exchange due to the assumption that radiation will be so high that con ventional communication systems will fail to operate. There are a multitude of objections to the project. First, the Eugene tower, as other towers in the project have been built, would be built without extraordinary structural rein forcements. In other words, the Air Force, and ultimately the federal government, is assuming that Eugene will re main intact should a nuclear exchange occur. Also, in August, the Lane County Council of Govern ments Board of Directors ruled that construction of the tower on the proposed site would not conform to zoning laws. The land is currently owned by the Wildish Land Company of Eugene, a sand and gravel company, and is zoned for excavation. But the Air Force has not changed plana for construc ting the tower at the proposed site, and it appears that it will use its right of eminent domain to disregard local land-use statutes. In addition, Randy Hledik. the director of land use and environmental affairs for the Wildish company, said the contract between the Air Force and the company includes provisions for returning the land to the company. Hledik would not specify the length of time the Air Force would have the land, but said that the return of the land was within the foreseeable future. What this means is that the Air Force is going to build a tower that will be eventually torn down. But these are minor considerations when the concept behind the project is considered. Extensive research demonstrates that even a moderate nuclear exchange could send enough soot into the at mosphere to block sunlight for months, destroying vegeta tion and resulting in the complete elimination of the human race. But despite the nuclear winter theory, the construction of the system affirms that the government genuinely believes in the concept of a “limited” nuclear war and sees a need to prepare for it. Ten towers already have been built. The suggestion that a communication system would be necessary, or even helpful, lends credibility to the dangerous notion that nuclear war is survivable. This notion is lethal. If the government believes that a limited nuclear war can be fought, officials may be more willing to use nuclear weapons in the event of a conflict. Rather than use valuable resources, incredible sums of money and some of the brightest minds in the nation to prepare for nuclear war, the government should be doing all it can to prevent it. The federal government is sending mixed signals. It tries to assure citizens that the United States will do everything possible to avoid a nuclear war, and yet billions of dollars are spent each year to design and build nuclear weapons, to research a sky-based nuclear defense system, and now to develop a nationwide communication circuit. Public opposition to plans to build a similar station in Amherst, Mass, has stalled construction of a station there. Opposition in Eugene may succeed in keeping the station out of our city. Oregon Daily 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 University with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union and is a member of the Associated Press The Emerald is private property. The unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable by law General Staff Advertising Director Susan Thelen Advertising Sales: David Wood - Sales Manager, Michael Gray, Robin Joannides. Carlos Lamadrid, Marcia Leonard, Julie Lewis, Brett Pickman, Laura Willoughby. Production Vince Adams, Kelly Alexandre, Shu-Shing Chen, Judy Dieringer, Stormi Dykes, Manuel Flores, Steve Gibbons, Jim Marks, Ross Martin, Mary May. Kara Oberst, Charla Parker, Ken Parrott, Jennifer Peterson, Geoff Rain vide, Michele Ross, Alyson Simmons, Peg Solonika, Gregor/ Tipps, Colleen Tremaine, Mary VanCura, Steven Wall. Russell Steele Vince Adams Jean Ownbey Page It A Self-sacrifice t would like to call attention to some tendencies which I think Rebecca Benwitt's com mentary (ODE. Oct. 10) exhibited. Prior to attending the Univer sity of Oregon. 1 served 8 years in Uncle Sam’s Navy. During those eight years, which sometimes went by ex crutiatingly slow, I was never once prevented from par ticipating in any general elec tion. forced to participate or in fluenced to vote for a particular party or candidate. I seem to remember standing in many long lines for various reasons, but never to wait my turn for your prescribed “particular political orientation dusting.” Had you ever been in the military. ! think you would have known this. “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" was not ac complished by the convening members of our Continental Congress. It was fought for and won by a military composed of individuals who persevered and self-sacrificed for the good of the whole society. These at tributes are alarmingly absent from our society today. It is the lack of participation by the individual in our society which has allowed the “politi cians” of today to make short term, self-satisfying decisions that affect us all. Our elected of ficials have stopped being the “representatives of the people" which compose their country, to members of the "me" genera tion who choose .solutions to Editor Managing I News Editc I Editor litor Editorial Page Editor Editorial Page Assistant Sports Editor Photo Editor Graphics Editor Friday Edition Editor Sidelines Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Higher Education Community General Assignment Administration Student Government Student Activities Julie Shippen Diana Elliott Jolayne Houtz Michelle Brence Matthew Dodson Robert Coilias Karen Stallwood Ross Martin Sheila Landry Allan Lazo Paul r.rtelt Gary Jimenez Scott McFetrtdge Linda Hahn Kirsten Bolin Mary Lichtenwalner Julie Freeman Reporters Sean Axmaker, Frale de Guzman, Kim Kaady, Lisa Loving, Robert Massey, Barbara Shaw, Elaine Toh Photographers: Shu-Shing Chen, Steve Gibbons, Rob Hare, Jim Marks, Ross Martin, Steven Wall. News and Editorial 680-5511 Display Advertising and Business 866-3712 Classified Advertising 686-4343 Production * 686-4381 Circulation 688-5511 conflicts through which they benefit directly. Today, you and I enjoy ad vantages won for us by the self sacrifice and even deaths of our ancestors while ibey served in some branch of our military. I believe as they did — a good cause is worth fighting for. ■|. Scott Terrell Eugene Better all life Richard Marrocco (ODE. Oct. 14) states that "the use of humans in experimentation is ethically and morally repug nant." thereby seemingly justi fying the use of non-human animals in scientific research. Further, Morrocco states "that the majority of people in this country... welcome the many benefits attained through biomedical research." as if "popular" opinion alone is an adequate arbiter of ethics and morality, of what ends justify what means. Merely because we can. does not mean we should. Wanting to know does not give us the right to know, or give us a license to do any research at any cost for any end. Human beings are not alone on this planet in its cycle of life and death. Prolonging human life, while perhaps a worthy cause, does not justify destroy ing the lives of non-humans. Rather, bettering the quality of life for all of earth's creatures, however limited their time, will go much further in making this world a better place. Patricia Sasaeen Eugene I'm confused! Some questions on returning to the U of O campus after an 18-month absence: Why are there no Emeralds distributed in or around Gilbert Hall? Pink hair, shaved heads, very strange dress behavior? Do I now need a scooter or moped to attend the U of O? Is there really an elevator in PLC? Will Mr. Conde’s efforts allow all Orogo nlans to become potheads? Apartheid: a real problem in South Africa! Is this university really powerful enough to change South Africa's racial policy? Will boycotting classes help? Wouldn't student's time be better spent by concentrating on local issues where they could possibly have an effect on policies that affect them? Is our tuition and tax money being wasted by canceled classes or will the South African govern ment be so taken aback that they will change policy? Did Paul Glum take a personal leave day. Friday. Oct. 11. t»85, to attend demonstrations? Doesn't this university have enough work for its president? Should we turn the University president’s job into a part-time position? Why do we have a lesbian stu dent body president? Have the "flaming, leftist liberals" taken over the student body? Will AIDS help curb sexual behavior? Is the IFC representing the , students who elected them by drawing up resolutions to cut Emerald funds? Should we recall this irresponsible, unrepresentative committee? Will all who attend this fine institution be doomed to eternal hell ca the courtyard evangelists proclaim? Help, I'm confused! Darrel Rothauge Senior, Business, Political Science/History Consult friends I hate to cite people for inac curate facts, however Ms. Miller made two Inaccurate statements (ODE. Oct. 12} which deserve comment. .Most Palestinian factions do not accept Arafat's authority. If they did, I would endorse the position Ms. Miller advocated. Also, Ms. Miller said nothing about the West Bank issue when she commented about the status of Arabs in Israel. Finally, even the fact that Arabs in Israel proper cannot join the military deserves com ment. In America, such an ac tion would be damned as blatantly discriminatory. Ms. Miller should consult her friends about the ROTG con troversy last year if she doesn't know how emotional the issue of denial of access to the military is in this country. Andrew Beckwith Graduate Student, Physics Wednesday, October 18, 1885
