SUO shuttle plan
should include men
A University shuttle system that would transport
women at night is being planned. Representatives from the
ASUO administration, the Greek system. Rape Crisis Net
work and the Women’s Referral and Resource Service have
formed a committee to organize a system of vans to serve
women in the campus area. Information is still being
gathered, so few definite details have been determined.
Before the final plans are made, we would like to make a
few suggestions. We think the system is a great idea that
would be widely appreciated. We also support the coopera
tion ou the part of the various groups. However, some poten
tial aspects of the program mentioned by committee
members are disturbing.
For instance, preliminary plans specify that the service
would serve only women. Ray Veillet, ASUO University af
fairs coordinator, said this is because the system would be
an effort to protect women from rape.
We suggest that the service be available tor men as well.
Though not often threatened by rape, men are faced with
other crimes such as mugging or assault. Oakley Glenn, the
director of the public safety office, said that only a few men
have used Campus Security's service. But even if men
choose not to take advantage of the service, they should not#
be specifically barred from it.
A second feature concerns the qualifications of the
drivers. Veillet said that the committee is seriously consider
ing restricting the program to women drivers. Tills restric
tion would be objectionable.
The committee proposed the idea because members felt
that hiring men as drivers would reinforce the idea that
women need men to protect them. Jack Straton of Men
Against Rape agrees with the idea because he says that
women need to learn how to protect themselves.
But protection should not be defined in terms of gender
Women should learn how to protect themselves, but there is
nothing wrong with accepting protection from another
Human being, male or female. Rather than define rape in
terms of women being the victims and men being the at
tackers, it should be defined in terms of people being rapists
and people not being rapists. The people who are not rapists
should band together to protect society from rapists.
Also, most men are not rapists and can be trusted. Ex
cluding them from participating in services aimed at
fighting rape suggests that all men are guilty. Women
should learn to avoid dangerous situations, but they also
should not be so blinded by paranoia that every man is view
ed as a potential rapist.
Eliminating men from programs to fight rape not only
suggests that rape should not be any of their concern, it may
insult and alienate men who otherwise might contribute to
the fight against rape. Men are also victims of rape when a
woman they care about is assaulted.
The Women’s Resource and Referral Service has plan
ned since last year to organize an escort system completely
operated fay women. WRRS members proposed the system,
which in this aspect is similar to the proposed ASUO
system, in part because they felt that women could be
assaulted by their male escorts. But if men are carefully
screened, there is no reason why they cannot be trustworthy
escorts.
Campus Security has begun its third straight year of of
fering a vehicle escort service operated by both men and
women, and has never received a complaint. The Lambda
Chi Alpha fraternity has also begun its third year of pro
viding a walking escort service run completely by men, and
also has never received a complaint. Participants in both
programs, which together perform about 35 escorts per
night, are screened and monitored by the public safety office
and are clearly identified while on duty.
If the ASUO committee develops a sufficient screening
program and provides clearly marked vehicles, both of
which Veillet verified would occur, men should not be pro
hibited from applying for a driver position.
Also, refusing to consider men for the paid driver posi
tions could violate affirmative action codes according to the
University Office of Affirmative Action. We think the policy
would be a clear case of sex discrimination.
The program could play an important role in the
ASUO's campaign to fight violence against women. We en
courage the committee to develop a program that utilizes the
abilities of both men and women.
Letters_
Goto Kansas
I would like to respond to
Todd Saunders and Kevin
Lewis “A Proposal*’ (ODE,
Oct. 21) in the letter to the
editor column.
First, I am wondering fust
how you reached the conclu
sion that reinstating the right*
of certain members of the ASUO
and IFC to read the Emerald will
make the students as a whole
better informed. There is a
logical inconsistency there.
Perhaps you meant to say that
reading the Emerald would
make the IFC and ASUO bettor
informed? (Also a possible logic
flaw!)
I also take issue with the pro
position that the ASUO only
represents 850 of the 15,000
students who attend the U of O.
1 would say that the ASUO
represents 850 of the 1500
students on campus who care at
all about such issues.
Remember that the two of you
together shared the remaining
850 votes.
So I have a proposal. Let’s
reallocate some funds. Give the
Unassociated Students of the
University of Oregon (Todd
Saunders and Kevin Lewis)
$360 (180 multiplied by 2) in
the form of bus tickets to Kan
sas, and finally be free of the
Davis administration.
L.S. Leuthoid
Senior, Business
Are you?
Thl* letter U in response to
the letter by Clyde Davenport,
which asked the question, U
science rational? The real ques
tion U. are you?
1 think not. However, due to
"limitations of space" and
time, I won't present my
evidence, nor will I list any of
the hundreds of thousands of
people who quite probably
would agree with me. In other
words, fust sign me. a closet
sado-masochistic manipulator,
who likes to torture defenseless
little animals.
Robin Staicap
Biologist
Big downfall
I was in your town on the
weekend of Oct. 5 to watch a
football game between
Washington and Oregon. On
Saturday I saw a number of
things that upset me grsatly.
Before the game started. I
witnessed large groups of
young people drinking alcohol
in the parking lot of your
stadium. Where were your
school monitors while these
young drunkards were carrying
on? Why were these studenU
not singing songs of school sup
port? And whatever happened
to wholesome social gatherings
before games where milk and
apple cider were shared?
i also mw many young
woman walking around without
escorts or fatherly figures. Is
this acceptable at your
university?
When the game was over and
my family was preparing to
leave, we were approached by a
shabby looking man with
broken glasses who smelled of
alcohol and cigarettes. He used
profanity and told us to go beck
to Washington. Whatever hap
Cned to Christian fellowship
tween sportsmen?
I haven't been to a game in
many years, but if your univer
sity is like other schools in your
state, then Oregon is headed for
a big downfall.
S. Maher
Moasyrack, Washington
Correction: The writer of a
letter printed in this column
Oct. 21 asked that his name be
clarified from “Richard
Wright" to "Richard Bruce
Wright fl" to distinguish him
from his father.
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 2SO 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.
Oregon Daily
Emerald
The Oregon Deity 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 ot 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.
Advertising Director
Production Manager
Class!!led Advertising
Assistant to the Publisher
David Wood
Susan Thelen
Russell Steele
Vince Adams
Jean Ownbey
Sales Manager, John
Boiler Intern, Michael Qray, Robin Joannldes, Carlos
Lamadrtd, Marcia Leonard. Shawn Leuthold, Julie Lewis,
Catherine LHJa - Intern, Brett Plckman, Anne-Marie
Vranizan - Intern, Laura Willoughby
Production Vinca Adams, Kelly Alexandre, Shu-Shing
Chen, Ellen Cross, Judy Diertnger, Storml Dykes, Manuel
Flores, Steve Gibbons. Rob Hare, Jim Marks. Ross Mar
tin, Mary May, Mary McGonlgal, Rob Mites, Angle Muniz,
Kara Oberst, Charts Parker, Ken Parrott. Jennifer Peter
son, Geoff Ralnvllle. Michele Ross, Alyeon Simmons, Peg
Solonlka, Gregory Tipps, Colleen Tremaine, Steven Walr
Editor
Managing Editor
Newstditof
Editorial Paga Editor
Editorial Paga Aaslatant
Sport* Editor
Photo Editor
Graphic* Editor
Friday Edition Editor
Sideline* Editor
Night Editor
Julia Shlppen
Diana Elliott
Jolayna Houtz
Michelle Branca
Matthew Dodson
Robert Colllas
Karan Stallwood
Roc* Martin
Shalla Landry
Allan Lazo
Paul Ertalt
Higher Education
Community
General Assignment
Administration
Student Government
Student Activities
Gary Jimenez
Scott McFetrldge
Linda Hahn
Kirsten Bolin
Mary Uchtenwalner
Julie Freeman
Reporters 8ean Ax maker, Dan Coran, Karen Engel, Frale
da Guzman, Deborah Janes, Kim Kaady, Andrew Lamar,
Robert Oakes, Barbara Shaw, B.J Thomsen.
Photographers Kamila AI NaJiar, Shu-Shlng Chen, Steve
Gibbons, Rob Hare, Jim Marks, Ross Martin, Steven Wall
New* and Editorial 604-5511
Display Advertising and Business 666-3712
Classified Advertising 666-4343
Production 666-4361
Clrculstlon 666-6611