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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 1985)
Editorial Obie should debate DeFazio up front Thursday, Eugene Mayor Brian Obie announced that he wouldn’t debate Peter DeFazio, chairman of the Lane Coun ty Board of Commissioners, over the proposed .4 percent ci ty income tax. DeFazio challenged the mayor to debate the issue last Monday. Perhaps Obie meant that he wouldn’t debate DeFazio formally. In our estimation, the two have been underhandedly debating for two weeks. We would like to see the two lay their slingshots down and meet face to face. It all started when DeFazio, during a Demo Forum ap pearance with City Councilor Emily Schue Oct. 15, charged city officials with underestimating the amount of money the tax would raise by $95 million. Defazio estimated that the tax would raise $195 million over the next 25 years, which is nearly double the figure cited by city officials. Only about $70 million has been earmarked for specific projects, and DeFazio is concerned that a large amount of money would be raised unnecessarily. So last Monday. Obie marched across the street from Ci ty Hall and held a news conference outside of DeFazio’s of fice which is in the Public Service Building. He accused DeFazio of attempting to mislead the public at his Oct. 15 appearance. It appears that Obie’s plan went right according to schedule. After the conference, reporters whisked up to DeFazio’s office for a response to Obie’s charges. DeFazio held an unplanned news conference and turned the tables. He challenged Obie to a formal, public debate. On Wednesday, city councilors pushed Obie to refuse. Councilor Jeff Miller read a letter at a City Council meeting suggesting that the debate would confuse the issue and erupt into a clash between personalities and politics. The letter also stated that DeFazio was deliberately distorting the facts and demeaning the City Council's character. DeFazio charged the City Council with name-calling. Thursday, Obie declined DeFazio’s invitation to debate, citing that he didn’t want to worsen the relationship bet ween the city and the county. In response, DeFazio urged citizens who wanted to see the debate to call Obie’s office. The Register-Guard obliging ly printed forms of the suggestion four times, including printing Obie’s office phone number twice, in a front-page story Friday. Saturday, the Register-Guard reported that 481 people had indeed called Obie’s office by 5 p.m. Friday. Reported ly, only 12 of the callers did not want to see the debate. DeFazio and Obie should debate. Rather than craftily set each other up and volley accusations back and forth at each other by way of the press, the two leaders should confront each other in a professional and diplomatic manner. If ci ty/county relations are going to be further damaged, it will be through taking childish potshots at each other as Obie and DeFazio have been doing for the last two weeks. And contrary to city councilors’ claims that a debate would confuse the issue, a public debate could serve to clear up some of the confusion we suspect has sprung from the re cent exchange of contradictions. If the two would meet in a public forum and explain how they arrived at their respec tive figures, the public would be able to assess their arguments themselves. Obie’s refusal casts a shadow of doubt on his assertions. If he has faith in the validity of his figures, he should have the courage to expose his projections to public scrutiny, and he should be anxious to face the man he has accused of deliberately misrepresenting facts. 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: Dafcld Wood - Sales Manager, John Boiler Intern, Michael Gray, Robin Joannides. Carlos Lamadrid, Marcia Leonard, Shawn Leuthold, Julie Lewis, Catherine Lilja - Intern, Brett Plckman, Anne-Marie Vranizan - Intern, Laura Willoughby. Production Vince Adams, Kelly Alexandre, Shu-Shing Chen, Ellen Cross, Judy Dieringer, Stormi Dykes, Manuel Flores, Steve Gibbons, Rob Hare. Jim Marks, Ross Mar tin, Mary May, Mary McGonigal, Rob Miles, Angie Muniz, Kara Oberst, Charta Parker, Ken Parrott, Jennifer Peter son, Geoff Rainvfllo, Michele Ross, Alyson Simmons, Peg Sotonika, Gregory Tipps, Colleen Tremaine, Steven Waif Production Manager Classified Advertising Russell Steele Vince Adams Jean Ownbey Editor Managing Editor News Editor Editorial Page Editor Editorial Page Assistant Sports Editor Photo Editor Graphics Editor Friday Edition Editor Sidelines Editor Night Editor Julie Shippen Diana Elliott Jolayne Houtz Michelle Brence Matthew Dodson Robert Collias Karen Stallwood Ross Martin Sheila Landry Allan Lazo Julie Shippen Associate Editors Higher Education Community General Assignment Administration Student Government Student Activities Gary Jimenez Scott McFetrtdge Linda Hahn Kirsten Bolin Mary Uchtenwalner Julie Freeman Reporters Sean Axmaker, Dan Coran, Karen Engel, Frale de Guzman, Deborah Janes, Kim Kaady, Andrew Lamar, Robert Oakes, Barbara Shaw, B J. Thomsen Photographers Kamila Al-Najjar, Shu Shlng Chen, Steve Gibbons, Rob Hare, Jim Marks, Ross Martin, Sleven Wall. News and Editorial 386-5511 Display Advertising and Business 383-3712 Classified Advertising 383-4343 Production 683-4381 Circulation 686-5511 public SERUice Build in Or Letters No sensitivity In your editorial (ODE. Oct. 14) you stated that "South African blacks were exploited" by their "ao-called supporters” because at the rally other topics were also discussed. Welt, there are several -reasons why those other topics were brought up. but ' exploitation” is not one of them. For one thing, in order for those gathered around at the ral ly to fully understand racial discrimination and apartheid in South Africa several speakers were compelled to give understandable examples such as the ones given by Mr. Hern don. Ms. Carmen. Ms. Claeyssens. Mr. Oliphant and Ms. Davis. Apartheid in South Africa is * related to racism, sexism and lack of human rights here on campus, in Oregon and elsewhere. Topics also included the Reagan administration because many of these issues 0 have been exacerbated by that institution. Your editorial falls into drudgery and delusion, and it shows apathy for issues that are intricately linked to the present situation in South Africa. Apartheid exists here at home as well whether you care to talk about it or not. Your arrogant platitudes about the rally only show your subjective narrow mind. You have a great tool to inform the public, you should use it in a positive way. The only way in which the rally was marred was not the speakers nor the topics discuss ed, - but your senseless and misinformed editorial which only served to prove once again (hat the Emerald lacks respon sibility. commitment and son sitivity to racial, and social issues : German Gutierrez ;• Pre-engineering CIA profs? lohn Stock well, and ex-O A agent enlightened me Oct. 17. I felt sick listening to his many.; anecdotes of state-sanctioned CIA trained terrorism on Third World countries; I felt helpless contemplating the lack of checks and balances on this secret agency. And I was enrag ed when he shared the domestic propaganda programs done in -~ the name of national security. I laving served 15 years for the CIA in three wars, the Congo. Vietnam, and Angola, as well as working with the National Security Council, he knows their tactics. He said that a. com mon practice is to pay universi ty professors to write books for them to be edited by the CIA before printing. The prof gets all the credit plus the proceeds along with a bonus, sometimes more than $100.IKK), to pro pagate their lies. How many of these persons lacking intellectual integrity are there teaching on this campus? I want to know. I’m not interested in coercing anyone to my political views, but I want to know who’s get ting paid by whom. If someone is being paid by the KGB or the CIA to regurgitate their lies, then 1 should know so I can work to have them removed, even stripped, of their tenure for such dishonesty. If nothing else. I will be able to avoid their propagandized classes. Does this upset anyone else? Does anyone else want to know? Then let’s get together and ex pose these deceiving professors 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 turnod in. The Emerald reserves the rigid to edit any letter for length or style. Letters to the editor should be turned into the Emerald office. Suite 300. EMU. of “truth." The. Inicfrmatton is out there —■ let.'s. find it and do .something about 'Mi - . Eric Johnson v: Eugene Get the answers .1 would like to respond to the numerous- comments I have received., concerning Todd Saunders.' and my. letter (OWE. Oct. 22) to the editor. Whether positive, negative or.even con fused. the responses have pro voked thought, and for that i am grateful; I liked I..S Leuthold% pro poeal (ODE, Oct. 23) to take tin bus to Kansas, but I'd much rather stay at the University of Oregon. My intention, although misconstrued to be a slam, was to raise the issue of-representa tion in student government. I do not believe the act of voting is a prerequisite for representation, if so. freshmen by their inability to participate in the election process In the previous spring, are excluded. My further inten tion was to promote construc tive dialogue between the Emerald, AStJO and I EE. loading to an equitable solution for all concerned. 1 have been heartened to hear in conversa tion with lames Randall and l.ynn Pinckney that following Todd's and my letter, the desire is there to resolve this Issue. Questioning the assumptions and actions of individuals like myself and organizations like the Emerald, ASUO and IFC will always promote thought and sometimes criticism. I en courage students to engage in the process of investigation Seek information on what is happening around you — ques tion it, examine it. and critique it if you feel so inclined. There are so many opportunities to grow and develop in a universi ty like ours that you are only hurting yourself if you do not get involved in some way. Kevin Lewis Senior, Business
