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.
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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