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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1987)
Editorial Eugene City Council is dragging its feet It has been more than two months since Eugene voters passed a nuclear-free zone ordinance and the City Council has yet to implement any of its provisions. While some of the ordinance’s provisions may have legal snags, critics cor rectly cite that the council is. and has been, dragging its feet. This, however, is not surprising. In November, the City Council was deadlocked in a 4-4 tie on whether to endorse the initiative. Mayor Brian Obie broke the tie, and the coun cil voted to oppose the measure. Eugene Commissioner Bill Rogers voiced stronger op postion. Not only did he vote against the measure, he active ly campaigned against it, saying he was unwilling to “put a great deal of effort or staff time into implementing” the measure. So from the start, the nuclear-free zone was fighting an administrative uphill battle. Now the City Council says the roadblocks to implemen ting the initiative’s provisions deal with constitutionality. It is concerned that some of the tenets of the ordinance may conflict with state and federal laws. No nuclear-free zone in the nation has yet been ruled unconstitutional, and the Eugene ordinance draws all of its provisions from already-existing nuclear-free zones. Even if the Eugene nuclear-free zone pre-empts state or federal authority, and there is no precedent to indicate that it does, corrective measures to its provisions could be rewrit ten by the council, or better yet, through a voter referendum. The council also is concerned with the adminstrative power the Nuclear-Free Zone Board may assume — if indeed it ever is assembled — as well as the provision allowing private citizens the right to sue for violations of the ordinance. But these two hurdles easily could have been cleared, for the council has the power to amend the provisions of the ordinance. Although we by no means recommend that the council drastically alter the ordinance, these are minor points of contention compared to the so-called question of constitu tionality and could have been resolved by now if the council truly wanted to expedite the will of the voters. The City Council risks being labled insensitive to Eugene citizens by using its objections as a rationalization not to implement the program. It would be in the council’s best interest to resolve the matter quickly and work out the bugs later. Letters Policy The Emerald will attempt to print all letters con taining 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 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. Merit-based My how the times have changed. Here I find myself supporting an intitiative by our new Governor. Neil Goldschmidt's new inventive and experimental program call ing for a merit-based scholar ship program warrants serious consideration. Yes. the governor is right. Ac cording to the ODE article on Jan. 14, only 60 percent of Oregon’s brightest stay in Oregon. It is about time we tried to retain the other 40 percent. One argument against the program goes: Students who at tend out of state institutions do so because of "church related" reasons. Even if this argument were true for most students, it is impossible to believe that this is true for the gifted, bright students. When was the last time that you heard someone going to Harvard or Stanford because of their divinity schools? And then there is Students for a Progressive Agends (SPA) supported by student body president Steve Nelson. It is about time that Steve starts to realize that he represents all of the students and not just the few 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 Production Manager Wayne Lottinville Classified Advertising Alyson Simmons Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey Advertising Seles: Peter LaFleur / Sales Manager Teresa Acosta. Brent Collins, Beryl Isiael, Janelle Heit mann. Laura Goldstein. Catherine Lilja, Rick Marlz. Joseph Menzel. Peter Miller. Joan Wildermuth News and Editorial 686 5511 Display Advertising and Business 686-3712 Classified Advertising Production Circulation 686 4343 686 4381 686 5511 Editor Managing Editor News Editor Spectrum Editor Spectrum Assistant Editor Editorial Page Editor Editorial Page Assistant Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Graphic Design Editor Night Editor Michelle Brence Lucinda Dillon Michael Rivers Curtis Condon Stephen Maher James Young Michael Drummond Capi Lynn Michael Wilhelm Lorraine Rath Michael Rivers Associate Editors Community Politics Higher Education I Administration University Affairs Student Government Student Activities General Assignment Jolayne Houtz Shawn Wirtz Chris Norred Stan Nelson Sarah Kitchen Tonnie Dakin Dennis Fernandes Reporters: Sean Axmaker. Mary Courtis, Karen Creighton, Gary Henley. Carolyn Lamberson, John McBarron Photographers: Sherlyn Bjorkgren. ShuShmg Chen, Maria Corvallis, Derrel Hewitt, Bobbie Lo, James Marks Dan Wheeler. Michael Wilhelm Production: Michele Ross / Ad Coordinator Kelly Alexandre. Elizabeth Asher. Ronwtn Nicole Ashton Virginia Bamaga, Sandra Bevans, Sara Briscoe, Shu Shmg Chen, Janet Emery. Lisa Haggerty, Donna Leslie, Curtis Lott, Kelli Mason, Mike McGraw, Rob Miles Angelina Muniz, Julie Paul, Ingrid White. X Kang Xie represented by SPA. Steve wants all of the money to go into need-based programs. But Steve, that is how most of the money is now spent, and it has not solved the problem of brain drain in Oregon. The new program. Steve, is only an experiment. It should have a chance to succeed or fail. I urge all students concerned with this matter to call Steve at his office — it’s about time Steve heard from the rest of us at the University. Ron E. Munion Political science, history Resisters The article, ‘‘Men who avoid draft registration could lose many benefits,” (ODE. Jan. 15). appeared to be just a govern ment press release intended to increase compliance with the law. Unfortunately, the article was very misleading. The increasing likelihood of a draft was not mentioned. Yet U.S. policies in Central America are leading to a war re quiring a draft. Even if this war is forestalled, the probability of a draft remains high due to the shrinking pool of military-aged men. Citing a 1984 Brookings In stitute report, the Central Com mittee for Conscientious Objec tors stated, “...the Pentagon may in fact be facing recruit ment shortfalls in the next eight years. At that time the Pentagon may call for a peacetime draft to compensate for these shortfalls, as they appear unlikely to con sider reducing recruitment in centives.” (The Objector. Dec. 1985). Obviously, draft registration presents a real risk of being forc ing registrants into the military and war. The risk now applies to all registrants — student deferments have been eliminated. While ignoring these cir cumstances. the article exag gerated the costs of resisting registration. The fact is that out of about 600,000 non registrants, only 19 have been indicted since 1980. The other major penalty for students los ing financial aid is offset by alternative funds for resisters. Lastly, the article ignored the most important issue of all: Draft registration is a vote for war — any war which is pur sued by the government. In con trast, resisting draft registration constitutes a powerful blow against a misguided foreign policy and the wars which it spawns. Steve Kasner History Unbiased Frederick Leff and Steve Mc Cormick have made assertions that will be answered. You will come to realize that it is not we that lack homework time, Mr. McCormick (ODE, Jan. 16); nor is it we that are a bit confused, Mr. Leff (ODE. Jan. 14). Your gravest errors are due to your lack of thought in most areas. You both fail to take your theories to their furthest conclu sions. The implications of my conclusion and yours is that the other has seriously misinter preted the facts. That is to say that I feel just as repulsed by you claiming to be a science ma jor as you do I. Let us duel with the facts (please, no more doctrines you’ve merely been taught, but truths that you have extrapolated). By the way, the next time you hear someone say that the Bible is full of contradictions, laugh at them and say you know so meone just waiting (and waiting) for the chance to give away $400 for that information. Be rest assured that we will document our sources, as will be expected of you, and we will be using nothing but establish ed, nonreligious, unbiased facts. Brian Frary Biology Charlie Richards Economics
