Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 1987)
Editorial Endorsed illness plan step in right direction President Reagan departed from his conservative political philosophy last week and endorsed a catastrophic illness plan for the nation's 30 million people on Medicare. The move is a good one for it will allow those afflicted with long-term, debilitating illnesses to receive medical care without facing financial ruin. The plan, widely supported in Congress, would raise Medicare premiums by $4.92 and limit out-of-pocket payments to $2,000 a year — currently there is no limit. Medicare also would finance an unlimited number of days of hospital care. Although the proposal is a step in the right direction, it could have gone further. Costs of prescription drugs, eye ex aminations, dental care and nursing home stays are not covered. These items consume a major portion of medical costs for the elderly and should have been included in the plan. Another issue that should have been addressed was putting a limit on doctors’ fees. Presently, doctors can legal ly charge fees above levels deemed “reasonable” by the government. Critics in the health insurance industry and within the administration itself charge the catastrophic illness plan would replace “a competitive private market with a govern ment monopoly." This is nothing but demagoguery, stemm ing from the misplaced priority of putting profits over health care. The proposal, as it stands, is “budget neutral" — the $4.92 increase in Medicare premiums would net the govern ment $1.8 billion per year, and this would cover the cost of the additional Medicare benefits. Our nation's elderly need the illness plan the president endorsed, and hopefully it has opened the door for more comprehensive Medicare proposals in the future. The Klan's $7 million loss will be our society's gain A federal jury’s $7 million award last week to the family of a black teen-ager whom was brutally slain by members of the United klans of America comes as proper vindication. Michael Donald was beaten and strangled in 1981 by six Klansmen in Mobile, Ala. Although the money will not br ing him back, his family now can find comfort that justice has been done. Klan assets have yet to be determined, but it’s apparent they have the resources to pay the penalty. Already efforts are in the works to transfer title of the Klan’s 7,000-square foot national headquaters building in Tuscaloosa, Ala. over to the Donald family. We question why none of the guilty was given a jail sentence, but Beulah Mae Donald, the victim's mother, was satisfied with the verdict. Alabama state Sen. Michael Figures, lawyer for the Donald family, similarly was pleas ed. He called the court’s decision a “landmark ruling” and declared that the verdict “would make Donald’s death the last Klan lynching.” In our pluralistic society, damnable groups like the Klan must be tolerated if freedom of expression is to exist. But no group has the right to commit wanton acts of violence, a law the Klan historically has violated. Our hope is that the federal court’s decision will curb future Klan atrocities. Qccn*y HP**%nr*ct Letters Feelings I passed up the letters on religion. I also let the grammar letters go. Unfortunately, I find myself having to respond to a very strong statement made by Mary Sullivan (ODE, Feb. 11) in her letter concerning abortion. By making the statement that men who voice their opinions on abortion don’t understand what they are talking about because they will never ex perience the feelings surroun ding an unwanted pregnancy directly, she has spoken un wisely. She has slurred the en tire male sex. It is true no man will ever experience such feel ings directly, but men are capable of empathy. Such a nar row description of an entire sex is not just. Andrew Maxwell Psychology Safe sex On the issue of condoms, what Surgeon General C. Everett Koop has actually stated is that anyone foolish enough not to become totally monogamous should use con doms during sex. 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 Michael Lottinville Classified Advertising Alyson Simmons Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey Advertising Sales: Peter LaFleur/ Sales Manager Teresa Acosta, Brent Collins, Beryl Israel, Janelle Heit mann, Laura Goldstein, Catherine Lilja. Rick Martz, Joseph Menzel, Peter Miller. Joan Wildermuth News and Editorial 686-5511 Display Advertising and Business 686-3712 Classified Advertising 686-4343 Letter Perfect Graphics 686-5511 Production 686-4381 Circulation 686-5511 Page 2 Editor Managing Editor News Editor Spectrum Editor Spectrum Assistant Editor Editorial Page Editors Sports Editor Photo Editor Spectrum Photo Editor Graphics Editor Night Editor Michelle Brence Lucinda Dillon Michael Rivers Stephen Maher Stanley Nelson Michael Drummond Angie Muniz Capi Lynn Michael Wilhelm John Giustina Lorraine Rath Michelle Brence Associate Editors Community Politics Higher Education / Administration University Affairs Student Government Student Activities General Assignment General Assignment General Assignment Jolayne Houtz Nick Reed Chris Norred B J Thomsen Carolyn Lamborson Sarah Kitchen Karen Creighton Dennis Fernandes Scott Maben Reporters: Sean Axmaker, Mary Courtis, Gary Henley, Janet Paulson Photographers: Sherlyn Biorkgren, ShuShing Chen, Maria Corvallis, Derrel Hewitt, Bobbie Lo, Dan Wheeler Production: Michele Ross / Ad Coordinator Kelly Alexandre, Elizabeth Asher, Ronwin Nicole Ashton, Virginia Baniaga, Sandra Bevans, Sara Briscoe. Shu Shing Chen. Janet Emery, Lisa Haggerty, Donna Leslie, Curtis Lott, Kelli Mason, Mike McGraw, Rob Miles. Angelina Muniz, Julie Paul, Ingrid White, X. Kang Xie Remember — condoms are not 100 percent effective in preventing AIDS transmission. To foster an attitude like, “1 don’t have to cut out premarital sex because I can use a condom and be totally safe,” would be as stupid as someone saying, "“I can get drunk and drive 90 mph because I wear a seat belt.” The last paragraph of your editorial on condoms and AIDS (ODE. Jan. 30) seemed to take a dim view on promoting abstinence prior to marriage. However, that’s what the Surgeon General Koop is urg ing! His recommendations are also that the main emphasis in health educaiton in schools must center on the dangers of non-monogamous, premarital sexual behavior. To promote condoms, and not abstinence, has been tabled dangerous by many experts. Fortunately, a person who abstains from sex prior to mar riage, and then marries someone with similar attitudes, has nothing to fear from cat ching AIDS from sex, as long as neither individual commits adultery. Such couples can be as sexually active with each other as they please with no need of "safe sex" or condoms. So much for the "Sexual Revolution.” Michael Cross Political science, history Justice In regard to Dan Goulet’s let ter (ODE. Feb. 11)1 wish to say one thing: BRAVO! I thought I was the only per son on this liberal campus who believed in justice. If Bissel was truly a ’’gentleman” he would have turned himself in im mediately (or maybe not have attempted to blow up govern ment property in the first place!). The only thing missing from your editorial was, “He was always such a quiet man...” While our patriots were away defending f r e e d o m and democracy, Bissel was trying to destroy those very foundations from within. Mr. Goulet’s insight and awareness should not only be applauded, but also deemed a valuable and necessary part of our intellectual community. Gina VanCIeave Speech, RHCM Definitions Professor Rousseve has writ ten a number of letters to the ODE recent ly identifying himself as a “post-Christian agnostic.” I think some atten tion to definitions would be helpful. Dictionaries typically define a Christian as one who believes in Jesus as the Christ (i.e. as devine) and in his teachings. But that leads us to defining “believes.” We tend to use the word quite casually as in, 1 believe it’s going to rain. A more useful and substantive definition is — to have faith in, to trust and rely upon. If these definitions are ac cepted. a person is not a Chris tian because they grew up in a Christian home, attended a Christian church, graduated from a Christian university or thought of themselves as a Christian. As the joke goes, just because you sleep in the garage doesn’t mean you are a car. 1 grew up thinking of myself as a Christian. I went to church fairly regularly. However, 1 never “believed” in Jesus Christ. As an undergraduate 1 quickly became an agnostic and kept to that faith for 15 years. Shortly after joining the faculty here, and after an 18-month “search.” 1 met Jesus Christ and became a Christian. To the point: Trying to use terms properly, 1 would describe myself as a post agnostic Christian. From his own letters, I wonder whether Professor Rousseve is properly described as a post-Christian agnostic? 1 would prefer to hope that he is a pre-Christian agnostic. Jerry Bowman Associate professor of accounting
