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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 1987)
Editorial Snubbed FEMA idea was good, gutsy call Oregon recently declined to participate in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s nuclear war preparedness plan — or "national insecurity exercise.” It was a gutsy call and a good one on the part of Gov. Neil Goldschmidt. The federal government has threatened to withhold $1.5 million in state emergency planning funds if the state balks at the exercise, but this is blatant bureaucratic arm twisting. The federal government legally cannot deny emergency planning funds. The annual comprehensive cooperative contract signed by the state and federal government does not stipulate FEMA can withdraw funding if the state refuses to participate in their exercises. This is the stand the state is prepared to take if the issue ever comes to litigation. But chances are it won’t. States that have refused to participate in the past have received their funding despite so-called federal warnings. FEMA claims the exercise is necessary to ensure preparedness in the unlikely event of a nuclear war. Moreover, it insists some sort of plan is needed to provide services for those unfortunate souls who would survive a nuclear attack. This is absurd. Emergency planning funds are designed to help states deal with naturally occurring disasters, i.e., floods, volcanic eruptions, avalanches, etc., not nuclear holocausts. An overwhelming majority of Oregonians opposed the FEMA plan from the beginning. It’s comforting to see the state follow the wishes of the people and snub FEMA’s heavy-handed, coercive tactics. Hopefully, the federal government will realize Oregon is not a playground for superpower politics. Tri-state coalition plan could net a Super Collider C'.ov. Neil Goldschmidt demonstrated sharp initiative last Saturday when he announced Oregon, Washington and Idaho should unite to secure a Northwest site for the federal government’s proposed $4.4 billion Superconducting Super Collider project. This Super Collider which would be the largest in the world—would hurdle subatomic particles at one another along a 53-mile-long subterranean “track.” This may not sound like much to the layman, but the discoveries this pro ject could yield have been likened to those born from the discovery of electricity. The more tangible benefits from having the Super Col lider in the Northwest would be the estimated 4.500 con struction jobs, 2,500 professional positions and the $200 million annual operating budget the project would bring to the region. However, there are a lot of “ifs” involved with this pro ject. Questions have been raised whether this project will ac tually receive congressional funding. But the possibility that it might be funded provides a lucrative carrot at the end of the stick. Goldschimdt’s proposed tri-state coalition would be an inventive way of getting this carrot. A regional voice speaks louder than a single state’s plea. The Northwest could use this mega-project, and with our neighbors’ cooperation, the region just might get it. J am c> RBfIEMBER, JUST PHOTOS RDM THE WNST OP. . i 'JikiL i, I Letters Euphoria I can’t prove that unicorns, leprechauns, Santa or the Master Bunny do not exist, whether by logical argument or scientific method. However, belief in their existence is certainly "ir rational and unscientific," since the existence of these en tities also can't be proved. No evidence (an outward sign: proof) exists that unicorns, for example, do exist. Of course, one may choose to believe anything she or he likes based on faith (firm, unques tioning belief in something for which there is no proof), and this may be necessary for some individuals to establish a sense of identity and purpose. Because of the mind-altering nature of religious experience, religious beliefs create feelings of confidence and euphoria. These same experiences and feelings can be created by using euphoric and hallucinogenic drugs. But no drug or idea has historically been responsible for. or is presently the cause of. as much human suffering as are religious ideas throughout the world — not the least of which 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 Lottinvtlle Classified Advertising Alyson Simmons Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey Advertising Sties: 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 Editor Managing Editor News Editor Spectrum Editor Spectrum Assistant Editor Editorial Page Fditors Sports Editor Photo Editor Spectrum Photo Editor Graphics Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Community Politics Higher Education / Administration University Affairs Student Government Student Activities General Assignment General Assignment General Assignment Michelle Brence Lucinda Dillon Michael Rivers Stephen Maher Stanley Nelson Michael Drummond Angie Muniz Capi Lynn Michael Wilhelm John Giustina Lorraine Rath Michael Rivers Jolayne Houtz Nick Reed Chris Norred B J. Thomsen Carolyn Lamberson 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 Wheeled Production: Michele Ross / Ad Coordinator Kelly Alexandre, Elizabeth Asher, Ronwin Nicole Ashton, Virginia Bamaga. Sandra Bevans, Sara Briscoe, Shu Shing Chen, Janet Emery, Judith Gatz, Lisa Haggerty. Donna Leslie, Curtis Lott, Kelli Mason, Mike McGraw! Rob Miles, Angelina Muniz, Julie Paul, Ingrid White! Serena Williams, X Kang Xie is Christianity. Sandra Francisconi Atheist Correction In two recent front-page ac counts of IFC budget hearings which addressed the budget of the Office of Student Advocacy, the Emerald incorrectly reported that this office ac cumulated a $5,000 deficit dur ing the current fiscal year. The first report described this deficit as having arisen in October and November of 1986, while the se cond misquoted ASIJO Presi dent Steve Nelson as referring to an Office of Student Ad vocacy deficit arising “this year.'' Actually, the deficit in question involved an overrun of the office’s 1985-86 budget. Perhaps the confusion involves the delay in the funding of the 1985-86 deficit until this year. In any case, on discovering the first erroneous report, I made a written request to the Emerald for the printing of a correction, and, in fact, receiv ed assurances that such a cor rection would be printed. No correction has appeared to date, and the error has been repeated. In order to keep programs sup ported by students’ incidental fees accountable, students must receive accurate information concerning budget management in these programs. One piece of that information is surely the year in which a particular budget overrun occurred, since such information is indispen sable to the analysis of whether, 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 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. over a period of time, problems are being remedied. Lucille R. Kaplan Director, Office of Student Advocacy Freedom I am absolutely appalled by the mindless rubbish presented in the name of entertainment these days. That television con tains too much violence is a gross understatement of the facts. Now we are faced with propaganda which would have us believe that the Soviets are nothing hut a bunch of thick skulled bullies whose sole in tentions are to bring American values (weep, weep) to their knees. I refer, of course, to that soggy, sentimentally na tionalistic mini-series “Amerika.” That nonsense was no more than the paranoid masturbation of a few sick, dangerous and uneducated minds, as a quick glance into any recent newspaper will reveal. Not only did “Amerika” pre sent an extremely slanted and pathetically inaccurate view of Soviet culture, but the makers of this trash also made a tragic maistake by under-estimating the intelligence of the American public. Let me get this straight: We were supposed to consider this entertaining? Perhaps it was in a perverse sort of way, however, it was propaganda in the truest sense of the word. It was designed to influence public thought in support of the policies of our current ad ministration. And much like foreign policy in the past six years, it was the attitude presented in “Amerika” which serves to bring us ever closer to nuclear confrontation. Let us learn of Soviet culture in other ways than through such propaganda. As American students, we have an obligation to use the freedom to educate ourselves. LET’S DO IT RESPONSIBLY. Nina Johnson Anthropology
