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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 10, 1987)
Editorial Racism in sports reflection of society A1 Campanis, vice president in charge of player person nel for the Los Angeles Dodgers, was fired yesterday for racial remarks he made during ABC’s ‘‘Nightline.” In doing so he confirmed the subtle discrimination occuring in sports today. Answering Ted Koppel’s question regarding the number of blacks managing or owning baseball teams, Cam panis said he truly believes "that they (blacks) may not have some of the necessities to be, let’s say, a field manager, or perhaps a general manager.” This remark brings the issue of racism in sports to the surface. Harry Edwards, a sociology professor at the Univer sity of California Berkeley noted that this racism is symbolic of society. It is ingrained in the system, and therefore, not as apparent. Edwards also emphasized that athletics still operate on the "plantation system.” Blacks do the production while whites hold the managerial reins, looking at the proportions of blacks holding manager or owner positions in profes sional sports proves this theory. According to "Nightline," 25 percent of the players in baseball are black yet there are no black managers. In foot ball, 55 percent of the players are black compared to 4 per cent being black head coaches. The largest percentage comes in basketball. Seventy five percent of the players are black and 11 percent of the head coaches are black. There are no black owners in the sport. Peter O’Malley, owner of the Dodgers, said Campanis was fired because his comments ". . .were so far removed and so distant from what I believe and what the organization believes. . . ” But the statistics prove that there is organizational pre judice within the system. Campanis said they do not have the "necessities" to hold higher positions. But they do have the experience. Clearly black athletes are as qualified to coach, manage or own a team of their specialized sport as a white player. The white hierarchy and "plantation system," however, is preventing them from achieving these positions. We can not let this discrimination continue. Firing Campanis was a start. But if people do not follow through, and put meaning behind the action, the firing will become a symbolic gesture with no impact. This subtle form of discrimination is hard to overcome simply because it is so hard to prove. Only when officials make statements like Campanis’ do their true colors show. Jackie Robinson, the first black professional major league baseball player, had to confront and overcome many blatent forms of prejudice. Like Martin Luther King in the ‘60s, his actions and determination paved the way for other blacks and minorities to excell in all levels of society. We cannot let their dreams die. Hank Aaron realizes this will be difficult. The attitudes of people and perceptions of the situation have changed. “I’ve been hoping that things would change for the last 10 years,” Aaron said. But his hope has dimmed in the light of Campanis’ comments. "... you sill have people like Cam panis with his beliefs. When you have that, blacks aren’t ever going to get anyplace," he said. Campanis, and people like him, will continue to prac tice their beliefs if we allow them. These comments should not be taken lightly. Letters Irony Thursday, April 3rd, this paper ran a short article on the fall of a student from third floor Tingle. The article was brief, but important, and the Emerald’s inclusion of it was appreciated by many, including myself. However, the urgency of its message was blunted by an ac cidental slip-up by the layout department, which wound up creating a sick, sick joke. Directly beneath the article was an advertisement for a cable program that evening, and the headline in large black letters was “DEATH - A CERTAIN APPOINTMENT. ’ ’ At first, I found the paradox funny. Then I realized how sad it really was, and became angry. As most of us by now know, the boy is dead. Although I did not know him. I still am sadden ed by the loss, and furious that the Emerald, a paper 1 greatly respected, should be so careless as to let those two articles be run in the same column. Accident though it may be, the grotesqueness of the irony is a slap in the face to all who know Peter Frangos, and the Emerald owes an apology to his friends and those who mourn 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 ol Oregon, Eugene. Oregon. 9/403 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. Beryl Israel, Janelle Heitmann, Laura Goldstein, Catherine Lilia. 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 866-5511 ’ace 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 Luanda Dillon Michael Rivers Stephen Maher Stanley Nelson Michael Drummond Angie Muniz Dennis Fernandes Maria Corvallis John Giustina Lorraine Rath Lucinda Dillon Associate Editors Community Politics Higher Education / Administration University Affairs Student Government Student Activities General Assignment General Assignment Janet Paulson B J Thomsen Chris Norred Laurie Schwartz Carolyn Lamberson Sarah Kitchen Alicia Gano Scott Maben Reporters: Jackie Barry, Mary Courtis, Gary Henley Photographers: Sherlyn Bjorkgren, Shu-Shing Chen, Der rel Hewitt, Tim Jones, Bobbie Lo, Dan Wheeler Production: Michele Ross / Ad Coordinator Kelly Alexandre, Ronwin Nicole Ashton, Virginia Baniaga, Samantha Barbitta, Sandra Bevans, Sara Briscoe, Shu Shing Chen, Janet Emery. Judith Gatz, Lisa Haggerty, Donna Leslie, Curtis Lott. Steve Lundgren, Kelli Mason! Mike McGraw, Rob Miles, Angelina Muniz, Julie Paul, In grid White, Michael Wilhelm, Serena Williams, X. Kang him. My respect for your paper has plummeted. Dean Backus Student Not so fast The ASUO Constitution Court will soon be ruling on the con stitutionality of giving man datory student incidental fees to OSPIRG — the student group, that is, not the state PIRG. Before the flood of “OSPIRG is wonderful” letters comes in, I would like to make a few observations. At its Incidental Fee Commit tee hearing this year, OSPIRG requested a $2 "membership” fee from each student as its mechanism for funding. This membership fee is not optional and you cannot get a refund. If you are a student at this school, you are a member of OSPIRG — whether or not you agree with the group’s legislative agenda or its methods. OSPIRG, by the way. is not at all affiliated with the University as is the ASUO. It is an entirely independent activist organiza tion. It no longer even elects members of its board of direc tors on the ASUO ballot. I-ast year on this campus, by a 170-vote margin, OSPIRG pass ed a ballot measure doubling the University’s contribution from $45,000 to $90,000 a year in mandatory student fees — your membership fees. (Last year, OSPIRG also ceased receiving any money from OSU 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. Ut ters to the editor should be turn ed into the Emerald office. Suite 300. EMU. student fees.) Allegedly, all of this money “returns” to campus in the form of services, but I would like to see a break-down of how OSPIRG spends our fees. Some of it does go to purely campus related activities such as the consumer hotline, but how much goes to fund the staff of the state PIRG, or the formation of non-campus related causes such as a regional PIRG office in Oregon? And there remain nagging constitutional questions about using mandatory fees to support definitive political positions in the Legislature. Freedom of speech is trampled when students are forced to pay for lobbying that competes with the positions they speak out on. Rob Young Senior Killer brew A few words on education, students, and alcohol: It’s ob vious the three do not mix. Peter Frangos, a University freshman, lost his life because of alcohol abuse. It was reported that his BAG (Blood Alcohol Content) was over .20. Beyond .08 is considered legally intoxicated. If Frangos had been sober, he probably would not have gone out on the ledge in the attempt to enter his room. If Frangos was sober, his better judgment would have taken over. But Frangos was intoxicated. When intoxicated, the ability to judge things is one of many body functions impaired because of too much alcohol. Students are here for an education. Wake up and get the facts on alcohol abuse. W'hat happened to young Peter Frangos can happen to you. Is alcohol really necessary for a good time? Think about it. Alcohol abuse can and will cost you your life. Suzie Hunter Eugene
