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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 28, 1987)
Editorial Decision to divest should be approved The State Hoard of Higher Education deserves a pat on the hack for its decision to re-affirm its ten-year old policy to divest funds from companies in South Africa. The decision shows the divestment issue is not dead despite the lengthy law suit brought on ten years ago when the Attorney General declared the Hoard did not have the authority to order divestiture. The Attorney General said the decision violated tin* state's "prudent investor rule." The ASUO and Portland State University filed a suit against this decision. A lower court ruled tin? hoard did have the authority to instruct divestiture but. because of the pru dent investor rule, it would he unlawful if it was carried out. This decision was overruled in the Oregon Court of Appeals and recently the Oregon Supreme Court refused to hear the case. Hill Lemman, the Executive Vice Chancellor, said it puts the Hoard back at square one. With the Oregon Supreme Court’s decision it is as if tin* court suits had never been fil ed, he said. The Hoard’s new affirmation against South African in vestments must now get the Attorney General’s approval. It he agrees, tin? Hoard can begin to divest. We encourage tin* Attorney General to approve the Hoards decision. (Jbviously it is a worthwhile cause that the Hoard and students throughout the state are dedicated to. But another solution lies in a legislative hill aimed at divestment from South African companies. If tin* legislature passed such a bill, the Attorney (ieneral’s opinion would not he necessary. Civil rights supported in seat belt bill defeat The Oregon I louse took a stand in favor of civil liberties when it defeated the manditory seat belt bill last Thursday. This is the second time in two years that tin; House has defeated a seat belt bill after it passed in the Senate with wide support. Supporters of the hill now hope to send tin* idea to the voters. This would be a waste of time and money. Orego nians have expressed their opposition to tin? measure in the past. Kep. Hob Brogoitti said. "Our correspondence has been overwhelmingly, ‘Let us have our freedom.’ ’’ To put it on the ballot after this strong opposition would be like beating a dead horse. One of the main appeals of the bill was that it would save money in insurance rates. Trying to put the bill on the ballot theoretically would defeat this purpose. Currently 2f> states have seat belt laws. Oregon has a law requiring everyone under l(i to wear a seat belt. Hut these laws violate our freedom of choice and are an infringement on our civil liberties. Studies have shown that wearing seat belts saves lives. Hut it should be up to the individual to decide whether or not to wear one. No one but the individual would be hurt if a belt was not worn in an accident. It is not the role of government to save us from our own stupidity. Seat belts are designed to "protect us from ourselves,” said Rep. Hernie Agrons. / MEM, DAO, I WHAT DO YOU GET \ [ WHEN TOU CROSS ] I AN ELEPHANT AND V A RHINOCEROS? J Letters Lethal traits Often we’re concerned bv cultural challenges within our society. We claim concession of races, religions, and sexes. Why not homosexuality? These are grievous cultural issues, yet how are we to choose without being prejudiced or ethnocentric? Anthropologist John W. Hen nett and sociologist Melvin M. Turain have outlined six func tional prerequisites of a society: 1. Maintain the biological function of tbe group members. 2. Reproduce new members for the group 3. Socialize new members in to functioning adults. 4 Produce goods and services necessary to life. 5. Maintain order within the group, and between itself and outsiders. 6. Define the “meaning of life.” and maintain the motiva tion to survive and engage in the activities necessary to survival. K. Adamson Hoebel stated "Societies that invent and do not control lethal customs are doomed.” Distinguishing socially lethal customs as such 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 Production Manager Classified Advertising Assistant to the Publisher Susan Thelen Wayne Michael Lot11nville Alyson Simmons Jean Ownbey Advertising Sales: Peter LaFleur Sales Manager Teresa Acosta, Janelie Heitmann, Catherine Lilja Rick Marti Joseph Menzel Joan Wildermuth Advertising Apprentices Ten Boring, Heather Mull Bar hara Rodgers, Julie Paul News and Editorial Display Advertising and Business Classified Advertising Letter Perfect Graphics Production Circulation 686 5511 686 3712 686 4343 686 5511 686 4381 686 5511 Editor Managing Editor News Editor Spectrum Editor Spectrum Assistant Editor Editorial Page Editors 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 Michelle Brence Lucinda Dillon Michael Rivers Stephen Maher Stanley Nelson Michael Drummond Angie Muniz Dennis Fernandes Maria Corvallis John Giustina Lorraine Rath B J Thompson Janet Paulson B J Thomsen Chris Norred Laurie Schwartz Carolyn Lamberson Sarah Kitchen Alicia Gano Scott Maben neponers: jacKie barry Mary Courtis Gary Henley Photographers: Sherlyn Biorkgren. ShuShing Chen Der rel Hewitt. Tim Jones. Bobbie'Lo, Dan Wheeler Production: Michele Ross l Ad Coordinator Supervisors: Sandra Bevans ShuShing Chen Eliot Knight. Angela Muniz, Ingrid White Technicians: Kelly Alexandre Ronwin Nicole Ashton Virginia Baniaga. Samantha Barbitta, Sara Briscoe Janet Emery Judith Gatz. Lisa Haggerty. Jung Lee Donna Leslie. Bobbie Lo, Curtis Lott Kelli Mason. Mike McGraw. Rob Miles. Diana Moy Julie Paul. Michael Wilhelm Serena Williams. X Kang Xie without bias is critical. To tolerate a given trait, like homosexuality, we must first ask ourselves; is this culture healthy, does it reproduce itself, do its members function well as adults, are they a pro ductive people, does this group act and react well with itself and others, and does it foster survival and the activities that assure reproduction. If a group is destructive to any of the basic functions of a socie ty. it can be lethal. Looking at cultures equally is important. Prejudice is an in tolerable part of society. Speak ing out against lethal traits is not prejudice, not ethnocentric, it's survival. Larry Farris Business major Deadly grapes To the Carson dining hall purchasers: We asked before in a “suggestion” if you would boycott grapes. You replied. “No. but you may.” Well, we do, but the only thing that does is leave extra grapes at the end of a meal. The only people who hear our message are those who work in Carson and they have little or no impact on the grape industry. Crapes are not the only issue here. The question is; are we go ing to support an industry that allows its workers to die of cancer? Are we going to give our money to “big business” that puts capital gain before the rights of humans? We are screaming “No!” and all you're doing is saying, "It’s ()k to say no. in fact, do it, hut we won't join you." You need to pass our message on to tin? grape growers by talk ing in the only language they understand — money. And it is "our" money — those of us who pay to eat in Carson are paying for the grapes we do not want to eat, and thus involun tarily supporting the deaths of people. Please take our suggestion more seriously than, "Why do you salt your eggs?" We do not want left-over grapes in Carson we want left-over grapes in California so that the growers get the message that we will not support virtual murder in the name of fresh fruit. By the way, some grape growers do not use deadly pesticides. Why don’t you find out who they are and buy grapes from them? I.ynn Kilpatrick Mari Shirazi Look, a unicorn Concerning "Good faith," the letter written by Brandon Shepard and printed in the ODE Thursday, April 9. You have convinced me! One does not need proof in order to believe something! Since reading your argument and be ing astounded hv its penetrating and utterly irrefutable logic, 1. like you, now believe in unicorns. Fred Koellig Freshman 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 uriter 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.
