Editorial
Moving or destroying
BMX track impractical
I .a n<; County has recently proposed a golf course to fie
built on the ansa near Alton Baker Park and the former Day
Island Landfill. But the design of the course may eliminate
the Emerald Valley BMX Club, currently located near
Aut/.en Stadium.
While a larger, improved course in Eugene may be a
necessity, it should not come at the cost of the BMX track or
the other running and hiking facilities. Lane County must
make provisions to design the golf course around the BMX
track or find a new site for the golf course.
According to Lane County Commissioner jerry Rust, the
proposal for an 18-hole golf course has been considered for
15 years. It lias gone through a series of public hearings to
determine the need and feasibility of another golf course in
Eugene.
Studies hy the Public Coif Association show Eugene has
the fewest golfing facilities fora city of its size. This was one
of the factors that prompted the course proposal.
Rust also stressed the importance of golf to the older
community. "Golfing will be an important form of recrea
tion — the number of plavers is on the rise," lie said.
Although the number of people using the track com
pared to the number of golfers seems small, the BMX track
has received national acclaim since it was created.
It is the only track of its kind in the Eugene area, and
recently hosted a national competition for tin- second con
secutive year. Only 18 tracks in the country are awarded
with the competition each year.
The BMX Club was created in 1981. and the commis
sion unanimously gave the track a temporary permit. Now
the track may fie lost because the permit was not permanent.
"People have the initial imago of the track as a cow trail
out in blackborry flushes but it is not. It is an very exemplary
track." Scott Snook, President of the Emerald Valley BMX
Club, commented.
In the span of five years the track area has fieen
developed to accomodate competition and the public com
fortably. It would bo costly and inefficient to move the track
after it lias already been established as a quality site.
Rust appears eager to reach a compromise, however. "1
would love nothing more than the course designers saying
the two could coexist. An us vs. them confrontation would
not serve the community." he explained. But the course
must bo designed around the track or moved to a different
location.
The Alton Baker Park site is one of five potential loca
tions, but the commission says it is the best because it is
publicly owned and has a central location.
However, the laiurelwood site also has these benefits.
Conflict within the neighborhood and other legal problems,
though, have deterred the commissioners from choosing this
location.
The county should not lie slowed by the controversy if
the choice is feasible and will save it money. Currently the
new course is expected to tie funded through a developer,
with a 20-year lease, or the county will sell revenue bonds.
Rust emphasized that tax money will not lie used.
The money to relocate the BMX track cannot lie
generated so easily, however The county has already closed
several parks because of lack of funds. Snook estimated it
would cost $t>0,000-$70.000, with volunteer labor, to move
the track.
The BMX track is an important addition to the Eugene
area and should not be ignored because of its ambiguity. If
the golf course completely eliminates the track, it will
eliminate an entire aspect of Eugene recreation and national
acclaim.
Oregon Daily
Emerald
The Oregon Daily Emerald IS published Tuesday and
Thursday during tho summer by (he Oregon Daily Emerald
Publishing Co at tho University ot Oregon. Eugene
Oregon. 97403 Dally publication will resume with the tail
term
The Emerald operates independently ol the University
with utfices on the third lloor ol the Erb Memorial Union
and is a member ol the Associated Press
The Emerald IS private property The unlawful removal
or use ol papers is prosecutable by law
General Stall
Advertising Director Susan Thelen
Production Manager Michele Hoss
Classified Advertising Alyson Simmons
Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey
Editor
Managing Student Govt
News Editor
Editorial Page Editor
Photo Editor
Night Editor
Associate Editors
Higher Ed* Administration
General Assignment/Entertainment
Community
Stanley Nelson
Carolyn lamberson
Eden God bey
Angela Mum;
Shu Shmg Chen
Mike Drummond
Mike Drummond
Aaron Kno»
Stephen Maher
Advertising: Janelte Heitmann
Production: Sandra Daller / Ad Coordinator
Kelly Alenandre, Eliot Knight Diana Moy Angela Muni;
Ingrid White. Serena Williams
News and Editorial 686-S511
Display Advertising MS 3712
Classified Advertising 686 4343
Letter Perfect Graphics 686 SS11
Production 6864361
Circulation and Business 686 5511
AFTER
TESTIMONY, MXJR CLAIMS,
^OURASOTnO^WR
VMWOP'THETWJTW,
VIE HAVE JUST ONt MORE.
QUESTION. WHATS IN
THE PIPE?
Commentary
Image of success warps morals
"What's the use of being
elected or re-elected unless you
stand for something?"
— Clover Cleveland
Moral behavior. Traditional
values. We are awash in a
political sea of righteousness
that proves upon even the most
cursory examination to tie chok
ed with the lies of leaders, foul
ed with fallen standards,
poisoned by the culture of
deception.
Commentary by
Alan Contreras
In the bicentennial year of the
Constitution, we display to the
world America's theme: getting
away with it. Our officeholders
lie. cheat and steal. So do cor
porate. religious and university
leaders.
There is no question of
availability, only price. There is
no question of right or wrong,
only success or failure. Success
is getting away with it. Failure
is getting caught
State Department officials
brag of avoiding the questions
of Congress. Religious leaders
wallow in gold, playing crack
the-whip with the mantle of
Christ.
Military officers and civilians
make home-brew foreign
policy. Corporations sell old
cars as new. Colleges are for
sale to the military, or the
coaches or both.
Can we turn to organized
religion for an injection of
moral direction as some leaders
suggest? No.
Not only are religious leaders
embroiled in scandals of their
own. but they are merely peo
ple. gatekeepers and translators
of ancient words now beyond
meaningful access. Some
preach love, some preach hate.
Their churches claim as
adherents the same liars, cheats
and thieves who hold high
places in our government,
whose moral compasses swing
as aimlessly on the way out as
on the way in.
Can we turn to the law for
standards? No.
The law is by nature both
minimal and general. It guides
us only in those areas where a
momentary assemblage of
legislators or a flicker of judicial
whim determines the disposi
tion of a particular idea The
law also requires enforcement,
and is thus subject to infinite
abuse by the frail humans en
trusted with that power.
t'.an we turn to government
itself? No. the shining city on a
hill envisioned by john YVin
throp at the founding of the
Massachusetts Bay Colony may
still have the lights on. but no
one is home — at least no one
YVinthrop would care to meet.
There are too few able to
assume the cloak of public trust
without feeling the lining for
coins.
We have only ourselves. We
must each develop our own
moral sense as best we can and
live by it.
The source of our scale of
right and wrong is unimportant,
but Indore the nation can begin
to find its moral bearings, each
citizen must do so. Only when
individuals stand for something
can honest discourse about
public issues take place.
We live in a time of hate, fear,
gn*ed. prejudice ami disdain. A
time in which individualist
separatism, having taken us to
the bleeding edge of American
life, has discovered itself unable
to complete the circle, to
establish a stable culture in its
own image.
We are left with the
osteopathic skeleton of the law.
the trampled mantle of religion,
and the sorry assemblage of
government.
We must begin again to
realize the meaning of society,
to assess our place as in
dividuals and groups, to con
sider questions of right and
wrong in relation to others, not
just ourselves.
If we do not establish certain
basic levels of respect, certain
norms, for our new in
dividualist nation, we will con
tinue slipping into the dark
land of "us and them." with
atrophied institutions mere
political plums, and bombs in
every basement.
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.