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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1987)
Editorial Award encourages integrity in politics Former California Supreme Court Chief justice Rose Bird will receive the first annual Wayne Morse Integrity in Politics award in Eugene on Saturday. The awards dinner should Ik? well-attended and the honor encouraged to continue. This award is designed to exemplify politics as an honorable profession and to recognize individuals who uphold Morse's pledge of independent judgement. Morse is a former U.S. Senator from Oregon. What is now commonly known as the Wayne Mom? pledge reflects the criteria used for selecting the first reci pient of the award. Morse stated: “I will exercise an in dependence of judgement based on the evidence of each issue. I will weigh the views of my constiuents and party, but cast my vote free of political pressure ami unmoved by the threats of loss of political support.” l-aura Olsen of the Wayne Morris Historical Park Cor poration said the award was initiated to show the good side of politics. “Too many people see politics as a dishonorable profession because we only hear about the bad things that happen.” she said. Hopefully this award can promote and highlight the quality and integrity Wayne Morse exemplified as a Senator. In a time when politicians are scrutinized and punished for their faults and indiscretions, this award comes as a pleasant spotlight. The dinner ceremony will take place at the Valley River Inn. Tickets to attend can Ik? purchased at the Literary Lion, or by contacting Randy MacDonald at 344-5306 or by leav ing a message at the Sister University Project in Suite 3 EMU. extension 3194. Media attention given to girl excessive and unnecessary The ability of the media to rally people to a cause was demonstrated in full force recently when lH-month-old lessica McClure fell 22 feet clown an abandoned well in Midland. Texas, last Wednesday. The world followed the fate of the child as she was rescued and millions continue to follow her medical progress. While the story of the child is touching and important, the news coverage it received was excessive. The Register Guard and The Oregonian ran the story spread over the front page on both Friday and Saturday, enable News Network, a 24-hour cable news station, aired live reports from the scene every 15 minutes while rescuers worked to save McClure. This amount of coverage was not neccessary. Granted the story was tragic and brought to the forefront, once again, the dangers of abandoned wells. But it does not merit the at tention it received. It is sad that with a power to inform and persuade the media devotes so much time and money covering this story when it could be covering more important issues. Other issues, such as Contra aid or the fighting in the Persian Gulf have a much greater impact on our everyday lives. Even though the plight of a small girl in Texas gives us something to hope for and something to care about with im mediate impact in our lives, it should not be taken to such an extreme. ■ a WAX, TBtYRE OUR< !! y Commentary Nicaraguan policy based in bias We all know what is behind our policy towrard Nicaragua, right? Why else would so many l>eople in a nation so well in formed either explicitly support through action or tacitly sup port through inaction the cur rent policy and tactics. Commentary By Will Holbert According to the emminent scenario artists of W'ashingon. the story goes something like the this: All sectors of the Nicaraguan society rose up against a vile dictator, but since then, a small opportunistic group of communists bullied their way to power, silenced the opposition, ruined the economy and began preparing an army of conquest. Fortunately, a small band of patriots held out. Most of the original political leaders of the revolution joined the armed op position. The United States liegan supporting the rebels because the Nicaraguan people want to be liberated from com munist tyranny. The United States has a long-standing IMilicv of supporting freedom Oregon Daily Emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald la 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 Oeneral Staff Advertising Otrector Susan Theien Advertising Sales: Ten Boring, Gary Deloasa. Tom Leech, Catherine Lilia. Rick Marti. Laura McKinney, Heather Mull. Joann Nelson, Julie Paul. Barbara Rogers. Scott Thorklldson. Joan Wlldermuth Production Manager Classified Manager Assistant to the Publisher Michele Ross Kelli Mason Jean Ownbey -- — — .a f tAil nrlal rvwWl WmWM CwwMi MS-SStl MS-3712 i sits* Piffirt Qriohici Production Circulation SSS-M11 •SS-43S1 SSS-Mt 1 Editor Managing I Newt Editc Editor Editorial Page Editors Sports Editor Photo Editor Graphic Design Editor Special Issues Editor Entertainment . Sports Segment Editor Night Editor Stanley Nelson Scott Maben Eden God bey Angela Muni;/Steven Hoemsch Aaron Knox Shu-Shlng Chen Lorraine Rath Kelly Kortekaas HC Hutto Andrew LaMar Aiiociitt Editors Community Stephen Maher Higher Education/Administration Michael Drummond Student Government' Activities Carolyn Lamberson General Assignment / Entertainment Will Holbert Reporters: Betsy Clayton. Paula Green. Frale de Guzman. Craig Harris, Gary Henley. Andrew LaMar. Jett Morgan, In grid Petersen, Cami Swanson, Kelvin Wee Photographers: Shertyn B|orkgren. Marla Corvallis. Andy Crlpe. Dusty Etzel. Derrel Hewitt. John Giustlna. Bobbie Lo. Ross Martin. Andre Ranleri, Dan Wheeler. Michael Wilhelm Production: Sandra Dailer I Ad Coordinator Kelly Alexandre. rtonwln Nicole Ashton. Virginia Banlaga. Laura Carhart. Ellen Cross. Eva Cohen. Stephanie Drynan. Dolores Ferreo. Shannon Gaither. Lisa Haggerty. Stephanie Holland, Deirdre Kelly. Eliot Knight. Chris Knox. Jung Lee, Bobble Lo. Ross Martin, James Mason. Angie Muniz. Ted Shepler. Linda Speriing. Lisa Svanevik. Ingrid White. Mike Wilhelm. Kelly Williams. Serena Williams. X Kang Xie loving people in struggle, well, .it le,ist most of the time. If you don't believe that scenario, there are viable "na tional security" reasons for sup porting the rebels. It is only a matter of time before refugees are streaming across the Rio Grande. Soviet military bases line the Uarribean and the Panama Canal is closed. Resides, the Nicaraguan government supports other revolutions and is involved in drug trafficking, right? Its simple. Facts support scenarios, scenarios support policy, and policy supports ac tion. That's why Vice President George Hush received the loudest applause at his an nouncement of his presidential candidacy when he promised ongoing support for the Contras. The discriminating reader may observe some problems with these arguments, not the least of which is that they are built on suspicious or fabricated evidence. Because Nicaragua has open borders, there has tieen no shortage of fact finders and unbiased media scouring the countryside looking for evidence of repression or ex pansionism. You can read analysises from the U.S. government and it's supporting intellectual cadre, and you can read international and unaf filiated studies. With some at tempt at synthesis and correc tion for bias, you will un doubtedly come away with serious doubts about the credibility of the these arguments. There is little evidence that the Nicaraguan people want to be liberated, much less by the United States (or its proxies), which have already liberated Nicaragua on several occasions. Outside of fanciful conjecture, there is no evidence of threats to American life or property by Nicaraguans Although the na tional security argument can be extrapolated to a hysterical ex treme. that is one of the less savory rationalizations you are left with when the facts are exposed. The Reagan admistration swims to have accepted the in validity of the more appealing justifications. Why else would they be grasping at logical straws and turning up the hysteria in their public postur ing? If the facts supporting their policy held any semblance of reality, why would they resort to these pathetic tactics? One of these pearls is the old standby that Nicaragua is masterminding a disinforma tion campaign. Without even relying on the many thorough analysises of Nicaragua, it challenges the imagination of even the ill-informed how a country the size of Arkansas, ravaged by war. underdevelop ment and poverty manages to manipulate the American press and public opinion. Given the media's and the government's singular attention to emotional ly loaded incidents and anec dotal evidence supporting U.S. policy, it would be easy to reverse the accusation. The latest brilliance is this drivel about the Contras somehow insuring progress toward democracy. It is painful to hear seemingly intelligent people like Secretary of State George Shutlz and his assistant Klliot Abrahins attempting to advocate that by funding a gang of mercenaries we are ac complishing anything more than the terrorism of an im poverished and defenseless civilian population The more likely tactical purpose of the Contras' putrid little war is that it helps to fulfill a prophecy of economic disaster. Undoubtedly we are due to endure all sorts of misrepresen tations about the degree of suc cess of the Arias peace plan The administration has already tipped its hand that it will call the plan a failure on Nov. 8th and seek massive funding for the Contras before Thanksgiv ing Clever how so many in this country are now poised to see Nov. 7th as a deadline for peace in the region, when in fact the plan is to begin on that date. If you support by action or in action the administration's policy and the rationalizations behind that policy become un Turn to Policy, Page 3
