Editorial
Forest fires deserve
involvement, action
As forest fires continue to burn out of control in
Southern Oregon, the need for increased federal involve
ment to extinquish the fires and restore the damaged forests
is an issue of paramount importance.
Dry weather and high winds provoked some of Oregon’s
rural forest fires to spread Monday, causing Oregon forestry
officials to close all state-protected lands on the west side of
the Cascade Range.
The so-called Silver Complex Fire, which has been bur
ning for seven weeks, expanded by 1,494 acres on Monday
to a total of 91.934 burning or burnt acres.
1 jast Thursday a congressional oversight hearing was
held in Washington. D C., to discuss federal efforts to com
bat fires raging in the Western United States.
At the hearing. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore.. initiated
discussion with regard to the economic impact of the fires as
well as the costs of reforestation and salvage operations.
Federal efforts to aid the war against forest fires,
however, should not stop at discussion; instead, sweeping
action is needed on the federal level not only for the present
situation but also for establishing a federal policy for com
bating persistent forest fires in the future.
In the beginning of October, the Senate approved an
allocation of $10 billion in federal funds to help fight forest
fires and to cover environmental damages in the Northwest.
This is a step in the right direction, but as the fires con
tinue to spread it may prove inadequate for preserving and
protecting one of Oregon’s greatest resources.
Increased local effort
needed to battle hunger
In the wake of a two-week observance called ‘‘World
Food Focus." concerns about the problem of hunger in
Oregon have once again surfaced.
Furthermore, emergency food requests in Oregon have
increased during the last few years at a substantial rate,
shedding light on the degree in which low-income Orego
nians are in need of food.
True, hunger is not something that is normally thought
a problem of deep concern in such an endowed society as
ours, but the facts show that people do indeed go hungry
here in Oregon.
For example, between July 1. 1989 and June 30, 1987,
491,000 Oregonians received emergency food assistance — a
14 percent increase over the previous 12 months, according
to Urry G. Raff. Oregon Food Share's acting executive direc
tor. who spoke at a news conference Friday in response to
World Food Day. Raff also pointed out that. “Less food is
Imcoming available at a time when need is skyrocketing.
Raff's comments show the urgency with which private
citizen action committees and state welfare agencies must
continue and increase efforts to combat a far-reaching social
problem that threatens not only the people of distant,
drought-stricken lands but also the humble inhabitants of
this state and this community.
To help overcome the local hunger problem, the more
fortunate members of the community should take the time to
donate food, volunteer time, or perhaps pressure an Oregon
congressman to increase state appropriations for banting
hunger.
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Letters
Open mind
I have been following the bat
tle between Tim Chauran and
the Phi Dell Theta fraternity
with some interest. As Michael
|. Flannigan states, "it has
started again." (ODE. Oct. 12).
The incident described by
Chauran is of little importance
(ODE. Oct. 7); although
Chauran's account of the inci
dent is more credible than the
Phi Dell's — since when are
fraternity brothers each others'
keepers, as Stuart Sandor's let
ter implies? (ODE. Oct. 12).
Chauran also lacks an ap
parent motive for having
fabricated the entire story,
which implies strongly that the
incident did. in fact, occur
However, the social implica
tions of such an event are im
portant. Some Greeks are aware
of the stereotypes associated
with the system in general; one
need look no further than Flan
nigan's sarcastic, albeit witty,
letter to see that These
stereotypes have endured for
years; they must have some
basis in fact, or else they would
have died long ago.
The idea of abolishing the en
tire Greek system is ridiculous.
However, changes could be im
plemented that would better the
image of the Greek system. In
stead of denying that ugly in
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cidents happen, why not take
steps to prevent their
occurrence?
Why is it necessary for those
"outside” and "within" the
system to "ridicule" each other
at all? Wouldn't it be more con
structive if we worked together
to enhance each group's collec
tive opinion of the other?
So, Greek people, what do
you say? Try to enhance the
public perception of who you
are and what you are doing. I
personally promise to keep an
open mind.
Rudy Asercion
Computer science
Problems
i read the letter written by
Scott lzswis in the Emerald
(Oct. 14) about the sign that
sometimes hangs in our office.
The claims made by the author
had some problems
The poster says. “Soviet Free
rone, no Russian attacks per
mitted." It is in the same vain as
having a nuclear-free zone or a
violence-free zone. 1 do not
think that the Russians will
hold off an attack because we
have our sign up. but as charms
go, this one did not cost you
$(>0,000 in attorney's fees.
1 do not want to hurt
anybody's feelings as to the
reasons why they put up those
types of signs, but please do not
point a finger at us when we ban
w'hat we wish not to happen.
This country still is free, is it
not?
Letters Policy
The Emerald will at
tempt 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, letters
to the editor should be
turned into the Emerald
office. Suite 200, EMU.
Also. 1 wish the author would
have stayed around to talk to the
person there in the office. All
Scott Lewis said to us was: "1
am going to write to the
Emerald about this."
Timothy F. Chase. Historian.
University College Republicans
Valid criticism
judge Robert Bork's sup
porters are being
"disengenuous” to blame his
impending failure on a ■'disin
formation” campaign.
Bork was found wanting by
the Senate judiciary Committee
based on the substantive issues
in his record. Bork had a chance
to dispel critics’ concerns and
was unconvincing.
Moreover. Bork received a
negative recommendation
because of his inability to ac
cept social changes most
Americans have long embraced.
He came across as a idealogue
because of his propensity to
theorize about the law with lit
tie regard for the practical ef
fects of his views on the civil
and individual liberties of or
dinary citizens.
Speculation about Bork's
views is not disinformation. It is
the legitimate function of the
confirmation process, the only
weigh stop for accountability
for judges on the nation’s
highest court.
The problem for staunch con
servatives like Bork is they’re
hindered by the so-called doc
trine of "original intent’’ ■— a
euphemism for conservative ac
tivism on the court that would
roll back much of the social pro
gress of the past 30 years.
Fixed as he was by this rigid
philosophy. Bork proved
himself unable to understand
what Princeton’s constitutional
scholar Stanley Katz called the
Constitution’s greatest asset —
its capacity for change while
holding to fundamental values
The American people spoke
up and were heard through
their senators — that’s
democracy in action. Bork’s
supporters should quit trying to
stall debate by calling foul
where there was none.
Gary |imenez.
Student