Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 11, 1987)
Editorial Marijuana use not an issue A New York Times-CBS News poll shows a majority of Americans do not believe trying marijuana is a sufficient reason to prevent someone from becoming president or a Supreme Court justice. This poll comes as a response to Douglas Ginsburg's withdrawal of his nomination to the Supreme Court because he admitted to smoking marijuana eight years ago. Ginsburg's confession comes during a year when the media's scrutiny of people in public positions has received sharp criticism. Ginsburg blamed the media for focusing on his personal life and not his judicial qualifications. "Unfor tunately all of the attention has been focused on our personal lives and much of that on the events of many years ago.” he said in a prepared statement. Attorney General Ed Meese also succumbed to the media pressure, and informed Ginsburg that the issue would "cause great embarrassment to the administration.” The media should realize that as more people from the 1960s and '70s enter politics, more people will have ex perimented with marijuana. Ginsburg. 41. is one example. Hut after his withdrawal democratic presidential candidates Albert Gore. 39. and Bruce Babbitt. 49, both admitted trying marijuana. This view was reflected in the poll in which 28 percent believed "most" people 30-40 years old had tried mari juana, Forty-four percent believed about half had tried it. The bottom line is that the public really doesn't mind if politicians have experimented with marijuana, just as long as they don't use it now. The media and the Reagan ad ministration should understand this. Meese's Ginsburg stance a political embarrassment President Reagan should re-evaluate the role of At torney General Kdwin Meese in his administration. In the course of the past year Meese has proved to be a political em barrassment to the Reagan administration, and during a time when most consider Reagan a lame duck president, this negative attention is not needed. Mease’s most recent blunder came when Supreme Court nominee Douglas Ginsburg announced he had smoked mari juana while he was a law professor. This was a direct con flict with Reagan's anti-drug stance. Unfortunately. Meese pressured Reagan into nominating Ginsburg when little was known about the judge. Meese was only concerned with furthering the con servative agenda. He could have accomplished this if Ginsburg. a young conservative, was appointed to the Supreme Court. Meese is obsessed with furthering his agenda with com plete disregard for the wishes of the public or for the political ramifications to the Reagan adminstration. The public i$ moving away from the conservative stand point it held seven years ago. If Reagan wants to leave office with a positive impression, he should realize Meese does not represent the new views of the people and will only con tinue to embarrass the administration. ■4 Atm Mm* DeFeNse CONTRACTORS "Weinberger's resigning... the Reagan era's coming to an end...” Letters Unjust view William Moore, in his letter, urged individuals not to sup port organizations supported by United Way because it assisted" Planned Parenthood (ODE. Nov 2). He claimed his opposition was "neither ar bitrary nor uninformed.” yet never before have I mad such a blatantly unjust, conceited and ignorant point of view in print. Mr Mooru is arbitrary in that it is his own. and others like him. preference that groups like Planned Parenthood should be abolished. Also, he can’t possibly be "informed" on what it is really like to suffer an unwanted prugnancy, because it is my guess he has never been a woman faced with this tragedy. Yet he believes that he has the prerogative to tell all women in this particular situation that the only choice they should have during an unwanted pregnancy is to have the child regardless of the financial, emotional or physical strain that befalls them Does Mr Moore believe that withdrawing support for Plann ed Parenthood, thus leaving young individuals with no means for receiving proper birth control methods and other valuable services, will decrease Oregon Daily Emerald The Oregon Dally Emerald la published Monday through Friday except during exam week and vacations by the Oregon Dally Emerald Publishing Co., at the University of Oregon, Eugene. Oregon. 97403 The Emerald operates independently ol 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 Michele Ross Classified Manager Kelli Mason Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey Advertising Sales: Tert Boring. Gary DeLossa. Tom Leech. Catherine Lilja Rick Marti. Laura McKinney. Heather Mull. Joann Nelson. Julie Paul. Barbara Rogers. Scott Thorklldson. Joan WHdermuth News and Editorial MSS51 t Display Advertising and Business SM-3712 Classified Advertising MS-4343 Letter Perfect Graphics MS-SSft Production *444341 Circulation MSSStf PS*« 2 Editor Managing I Newt Editc | Editor lltor Editorial Page Editors Sport* Editor Photo Editor Graphic Design Editor Special Issues Editor Entertainment .'Sports Segment Editor Night Editor Stanley Nelson Scott Maben Eden God bey Angela Muniz/Steven Hoenlsch Aaron Knox Shu-Shlng Chen Lorraine Rath Kelly Kortekaas H C Hutto Stephen Maher Aseoclate Editor* Community Andy LaMar Higher Education'Administration Michael Drummond Student Government / Activities Carolyn Lamberson General Assignment/Entertainment Will Holbert Reporters: Craig Harris, Gary Henley, Andrew LaMar, Jett Morgan. Ingrid Petersen. Cam! Swanson. Kelvin Wee Photographers: Sherlyn Biorkgren. Christophs Chabaudle. Andy Cnpe. Cliff Etrel. John Glustina. Bobbie Lo. Gregor Okorn. Andre Ranlen, Ted Shepler. Michael Templeton. Dan Wheeler Production: Sandra Oaller I Ad Coordinator Kelly Alexandre. Ronwln Nicole Ashton, Virginia Baniaga. Laura Carhart. Eva Cohen, Stephanie Drynan. Dolores Fer rero. Shannon Gaither. Lisa Haggerty, Stephanie Holland. Deirdre Kelly. Eliot Knight. Chrt* Knox. Jung Lee. Bobbie Lo, James Mason, Angie Muniz. Ted Shepler. Linda Sped Ing. Lisa Svanevik. Ingrid White. Kelly Williams. Serena Williams. X Kang Xle sexual relations among young people ami or the number of abortions performed yearly? Both the United Way and Planned Parenthood are wor thwhile and charitable organizations. They do not pro mote sexual relations between students, nor do they "actively advocate abortion." They do. however, advocate a woman's freedom of choice concerning her own body. Mr Moon; will never have to face the trauma of an unwanted abortion, but still deems himself knowledgeable enough to pass judgment on those who might. He has no ethical right to ask people not to support the United Way, which in turn assists organizations, like Planned Parenthood, which provide freedom of choice. As long as there are closed minded. disillusioned view points. such as Mr. Moore's. 1 fear for my own given right to choose what affects me and my body, as well as future genera tions' freedom of choice. People just don't seem to real ly hug one another. People em brace for mere seconds as if afraid of each other. If you're going to have contact with so meone, make it count. Wrap your arms around them and squeeze all your positive energy into them. Don't pat someone on the back. This is patronizing them by not sharing with them. Human contact is not something that people should be afraid of. People revel in this exchange of goodwill. What if someone l don’t want to hug me tries to or does hug me? Tough question. If they hug you, return the hug. After all. it's a wonderful thing anyway. What's more, maybe it’ll open up a side to this person you haven't noticed before. If you feel that you cannot do this, at least tell them you don’t feel very comfortable with the ac tion taking place. To really hug someone is truth. The least one can do is give them the truth of Kelly L. Foutts Pre- journalism your feelings. Please be tactful; these are human emotions so tread lightly. To just give them a partial hug is an injustice to the human closeness that all people desire and to the positive feelings that someone is giving off. Sharing yourself with another is wonderful and shouldn’t lx; avoided. So next time, hug for all your positive might. Blake Louts Sliter Political science/English Sorry Louisiana I too wish to extend an apology to Victor Adonri for the treatment of racism he received in this community. Yet in a different light, I wonder how John Tapogna can justify his remark towards l.oui siana (ODE, Nov 2). My inten tion is not to offend you, but I do think the apology should go out to a whole state on your behalf, or from you personally. As for our international visitor, I wish I could beg forgiveness on behalf of this country but can only speak for myself. Glen Smith Student Candidates After watching the Republican candidates for the presidency on Firing Line (what a coincidence it happened dur ing Halloween week!), the following pithy characteriza tions came to mind; George Bush... between cro quet and hardball. Bob Dole. . .opportunism as an art. Pat Robertson.. .curdled whipping creme. Jack Kemp ... amiable simplicity. Pierre DuPont... pseudo Pete. Alex Haig... vainglorious busybody. Dr. A. Brettauer Eugene Wednesday, November 11. 1987