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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 25, 1987)
Editorial Amendment to bill promotes ignorance Sen. Jesse Helms' (R-N.C.) amendment to the AIDS ap propriations bill that would "prohibit federal funds from be ing spent on AIDS education materials which promote the homosexual lifestyle" is representative of the ignorance and fear that prevents adequate AIDS research and education. The AIDS appropriations bill determines the amount of support the federal government will give during the next fiscal year. Helms’ amendment, however, could hamper financial support for AIDS research and directly segregates those with the disease. Essentially, the government is sending an intolerant message that it does not approve of homosexuality and is un willing to help conduit the disease. This is the attitude that has prevented AIDS research for so long, as San Francisco Chronicle reporter Kandy Shi Its explains in his book "And the Hand Played On: People, Politics and the AIDS Epidemic.” Shilts says it was the lack of concern expressed by the government, media and society that delayed AIDS education and research — education and research that is necessary to prevent the spread of the disease. At first AIDS was considered a homosexual disease and basically ignored by society and even the homosexual com munity. Shilts said while he was on campus Thursday. It wasn't until the disease spread to the heterosexual com munity that it received the attention it receives now. The Reagan administration has perpetuated this segregated attitude by ignoring AIDS until the public demanded action. Despite the information available to them, officials refused to deal with the issue simply because it was considered a homosexual disease. The government also has promoted fears by proposing mandatory AIDS testing While it is necessary to control the disease, this method would be ineffective. The Helms amendment reinforces this fearful ideology and denounces the homosexual lifestyle. Helms would prefer to ignore an entire class of people on the basis of sex ual preference — a preference he does not approve of. This attitude does not benefit AIDS research. Homosex uals and heterosexuals are equally vulnerable to AIDS. The homosexual lifestyle must lie considered for proper educa tion about the disease. Ignoring this aspect of the disease will not make it go away. The amendment also would place the government in the sensitive position of judging what "promotes" homosex uality Helms' views toward the lifestyle, for example, are much more conservative than other senators' views. As a result, the educational material stands the chance of being restricted to the extent that it no longer serves its purpose Education on and research of AIDS is vital to curbing the spread of the disease. This cannot be done, however, if people like Helms are more concerned about dismissing a lifestyle they do not approve of. We must all accept that the disease exists and is a danger to both heterosexuals and homosexuals. If we deny it in our educational material, we only promote the stereotype and segregation of the homosexual lifestyle. The AIDS appropriations bill is an lmpunaiu miu necessary step towards solving the AIDS epidemic. Helms' amendment should not be allowed to undermine its purpose. ( l . 'course ewes k damn MUlSAXf MOST OF THE TME BUT YDu GET utfP To DOIN' ftKXM> WITH ft GUV M' W CAN'T GET RIO OF HIM. Letters Glasnost The recant decision of the State Hoard of Higher Education to retire University President Paul Oluin in June. 1989 is seriously flawed for several reasons The fact is. the decision was made by the executive commit tee of tne board Although the Ixtard is now going to vote on the matter it was perfectly ob vious to anyone who attended the board meeting on Friday. Nov 13, that the decision was already made and that the vote was to be mere lip service to democratic process. The fact that this decision was made with no minutes kept, with no record of votes, with no stated reason for the retirement, and most important ly. with no public discourse, is a slap in the face of Dr (Hum. the students, the faculty, the community and anyone else in terested in seeing that the University grow and improve. The board condescended to hear testimony on Dr. Olum's behalf at the Nov. 13 meeting, but as I have stated, this was merely a cosmetic measure in tended to pacify the natives Oregon Daily Emerald P O Box 31*. tucror. Ongoa *7403 The Oregon Deity Emerald It published Monday through Friday except during exam week and locations by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co. at the University of Oregon. Eugene. Oregon The Emerald operates independently ot the University with offices on the third floor 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 Ross Classified Manager Kelli Mason Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey Advertising Sales Rick Mart; Sales Manager Ten Boring. Gary DeLossa. Tom Leech. Catherine Lilia. Rick Marti. Laura McKinney. Joann Nelson. Julie Paul. Barbara Rogers. Scott Thorktldson, Joan Wildermuth News and Editorial 666 551 1 Display Advertising and Business 666-3712 Classified Advertising 686 4343 Letter Perfect Graphics 686-55! t Production 666 4361 Circulation 666 5511 Editor Managing Editor News Editor Editorial Page Editor* Sports Editor Photo Editor Graphic Design Editor Special Issues Editor Entertainment Sports Segment Editor Night Editor Stanley Nelson Scott Maben Carolyn Lamberson Angela Muniz/Steven Hoentsch Aaron Kno* Shu-Shtng Chen Lorraine Rath Kelly Korlekaas H C Hutto Stephen Maher Associate Editors Community Stephen Maher Higher Education-Administration Michael Drummond Student Government - Activities Will Holbert Features Kelly Kortehaas Reporters: Betsy Clayton. Paula Green. Frale de Guzman. Craig Harris. Gary Henley. Andrew LaMar. Jett Morgan. In grid Petersen. Cam! Swanson. Kelvin Wee Photographers: Sherlyn Bjorkgren, Chrlstophe Chabaudte. Andy Cnpe. Clift Etzel. John Giustma. Bobbie Lo. Gregor Okorn Andre Rameri. Ted Shepler. Michael Templeton. Dan Wheeler Production: Sandra Daller I Ad Cooromalor Kelly Alexandre. Ronwin Nicole Ashton. Virginia Bamaga. Laura Carhart. Eva Cohen. Stephanie Drynan. Dolores Fer rero. Shannon Gaither. Lisa Haggerty. Stephanie Holland. Deirdre Kelly. Eliot Knight. Chris Knox. Jung Lee. Bobbie Lo. James Mason. Ross Martin. Angela Muniz. Ted Shepler. Linda Sperling. LlsaSvanevik. Ingrid White. Kelly Williams. Serena Williams. X Kang Xie Regardless of Dr Qlum's qualifications for the position of president, the decision-making process was flawed Once this mistake was made, the board had two options it could have admitted the mistake but defended the decision. This would have entailed remaking the decision in the proper man ner The other option was to simply admit that Dr Olum does damn good work and let him stay until 1‘t92. The board did neither. In stead. they compounded the mistake They decided to vote on this important matter via teleconference, thus making another closed-door decision. This is a statement to Oregon that the board does nut malty care what we think The board also does not want to make an unpopular decision in front of hundreds of justifiably outraged citizens. This is not just a question of the University or of Paul Olum Decisions that affect our lives are being made behind locked doors I would like to ask one thing of the state board. The Soviets have a name for it: glasnost. |eff Heiman Student Suave band Personally. I think the Cuar dians of American Morality are really f— ing suave. In their stance of "tight lipped moral superiority." the ladies of the Women's Resource and Referral Center not only completely miss the point (ODE. Nov. 16). but serve to make that of the band they an; protesting, as its name would imply. (You do have a point, don't you guys?) Although 1 suppose these women have actually seen the excellent film. "Blue Velvet." somehow it doesn't seem like it In any event, do they know what exposition and satire are? Lighten up. girls. Should you wish to see some real exploita tion. I suggest catching the dog food-eating contest action in Springfield. It's a crazy, mixed up world, isn't it? Rebecca Harris Eugene Make peace As a former Marine who serv ed with a grunt (infantry) com pany in Vietnam. I would like to respond to Henry Kissinger's taking offense to the United States-Vietnam agreement link ing an accounting of the 2.413 missing American servicemen with pledges to look into Viet nam’s humanitarian concerns It is my belief it is we. as a na tion. who should make the first move by offering full diplomatic recognition and reconstruction aid to Vietnam It is Kissinger that I take offense to. As secretary of state, co author of the Christmas bomb ing of Hanoi in 1972 and the US.-backed coup of 1973 which replaced the legally elected socialist government of Salvador Allende's Chile with the viciously brutal U.S.-backed military of General Augusto Pinochet. I believe that Kisss inger should be brought to trial as a war criminal. 1 read with interest the the ar ticle on MIA's in Life magazine The evidence cited was enough to rank the magazine right up there with The National En quirer in the annals of yellow journalism. The article lacks any substantial evidence to in dicate that there are Americans being held in Southeast Asia. One of the more interesting statistics of the article is that while MIA's make up twenty percent of the Korean War. they only account for five percent of the Vietnam War. The MIA issue is a pseudo-issue, it is time to make peace with Vietnam Ron Phillips. Coordinator Draft and Pre-enlistment Counseling Project
