Editorial
Indian ceremony
a religious right
The Oregon Supreme Court heard arguments this week
on a Klamath Indian’s right to take the drug peyote in
religious ceremonies even though it conflicted with his pro
fession. Alfred Smith was fired from his job as a drug
counselor after he took peyote during a Native American
Church service. Although Smith knew he was breaking the
rules of his job, his religious rights should be upheld.
The conditions of Smith's employment stated that he re
main free of drugs and alcohol. Smith was born on a
Klamath Indian reservation but raised as a Catholic. He was
drawn back to his native religion after overcoming
alcoholism.
Forbidding Smith to take peyote would be denying
Smith his religion. The drug is a vital part of the religion.
Comparisons have been made to a Catholic taking wine as
part of communion. According to the conditions of Smith's
job, taking communion would be a justification for firing a
person.
Communion is a symbolic rite used to demonstrate
Christ’s hardship. And while many Christians see the sacra
ment of Holy Communion as a symbolic rite, members of the
religion practiced by Klamath Indians believe peyote is more
than symbolic, and it can be the object of their worship.
According to Sandy Schmidt, a staff attorney for the
Native American department of Oregon Legal Services, tak
ing peyote is an integral part of the religion. "It functions
almost as a deity, a power, a healer," she said. "It also is
used as a tool or mechanism to get closer to the deity."
Unlike communion, peyote is actually worshiped, she said.
Peyote is used in a night-iong ceremony. The drug br
ings on positive feelings and a sense of brotherhood and uni
ty between the people, Schmidt said.
Using peyote in this sense is not abusing the drug or us
ing it for recreation. Smith commented that people do not
enter the ceremony as a reason to get high. "The Native
American people don’t define peyote as a drug; it’s a sacra
ment. This is the age-old misunderstanding between white
people and Native Americans," Smith told the Oregonian.
Smith's religion has been misunderstood and he has
suffered for practicing it. The stipulations in his job contract
were clear and understandable — as a drug counselor, Smith
should not abuse drugs. But the conditions do not allow
Smith to acknowledge his Native American heritage.
The program director of the drug and alcohol program
where Smith worked said he was hired to reach out to other
Indians. However, he must do this by denying a common
bond he shares with other Indians — his religion.
The ceremony did not interfere with Smith’s perfor
mance on the job; it only violated a principle. But the rules
of his job do not fully consider the benefits it gives Smith.
The ceremony is a peaceful expression. Schmidt described it
as a "cleansing and healing process."
Smith did not abuse the drug and was aware it violated his
job conditions. Nonetheless, his freedom to express his
religion should take precedence over his employment
stipulations as long as they do not interfere with his work.
This case is an extreme because peyote is so central to
Smith’s religion. But it is not an excuse to take drugs. The
ceremony is a centuries-old experience and a form of ex
pressing the Klamath Indians' closeness to their God. In this
case the conditions of Smith's job asked him to sacrifice too
much of his personality and heritage.
Letters
Hanukkah
Although the holiday of
Hanukkah may not be as
religiously significant as Rosh
Hashana or Passover, (its timing
usually in the Christmas season)
has made this holiday well
known.
However, it is important to
understand that Hanukkah is
not the Jewish Christmas. While
Christmas celebrates the birth of
Jesus. Hanukkah celebrates the
victory of the Maccabees (a
Jewish family/tribe) over the
Syrians led by Antiochus IV.
If you are interested in a more
thorough explanation of the
“miracle” of Hanukkah, or
would like to celebrate Hanuk
kah. 1 recommend that you at
tend the Hanukkah Celebration
Tuesday Dec. 15 at 7:30 at the
Koinonia Center.
Happy Hanukkah and best of
luck with finals!
Stephanie Kustner, Director
Jewish Student Union
Oregon Daily
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To the guardians
This letter is to the seif
appointed guardians of
Eugene's morality. “Woman is
the nigger of the world.” What
do you think of that? I suppose
now you are going to tell
everyone to burn their Beatles
albums and boycott record
stores that sell such demeaning
trash.
Eric Johnson
English literature
Rational writing
I write not in response to a
particular column, but to the
manner in which the editor
delivers his viewpoint. I am not
offended by his “liberal”
editorials. However, I do object
to the abusive, unfair insults
thrown at anyone not towing
the liberal line.
The editor does not respect a
person's right to a different
point of view, or consider
reasons supporting that view.
He just slams them.
Let's have a free flow of ideas,
persuasively written, not per
sonal attacks. The editor will
not win anyone, except angry,
irrational people, to his cause.
The editor needs to argue ra
tionally, not hurl invective.
Robert Burns
Law
Man with the ties
I’m madder than a pit bull
with a toothache at the furor
created by the liberal press
about Paul ‘Red’ Olum’s
dismissal by the state board.
Good riddance to the leftist
oriented rubbish.
I, for one, stand behind the
board and its so-called ’secret'
agenda because this is the
1980s, and almost the 1990s,
and not the 1960s. We need a
university president with ties to
the CIA, NOT the Kremlin, if
the University is ever to garner
any of the weapons research
dollars the board so obviously
covets.
Therefore. I fully support the
nomination of the man who
most obviously fits the board's
needs, a man who has the ex
perience in backroom dealing
and secret operations necessary
to operate the University in the
years ahead.
Ed Meese, you have my
support!
J.P. O’Neil
Eugene
Respected
I would like to take this op
portunity to express my regret
at the resignation of Incidental
Fee Committee member Sandra
Thompson.
While I rarely agreed with
Sandra philosophically, 1
always respected the fact that
she was dedicated to the
business of the committee, and
actively sought to gather as
much information from as many
sources as possible before
reaching a decision.
When the ASUO Excutive
decides who to nominate as her
replacement, and the ASUO
Senate deliberates confirmation
of that nominee, I hope they
will set standards no lower than
those Sandra set for herself,
selecting a new member who
has both the background and
experience, as well as the com
mitment to the committee, that
will be required as we go into
months of budget hearings, and
that they will not permit
political considerations to sway
their decisions.
Bob Baldwin
IFC Chair