__Forum-—
Racism will stay until people see it's inside
By Barbara Turrill
Once, when 1 was living in
Toledo. Ohio. I was sexually
assaulted by a barber and I
made the decision to report
what had happened to the po
lice.
After repeating my story sev
eral times to various officials. I
was referred to a small room on
_Commentary
the second floor The sign on
the office door said "Personal
Assault Walk Right In."
A week of watching and at
tending a symposium (which
didn't happen) on racism (that
did), as well as reading the
Catch It Public Forum of the
Fob. 1H-24 issue, as well as not
ing the process behind the out
side evaluation of the Universi
ty's affirmative Action office,
has left me feeling as if I have
just walked through the above
mentioned door.
I am being continually asked
to believe that whites. Ixith as
individuals and in groups. are
committed to working on the
issue of racism, or trying to. in
the face of curious and hitter
events: extrvmely low atten
dance at many, if not all. of the
symposium presentations, such
as I Jr Cole's lecture. Dianna
kale's workshop, and the Na
tive American Student Union
panel on the Native American
perspective.
A film sponsored by MKChA
was canceled, but other than a
group of seven people that had
prearranged to attend. I saw
only three, maybe four people
waiting at the door, and they
left after five minutes.
I saw flyers up about Angela
Davis' talk, but only because I
sat in the lobby of I-awrence
Hall for ■i'i minutes waiting for
the film
Mv ethnic background is
English. Welsh and Freni h,
white What has become bla
tantly clear is that if rnv under
standing of what racism is is
limited to lip servii e attending
Unlearning Racism workshops
or showing up every four years
to hear Angela Davis, then I
have no understanding at all
When I asked Steve Hoyt.
ASl’C) vice president and
one of the few members of the
ASUO who attended NASU's
panel discussion how the
racism symposium was organ
ized. he responded defensively
by asking, what did I expect
tin- ASUO to do. contact all the
student unions whenever they
decided to have a symposium?
Why is that even a question?
And isn't this the heart of the
problem — not even to realize
that anything is wrong with
how a group is going about its
daily business?
The second part of the prob
lem then becomes, how do
whites move off that very capti
vating square of guilt, defen
siveness. fear, ignorance and
helplessness, toward informed,
responsible and active aware
ness?
This is not a problem that
lies just with the ASUO. hut
with the Women's Center.
AIDS stops being 'us vs. them
with education, understanding
By Rohin Schaefers
A few weeks ago I was in
formed that a friend of mine
was in the hospital "dying of
AIDS " 1 waited for more infor
mation, hoping it was a very
bad rumor.
Two days later, the "rumor"
was confirmed My friend had
contracted meningitis in late
October of last year. When it
would not go away, tests were
taken. The reason the illness re
mained? AIDS.
After being told of the verac
ity of mv friend's illness, I was
very upset. I wanted to know
more How could I best help
my friend, and also understand
the ramifications, implications
_Commentary
and pure pain that I felt? I
needed to know facts, yet also
to have someone understand
the emotional, human feelings I
was going through That is why
1 called the Willamette AIDS
Council. 1 was not disappoint
ed.
The person 1 talked to spent
over an hour on the phone with
me We discussed everything
from the mental spirit of the
AIDS vii tims. alternative there
py and outreai h groups, to the
beautiful, sunny day outside
and living life to its fullest I'd
like to thank the Willamette
AIDS Council for taking the
lime to not only inform, hut
also to care
1 cried .i lot that day and the
person I spoke with understood
all the levels of interaction that
I needed 1 wrote a letter to my
friend that night 1 expressed
my concern, my love, my sup
port and my hopes for his men
tal strength I mailed it the next
morning
\!v friend died two days la
ter Mv friend was 3:t years old.
My friend never received the
letter.
So. my friend, now I sit here
with a glass of champagne in
my hand, trying to celebrate
vour life while mourning yinir
death Here's to you:
Your life was shorter than
many expected.
Than any expected.
And in the end it was diffi
cult
lor that I am sorry
Hut you filled your days with
the joys life has to offer
What more can any of us ask '
You tout lied my lite and I am
better for it
Thank you.
I hope you learned the les
sons that life had for you.
Carry them with you to the
next.
May those you have left be
hind learn the lessons you have
taught
And live them through this
life.
So. my friend, rest now Re
cuperate and nurture your soul.
Rejuvenate your spirit
And when you are ready,
may our paths cross again.
Until then, from me to you. I
love you.
My message to the Wiliam
ette AIDS Council Thank you.
May you continue to inform
and help people as you have
me
This is not .111 "us \s them"
problem, no matter who consti
tutes the "us and them " AIDS
affects us all Protect yourself.
Protect those you care tor
enough to become involved
with sexually Recognize that
the phrase "it can't happen to
me" only means something
when you act to ensure it
'won't
Today. AIDS has such a so
cial stigma that the people it af
fects seem to get lost in the
i ontroversy Hut it is the peo
ple that make AIDS such a Irag
edy. people like my friend, un
friend's parents and family,
people like me and people like
you All of society is, or will
be affected by AIDS
We all will fat e the pain of
death because of AIDS We. as
a society, must set aside moral
izing and condemnation. We
must focus our attention an
saving lives, on saving count
less hearts from breaking. We
arc talking aliout people. not
numbers, not statistics Ami it
is for people, ourselves, tii.il we
must light Fight for our lives
Robin Schaefers is <i senior In
ternat tonal Studies major She
is i>rvsidont of the I hinersity s
I’re -Imh Society anil i /c e presi
dent of the I nnersit\ chapter
ot (.olden Key Xationnt Honor
Society
iht* Affirmative Action
.iffice. the office of the I’resi
[lent, the huge tie City Council
the list is almost endless
I have watched children, lov
ers. friends, collectives and
small businesses bo literally
lorn apart by not understanding
lhat racism is a problem that
brutally reflects the pain and
fear of those who assume they
are "in control." ami that then
is unconsciously expressed out
ward
There arc answers, and 1
would tie very willing to (ulk
with any individual or group to
sluin' what I've learned from
my own experience of being
personally active
Please contact me by writing
to P C). Box 581. Kugene. Ore..
97440.
Barbara Turrill Is a Universi
ty student major inn 1,1 anthro
pology ami ethnic studios
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