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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1990)
EDITORIAL Soma Mod news from Cincinnati should portly to* stare our faith in the open-mindedness of the average American.. A fury, described as being made up <rf mostly church-going suburbanites, acquitted the art director of a controversial Cincinnati art gallery. Hie director had faced obscenity charges for displaying homoerotic pho tographs by Robert Mapplethorpe. In a time when the president of the country doesn't have a clear grasp of the First Amendment or the Bill of Rights, it is good to see that average citizens still un derstand the difference between morality and censor ship. Many of the ju. ore said they did find some of the photos in the Mapplethorpe exhibit “gross" and offen sive but also understood their legitimacy as art. For a fury to find that something is obscene they roust estab lish that the art in question meets three standards. First it must appeal to the prurient interest in sex. Second, it must be patently offensive. And third, it must have no artistic value. While many of the jury members, using their personal standards of morality and values, decided that the exhibit did appeal to the prurient interest and was patently offensive, they also realized that Mapplethorpe's photos are an artistic en deavor. Hie fury of citizens was able to understand what many of the country’s leaders have not, that the system is based on the freedom of choice and expression. No one group has the right to decide what individuals may or may not view. The system is designed to respect the intellect of individuals and their ability to make their own deci sions. The most ironic aspect of the controversy is that these conservative groups that wish to censor materials they deem to be obscene have never learned the most important lesson: the louder they cry obscenity, the more popular the obscene malarial becomes. In Cincin nati the exhibit set a new attendance record of 81,000 visitors for the seven weeks it was in town. The Mapplethorpe exhibit is dosing its run in Boston this week where 103,000 tickets have been sold. If it wasn't for the free advertising generated by the people who don’t want anyone to view the exhibit. Mapplethorpe probably wouldn’t be the household name that it seems to be now. Blame government shutdown on House The U.S. government lost its authority to spend money Friday at midnight because the president and Congress can’t agree on a budget. President Bush vetoed a emergency stop gap measure on Saturday that would have provided money until tomorrow. Since most government services close during the weekend, and because today is Columbus Day observed, a federal holiday. Congress has until tonight to come up with a satisfactory budget proposal to submit to the president before any real damage can be done. Senior citizens are in an uproar because of proposed cuts in Medicare. Some law makers want to spend a proposed 10-cent-a gallon gasoline tax increase on road and bridge improvements, while others want to use half of the increase toward reducing the federal deficit. The real problem is the House of Repre sentatives. Since it is an even-numbered year, all 435 members of the House are up for re-election. Representatives are more concerned with what’s best for their re-election cam paign, than their country. Airports are in danger of closing, as are museums, zoos, and federal parks. Programs for the needy could be cur tailed. It is people on welfare and food stamps that would suffer if services are halt ed at those offices. No-one should go hungry just because Congress can't do its job. Congress knows its budget time-lines. It knows the deficit is there. Our representa tives have a job to do but it seems they’re too afraid to do it. Bush said, "Sorry if people are inconve nienced.” So are the people. Most of us would be fired if we performed at Congress' level. But if the federal government has to shut down because of partisan bickering, the peo ple have a chance to rectify the situation by voting on Nov. 6. It’s time for some Washington politi cians to be "inconvenienced” by looking for a new line of work. LETTERS Shameless t iim totally infuriated by tbe Ontgoa Daily Emerald board's shameless firm# of its 14-year employee Jean Ownbey. As a former ODE employee. I must state that I feel betrayed, cheated and used last year when the board hail its eyes on hiring a general manager, it as sored staff members that Ownbey‘s job would not In* af fiM ted by this $30,000* increase in annual expenditure. Vet. months later, the board broke its own word without offering any explanations. Ownbey has dedicated the last 14 years of her life to the ODE. She has asked for little in return and given selflessly to those around her Over the last three years. I have witnessed firsthand the manipulative ways of the board It is clear that the board is not concerned if students benefit from working at the ODE as long as it benefits from student labor It is obvious that student interest is not a con cern of the hoard as long as those green bills accumulate in some bank vault under the ODE account. It is clear that the board cares not for people but only for corporate ideals But is the ODE part of corpo rate America? No; it's sup posed to Im a non-profit organi zation. It is supposed to be a training ground for student journalists But I suppose the l>oard has forgotten this too. All 1 can say is shame on you. ODE board, shame on you! I'll remember this well. Kelvin Wee History Priests I ain writing in response to Catherine Desmond's letter on celibacy. Celibacy actually had its ori gins in the Bible. In First Co rinthians chapter seven. St. Paul writes that a married man is concerned with matters of the world while the unmarried man is concerned with pleasing God. The Catholic Church has changed its stance on celibacy The Catholic Church does cur rently allow married men to be come deacons and priests in Faster-rite congregations such as the Mamnitos and the Ukranian Catholic Rite Tin's*1 mon. however, do not have as much work to do and have time for their families. For over ten years then1 have been many married Episcopalian and Lutheran priests who have be came Catholics and have, by church law. been allowed to be reordained us Catholic priests while remaining married These types of priests, how ever. are never assigned to heavy jobs such as pastors of parishes I believe the solution to the scandals is to ordain men who are older, more mature, and have made a permanent com mitment to be celibate I do not believe that the Cath olic Church is ready for mar ried priests. I would want to have a man who is ''concerned with pleasing Cod," and not tied to extra commitments to be my pastor. Kent lion Student Reflect ideals We are entering another year of student information. It will la* interesting to note how bi ased the Emerald is in the areas of abortion and homosexual rights. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the Emerald could reflect the ideals of journalism purported ly taught through the journal ism school? Perhaps you can make that one of your goals for this year. Deborah Martin Student Autonomy We would just like to thank Derek Horton (ODE Oct. .t) for reminding us. as young ladies who frequently attend parties, about alcohol consumption and responsibility. Growing up in the politically enlightened late 20th Century permitted us to entertain some strange notions We thought we were free to do as we please (oven become intoxicated) without having some male retaliate against us for overstepping outdated codes of behavior. However, after reading Hor ton's defense against his charge of first-degree sexual abuse, we see just how ignorant we've been. Drinking means we give up rights to our bodies. We have plans to throw a party at our home this Satur day. Surely all the attending males will take comfort in this insurance policy against a rape conviction. They can say the woman was intoxicated as part of their defense. Sexual autonomy? What's that, anyway? Kristin Walkup Pandora Suderman Kasey Church Students LETTERS POLICY The Oregon Daily Emerald will attempt to print all letters containing comments on topics of interest.to the University community. Comments must be factually accurate and refrain from personal attacks on the char* acter of others. a._a_ n. ink»r n loon