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