EDITORIAL
Task-force findings
onlv the first steD
A 113-page report released by a University task
force on Friday reaffirms the homophobic problem on
campus.
The survey revealed that a majority of the Universi
ty's gays and lesbians feel unsafe, with many experi
encing harassment and threats.
The Uay and lesbian Alliance has done a remark
able job with the resources it has. However, official
recognition of the problems by the administration
should la; accompanied by dollars and resources.
Tbe l 'diversity administration needs to establish
an official gay and lesbian office to handle their con
cerns. It should hr? lor all University members — stu
dents, faculty and staff.
The University can incorporate its policies prohib
iting discrimination against people of color and wom
en into its anti-discrimination policies against gays
and lesbians.
Being a liberal arts university does not make the
University liberal. The University has had an anti-sex
ual orientation discrimination policy since 1971. but
rules and regulations are worthless without stringent
enforcement. Severe penalties should be instituted for
those found harassing gays and lesbians.
Civil rights belong to gays and lesbians, too. Non
discrimination policies in favor of gays and lesbians
need to be included in every affirmative action clause
of every University policy.
The University needs to include sexual orientation
as part of its cultural diversity requirements. Although
we salute those instructors who already do this, more
workshops or special classes are required.
While it's hard enough to be a college student, it is
an even greater struggle for the many gays and lesbians
who are still afraid to come out of the closet.
The University, and schools in general, need to fo
cus on social concepts as well as academics. Getting
along with others is a prerequisite for any career in
life. Too few students never learn that skill.
We live on a planet that is becoming smaller and
smaller. The University is a miniature replica of the
real world. We either live together or die together.
The University appears ready to confront the seri
ousness of gay-bashing. But a report is only a first step.
IT S A
thousand Pams
OF LIGHT, SIR..
Be proud of Oregon reps for NEA vote
Opponents of censorship have chalked
up another victory. This week’s vote by the
House to rebuff conservatives’ demands for
strict anti-obscenity curbs on the National
Kndowment for the Arts is a sign that Con
gress is learning to respect the average
American's belief in freedom of expression.
In the past, representatives have bowed
to the conservatives' claims that Americans
were sick of obscenity and what they called
the moral decay of the nation. Representa
tives were fearing a political thrashing for
opposing this conservative-created ’’grass
roots” movement. Hut now these representa
tives have begun to respect and give credit
to the citizens' understanding of the First
Amendment's basic philosophy — we can
tolerate the views and opinions of those
with whom we may not agree.
The compromise passed by the House
would put the decision of whether some
thing is or is not obscene in the hands of the
courts. Artists will not face any penalties
from the NEA. unless their work is deemed
obscene after going through a trial.
Conservative forces had wanted to deny
funding to artists who would not sign a
statement saying they would not create any
obscene art. Conservatives also wanted
funding denied and penalties placed on any
artist who portrayed sexually explicit con
duct. sexually exploited children, attacked
religion, defiled the American flag or in
cluded an actual human embryo or fetus in
their art.
If conservatives had succeeded, any
work containing any of the above elements
would have been banned without considera
tion of artistic merit - one of the guidelines
the courts use for judging obscenity.
Oregonians should be proud of their rep
resentatives for supporting the bipartisan
compromise. Democrats Les AuCoin, Peter
DeFazio and Ron Wyden were joined by Re
publican Denny Smith in voting for the leg
islation. Republican Bob Smith was the only
Oregon member of the House who sided
with the conservative censors.
LETTERS
Tax breaks
You have a groat opportunity
in November to help all of us
even here in Florida.
Vote "yes" to give tax credits
for tuition payments to private
schools, parochial schools or
for home schooling
Where I live in Florida, the
school drop-out rate is 50 per
cent' Something is definitely
wrong with a system that can
not graduate mom than half of
its students.
Please help us to change that
system. You can show the way
to our lawmakers, politicians
and educators.
Your "yes" vote is a vote for
lower taxes In this county the
two private schools charge an
annual tuition of $1,900. The
public school costs $6,500 an
nually per child, and that does
not include bonds for new
buildings!
If Oregon shows a resound
ing desire for responsibility in
education, the rest of the Unit
ed States will sit up and listen,
too.
Please. Oregon, start the ball
rolling
|ulie Maglio
Brooksville. Fla.
Responsibility
Gary Braun writes in a letter
[ODE. Sept 27) that, "in Min
nesota during the time there
has b«H>n a parental consent law
in effect, teen births have in
creased dramatically and so
have deaths of those seeking il
legal abortions." 1 challenge
Braun to produce documenta
tion for his assertions.
Between 1080 (the last full
year before the parental notifi
cation law went into effect) and
1084 (the last year that statis
tics were made available by the
Minnesota Department of
Health), abortions among teen
agers under 18 dropped from
2.327 in 1080 to 1,305 in 1084
— a decrease of 41 percent.
Births among the same age
group decreased by 19 percent,
and the total number of preg
nancies among teens decreased
by 30 percent.
The reality behind these sta
tistics (which represent indi
vidual human lives, in all their
complexity) appears obvious
in Minnesota, as in many other
states with similar laws, paren
tal involvement in the abortion
decision has been accompanied
by fewer abortions, fewer iiirths
to teenagers and fewer teen
pregnant ies over all There is
every reason to expect the same
result in Oregon.
In reply to those who so ve
hemently oppose a parental no
tification or consent require
ment. I point out that these par
ents have legal, financial and
moral responsibility for their
minor children. To deny them
an opportunity to advise and
support their daughters in such
an emotionally traumatic situa
tion is to violate a fundamental
right of parents to be involved
in decisions that affect their
children's well being, as well
as to remove a crucial protec
tion from the children them
selves.
William Moore
History
Free press
I am thoroughly disgusted
and disheartened by the recent
firing of Jean Ownbey. the Ore
fion Daily Emerald's assistant
to the publisher (a k a.. Board
of Directors) and controller.
As an erstwhile Emerald em
ployee. I was proud of the pa
per's status as an independent,
student-run publication: and 1
was proud of Ownbey’s con
stant struggle with the board
and the journalism school to
maintain this independence.
Ownbey's determination,
however, now places the free
dom of our student press in
jeopardy. Because a portion of
our student fees pays for our
subscription to the Emerald. I
think anyone who reads the pa
per should be willing to fight
this petty play of corporate
power and control.
I believe the board should be
restructured to include more
students who understand the
significance of a free student
press. Apparently, the current
representatives failed to consid
er the grave consequences like
ly to result from the firing of
Ownbey. Moreover, I believe
the bylaws should change so
more than four warm bodies
constitute a quorum
1 would have never had the
opportunity to work for an in
ternational publishing compa
ny last year if I had not had pri
or experience — which I gained
at the Emerald. I would like to
think that any student, regard
less of college major, could ac
quire the same invaluable expe
rience. But if the Emerald be
comes a toy of the board and
the journalism school, this
hope could be dashed.
I will fight for a free student
press. Will you?
Paula A. Green
English
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.