EDITORIAL
Smokers deserve
place In EMU, too
The EMU boerd of director* is currently in the pro
cess of deciding whether to make die entire Erb Memo
rial Union a smokeless building or to allow smokers to
take refuge in the basement Recreation Center.
People who want to smoke in the EMU are now
limited to the Skylight Refectory, the Ballroom lobby
or the Recreation Center.
Allowing the Recreation Center to retain its smok
ers-welcome policy is the best of the options being
considered by the board. It is a large well-ventilated
area. There are plenty of pool tables and bowling
lanes, and also lots of elbow room to accommodate
those who want to avoid second-hand smoke.
The atmosphere and mood that generally accompa
nies pool halls or bowling alleys lends itself to smok
ing as well. It is a place where people go by choice, to
relax and unwind.
The Recreation
Center is fitting in both
atmosphere and logis
tics. But if the EMU
board decides it does
not want smoking to
continue there. it
should consider find
ing another place in
the building for stu
dents who want to
smoke.
Smoking and non
smoking students alike
have paid fees that
fund the operation of
the student union. All
of those students
should have access to
at least one area where
they can study, recre
Smoking and
nonsmoking stu
dents alike have
paid fees that fund
the operation of
the student union.
All of those stu
dents should have
access to at least
one area where
they can study, re
create, socialise
and even smoke.
ate. socialize and even smoke.
The Fountain Court is another logical place for a
smoking area. The pseudo outdoor area is obviously
well-ventilated. It is also the location of Friday night
beer gardens. Once again the social atmosphere, com
bined with the logistics of the area lends itself to a
smoking area.
Once a week the EMU is opened for beer and a
weekend blowing-off-steam session. If that can be con
doned, why not let people smoke in the area during
the week.
Everyone is encouraged
to attend second teach-in
The No Gulf War Coalition and Concerned Faculty
for Peace and )ustice are sponsoring another teach-in
this weekend on the growing Gulf War crisis.
The University campus will host 22 workshops
starting today at 2 p m. with six workshops on media
coverage. Eight workshops on issues of racism, harass
ment and cultural diversity begin Saturday at 9:30
a.m., and eight others on “How to Respond in the
Long Term" begin Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Now, more than ever, the community needs to talk
and discuss the events in the Middle East. The work
shops are being held over the weekend for people who
couldn't attend the last teach-in due to school or work
conflicts.
A debate, titled “Now That We Are at War. How
Do We End It?" begins Saturday at 7 p.m. in Room 100
Willamette. Both anti-war and pro-Desert Storm posi
tions will be represented by University faculty and stu
dents, with time allotted for questions afterwards.
Information on workshop titles and locations is
available by calling the No Gulf War Coalition at
346-4248 or Concerned Faculty for Peace and Justice at
346-2545.
Everyone should attend as many workshops as
they possibly can because, as the big television ad
campaign says, “The More You Know..."
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LETTERS
Dissent
From Robert F Kennedy’s
"Promises to Keep " (a col lee -
lion of speeches) "II is not
enough to allow dissent. We
must demand it For there is
much to dissent from
Yet we must, as thinking
people, distinguish between
the right of dissent and the way
we choose to exercise that
right That dissent which con
sists simply of sporadic and
dramatic acts sustained by nei
ther continuing labor or re
search that dissent which
seeks to demolish while lack
ing Inith the desire and direc
tion for rebuilding, that dissent
which, contemptuously or out
of laziness, casts aside the prac
tical weapons and instruments
of change and progress - that
kind of dissent is merely self
indulgence. It is satisfying, per
haps. to those who make it
Hut it will not solve the prob
lems of our society. It will not
assist those seriously engaged
in the difficult and frustrating
work of the nation
And. when it is all over, it
will not have brightened or en
riched the life of a single por
tion of humanity in a single
part of the globe."
Klizabeth Cage
Political Science
Anthropology
Speaking out
We would like to commend
Dustin Rhoades [ODE. |an JO)
for courageously speaking out
about his experience in the
Esslinger locker room As
women, we know all too well
the feeling of violation of body
and spirit and the fear of speak
ing out that comes from the hu
miliation of being violated in
such a way.
To reiterate Dustin's point,
"this is sexually abusive behav
ior which (we) have done noth
ing to deserve." whether we
are in a locker room, walking
down the street or in our own
homes; whether we are wearing
no clothes or covered from
head to foot.
Finally, we would like to add
to his letter that we not only
encourage men ttr speak out.
hut women also, and remind
everyone that if women did so,
letters of this nature alone
would fill this newspaper for
many years
Carol Cheney
ASUO Women’s Canter
Stop racism
We are members of the Rac
ism and Harassment Committee
of the Concerned Faculty for
Peace and Justice. One conse
quence of this war has been to
foster ethnic animosities
against people of color as well
as against Arah-American men,
Jewish and international stu
dents, staff and faculty We
want to help to make sure that
this does not continue to hap
pen on our campus.
We are actively seeking infor
mation about any discrimina
tion that may have occurred at
the University as a result of the
Persian Gulf War In order to
serve as a clearing house for
this information, we are asking
you to write us or send us
copies of relevant materials
We would like to talk with any
one who has experienced dis
crimination We also encourage
graduate students and faculty
who have encountered harass
ment in connection with their
concerns over the war to share
their experiences with 11s. We
will respect all wishes to re
main anonymous.
Please feel free to contact any
of us by mail or phone.
Aletta Hiersack
Anthroplogy, 346-5102
Dianna Kale
Office of Multicultural Affairs
346-2993
Linda Kintz
English, 346-3962
and nine co-signers
Help out
My friend Clarence Lo wrote
in his book Small Property
Versus Bin Government that
California’s "Prop. 13 gave
about two-thirds of the benefits
to business owners, and only
one-third to home owners,”
Ballot Measure 5 will provide
a large windfall to businesses. I
hope that our local businesses
will use their savings to invest
in our community's social ser
vices and higher education.
The governor's proposed
budget for mental health ser
vices is instructive of our situa
tion and what businesses and
individuals can do to improve
circumstances, l^ane County
Mental Health is facing a cut of
about one-quarter of its services
for adults with mental illnesses
at the same time that the state
plans to close several state hos
pital w’ards. Governor Roberts
has proposed a new housing
trust fund with lottery money,
as she wondered "How does
someone working for $5 an
hour pay first and last month’s
rent plus a cleaning deposit in
advance?" Roberts could have
addressed her question to men
tal health providers in residen
tial facilities, because the state
pays these direct-care workers
an average of $5 an hour
The Kestrel cafe is hosting a
benefit dinner on the evening
of Sunday. Feb. 17. The benefi
ciary is Halfway House Ser
vices. which operates two resi
dential facilities for adults with
chronic mental illness in our
community. We should all
make it a point to support such
businesses that put money back
into the community. Then on
Monday, Feb. 1H, The Heart of
Oregon Coalition will lie lobby
ing for mental health services
at the state Capitol in Salem
from 1 p m to 4 p.m.
Larry S. Williams
GTF, Sociology
Editor's Note
The Emerald learned
Thursday that several read
ers have phoned the home of
a Eugene couple, erroneous
ly believing they are re
sponding to a letter written
by student )im Bridge (ODE.
Feb, 14).
People who wish to re
spond to letters are asked to
do so by writing to the pa
per's editorial desk. Making
threatening or abusive
phone calls is illegal and in
appropriate, regardless of
the reason.
The Emerald regrets any
inconvenience this letter or
the resulting incidents may
have caused.