EDITORIAL Ashe becomes yet another AIDS patient Is tho stigma gone yet? Has some mythical quota of "straight" people lw*en reached, whereupon narrow minded bigots truly understand what AIDS is? On Wednesday, tennis star Arthur Ashe an nounced he has known of having the HIV virus since 1988 Ashe apparently contracted the virus from a blood transfusion during an open-heart operation in 1983 before there was an accurate screening test for blood donors. Ashe is neither homosexual nor an intravenous drug user. He does not fall in any of the so-called "high risk" categories for contracting AIDS He is another vie tim of ignorance; not his ignorant e. but society's. The myth of AIDS being a disease attacking a stig inatized few has been irrevocably shattered lobe sure, there are some who run a higher risk of contracting AIDS just us someone who stands in room full of pneumonia-patients stands a greater chance of las (lin ing so k Hut one can contract pneumonia or AIDS without putting themselves in that high risk catego ry. It is about time we till understand that AIDS is not selective It strikes with the randomness and intensity of a train wreck Another tragedy about Ashes case is the fact lie didn’t wish to disclose his _ illness. It wasn't until a USA Tod>n reporter, re sponding to .in anony mous tip. questioned Ashe th.it he decided to go pub lic. As i!) any similar cir ruinstance. there is usual 1 v a w ish to assign blame. Ashe's right to privacy was definitely violated, not so much by the news paper but by the voice on Ashe’s right to privacy was definitely violated, not so much by the newspaper but by the voice on the end of the telephone. the end of the telephone. Once the .story became known. USA today w.ls under the gun — to quell it or not Had they denuded to kill the stor\. there would have been equal critic ism. There are those who would also criticize Ashe for not coming forward sooner. That is warped logic. In l‘)H!t. AIDS had an even greater stigma than it does to day. besides his right to talk or ktvp quiet about what ever he wants, by coining forward Ashe would have subjected himself and his family to public spectac le He was right to think his mans accomplishments would have- suffered from ignorant speculation by small-minded people. Ashe has said he will work to promote AIDS awareness, for which he deserves applause He is mak ing the best of a situation into which he was forced Maybe through his courage, things can be accom plished. A true understanding of the disease And may be. just maybe, a government that will stop playing os trich and start doing something. Oregon Emerald P O BOX Ji$9 fcUGtNi ONlGON 9740) I <n> ..Vugof' (a S I A >M > MiVaJuy through f '*l*y Ju' vj tha fcChOCM yt*r A’KJ !.*i*,«fety .» ») PiwrvAdy i!w'«^g :'h* «. ■”■•*■■*> &y !^*» C>«^v l*ar*y I mere*! Put>nh*ng Co I'K A! !h*» l>v-,a?viy 0* Ouyun i Oi«gv>r' Ihe l -^a*) i*** »»’•*. ’> oI th* l>vvw^% *> *>'th oM*. a.” Jv..;'# X>G 0> ( >:> M**- u»',* » «i »% a -’w'-:««»•' o< ■•■•« Aa*-> wii«*i I’ «\ Pm* f * {v va'tt P'i>iJ«'Ty The aw <y uae a' pa;*** <% proaecvf lip-** Managing f dMor I dtiufial t ditor Graphic a i ditor I ntartamroant ( diior t ditor in Chief Pol Maa. t Ca:h*# (w»••■** *. -iu" Pet-ay l rry*» l a*«* ** Night I (fetor (.. 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RACE... _^/ PALL CAMPAIGN FLA MY IRAQ Brand: Take a stand on the OCA By Hu" Sc " i ' On April 1 the Minister tiunrd had .1 (mill page ,irtl( h- highlighting .i It* gal analysis nI .1 proposed amendment In Oregon's state t onstitution being sponsored Its the Oregon ( rtr/ens A11i ant f Tilt' analysis, hv I niversi tv law Professor Dom Vniri. suggested a number til alarming consequences which would af fec I higher < ilut ilium should tins proposed amend men! be adopted by Oregon voters The article also discussed that University President Myles llrand salt! he has User) loo pre iMtupietl with concerns about Measure ri to put any energy into dealing with I he Ot As plans lor the future ol the Cm varsity (and every other puhlit school in the stale) brand mill catod i! would he improper for him lo t ommeiil in favor of or against the proposed constitu tional amendment While the (HA Is using the slogan dial guv and lesbian stu dents should not lie entitled to "special rights, the gist of the initiative would he to require the state to adopt a right-wing, Christian fundamentalist ye-y\ in all levels of government to ward guys and lesbians A port of the test reads All levels of government, including public education systems must assist in setting .1 standard lor Ore gon's youth which recognizes that these 'liehavlors are ah normal, wrong, unnatural and perverse ihe preventing of special rights is hardly the issue here Whether Oregonians will man date Into law a view (vised not on critic.a I thinking, hut on emotionally charged, narrow religious biases is more to the point Whether the Oregon p n hi it education systems will In- forced lo promote, encour age and lac dilute prejudice and discrimination and he required to misrepresent truth is at is sue If this initiative passes, all educators in the state will have to ignore the past 50 years ol international research and un derst.Hiding th.it has emerged regarding human sexuality and the significant role of gays and lesbians in political si lence, hisiorv. lass . literature arid all other n.'i.is l! would must i erlatniy I)'1 il legal, for example. for an in structor ol fusion or science In sav that Alan Turing, (he bril liant Hrilisli m inntist and math cmatician wlio broke tlie Na/a submarine code also happened to be homosexual, or that he committed suicide a lew years later when his sexual orienta tton was discovered ami be came a puhlii si undiil Such a historical footnote might, after all, lie construed as suggesting that a person could he "unnutu nil and perverse’ and still bet ome >i hero This is hardly the Image ol homosexuals the OCA would want anyone to think too much about l lies might, however, let it he said that Turing killed himself because he could not live anymore with his wrong’ and abnormal tendencies I'he (X A would much rather base everyone; believe that such people have nothing wot tbs to i ontrihute to sot iety any was exi ept for Its undoing, so it is probably lor the better that he ended Ills life to provide us all with an objec t lesson m the hazards ol inappropriate be haviors With all due respect and grat itude lor brand's efforts regard ing Measure V Issues of <ic a dernli freedom and truth in ed uc ation are more than proper for him to comment on I'he br ing of any professor known (or suspec led) to he gay or lesbian, whether or not tiles ever men tion homosexuality in the class room is also a goal of the (X A This. too. is more than appro priate for Brand to comment on It doesn’t t.ike much to real ize that if Brand as svell as top spokespersons of all tire state's educational institutions do not comment loudly and clearly on this measure, they have grievously wronged the spirit and potentially the future of academic freedom in Ore; gen It is in Jeopardy .is are the careers of exemplary mini .itors throughout tlm state What will the OCA demand next' Should divorced people not he permitted to teach our young people, thereby avoiding infecting them with dangerous, anti family iallies' The only possible rationale for Brand to take less than an unequivix al stand on this po tential fascist direction of state law is well, less than honor able It is also unfair to his col leagues and to the students While he is concerning himself with the finani lal future of the University and presumably the stale, perhaps he should stop to consider how state finances will be affected by the expen sive lawsuits which will be generated if this appeal to intol erance becomes law Community leaders and or gan l/at ions statewide are speaking out in opposition to attempts of the (XIA to hijack the political process Brand would he in excellent company if he were to use his office for organizing a statew ide response In the entire edui atlonal com rnunity to educate about the (XIA and its tactiis It is unsettling to speculate about how the outcome ol World War II may have been al fected if Turing, a hollow at kings College, Cambridge by age 22. had lost his opportunity to !>e a part of the university system because of something as ignoble as the OCA’s ballot ini native It is horrifying to think about the reluctance of many influential people in preWorld War II Cerrnany who felt it was improper to i omment in favor or against what was happening there when they had the chance to lake a leadership role and do something about it. Kon Schllttler is a journul ism/siudolagy student ill the University and is a member ol the Lesbian, (lay and Bisexual Alliance COMMENTARY POLICY Commentaries should be between 750 and 1,000 words, legible and signed, and the identification of the writer must be verified upon submission. The Emerald reserves the right to edit for grammar, style and length if necessary.