EDITORIAL
Term limitations are
simply a bad idea
Term limitations. Those two words combined send
a cold chill down the spines of career politicians while
throwing a warm glow over, the disenchanted U.S. vot
ing public.
The anger and resentment manifesting itself in the
minds of Americana has been brewing for some time
now. It's probably traceable back 20 years to the fantas
tic scandal known as Watergate.
A steady stream of corruption and mismanagement
in government followed. Politicians caught with their
pants down and crack-smoking mayors have not
helped raisu the reputation of the public servants on
the Potomac.
Then came the Reagan years. And as wc wait to
find out which of his
cabinet members will
be indicted for some
scam next, voter resent
ment grows stronger
each day. During
‘'campaignfest" 1988,
the anti-incumbent en
gine seemed to be run
ning full speed ahead.
But when it came to
voting time, the good
oi' boys whose feet
seem to be rooted in the
woodwork of the capi
The energy used to
forward the tern
limitation would be
better spent
educating the
public about how
to educate
themselves during
an election.
tnl buildings were still standing.
What happened to the people’s revolution? One
common answer is that even though muny of the in
cumbents were scumbags, their campaign machines
and chests were too large for the challengers to take
them out. So out of the ashes, the political brainstorm
called "term limitations" was born. No one would be
allowed to stay in government long enough to become
to powerful to remove.
Well, there are already term limitations in place.
They are called elections.
Passing u mandatory term limitation measure
would be akin to saying. "I'm too stupid to see through
an expensive media campaign. I’m too lazy to read
about platforms and issues rather than get my informa
tion from two-minute TV sound bites."
If the current election process is failing, the first re
action doesn't have to be to scrap it. Maybe the prob
lem is that the people aren't using it right.
The energy used to forward the term limitation
would be better spent educating the public about how
to educate themselves during an election.
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1
Oregon Daily
Emerald
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' . .BUT I NEVER REAUy INHALE.'
COMMENTARY
Explore schools before choosing
By M Re*a Bennam
It has boon brought to my at
tention thBt students from
the Middle Last have become
the victims of ridicule and dis
respect by some University pro
fessors and staff.
This is most unfortunate be
cause this campus and commu
nity are far too isolated and
sorely in need of diversity. A
hualthy university is rich In di
versity Diversity is more than
gender and race; it is a celebra
tion of the infinite richness and
variety of human experience,
and il is about embracing dif
ferences. not stifling them.
All International students
should be treated without prej
udice and without a jaundiced
view of the world. The cultural
and educational contributions
of international students to any
campus and community are nu
merous Without them the uni
versity wuuid be bland and de
void of cultural und intellectual
variety of necessary in the mar
ketplace of ideas.
Middle Eastern students
should recognize that the Uni
vorsliy is one among many uni
versities und thut (Hjrhaps their
educational dollars would be
butler spenl elsewhere. Current
ly there are no courses on the
Middle Last in any department
or school on ihis campus.
There are no professors, admin
istrators or counselors from the
Middle Last represented either.
This is astonishing in light of
the significance and history of
the area. Il goes with out saying
ihal international student tui
tion is exorbitant, hut their rep
resentation on campus is negli
gible
It is time that international
students become aware of the
deficits present on this campus
and others. In an educational
selection, international stu
dents, in cooperation with their
educational ministries, should
pay attention to certain specif
ics about campus and commu
nity.
Visiting the city or town
where the university is located
Is critical. Every city has a char
acter and history all its own,
and reading about about it will
give a sense of the community.
Become acquainted with the
makeup of local government.
Are minorities represented in
major ways In that govern
ment? How about tho Judiciary
— whut percentage of tho
Judges are women and minor
ities. and how are they elected
or appointed? Learn something
about the political climate of
tire state — about the comoosi
tion of its congressional delega
tion and the executive branch.
Does the delegation represent a
broad spectrum of people and
ideas? lake note of the local
newspaper, observing its sensi
tivities und editorial sensibili
ties to international issues.
Consider the history of the
university you might attend. In
ternational students should ex
amine course offerings to un
derstand the import it pluces on
global perspective. Visit the ad
ministrative staff at the institu
tion Introduce yourself and in
terview them; tell them your in
terests and concerns. Visit tho
department of your choice, and
talk to the professors und stuff,
pay attention to its cultural di
versity und If there are bilin
gual instructors represented in
the department.
If a graduate student, be sure
the instructor you might work
with is to you liking Is thu per
son considered competent in
his or her chosen field of in
struction? Does the professor
Middle Eastern
students should
recognize that the
University is one
among many
universities and
that perhaps their
educational dollars
would be better
spent elsewhere.
come to campus everyday or
only two days a week, cram
ming instruction and office
hours within those days? Final
ly, students should inquire into
the international interests of
the professors.
As long as there is no serious
attempt to recruit and tenure
international scholars in gener
al, and Middle Eastern scholars
in particular on this campus, it
is incumbent upon all interna
tional students to remain vigi
lant in demanding change and
in reporting behaviors deemed
offensive or discriminatory to
the president of the university.
Choosing a college and in
vesting in an education are
among the most important
choices students will undertake
during a lifetime. Success in
school and aftor has much to
do with the university chosen
by the student. Universities can
bo advocates or they can mere
ly use students and their mon
ey. So choose well, and may
the best choice win.
M. Ko/.a Dchnum, Ph D., is
the director of the Institute for
.advanced Middle Eastern
Studios in Eugene.
AMoTHEft HANG-UP
OT THE CULTURAL ELITE
r WEAP IT AS
A BADGE OF HONOR
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