EDITORIAL Guilt by association cannot be justified It was wrong when Sen. Joseph McCarthy did it in the 1950s. and it is still wrong today. Guilt by association has begun to re-emerge In recent months, very visibly so at the University. When McCarthy held his hearings on communism, he attempted to eviscerate everybody who may have ever come into contact with a communist. If they had. or if they refused to answer, they were implicitly labeled as "red’' or a "pinko" and were societally blacklisted. And Americans thought it was justified. It was "polit ically correct." At the University, throe recent incidents have given a new life to this very ancient evil, two of which Involve fraternities and one involving the Incidental Fee Com mittee. In November, a Phi Kappa Psi fraternity was singled out as a bastion of rape and sexual abuse after a pledge allegedly raped a University student. The day after the protost. we acknowledged the need for discussion and awareness surrounding the issues of rape and abuse in the greek system. But labeling the Phi Psi membership, and through extrapolation, the entire greek system as advocates of rape, is wrong. Last week, members of the IFC attempted to prevent nominee Ed Carson from being confirmed by the Student Senate because of his affiliation with the Oregon Com mentator. Because the Commentator is conservative. Carson was portrayed as being homophobic and racist. Never mind that they could give no evidence to support their claim. Carson was conservative, all conservatives are homo phobes and racists, therefore Carson is too. The ludicrous nature of this twisted logic deserves little analysis oth er than to say — it’s wrong. Wednesday, the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Alliance had ckpross conference concerning the alleged assault of a bisexual man end his heterosexual friend. The IjGBA, along with others at the press conference, made it known that the alleged attacker is a pledge at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, as if there is some cor relation between the fraternity and the suspect s alleged actions. Further, they demanded the student be de-pledged by the house and that he be expelled from the University. Even more troubling is the accusation that the SAE fra ternity and its members are somehow resixmsible for the actions of all individuals associated with it. If the arrested student lived in a dorm, would the LGBA blame the dorm residents? If he lived in an apartment, would the LGBA hold the apartment complex's residents responsible? Of course not. So what makes fraternities such an acceptable target for this type of overt discrim ination? Yes. discrimination. The LGBA, as well as the Phi Psi protesters, are acting on perceived stereotypes of fra ternities and their members. As much as the LGBA dis likes the stereotyping of homosexuals as dysfunctional, sexual predatory perverts, so do the fraternities dislike the similar labeling of their members. It's not justified, even if it is "politically correct." Oregon Daily Emerald Tha Oragon Oaky f"W*M « pubtiehad daky Monday through Friday (fcrmg *>• achoot yu> and Tuaaday and Thuraday dunng tha aumma> by * Mamortal Unmn and a a mambar ol lha Aaaooatad Piaaa Tha Emaratd a prtvola proparty Tha uNowW ramovd or uaa ol papara a proaacutttka by law Editor: Pal MdK* Hawa Editor Jaka Barg Fraalanoa Editor HopaNaalaon Editorial Editor MwtmFwnar Editorial Editor Hnrara Janaaan Oraphtca Editor Jab Paaiay Sports EdNor Dava Charbcmnaau Enlartalnmsnt Editor Fraya Horn (uppismsnta EdHor Caaay Andsraon MgM Editor- Pal Malach Associate Editor. Tamm, Bata, Sruoam GovornmantAcdvtfcaa. Oaralyn Trappa. Commu nay. Coda an Pohkg. Hghar fcxcakon AdmmurraOor Nawa (tab Seed Arxka Chaatar Alan. Mad Bandar. Juabn Brown. Sarah Clark. Dylan Cour tar Mag Oadolph. Amy Oavanport. Amanda Farma. Taraaa Muntamgar. Uaa Knsatel. Uaa Maun Oamvan Mclaan Ftabacca Marrat. Slava Mima. Tilhm Moaaar Trtata Noal. Malhaw Schualar t’lisn Shaw. Mcnarr ShmdMr. Enek Studsncka. Manor Sudor. Mchala Thompaon Aguiar. Amy Van Tuyt. Todd MMkama Oansral Man agar. Judy fbsdt Production Man agar: Mchala Rota Advertising Tom laoch. Sharon Va». Salas Man apart Shawn Banian. Orica Manapar Jama kola. Taraaa laabaka PhAp Johnaon It. Ona Kanob. Jaramy Maaon. Van V O’Byran It. G**n Oh. Rachaal Tnd. Angw Wmrtiarm. Brian WWJtom CtaaalBad' Paggy McQmn. Manapar Barry Logan. Sharon Sauva OtadMuBon: Ftabacca Brooka. Krtsb Van Oordar. Anthony Wynn ■uatnaaa kam, Carbons, Sroarvrarv Judy Connoty Production: ingno Whrto. Produchon Coon*tator Krishna Orangar. Oaa McCobb. Stacy Mawaroom....__J«E Ml 1 Olaplay Advertising-ME471I (int-itt Oblca.__IM 1111 ClanMid Advarttelng-ME WH SECRET SERVICE “REQUEST PERMISSION TO BE REUEVEO FROM GUARDING SOCKS ?!M LETTERS Ideological error This letter is in response to the Feb 10 editorial in the Emerald concerning the* California Supreme Court decision last week about student funding of '■ideological" organizations. The editorial assumed OSPIRG would have been affected if this decision was made in Oregon, but this isn't true. CALPIRG was not mentioned in the California decision at all. If this battle came to Oregon, OSPIRG would also not be affected by it — simply because we am not an ideologi cal organization The editorial also mentioned the PIRGs in c onjunction with "using student fee*, for a partisan organization." which is blatant ly false. OSPIRG is a 501 C3 cor poration, which means we cannot endorse candidates for any office and we cannot work on ballot measures The use of the NYP1RG case in this argument was also unwar ranted I-egal counsel looked into the NYPIRG decision and came to the conclusion that the case does not apply to OSPIRG — the case didn't even threaten NYPIRG. Its PIRG chapters are still as active, healthy and legal as ever. It is critical that we receive the corretf information. We. as stu dents. have a right to fund orga nizations in the public interest. Let us not get hung up on these debates; let us continue to create and endorse organizations like the IFC and OSPIRG to empow er the student body. Shannon Vamay Vtca Chairwoman OSP1RG Decisions The question of whether a fetus should be treated legally and morally as a human being is not a scientific question but a ques tion of values. Although a fetus does have a complete set of human DNA. it lacks many other characteristics, particularly before the second trimester, that we would think of as essential to a human being — such as self awareness and the ability to interact with others. It has not even developed many of the physical aspects of a human. There are good reasons not to treat a fetus like a human being, but in order to make the ethical decision, people will need to consider the values at stake here. What is more important to us: The right of a fetus to develop, or the right of n woman to control her own body and her own life? Is it more w rong to think of a fetus as a non-human when it comes to the fetus' rights, or to force women to bear children when they don't want to? Easy access to abortion has been a nec essary part of all effective pop ulation control programs in the world to date. What is the high er good, to give fetuses the right to develop, or to have effective population control so the people of the world an avoid the con sequences of overpopulation — war, famine, disease and a ruined environment? Ben Iglauer Eugene Dog at large One day I was walking my dog when l fell I was being followed. I glanced behind me and recog nized what I thought was one of Eugene's finest jogging toward me I glanced around looking for a crime in progress but didn't see any bikers riding on the wrong side of the street. I was initially confused ut why he was following me when it became clear he was actually a Lane County Animal Control Officer. After some small talk. I learned that officer Berry was eager to inquire about my knowl edge of leash laws. I was touched. He wandered all the way over here to save the neighborhood from my unbridled pooch To preserve the moment, he took out a piece of pretty, pink paper and scribbled on it while asking me some questions. He then gave me the paper and I noticed the infraction stated, "dog at large." I immediately realized the seri ousness of what just happened and scolded my dog for forget ting her leash. Then 1 turned to officer Berry and thanked him. I’ll nover forget the warm feeling in my heart when 1 waved to him as he chugged back to his vehi cle. 1 think of officer Berry often and look forward to seeing him in court when 1 arrive to pay for the infraction. I want to thank him again for protecting society I also want to offer him my apolo gies. After all, it probably isn't his fault he couldn't be a real police officer. Scott Klemp ' English Carson man fudging from some of the let ters 1 have read in the Emerald recently. Ed Carson is racist, sex ist and homophobic. This is l>eoause he is the managing edi tor of the Oregon Commentator. which has printed racist, sexist and homophobic pieces. The implication is that if Car son wen* a truly enlightened per son. he would have prevented the publication of such trash. VVuit a minute, isn't that censor ship? It would seem that the First Amendment is a double-edged sword and not subject to the whims of the "politically cor rect." I could go on but I feel a sudden urge to listen to "Cop Killer." Andrew Haldane Political Science IFC thanks On behalf of everyone associ ated with the 1993 Public Inter est Environmental Law Conference, we would like to thank the Incidental Fee Com mittee for its more than generous donation to this year's confer ence. We would like the IFC to know that its support has ensured this year's conference will be the bust ever, and that our very special indigenous guests, who are the centerpiece of this year's confer ence. will all lie able to come and share their knowledge and vision. Again, we want to thank the IFC for its generous support. The conference, the law school, the University, and most of all us. the students, are the true beneficia ries. David Evans Karl Qrabowskl Contractors 1993 Public Intarast Environmental Law Conference LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor must be limited to no more than 250 words, legible, signed and the identification of the writer must be verified when the letter is submitted. The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or style.