EDITORIAL
ASUO works toward
student participation
Students often criticize the ASUO for a perceived lack
of direction. They say administrators and legislators
have the true power and student government, no matter
how much it preaches, achieves few tangible results
Well, it's true the ASUO has limited influence. If i
doesn't make federal decisions. It doesn't pass state leg
islation. It can't oven change local laws But it can be
an effective lobbying organization for student concerns
— providing the student body wants to get involved.
The ASUO is working on several issues at both the
state and federal level. On March 3. the office will bus
concerned students to the state capitol, where they will
lobby for higher education’s future — which includes
calling for a statowide tax package On March 5, an infor
mational rallv will be held to raise student awareness
of ASUO-sponsored action. I-arge posters will detail the
ASUu s federal ton
corns and give sugges
tions on how students
can involve themselves.
Among the federal
issues discussed will be
President Clinton's
National Service Trust
Fund, tho Violence
Against Women Act. gav
rights, and several finan
cial aid com orns. Six
teen students will trav
el to Washington, D.C.
The ASUO can be
an effective
lobbying
organization for
student concerns
— providing the
student body wants
to get involved.
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Through those efforts, along with Wednesday's phone
bank that provided people an opportunity to contact
their legislators, the ASUO is doing its best to involve
University students. It's giving students an opportunity
to speak out and to promote specific recommendations
drawn up by the ASUO. Now students must take the
next step and involve themselves.
This is not an apathetic student government ASUO
members put a lot of effort into developing solutions
for problems both at a University level and beyond
Responding to the fail term Phi Kappa Psi rape protest,
the ASUO will sponsor a “Greek Social issues Seminar"
for spring term. The seminar is coming out of an ASUO
fund-raising account, not student foes Rather than sim
ply preaching that fraternities sometimes foster rape, the
ASUO has made a constructive effort to address the
issue.
The March 3 trip to Salem would be a good opportu
nity to got involved with ASUO-sponsored action. It
concerns all students. After all, tuition may go up again
next year, possibly J>y as much as $400. ASUO President
Bobby Lee said he hopes to recruit 500 students for the
trip, which, when combined with equally large congre
gations from several other colleges and Universities,
could give legislators a substantial headache.
As Loe said, all the ASUO can do is provide opportu
nities for students. It has accomplished that goal. If stu
dents don't react to those opportunities, there's not
much more the ASUO can do.
Oregon Daily
Emerald
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LETTERS
Get help
Mv purpose for writing is not
to complain or whine about a
trivial matter, nor to lr\ and per
suade you to think like* me
I am writing to convey a very
important message to
"Michael." who was the subject
in an article tilled "Coer< ive
rapist faces truth" [ODE, Feb
1H)
If Michael still feels violent
when he looks at women, he
does not "have a handle on (his)
problem ' If he wishes women
"wouldn't wear provocative
c lothing." he needs help I mean
this in the most serious of ways.
He shouldn't feel ashamed I
urge all men who have these
feelings to seek someone who
can help It is these exact feel
ings that are too often the root of
c rimes against women
Michael is trouhled now, just
ns he was as a youth. He
shouldn't allow himself to he
victimized or let his feelings
grow into ac tions.
The University offers free
counseling to students at the
health center. Michael now real
izes he raped Elizabeth He has
taken a step. Now he must go
further and find someone who
can help him lose his angry feel
ings.
Andy Bracco
Psychology
Read Bible
To all you poor ignorant peo
ple who think it is OK to he
homosexual, let me say I am tru
ly sorry 1 pray that one day you
will know the truth In the
meantime, let me direct you to
Leviticus 20:13.
Sean McGrath
National Student Exchange
Help all victims
As one of the letter writers in
support of the Violence Against
Women Act, I would like to
encourage its supporters to
remember the most helpless and
innocent victims of violence:
the children.
Children (or household pets
for that matter) do not have the
opportunities and resources to
escape or repel violence the way
adult women do. Furthermore,
the Violence Against Women
Act, citing crimes like rape. car
ries the misleading implication
that women are only the victims
and never the perpetrators of
violence.
It must be recognized that
some violence against women is
committed by women, and
women are also i apable of com
mitting violence against men
and children
Let's discourage violence on
all levels, and let's help all its
victims I personally will sleep
heller if I am assured that I did
not assist a campaign led by
people who indulge in male
bashing and self gratification.
Eric Nissani
Spanish
April Fools
I'm not sure where Owen
Brennan gets off denying the
fact that the Oregon Commenta
tor once published an article
about a fictitious campus shuttle
Service called "RamRide" (ODE.
Feb 22).
Perhaps he simply failed to
search the archives before writ
ing his letter. Or perhaps he is
attempting to squirrel out of
Barbara Rodgers' shrill accusa
tions on a couple of question
able technicalities.
The article in question was
printed a few years ago in an
April Fools' issue dubbed the
Oregon Commiehater. Could
Brennan really be saying that,
because Rodgers remembered
the title incorrectly ("RamRod”
rather than "RamRide") and/or
because it was published under
a fictitious banner (Com■
miehater rather than Commen
tator). the article to which
Rodgers referred never existed''
Oh please! If this is Brennan's
reasoning, perhaps he should
consider a career as a defense
attorney. There’s no doubt he
would be good at finding similar
cheesy technicalities on which
to spring various low-lifes and
petty criminals.
During my time on the Com
mentator staff, not only do 1
remember reading the "Ram
Ride” article, but I also recall
the staff being happy to take
responsibility for what we print
ed.
If Brennan wishes to distance
himself from past articles
("RamRide” was published
before Brennan worked on the
Commentator), then he should
say so. If not. tie should either
fess up or shut up.
Teresa Knezek
Former Publisher
Oregon Commentator
Look around
We've all seen IT and walked
past IT. Wo look at our feet as
we go by. We've all heard ITs
sounds and tried to imagine
what IT is like. Some of us have
even given up spare change to
make ourselves feel better about
IT. There is more we tan do.
What is IT?
IT is the problem of hunger
and homelessness and IT is
right here in Eugene. Whether
we re block, white, young, old.
homosexual or heterosexual,
these issues affect all of us
because hunger and homeless
ness do not discriminate. 60.000
people face hunger daily in
Lane County and 2.000 families
are homeless. It is likely that all
of us will have to deal with
these problems in our future.
Because of OSPIRG and the
Hunger and Homelessness
group, we are all presented with
an opportunity to help out. Con
tact OSPIRG at 346-4377 to find
out what you can do to help
fight these problems on a local
and national scale. Weekly
Hunger and Homelessness
group meetings are on Thursday
at 7:00 p.m in EMU Cedar Room
B.
Remember "What you do for
yourself dies with you. but what
you do for others lives on forev
er.”
Christopher Kummerer
Architecture