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. (luring nju mg vm >muii iu tuuuy uu u«vnnii ui nn .iv imhw. 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 The Oregon Oaky Emerald i published Js.ty Monday through EivJey during the school rear and Tuesday and Thursday during me iu«me by me Oregon Deny Emeretd Pubbshmg Co Inc at me University o< Oregon. Eugene Oagon The Emerald operetta .ndapendentty o< me University wen o«s private properly The unlawlui removal or use ol papers »ce Manager Jane Iroks Terete Isabwte Ptvsp Johnson I, Chris Kanofl Jeremy Mason van V OByan II. CMkwt Oh. Rachael Trui. Ange Wmdhwm Brian Wiitrpievn Claeelfled Peggy AfcGmn Manager Berry Logan. Sharon Stove Distribution Rebecca Brooks. Knsh Van Gorde*. Anthony Wynn business Kathy Carbone. Supervisor Judy Cormoky Production: Inyvj White. EVoaUceon Coortwekjr Krishna Granger Dee McCobb Stacy Mkchart Jarwttr Roland. Jermiter Smith, Ann# Sttphanson Matteroom J4EUI1 Dlaplay Advertising 34B-3712 Business Office „ 34(4(11 Cleeelhed Advertising 346-4143 HAWNG PROBLEMS 1 SWITCHING 1t> CAPITALISM. 7HE TROUBLE (S TWAT 4u OOk CAPITALIST! APE CP/MWALS BfttAkWG ALL OUft LAWS. « ■ 7WATi JUST AN £arly STAG* of CAPI7ALISM. WHO J'fMJ a 7*« ***+*# Mtwt IT £\*N7UALLV 7WEV BECOME POWCRFUL ENOU&H TO ftEWRrre THE LAWS. 51 Bvr Ut'bL &AHKWOT t _ »,£v£nTVAUV ^ ngpqittPftCs 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