_A.-1 . U
EDITORIAL
Earthquake should
jolt Oregon awake
Geologists said it would happen. And it did sort
of.
Last Thursday. Oregon was jolted by an earthquake
that measured as high as 5 7 on the Richter scale. The
epicenter was 12 miles southeast of Woodburn, but peo
plo felt it as far north as Seattle and as far south as Rose
burg
This was not. however, the quake geologists are pre
dicting, Scientists have been saying for years that Oregon
will get hit with a quake of magnitude 8.0 or 9.0 on the
Richter scale. As the Juan do I'm a plato slides beneath
the North American plate, tension will build and < atise
a gigantic shifting of land masses, experts say. The end
result will be giant tidal waves, crumbled buildings and
largo death tolls
In contrast, Thursday's quako was centered under
neath the seemingly harmless Mount, Angel fault.
Although a number of people foil the quake, no deaths
occurred. Even at a generously estimated 5.7. the quake
was not large by California standards It was relatively
minor, with minimal strength.
Despite this, it caused at least $5 million worth of
damage. The rotunda on the state capitol building
cracked, part of the roof of Molalia Union High School
collapsed, a bridge near Dayton dropped more than six
inches, and several homes in the VVoodburn Hrea
received extensive structural damage.
If a relatively minor quake can cause major problems,
the threat of a major earthquake should cause Oregon to
finally sit up and take notice. Granted, newspapers have
reported earthquake rumors before, hut earthquakes have
always boon considered the least of Oregon’s worries.
Now perhaps people will understand that Northwest
earthquakes aren't just a figment of someone’s imagina
tion. They are real and need to be addressed.
Legislators need to pass tough building standards sim
ilar to the ones in California. New bridges, highways and
buildings could be constructed with stronger reinforce
ments. and larger buildings could be built on rollers to
absorb the slun k a common trick in l-os Angeles.
These pre< autfons could minimize damage before a
quake actually occurs — a preferable alternative to
( leaning up in a quake's aftermath.
Unfortunately. Oregon is already behind in efforts to
polish earthquake standards. And the state’s budget
crunch doesn't allow for much money to reinforce old
er buildings.
Therefore, the Legislature shouldn’t necessarily man
date reinforcement of pre-existing buildings, although
businesses and homeowners with good sense would do
it anyway Bridges and other government-owned prop
erty. however, should bo reinforced if possible.
It's time to play it safe. A magnitude 8.0 earthquake
will not just damage bridges but destroy them. Entire
buildings will crumble, not just receive a few plaster
cracks. The very least Oregon can do is improve stan
dards for forthcoming construction. If an earthquake hits
as late as 50 years from now, at least a few people will be
prepared — unlike today.
Oregon Doily
Emerald
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i ,
Clarifying
1 dm writing in response to
tin* "Officials say levy ignores
issues" article in the March 15
hmrmld While Vttgar Stokset's
story m i (irately depicts portions
ol our interview, several mis
representations appear in the
text
In the first instance. 1 suggest
ed it was spei illative to assume
the crime rate would increase if
the levy failed More offenders
can lie managed in the commu
nity. providing the right mix of
supervision, sail! lions and ser
vices are available
As such. I support the wide
array of programs the serial levy
funds My observations, as relat
ed to Stokset. focused on the
inability of higher-risk offenders
to access the full spectrum of
programs
Nonetheless, the corrections
programs contained in the levy
packnge are essential in main
taining a range of servic es and
sanctions to manage offenders
in the community However, 1
firmly believe we need to re
examine how and with whom
these resources are employed
The question is not whether
levy-funded programs are need
ed . they are The debate centers
around which offender popula
tion these programs serve. It is
extremely important to accu
rately portray issues conc erning
the public safety serial lew, the
artic le falls short in this respec t.
David M. Koch
Department of Corrections
Peace Corps
1 read with spis ml ithe
iiriK It- tilled "Peat a Corps offers
i ultural education" in the |an 7
Kmvmld.
What reverberated most true
to my heart was the i eminent b>
l.aurn Straichert: "You can't
really know what it's >501 ng to lie
like until you go. The whole
experience is so personal. You
won’t know how you'll react to
the situation until you get
there."
And isn't th.it true of life in
general?
Yes, you’ll learn about cul
ture, America's .is well as oth
ers'. hs service in the Peace
Corps
Hut I'm also learning a hell of
it lot about myself, about how
well 1 i an withhold judgment,
where my limits are and how 1
can excel, exceeding what 1
thought were limits
1 teach science to eighth
graders And 1 love it. Keen
when they are a hunch of little
brats Kids will he kids, in
Botswana or America. Some
will do their homework, and
others will tell you the goats ate
it.
People are people, world
wide. We are definitely all from
the same stock, all of the same
blood.
And now I know that my Uni
versity education was worth
while Because I would not be
here without it.
Peter Kinsey, PCV
Botswana
Generalization
I have read and reread Profes
sor Ron Rousseve's commentary
of March 12 many times. 1 can
certainly empathize with his
position bee ause the atrocities
committed in the name of reli
gion certainly need to he
addressed
However. I'm afraid his com
mentary failed to do so in any
salient or cohesive manner
Although his assertions certain
ly point to some important areas
of exploration, he offers none of
the support or evidence such
conclusions would need, espe
cially considering the nature of
his sweeping generalizations.
1 also would be forced to
question the motivation behind
the convoluted language he
used to state his position This
language, it seems to me. is used
to distract the reader from clear
ly understanding w hat he is tr\ ■
ing to communicate. This only
has the effect of intellectually
intimidating some readers, who
will simply agree or disagree out
of frustration rather than clear
comprehension.
Also. I'm not sure he realizes
the implications of his ideas
concerning "intellectual parti
tioning" and "cognitive com
part men tali za I ion." Unfortu
nately. the manner in which he
states these terms ultimately
leads to the conclusion that-nth
giuus beliefs are tbu rwirit ol
mental incompetence or genet
ic/environmental deficiency I
doubt such an argument could
realistically lie made.
He is correct in speculating
that "disciplined rational scruti
ny undermines religious
mythology.” I’m sorry, but his
commentary does not meet
these qualifications, perhaps
because of limited space in
which to write. If this is the
case. 1 would enjoy reading a
more fleshed-oul version. Until
then. I must remain extremely
doubtful as to the validity of his
position.
Kurt Landre
Music Composition
Natural evil .
I am not quite certain of the
purpose of Ron Rousseve's ram
bling and rather disjointed com
mentary in your issue of Friday.
March 12. He seems to be
opposed to uncritical acquies
cence. especially where religion
is concerned. He also seems to
favor scientific validation.
1 agree with both positions in
general But 1 have to point out
that his reasoning seems rather
flawed when he begins to dis
cuss "natural evil” in the world,
which he defines as "innocent
victims" being annihilated b>
vail anoes, earthquakes, etc
Ma\ I humbly point out that
despite his buliel in the "reali
ty" ol this "evil," 1 believe it
would Ihs difficult to prove (sci
entifically. of course) a moral
motivation on the part of a
cyclone.
Yours in cognitive reconcilia
tion.
Trey Imfeld
Eugene