EDITORIAL
Verdicts offer relief;
problems still exist
Guilty.
That simple word, uttered twice, brought a finish to
the emotional rollor coaster ride that began March 3,
1991, when black motorist Rodney King was brutally
beaten by officers of the lx>s Angeles Police Department.
A little more than a year later, on April 29.1992. a Jury
found four of those officers. Theodore Briseno, Timo
thy Wind. Ixuironee Powell and Stacey Koon. not guilty
of assault and use of oxcessive force in the videotaped
beating.
The nation was left in a state of shock, reeling from the
unbelievable verdicts and from the sight of LA burning
in the aftermath. Fifty-three people died during the next
several days as more than $1 billion damage was done to
South Central LA.
Saturday's verdicts in the federal civil rights trial
involving the same four men were significantly more
gratifying — guilty verdicts for Koon and Powell, but not
guilty verdicts for Briseno and Wind. The results were
better than many expected, and less than what many had
hoped for.
However, the beating, the trial and the verdicts all
nood to be put into perspective. For all of the publicity
the King beating generated, the beating of one man was
just that — the beating of one man.
The difference between King s beating and the way
minorities are treated by law enforcement in general is
that King's beating was videotaped. It was not an aber
ration. It was just another day in the life of urban Amer
ica.
The only message these verdicts send to law enforce
ment officials is: "Make sure there are no cameras
around before you cross the line."
Many are saying justice has been served. Justice for
whom? Justice for the poverty-stricken families forced to
live in the ghetto? Justice for the baby of the mother
addicted to crack? Justice for the families of the 53 peo
ple who died in last year's riots or whose businesses and
livelihoods were destroyed?
The four defendants were not the problem, and they
aro inappropriate targets for public anger. Rather, they
are microscopic examples of the greater problems facing
urban America and law onforcemont.
Directing our anger toward the four defendants, or
police in general, is a waste of time and effort. The prob
lems that need to be addressed begin with each and
every one of us. Now is the time to focus our efforts to
improve our neighborhoods and better the lives of the
people who live in them and the police who protect
them.
America cannot sit back and wait for the next video
taped beating before taking action. The beating of King
was not a wake-up call, it was a reminder. Let's try not
to forgot it.
Oregon Daily
Emerald
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OPINION
Write-in candidate offers salvation
ere wo go again — anoth
er round of insipid
ASUO elections where
the only curiosity lies in guess
ing how few votes the winners
will get
Sure, the current ASUO pro/,
and veep. Bobby t.oe and Kor
men Fore, have promised to
shave their heads if 25 percent
of the campus votes, hut 1 would
suggest to both Bobby and Kar
men that they don't forget to buy
shampoo this week. Somehow, 1
expect they'll still be needing it
No doubt like many of you,
I've been worried to the point of
nausea over what I can do as a
responsible student to improve
my student government Who
should I vote for? What issues
are important to ine? What does
“ASUO" stand for. anyway?
After much deliberation and
soul searching. I've come up
with a solution to both my prob
lems and your problems There
fore, I am hereby officially
announcing my write-in candi
dacy for an ASUO position. Any
position. Every position. Write
me In wherever you want
As any good candidate
should. I must now appeal to
your special interests. To do so.
I first need to determine who my
constituency is and what it
might expect from me. Then I
need to determine who I actual
ly care about and what I can
expect them to do for me
The latter groups shall remain
anonymous and, should I win.
will form a shadow government
of which I will lie the figurehead
leader in exchange for Snapple
and pens that work
So now. I must ap|>ea) to you.
the masses yearning to be free,
the proletariat seeking equality,
the apathetic wanting to lie left
alone. I embrace you all — my
children.
Why vote for me? Good ques
tion Allow me to share my plat
form with you. (Ai tually. stay
off of my platform This only
works if I can look down at you.)
If I'm elected to the ASUO Exec
utive, that's president for you
laypuople. I pledge to do nty
best to find the offii t*. return
soma phone calls and pose for
pictures with University Presi
dent Myles Brand. Also, I will
never shave my mustache,
unless somebody pays me to.
Further. I will have open
office hours every Friday at the
KMU Beer Gardens (when they
have them). I realize this may be
unfair to those of you under 21.
but so what?
Also. I promise to never wear
a lie. except for this real cool
Loony Tunes tie my wife bought
me a couple of weeks ago. You
see. we were going to Portland
to see Phantom of the Opera.
and 1 decided to make a state
ment (albeit kind of stupid) by
wearing this silly tie So when
we got there . uh. well, just
vote for me. than you (.an come
by the office and I'll tell you all
aliout it.
Of course, you may not feel
any particular motivation to
vote for me. You may not feel
any particular motivation to
vote for anyone. Well, do it any
way. Vote for me Remember.
"A vote for Martin is a vote
against them." Isn't that good
enough?
And if for some bizarre reason
you take this election seriously,
consider this: As an editorial
editor for this multi-award win
ning publication. I have gained
valuable insight into the twisted
inner workings of student gov
ernment Also, I’ve done a real
good job of getting just about
every special-interest group to
hate me. so you can be sure I'm
in no one's pocket. And if I was.
it would be none of your damn
business.
One of the tickets running for
ASUO Executive came up with a
nifty slogan. "Your agenda is
our agenda." Somehow. I doubt
that that agenda is my agenda.
And it seems pretty simple of
them to assume we all have the
same agenda.
But a slogan without the word
"agenda" just isn't a slogan, so
I've had my crack stuff work
around the clock to come up
with this equally catchy
Orwellian slogan: "My agenda is
my agenda."
Short, simple and to the point.
There's no confusion, no won
dering about where I conn
down on the issues. I come
down squarely on the side of
whatever suits me at the
moment. At least I have the
courage to admit it up front.
But there are other offices up
for grab. and l need to make an
equally powerful and moving
pitch for them, so please, bear
with me (or at least vote for me).
There are several vacant seats
on the Incidental Fee Commit
tee. (Quickly, by a show of
hands, how many people either
now or at one time thought IFC
stood for Interfraternity Coun
cil?)
I really don't want to sit on
the IFC (actually. I wouldn't
mind sitting "on” the IFC). hut
I'll do it if you the people call
me to your service. I'll be your
servant I'll spend your money.
I'll write you from the
Caribbean.
Actually, the IFC needs me.
Why? Because I have a calcula
tor and I know how to use it. I’m
the committee's worst nightmare
— a rational person with a brain.
If I were on the IFC, I'd vote to
fund only those organizations
whose members voted for me.
demonstrating their unswerving
loyalty. Also. I'd vote to fund
those organizations that didn't
vote for me. demonstrating their
clear-headedness. But at least I
already have friends, so, unlike
some IFC members. I wouldn't
need to fund groups in a pathet
ic attempt to buy friends.
But again, if you're taking this
whole mess seriously, this is for
you. If elected. I would push for
setting fees before allocating
money. (Novel idea, huh?) Also.
I would never, ever, ever allow a
group to get money for karaoke
parties.
1 would lower funding to the
athletic department significant
ly 1 figure if students had to buy
their tickets, say. to football
games, the guaranteed drop in
attendance (and revenue) would
be noticed by the team, which
might then actually feel some
pressure to win a few games. In
effect, the athletic department
would need to "sing" for its
“supper." How* quaint.
And finally. I'll also accept
votes for Student Senate. Not
that I really want to serve on the
Student Senate, but what the
heck Besides, does anyone real
ly know who serves on this
illustrious body? Does anybody
care? Of course not. So vote for
me.
Hey. you could do worse. I
guarantee it.
Martin Fisher is an editorial
editor for the Emerald.