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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 11, 1993)
EDITORIAL No one is required to tell truth to media Tho Son. Bob Packwood soxual harassment scandal has taken a turn for tho bizarre. A coalition of Oregonians allogo Packwood defrauded voters by lying to reporters, and that he should not have been seated by the Senate. Soxual harassment is a serious issue, yet these charges are so absolutely ludicrous they stand to tarnish the impor tance of the harassment charges. Because he lied, the charges claim, tho junior Oregon senator dofraudod Oregon voters who supposedly may have voteed for Packwood'* challenger Democrat Les AuCkiin. had they Iwen aware of the harassment claims. The basic flaw in this now charge is tho belief that peo ple are required to tell tho truth to the media. Obviously, this is patently false. No person, regardless of his or her position m society, is required to toll the truth to reporters, even if they're from The Washington Post. There is only one instance when a person is required to tell the truth and that is under oath, such as in a court room. And oven then, the Fifth Amendment permits a person to refuse to incriminate himself or herself. Yet this is exactly what the spon sors of these new charges are claiming Packwood should have done. University law school associate Professor David Schuman was quoted in an Associated Press story as support ing a test that would allow for a politician's No person, regardless of ms or her position In society Is required to toll the truth to reporters. removal if the candidate "directly and undeniably lied" about a "verifiable historical fact" and the lie "in all like lihood" altered the outcome of the election. Aside from the fact that every person has a right to lie to the media and that the media's inability to verify a "ver ifiable historical fact” is the media’s problem, it is high ly presumptuous of any governing body to make a deci sion bnsod on the "likelihood" of a different vote, judging from history, government's powers of clairvoyance are questionable at best y Under these new proposed guidelines, a female can didate would be required to disclose that sty* had an abor tion ufter being gang-raped, bocauso the disclosure could influence the anti-abortion vote even though it bears no relevance to her ability to serve. If President Bill Clinton had lied about having evor triod marijuana, under these guidelines he, loo. could be removed from office. If the rides committee agrees to hear this case, it stands the chance of setting a new standard to which politicians must be held (and virtually none can meet). And if they penalize Pack wood for violating this new standard, they will opon the floodgates for the retroactive application of this new standard upon all politicians —- anarchy is a rules committee hearing away. The media are not government-sanctioned institutions to which any person, citizen or politician, is beholden. Lying to the media is virtually a sacred, time-honored political tradition in this country — and it's legal. Oregon Daily Emerald The Oregon Oaty lm«M 4 put>r.yh«d duty Monday through ffday during the achoot year and Tueaday and Thu'aday during ma aummar by the Oregon Daily Emerald Pubayrt*ng Co Inc at ma Umveieity of Oregon. Eugene. Oregon The Emerald ooeratea mdapendenfly o( me Lkv<»era*y mth othoee at Su4# 300 of the Ert> Memorial Urnon and 4 a member ol the Aaaooated Preea The Emerald « pnvate property The untaartui remora or uae of papery 4 proyecutatte 6r '** Editor Pat Malach Nm Editor Editorial Editor Graphic# Editor EntartalniTiont Editor Ja*a Bwg Martin fiahor Jon Panay fra»a Horn Frooianco Conor MonOy Saucum COnortal Conor (Wi itnutx aborts Conor Oovo OarOorwoOu CuppOmonH COHor Caaoy Andoxon Might tutor Untn l iih* Aaaoclala Editor*: Tammy Batey. StuOtni Govurnmunl/Apiintiut. Oaraiyn Tfapp*. C&nmunty Co**an Pohkg t*gpm tducuKHvAdmwUuhon Huma Start 0*0* A»*n Man Bandar, Juatm Brown. Sarah Part Mag Oadotph. Amy Davanport. Jan Ok ton. Arnold* Farm*. Anthony Fomay. BatnJMaga. Taraaa Hmt»«jar IVKMCC* Mom Slava Man* Katy Mo***r. Tittm. MuaAar. Tnaa Moot. E»*n thaw. Enc* Studarxta. Matron SorOr Bandy TlaaOan Mcnata Thompaon 4o» Amy Van Tuyt. Todd PMham*. Clayton Vaa Oanarat Mtnigtr Judy Ft>«J Production Man agar: tAchaW Boat Adaaniawg: Tom Laach Sums Managar Shawn Barvan Ot(ca Managar Jan* kola, larata ttaoaa* Ph»*> Jonnaon U Chna Kanon Jaramy Maton. Van V O'Bryan It Qatar Oh llacnaai Trua. Ang* *<d*n qaaalBad: Bacty Mar chan: Managar Barry Logan. Sharon Sauvf attribution (V ardor Andaraon. Fact Mannnmg. Graham Sanpaajr BoaMaaa: hamy Carbona. SupwmuO' Aidy Comedy Production: mgnd Wht# Product*** Oxr&vHor Krtatma Grammar. Oaa McCote Stacy Mtcnau Jam, tar Boland Janrtlor Smith Nnraroom Buimmi 0»tlc« MMSIt M4-5912 Ottplay AdvartMMg CltnilM AtfvfWrig _34A-J712 MMM LETTERS Money problems I, like many students, am coming up to that all-important graduation time. It-* that won derful time when students get to celebrate the accomplishment of graduating front college by cere moniously receiving their diplo mas. all at their own cost. One would think that after spending more than $20,000 at this institution, the University could at least cut the bill for the final graduation ceremony ($24.50 with cap and gown) However, it would not appear as though the University has the interest of its graduates in mind. In addition to the commence ment ceremony fee is the S25 processing fee that must be paid with the "Intent to Graduate" fonn by every senior. So the total cost to you. if you want to grad uate and be in the official cere mony. is $50 — quite a surprise to those of us who thought last term's tuition was the last hunk of cash we would be dishing out. More important-than these amounts is the principle of the whole thing. This school seems to have little, if any. considera tion toward my once-in-a-life time ritualistic departure from it That’s not the kind of treat ment that would warrant a great deal of financial support from its alumni on down the line. I didn't expect the personal touch private universities give their graduates to be given at a university this size. One would believe, however, that at the end of four long years of hard work and great expense, the Universi ty would at least give the cour tesy of a final ceremony to its graduates. Todd Harris Psychology Embarrassed? I am writing in response to the simple-minded, poorly thought out. insensitive editori al (ODE. May 7) written by ? Well, the author must have been too intimidated by some unknown force to write a letter or commentary that would have forced upon him or her some sort of accountability. The Ernumld assumes the stu dents at the May 5 rally are the only ones concerned with the issue and the rest are "at least apathetic ... if not opposed (to the requirement)." Well. I. for one, wan in class at the time and rushed over a* soon as I was let out. So. there goes your first point. You say the most embarrass ing part was the manner in which (associate professor) Robert Proud foot stormed out of the assembly. Hmmm? Who was it embarrassing for'' Native Americans' Racial/ethnic minorities? Supporters of the requirement? Or was it embarrassing for those who supported the water ing down of the amendment? Or for those who didn't and still don't understand why the lan guage used during the assembly and the lumping together of our identities is so offensive7 I can only thank. Proudfoot for bis actions that motivated mu todo the same. The Emerald says the only reason there is confusion over the two classes is the problem in distinguishing race and ethnici ty. Wrong. It's not confusion. It's insensitivity and ignorance, "hooded" in talk of exclusivity and anti-Semitism to delay the passing of the motion Erika Armabury Women'a Diversity Program Respect history It is ironic to me that on Gnco de Mayo, a day when we cele brate a short-lived victory of the oppressed over their oppressors, we would have to listen to igno rant. racist, so-called "professors" at the University Assembly deny the entire history of oppression in this country by stating that only African-Americans have suf fered any kind of racism in this country, and that although the rest of us are "minorities,'* we have been, nonetheless, advan taged minorities. That the experiences of Asian-/Pacific-American. Chi cano/Latino and Native Ameri can people have been la|gely exaggerated, that these people have not been truly excluded from society, is equivalent to denying the Holocaust ever hap pened — which I'm sure many professors at this university would like to do. The issue of anti-Semitism •has been almost completely ignored at this university, and yet one of the only professors who has addressed it by creating a class called "Blacks and lews The American Experience," is the same professor who has now been targeted as anti-Semitic for supporting this requirement. The voices of hatred that rang out Wednesday are only a con tinuation of our experience at the April 7 assembly and reflect the terror that many members of the dominant society have of being forced to deal with the true history of this country, a history that incorporates all of our contributions. Diana Collins Puanta Sociology Relief I would like to offer this brief letter as an alternate entry to all the redundant bitching that usu ally goes on about budget cuts, cultural awareness and whatnot Instead, let me ask a question Did anyone else get the chance to see the fantastic lightning show that took place east of the Eugene-Springfield area Sunday night? If there is an encore per formance, I suggest the view from the section of Birch Street that overlooks Springfield. Scott Klemp English Senate bonding I would like to suggest that the Robert's Rules of Order quoting, budget nitpicking, secret-ballot desiring body currently known as the University Senate change its name to something that more accurately reflects its true nature — Congress of Cowards. Qretchen Adams Bond History LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor must he limited to no more than 250 words, legible, signed and the identi float ion of the writer must be verified when the letter is submitted. The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or style.