EDITORIAL
Keep city manager;
alternatives costly
An ongoing effort in Eugene to eliminate the position
of city manager and replace it with an elected council
member is a noble attempt to bring accountability and
democracy to city government. Noble, but ill-conceived.
If the initiative makes it to the ballot and is approved
by the voters, it would replace a system of government
that has served Eugene effectively for almost half of a cen
tury, putting in its place a newer system that, although
arguably more "democratic." is likely to erode the gov
ernment's efficiency and accomplish little else.
The concerns that have led to the initiative seemed
valid at first glance. The city manager, who is appoint
ed by the council and not elected by the people, seems
removod from accountability. If the voters disagree with
the city manager's handling of public affairs, they are not
empowered to recall the city manager or even vote the
r itv manager out at the next election.
This in no way indicates, however, that the city man
ager is untouchable. A simple majority vote of the City
Count il. and the city manager is out. Period. Ami the
council members ore elected by the people. It is unlike
ly that they would remain in office if the city manager
was unpopular with the public.
Replacing the city manager with an elected council
chairperson would increase the accountability of city gov
ernment slightly, but it would do so at a terrible cost in
efficiency.
I* 1X81 f in© new cnBirpersun wumu iwvtj mi ui mw irajwir
sibilities of the old city manager, but with the added task
shouldered by every other elected official in the country:
getting re-elected. This would not only slow things down,
but would also force the chairperson to resnond to
whichever special interests made possible his election.
Besides, it makes more sense to have the City Coun
cil choose a city manager based on experience and qual
ifications than to force the public to eioct ono based on
lawn signs and television commercials. The public is sim
ply not as likely to mako an informed decision.
Supporters of the initiative also assort that, undor the
current system, the city manager makes the policy, and
the council merely approves it. The manager provides
much of the information that the council uses to mako
decisions, and therefore, it is arguod. the city manager is
able to manipulate the council by withholding or down
playing any facts that do not support the city manager's
position.
In an attempt to address this problem, the initiative also
includes a provision to give a salary and benefits to each
council member — including the chairperson and the
mayor, who. under the current system, are unpaid vol
unteers. This idea has merit, because it would allow coun
cil members to spend more time away from other jobs and
more time dealing with public policy. Unfortunately, that
assumes that the more than $200,000 that it would cost
could be found somewhere without harming city services.
Under the circumstances, the drastic reforms suggest
ed in the initiative are unnecessary and costly. The idea
of restructuring Eugene's city government is founded in
legitimate but exaggerated foars, and if a solution is need
ed. it will hopefully take a different form than this one.
Oregon Daily
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Better methods to prevent rape
Lia Salcktia
here has go! to !»• a hotter
way to prevent date rape
.L Better than the new "poli
cy" devised by Antioch Univer
sity that stops short of placing
video monitors in dorm rooms
to make sure students are having
politically correct sexual rela
tions.
"If you want to take her
blouse off. you have to ask If
you want to touch her breast,
you have to ask If you want to
move your hand down to her
genitals, you have to ask. If you
want to put your finger inside
her, you have to ask." said
Karen Hall — simply called an
"advocate” by Jane Gross of the
iVew York Times — to a room
full of freshman men.
It was Hall's job to explain
Antioch's new sexual offense
policy, which requires step-by
step consent with each new sex
ual act.
So what did Hall say to the
room full of freshman girls? If
vou want to lick his ear, you
have to ask. if you want to feel
his chest, you have to ask. if you
want to grope his member, you
have to ask7
Of course not. Young women
are helpless waifs who don't
have a due about holdinx their
own in the sexual arena. Their
job is just to lay there and con
sent. or disagree to being acted
upon.
And young men art* too stupid
to be taught to respect women’s
bodies, and that no means no.
It's just loo scary to educate
people as stupid as college
freshmen about what acquain
tance rape is and how informa
tion and smart choices can pre
vent it. It's much better that
Antioch administrators solve the
dale rajHt problem with true uni
versity spirit — make more
rules.
Another nifty fac et of the 13
page policy is that it's against
the rules to have sex while
intoxicated. Jane Gross reported
that in Hall's speech, "She told
them that 'consent is not mean
ingful if it is given while under
the influence of alcohol or drugs
and thus it is against the rules to
have sex with someone who is
inebriated.' "
I'm not trying to make light of
any woman's experience with
sexual assault Rape is a horri
ble, horrible experience. It is the
responsibility of higher educa
tion to address the issue and
apply solutions to the problem
of rape on campus.
But making rules that are not
only ludicrous and dictatorial,
but also impossible to enforce, is
not the way to encourage solu
tions.
Lia Salaccia is a columnist
for the Emerald.
LETTERS
Speaking out
Thu gay movement has
prompted a number of hearings
in which the so-called positive
aspects of homosexuality have
Ixjen addressed. What is the gay
movement other than creative
non—violence being used to
make a negative into a positive?
In keeping with this creative
non—violent approach. I pro
pose that the U.S. Senate and
the Joint Chiefs of Staff hear me
speak on "Homosexuality: the
Bane ol Society." 1 will speak on
the unspoken so—called posi
tive aspects of homosexuality.
Does "bane" sound bad? That’s
good because "good is bad and
bad is good’ (Isaiah f>.i!Q).
I real Is want to clarify this
issue and do gays a favor.
They're sweet people Then are!
Ask them, they'll tell you them
selves. Who can oppose them?
I have news for the lesbian
and bisexual women who march
to "take back the night." You
already live in darkness. You are
port of the problem.
Not only have you subtly
swayed the women’s movement
to embrace the gay agenda, but a
lot of you have also worked from
the "closet.” It's so much easier
to bring heterosexual women to
embrace the gay agenda when
you pose as a heterosexual your
self, isn't it?
Well, your time is up! As a
servant of the Lord, my job is to
say "to those in the darkness,
'reveal yourselves!’ " (Isaiah
49:9). Of course that should be
no problem. You are such sweet
people. Who can oppose you?
Bobby Meade
Washington, D.C.
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