LETTERS
Senor Perot
In response to Gary Sudbor
ough’s "No NAFTA" {ODE. Oct.
14): Are you serious? I don't
claim to be an expert on NAFTA
(I have heard there are only a
handful of people who fully
understand the agreement and
its implications, and Ross Perot
is not one of them), and I have
not yet decided where I stand on
the issue, but you and Ross are
going to need a much stronger
argument to sway me.
First of all. you compare NAF
TA to the Open Door Policy in
China, "which converted many
Chinese people into opium
addicts." 1 could be wrong, but
I don't think Mexico is getting
drugs ns part of the deal.
Next, you talk about moving
jobs out of the country. The only
companies that would "translo
cate" are ones that would proba
bly be moving in the next few
years anyway, and without
NAFTA, they would likely
move to some other country that
doesn't buy nearly as many
American products as Mexico.
True, the Mexican workers
would probably not get Ameri
can high wages, but isn't any job
better than nothing?
As far as environmental and
labor issues. Mexico needs NAF
TA much more than we do. so it
is more than willing to conform
to American standards (admit
tedly still not perfect, hut far hot
ter than current standards).
These are just some of the
arguments I've heard. I'm sure
there are some arguments for
your side, but between you and
Senor Perot. I've yet to hear a
strong one.
Steve Johnson
Finance
Vicious Meland
In his commentary. "Genetic
engineering: Stop the race for
perfection” [ODE. Oct. 12). Mar
ius Meland notes some of the
possibilities of genetic engineer
ing: cures and prevention of
AIDS, heart disease and cancer.
What could bo more vicious
than calling for a halt to prevent
diseases?
The reason Meland gives for
halting them could be. Meland
insists that genetic engineering
must be stopped. Not because
someone might be hideously
deformed, but because someone
might ‘‘enhance a genetic trait."
People might permanently rid
themselves of acne, or be beauti
ful rather than ugly, or thin
rather than fat!
Only altruism and egalitarian
ism could rationalize the desire
that lives be sacrificed so that
other people can't be perfect.
Altruism is the moral code that
demands sacrifice. Kgalilarian
ism demands sacrifice and
damns anyone who would be
(tetter than another. This is the
premise behind Melond's ques
tion. "Do we really want to tie
perfect?” Because choosing to
become beautiful implies that
beauty is better than ugliness,
the egalitarian demands sacri
fice to the ugly of those who
would lie marie Iwautiful — and
then the sacrifice of those who
would not die of cancer
People face an ultimate
choice: your code of sacrifice or
your life Only Ayn Rand's
morality of rational egoism,
which condemns sacrifice, can
stop creatures like Meland and
Jeremy Rifkin.
Damon A. Cole
Mathematics
Register!
Today is the last day for for you
to register to vote in the Nov 9
election. There are drop boxes in
Prince l.ucien Campbell Hall.
Oregon Hall, the University Book
store. Hamilton dining area and
the ASUO office (Suite a KMU).
There are cards at each of those
locations, and it only takes a cou
ple of minutes to fill one out and
drop it in the box
If you have moved since the
last time you registered, you
need to register If your name
has changed since the last time
you registered, you need to re
register.
Don't confuse being an Ore
gon resident for voting purposes
with the in-state and out-of-state
tuition policies If you reside in
Oregon you can register to vote
in the state of Oregon. Don't let
the day go by without registering
to vote!
Thomas Huckaba
ASUO Executive Staff
Studies flawed
To Chris Stringer, I would say
that I agree wholeheartedly that
homosexuals shouldn't be per
secuted I do. however, want to
address some of the issues you
are raisin# in your letter to the
editor (ODE, Oct 13).
First, not having same gender
sex in the past year does not by
default make you straight (at
least not more than not having
opposite-gender sex makes you
gay). Anyone who has an appre
ciation of "coming out" issues
would understand why this
number could be large.
Second. I cannot find your
percentage of gay people in the
latest "sex study” (/minx Report,
1993, tables 3.14-10). According
to this report. 9 percent of the
male population is having "fre
quent" or "on-going" sexual
encounters with men. If you add
the people who have male-to
mnlo sex only "occasionally,"
the figure rises to 20 percent
Thus I think the 10 percent
figure is justified on the basis of
current (and historical) scientif
ic data.
B|om S. Pettersen
Finance
LETTERS POLICY
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iMLbWM !;i"?srgg
THIS WEEK
EMU
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OPEN HOUSE
Friday, Oct. 22
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Samples
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Multicultural Center
Position Opening
The Multicultural Center (MCC) intends to
foster a deeper understanding of the many
cultures present in our community.
[.oraird in Ike EMU, the MCC will bring together atudente,
admlniatraton, faculty, Hair, graduate teaching frdowv and
community nirmben to rapture the complexities of cultural
and ethnic dlvmdty If yon are in Ur rated In learning more
about ihli -29 PTE Graduate Teaching Eedowahlp, atop by
the EMU or ASUO offices fur a copy of the portion
description and appllcatkm information Deadline for
applications is 5 pm, Friday, October 22.
Cad 346-0007 for more information.
SERVICE
a4fr37i8
t S^eeUto
Starving
t 9-10.30 a.m
30-2:30 p.««
y -Friday
ud« medium
lc or cojCfce'
OCT. 18-24
; Parliamentary Procedure
* Robert's Rules of Order
Consensus
This workshop will be facilitated by
Frank J. Geltner, Jr., Ph.D.
lUllMil ImmIuIm W Mbaralutau
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f.-.r-.-j Free lo UO organizations. $10.00 to all others.
Saturday, November 6, 1993
lll| 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Walnut Room (at Post Office)
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*L 1993-94 F.MU Board of Dlrec.ora havo
aScliws yrars officers. They are:
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LTtSSfSUo** (
Stephanie Dixon. Btui^OHrun^^^
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IS Suite 5. KMU. telephone is b .17^0
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