EDITORIAL Handgun restriction not unreasonable Five days doesn't sound liko much. But for gun-control advocates like James Brady, a five day waiting period on handguns was worth a seven-year fight Finally responding to the wishes of tho American public, Congress last week gave its approval to the con troversial Brady Bill, establishing a five-day waiting period on handguns as well as requiring states to con duct a background check on all prospective handgun buyers. Opposition to the bill, which passed last Wednesday, was voiced primarily by congressional Republicans, propped up by the all-important special-interest group, the National Rifle Association. Together they had been successful in stalemating tho bill for years — it was first introduced in 1987 — despite overwhelming popular support. But no longor. Now that the issue has finally been "settled." in the words of Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole. K-Kansas, it's hard to imagine what all the fuss has boon about. The usual argument against the Brady Bill is that four out of five felonies are committed by c riminals wielding unregistered or stolen guns — guns that didn't proceed through legal channels in the first place, anu which therefore wouldn’t be affected by any waiting period or background check. Even so. there are still some cases; if it has any bene ficial effect at all, it should bo passed, as long .is it doesn't violate any personal liberties. Of course, NRA-tvpes will argue that a waiting period does violate their liberties, in particular their constitu tional right to bear arms, but a logical examination of this claim reveals it to be fatally flowed. Anyone whose background checks out will be allowed the purchase eventually. So the bill merely restricts their rights — it doesn't violate them. And let's be realistic. Five days is not a long time. A person can wait more than five days standing in line at Oregon Hall, waiting for their financial aid check. In the course of a lifetime, a person will spend five days brush ing their teeth. But there is a more serious reason for supporting the Brady Bill. Buying a handgun is not, nor should it ever bo. a casu al decision. It is not the same as going down to the cor ner store to buy a quart of milk. Buying a handgun is nothing less than purchasing the power to kill, maim and murder. Five days careful contemplation is the least we can ask of prospective gun buyers. Brady Bill opponents fear that by "eroding" their free dom in this small way, it opens the door for more gov ernment intrusions. Maybe. But the passage of the Brady Bill hardly means that the NRA will curl up and dio; it may make the organization even stronger. And with the NRA playing watchdog, it's haul to believe that any more limitations will be passed without another long, drawn-out fight. Oregon Daily Emerald ManaglngEdllor Editorial Editor Qraphtce Editor Freelance Editor If'* c>ln D»'y Emerald put*.mod daily Monday through I '«ia> dining the *~hoo> yeai and Tuesday and Thursday during the summri by the Oregon Daily Emerald Puty.an.no Co . Inc . at the University ol Oregon. Eugone. Oregon The Emerald operates independently of the University with ottcoa at So«e 300 ol the E rb Memorial Union and is a member ot the Associated Press The Emerald « private property The unlawtui removal or use ot papers ««/*** MV JUUCT me*AKIWMHWf WtfD SOMOR' LETTERS Willful intent An nrin It' in the Emerald Nov 22 implied that "willful intent" is now required fur the University to reach a finding of sexual harassment. I was quoted in that story and would like to respond. Although I was involved in the discussions and formulation of the revisions of the sexual harassment administrative rules for the University, I did not direc tlv review the final word ings as printed Despite that, I defended the rules knowing that the Universitv has not and will not intend to protec t perpetra tors or other persons participat ing in discriminatory behavior 1 have now heard the reac - tions from people to one section of the rule ami realize that the interpretation by some is differ ent than that intended when the Oregon Administrative Rule was adopted painting with a broad brush, the minority student community at larm>. as Al Sliarpton -|esse lack son style shakedown-oppor tunists. who. with specious arguments and hysterical rhetoric. trv to bully and intim idate individuals and institu tions into adopting tiicir narrow, self-promoting, political agenda. Most of 11s would like to assume that the cast majority of the minority students are seri ous. rational, hard-working peo ple, applying themselves to the privilege of higher education. The University has image problems enough in these times when public support is so cru cial, without the Emerald rein fori ing the stereotypes of stu dents as vacuous whiners, and administrators as spineless pla c.aters David Hamarm Eugene 1 lie k<>.iI uf tin* administrators I have worked with closely on these issues has been to at hieve fairness and to improve the way in which reports of itit idents and grievances are processed We will public Iv announi e that the section of the OAK rule, ''unintentional differentiation constitutes discrimination only when the effect is to disadvan tage all or a substantial propor tion of the members of a protect ed i lass similarly situated, will not be implemented Plans to rescind and/or change the language are under way. Our guiding principle in such cases has been and will continue to be the "reasonable woman/man" rule. I am confi dent that the University desires to appropriately deal with issues of discrimination at the local level and provide fair treatment for all members of the commu nity. 1 commit myself and my efforts to this end. Lorraine O. Davis Vice Provost lor Academic Personnel New image The picture and story you fea tured on the front page Nov. 23 illustrates a point that those members of the Black Student Union were, in their misdirect ed way, trying to make. The Emerald has a history of Death squads Brazilian and Guatemalan death squads have killed home less i hildren as well ns union organizers, land reformers, priests, intellectuals, students and environmentalists Howev er. I think most Americans would fie shocked to know that the death squads have operated in the United States. It happened during the period of 1073-75 on the Pine Kidge Indian reservation in South Dakota The PHI and OA had infiltrated and spied on the stu dent movement against the Viet nam War. and now. they were out to destroy the American Indian Movement. They moved heavy weapons onto the Pine Ridge reservation and armed a group of tribal police headed by Dick Wilson. These tribal police were essen tially death squads. They burned AIM member's homes, terrorized their families and murdered them. It is discussed in detail in a video documentary by Robert Redford called Inci dent at Oglala. An innocent man. Leonard Peltier, has been sitting in jail for 17 years because of the gov ernment's obsession with destroying the American Indian Movement. I don't know how the United States government can complain about human rights abuses in China and other countries when it frames people and imprisons them for their political beliefs. If there is any thing left in Washington, D.C., besides hypocrisy and cow ardice, then Leonard Peltier should be freed immediately. Gary Sudborough Bellflower, Calif. Stop harassment Recent revisions to the Ore gon Administrative Rules inad vertently caused some confu sion, and the University has undertaken stops to delegate language that could be interpret ed as weakening efforts to end discrimination and sexual harassment. The final revisions to the OAR inadvertently included the phrase "unintentional differen tiation only when the effect is to disadvantage all or a substantial proportion of the members of a protected class similarly situat ed." The language was an edit ing effort designed to strengthen protections, but it failed in its intended effort. Soon after the revisions were made, a number of University individuals and groups — led by the Women’s Sexual Harass ment Network — brought it to the attention of University Pres ident Myles Brand. President Brand immediately asked that the phrase in question l>e delet ed,and until that deletion is completed the language not be enforced. Nothing on our campus is more important than protecting the rights against discrimination of any kind. That is a funda mental principle the University will not compromise in any way shape or form. We are indebted to the Women's Sexual Harassment Network and many others for bringing this situation to our attention and working with the administration to tale immedi ate action. Together we have corrected an inadvertent error and strengthened protections against discrimination of any kind on our campus. Dave Hubin Executive Assistant to Myles Brand