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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 14, 1994)
EDITORIAL "/ have a dream... ” Al the forefront of the nonviolent civil rights move ment was Martin Luther King Jr., heading his battle with dedication and determination, commitment and courage, justice and equality, and inspiring many to fol low. The following is an excerpt from his speech, deliv ered Aug. 28, 1963. in Washington. D C.: "... 1 say to you today, my friends, so oven though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow. I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I havo a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold those truths to Ixi self-evident: that all men are created equal.' I have a dream that one day, on the red hills of Geor gia, sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. 1 have a dream that one day even the state of Missis sippi, a state sweltering with the heat of oppression, will bo transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not he judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character I have a dream that one day 'every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low. the rough places will he made plains, ami the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall he revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.’ This is our hope. This is the faith that 1 go back to the South with. With this faith we will he able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith wo will be able to work together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will bo free one day. Ami this will be the day. This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able lo sing with new mean ing ’My country Mis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every' mountainside, let freedom ring.' And if America is to be a great nation this must be come true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hill tops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Lot freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Col orado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from the Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from l>ook out Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every- hill and molehill of Mis sissippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every vlilago and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men. Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of that old Negro spiritual, ‘Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, we are free al last!”' Oregon Daily Emerald The Oregon Defy (rntrua 4 published daily Monday through Friday dunng th* school year and Tuesday and Thursday dunng the summei by the Oegon Daily Emaiatd Mubkahma Co . Inc . at the University ot Oegon. f ugene. Oegon The Emerald operates independently ot the University etth offices at Suite 300 of the Eft Mentone! Union and 4 a member of the Associated Press The Emerald 4 private property The untawtuf i amove or use ot papers 4 prosecutable by tee EdHor m-Chlet Jake Berg EdHonal EdNof OawJ Thom OrapMesedHw J«« Paslay FwHww CdNor Ja«l W<man Editorial Editor Photo Editor Suoplamants EdNor JoIt PKXhortJI Anthony Foinay Kaly Solo mgm Em: Jen means'm HlenrMle EdHorm Edwad Kloplenatan. Student Government Actmtree. Rebecca Mom, Community. Jut* Swenaen. Higher £ducetion Admwttreton Hem* Staff; Mandy Baucum, Witeon Chan. Dave Chartkxneau Jim Davit. Msg Dedotph. Amy Dever<xvt Cara Echevarria. Mata f<ekH Martin Either Sarah Mendeiaon. Meatheria tames Yin Lang Laong. Manut Mdand. Tmu Noel. Ekaabeth Rssnatisrna. Kata Satxxmn Rohm Raavaa. Lia Satacoa. Scott Simonson. Stapharue Saaon. Suianne Steflant. Juba Swan tan. Mchsie Thompeon-Aguiai. Kevin Tnpp. Amy Van Tuyt. Oarval Waal Qanarat Manager Judy Rwdt Advartlalng Director: Marti Watts* Production Managar: M«chete Rota Advertising: Sob»r Dutta. Nicola Hsrimarti. Teresa Itabada. Jatt Manon. Jeremy Mason. Mcftaat Mdalta. Van V O'Bryan H, Racftaal Tnd. Kataay Wat>a«. Angie WmHiwm Claaatflad: Becky Merchant. Managar Vela Maya. Sim Ire Tack Distribution: Andy Harvey. John long, Grafiam Simpson ■ualnaaa- Kathy Cardona. Supentear Judy Connoty Production: Dos McCotO. Pmductron Coordnato* Shawna AOele. Greg Doamond. Tara Gault nay. BnU Joaa. Janmlar Roland. Nan Thangviyt- Clayton Yea room. Mmw onto#...-MMS1I Dtaptoy Atfvtrwmg —*.—m-jmz rTHBQES A U*J6 TWUN Of DNA ftOUNtVMGTWf 6tMD... o^ OM? TMeflfS A STftAV B»r of GtM£Dc MJW&LOH THS TftA^Ks' Look our/... tueae's going td be A collision! .« Genetic Erogitteeninc) W ” 9 „ All t %, ABOAQD! COMMENTARY Sex and the search for truth By Kevin Hornbuckle College is a time when peo ple in their late teens and twenties try out all sorts of things. From clothing styles, philosophies, sox partners, political ideas and peer groups, variety spit es the lives of mans who are eager to set a course dif ferent than their parents' Some people get horned by spicing things too much, hut most nego tiate this stage of development with their physical and emo tional health hotter for the effort Indeed, personal social experi mentation can im fun and decent — if you observe some basic principles while in pursuit of change. Moreover, basic principles such as honesty and compassion can deliver a qualitative advancement beyond "fun" and friends, which are the usual sorts of payoffs moral lecturers dangle forth. Take love, for instance. Many young people don't know why they want it or even how it feels. Cultural (con sumerist) tradition has it that you experience a few different (heterosexual) love relationships before settling into one that will produce children and a long, happy life. Romantically speak ing. this is an ideal ihat is very much worth thinking through aloud with prospective partners. However, avoid being formalis tic in checking out someone's values. Remembering that behavior speaks louder than words in presenting a "real life” view of what potential friends stand for By communicating more or less openly with prospective love mates, you can give the impression that your feelings matter, and so do those of the person you’re attracted to. For example, a man who wants to start things out on the right foot with a woman should be direct. Try saying "I'm attracted to you" or "You interest me?" "I like you" is so simple it can strike a waiting chord in a woman who feels the same. And maybe even in one who doesn't. Women should be as direct. Assertiveness like this is very attractive to men who reject sex ist stereotypes of waiting women. Don't let embarrass ment stop you from Isting strate gically honest. Similar honesty can make a possible sexual relationship ripe for growth, learning and fun. Suppose you’re attracted to a person hut aren't interested in a girlfriend-boyfriend type rela tionship Are you willing to speak up or will you leave your self to ruminate for a long time about a lost opportunity? Tell her or him. "1 like you as a friend, but I am not interested in a relationship." or "I want to let intimate with you. Maybe make love. How do you feel?" This communicates courage and sen sitivity, qualities that make for decency and passion in bed as well as out. Don't be discouraged if you don't got the answer you want. Knowing the bounds of a rela tionship are necessary for enjoy ing it for what it is worth to you. Don't be discouraged either if you don’t think you can bring yourself to be direct. If you're inhibited by the risk of embar rassment, just practice! These aren't pick-up lines but rather sincere expressions. People are generally unable to talk like this because they hold nutty beliefs and follow traditions con sumerist society imposes on imperfect humanity. After some mistakes and awkward moments, eventually you'll get in touch with your feelings and integrity will become your guide. By being in touch with your own feelings and thoughts, you'll develop compassion for other people and their experi ences. Clearly, deepening your humanity has consequences far beyond love relationships. Hon esty and decency have a way of generalizing to social values and political commitments, which give meaning to lives other than your own. Such meaning works dialecti cally, increasing your attraction to struggle ami therefore your attractiveness to others who admire principled commitment to something enduring and uni versal — most importantly, truth. This also applies to your col lective experience with a love mate. Neither can be the other's project Rather, shared princi-y pies and the struggle to uphold them is the substance of relat ing, the warmest kind to be sort!. Two examples, a man observes a classmate speak up in class, ask ing questions that demonstrate her interest in the subject and a remarkable lack of fear to reveal her ignorance of some aspect. He admires her commitment to learning. Another example of love developing through shared struggle is the mother who watches her child's father con sole their son. who is very upset about getting mistreated by neighborhood kids. She reinem Iwrs her father advising his chil dren to settle such disputes with fists. Her partner's love and acceptance of their child and his feelings give her hope that their boy will learn how to make rea sonable judgments about the type of friends he chooses and. in any event, that he believes he can turn to his father for support and kindness. Creating meaningful interper sonal possibilities requires being sensitive and responsive to the basic philosophical strug gles all humans share — first among them being the struggle for truth. Kevin Hornbuckle is a mental health counselor at the Clinic for Rational Behavior Change in Eugene. He also sits on the Eugene City Council.