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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1994)
EDITORIAL Roberts’ decision shouldn’t surprise Tho Novomber 1990 election introduced the state of Oregon to two things, which have since made their mark on tho state. The first of those was Ballot Measure 5, a revenue-slashing tax limitation measure. The second was Barbara Roberts, a new governor. Four years later, the state is bidding farewell to the governor. Roberts, who has presided over four of tho most nightmarish years in Oregon governmental history, has decided not to run for re-election in the fall, citing family problems including the recent death of her husband as the reason. Surely, no one can argue that such family ' challenges," as she called them, played a role in her decision. However, there are other realities in fort e in Oregon that make the governor’s job a less-than enviable one — realities that make Roberts' decision seem quite reasonable indeed. Foremost of these realities is Measure 5, which accom panied Roberts into Oregon politics, and is now helping to push her out. Sint e it was passed, the measure has preoccupied the slate legislature and confounded the governor. The lim itations it placed on property taxes have gotten more severe with each passing year and have therefore forced the government to do more and more with less and loss tax revenue. The results have not been pretty. Il was inevitable that Roberts would be eventually blamed fur the financial troubles that resulted from Mea sure 5. The governor Is the symbolic, if sometimes pow erless. figurehead of the state government, If that gov ernment can't successfully deal with an issue such as Measure 5, then the governor gets a lot of the heat. Roberts thought she had a solution with the sales tax. proposing a t.5 percent measure in 1992 that never made it out of the legislature It was followed last year by a ri percent tax. which did make it on the stale ballot as Measure l but tailed at the hands of votors. The tax didn't recognize the basic truth about the majority of Oregon voters. They want to pay less in tax es. It doesn’t matter what form the tax takes. Passing Measure 5 and rejei ting Measure 1 prove this to be the case. Roberts' agenda probably didn't agree with this truth. Governors, and particularly Democratic ones, want to do something when they are in office — not merely preside over the state's decline. As University School of Law Dean Dave Frohnmayer said. Measure 5 is the real gov ernor of Oregon. Roberts' administration was in trouble before it began. One has to admire the courage of those individuals who have entered the race to he Roberts' replacement. Measure 5 won't be fully in effect until 1996; any win ner this November is likely to be a big loser four Novem bers later — assuming, of course, that they can even muster up the strength to run again. After all. Roberts couldn’t. Oregon Daily PO 001 fuGfcNf 0«f GO^ The c kayo', Pm*y f maraud >* published da»ty Monday through f'daI during the school yo.i! and Tuesday and Thu'sday during the summer by the Oiegon Oauy Emerald Publishing Co . Iix at the University ot Oregon, t ugene Oregon the f mar.ysy !>perales mdetw'xtenlty or the University with ottvaa at Suite too ot the Ob Memorial Union and -s a member of the Asso- ,,t!tv1 Press I ne (r-rt~.lv,' is private property The unlawful removal Of use of papers rs prosecutable Edilor-Irt-Chlel Jake Berg Carre, Anderson Sports Editor Steve Mms David Thorn Editorial Editor Jell Pickhardt Jell Paslay Photo Editor Anthony Forney Jell Winters Supplements Editor Ka>y Soto Night Editor: Julie Swensen Associate Editors: Edwurd Kloplenstem. Student GovernmentActrnfres Metiecca Merritt Cofnm^firfy. Jui>e Swensen. ISgher Education Admuii season News Stsft: Maixty Baucum. W.ison Chan Dave Charbonneau. Jim Dans. Meg Dodotpn Am, Devnnport. Cara fchevarna, Mai,a FwSds. Mattm Frsber. Sarah Henderson Heathene times. Yin lung leong. Manus Meland Trrsta Noel. Elisabeth Reenstjerna. Robbie Reeves tia Sarocc.il, Ms hael StwxPer Scott Simonson. Stephanie Sisson. Susarme Stehens. Jde Swer'ser Mv hem f hompeon Aguae. Kevin Tnpp. Amy Van Tuyt. Darnel West Oeneral Manager: Judy H«t Advertising Director Man Waitei Production Manager: Mcheie Floss Advertising Sotxi Dutta. Ncom Herrmark Teresa Isabeue. Je« Marcm. jeiemy Mascm Mvrhaei Mxiefle. Van V O'Bryan II. Rachael Trull Kersey Wekek. An»e W.ndheim Classified Becky Merchant Manage< Victor Mei,a. Srm Tre Tech Distribution: Andy Harvey John Long Graham Srmpson Business Kathy Caiborw. Supervisor Judy ConnoSy Production Doe Nfc-CoOb ProdUcfort Coordinator Shswna A bom Greg Desmond Tara Gauit'Wy Brad Joss. Slacy M,t, nei: Jennifer Roland Nan Thangynyt. Clayton Yee Newsroom J44-5511 Displsy Advertising M4-3T12 Business Ottlce 34*-SS12 Ctesslhed Advertising MMM3 Managing Editor Editorial Editor Graphics Editor Freelance Editor EXPLAIN TO AGA)N HOW fcCPMO^UC G>8owTH AND PQoTEcT/HG THE ENV/SONMEATT CAH go hand «n hand «©**T) W t****io <utuf _ wiVi oo r td MUJO IT n>7M£M COMMENTARY The immorality of philosophy? n Jan 1‘). I attended a talk. I)\ the University v^i tub Students >>! Objei tivism The flier road. "Bridging the Is-Oughl C..ip How to Derive Morality from hin ts delivered In Dr Binswanger. the profes sional philosopher and tern her of graduate students The student organization is based on the philosophy of ultraconservative (although she refused to even call herself a conservative) Ayn Hand, a known advocate for regression to laissez-faire. Adam Smith uipitaiism. She believes having pure. Iris* trade prevail in society would allow for the free mind of every individual, and that self-inter est. rather than collective responsibility, is the key in a world where the market would ideally rule In other words, interest groups liberalism projected at the macro level. Every man for himself, as Kami herself would put it For an hour, Binswanger explained why he opposes the "is-ought" do hotomy made by so many philosophers, and then he went inlo a question-and nnsvver period A man got up and said he was not a believer in most things, and he did not buy into many concepts — well, right there with that statement. Binswanger, obviously suffering from a double dose of egotism and self-superiority, immediate ly scowled and belittled the man. The philosopher proceeded to cut him down and cut him off. saying he could not talk to him, and that there was nothing to talk about because the man was not worthy of the scholar. And with that, he moved on to the next raised hand But his rude and obnoxious behavior was thankfully countered and. confi dence to his credit, he insisted that the speaker hoar him and let him finish. The belligerent (not) and magnanimous (not even) and unprejudiced (hell, no) philosopher finally relin quished his throne to basically save face and to look .is though he iv,is being all of these things The rather patient man. then, finally got Ins chance to ask Hin swanger what he thought of the I.A riots The distinguished philoso pher first responded by saving that the riots, though he believed that the police offic ers who beat Rodney King were guilty, (what in the hell else could he say) were immoral There needs to lie social control, to lie sure, but he went on to say that the acts of vandalism that went on for several days were completely unjustified Me said that radical liberals would have you believe otherw ise Me said what would everyone say if white, top-executive lawyers ran through the streets of LA. and looted and vandalized? Would that lie justified as well? I'll tell you what 1 would say — let's get real, shall we? White top-executive lawyers would have no reason to do those things because they are the oppressors, not the oppressed All African-Americans are the descendants of human beings who were enslaved by the white man for four centuries. Can you understand that, Binswanger? lait's not forget that I'd say that it would bo indeed an absolute ly unjustified act Me went on to say that the "bloodless savages" (spoken from the side of his mouth), his reference to African Americans in the LA area, were fully responsible for the looting and damage. ! am unequivocally, irrevoca bly and unreservedly discon certed on three levels. I am thwarted that the University would invite this person to our campus (and no doubt pay w'ith student funds) and support such a racist. I am perplexed that a person with a doctorate could be so tilturlv misinformed and mis guided over the course of his 50 some years of life Most of all, I am upset that when the philoso pher spoke those two out - iandishly pejorative words, quoted above. I was the only who got up and left the room (for good). Why' I wanted to scream at the zombies still planted in their seats, "What the fuck are all you zombies still sit ting here for, didn’t you hear what the man just said?” If. after having read all of the above you think this is a sting ing indictment of Hmswanger and the philosophy Ayn Rand purports and promulgates — beautiful! The so-called peace maker doesn't smell ... it stinks What results is a lack of access to career opportunities and an enormous lack of social services for those minorities who are disproportionately rep resented below the poverty line. What results is social unrest like what happened in l.A Why? Because these people are human beings with feelings, not ani mals, though they are often treated as such They have wants and desires and dreams just like anybody else regardless of their background I thought we went over all this and cleared it all up during the 1960s, some 30 years ago. but maybe at that time Hmswanger had not received his Ph.D. yet. Such a philosophy is sadly (1 would say unbelievably, tint that would be too naive. Besides, millions grunt to the tune of Rush l.imbaugh) eaten up f»y more than a million Americans. If you're reading this. Bin swangor, or even the one and only Ayn Rand herself, for that matter. 1 have a question for you both: Is she, or her, or woman, or humankind in your vocabu lary or capacity of speech? I was just wondering. lumper Brinkman is a sopho more studying political science.
