Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 8, 1994)
EDITORIAL MEChA’s message: Intimidation works ()perating under a charge of "insensitivity.” the Inci denial Fee Committee decided last week to grant a lft percent increase to the budget of MEChA, the Chi cano/Eatino student union, it was the full amount of the organization's request. More than 40 MEChA members attended the March t mooting, when the 1FC reconsidered the student union's HM14-95 budget request. The I EC had already approved the increased budget at a meeting on Fob. 1H, but later voted 5-1-1 to reconsider the budget, concerned that some IFC members particularly Kris Cornwell — felt "bul lied” and "intimidated" when they initially voted in favor of MEChA's request. Cornwell was called "very insensitive” by MEChA member Andres Montoya when she questioned whether the student union deserved a 1(> pen ent increase, and few, if anv, of the other MEChA members present at the meeting disagreed with Montoya's choice of words Whether V1h( hA was entitled to a 1<> percent increase i a mattet for debate, but it is not the issue here I'he issue is whether it was appropriate for Cornwell, or any IFC membei. to be a< r used ol insensitivity, merely lor questioning a budget increase. I'he 1F<, began this year with a pledge to not raise inci dental fees It will probably renege on that promise, but in the meantime, any and all increases that are proposed to the committee should be seriously questioned For this reason, it was not unreasonable for the IFC to vote to reconsider the MEChA budget. It doesn't matter how enti tled the MEChA supporters feel to additional funds What matters is whether the IFC members made a decision based on logic and facts, or one based on intimidation and charges of "insensitivity.” It was not insensitive to raise questions about the group’s request. That is the IFC's job. It was also not insensitive for Cornwell to move to reconsider the budget, nor was it insensitive for four of the other IFC members to support her motion. If a deci sion was made hastily, it should be reconsidered. Deci siveness is a virtue, but it is not as important as making the right decision. The problem that surfaced in the wake of this con troversy is one that appears with disturbing regularity. Those careless charges of racism and insensitivity have no place at an IFC meeting. They serve one purpose and one purpose only: to intimidate, (tailing someone a racist is a character attack it is not an argument to justify a bud get increase. As for as MEChA is concerned, it all worked out for the best. Upon reconsideration, the IFC reaffirmed its original decision to grant the organization its full 16 per cent increase, although only three of the IFC’s six mem bers in attendance voted in favor (two were opposed, and one abstained). The ultimate decision to grant the full request may, unfortunately, send a message to other groups about the use of intimidation and character attacks as bargaining tactics. In essence, the message is this. Such measures may not be subtle, but they are effective. Emerald PC BOUttt EUCfNt 0«t&0N*r*GJ The rVfV-v’ Da v f me* aid •* put* shed da»Jy W >'vlay !hrrxigh f miay dunng tb«* vrfuxW jf’.r and Tuesday and Thursday du* g the *• by the Oregon Da » \ meraid PutxjhinnC. ir-. ,i' V ril'^^vViHK^-' t t>«gw ! Ke / mend'd ope'Htes J«?pend©ntfy ' tf>« U,vwvty •r ’1, off- « i*f bwrte V* >* the f't M«) 1KW'.«4 U- and s (I <• omber » the Assooafed P*ast t me-.i*.* s i>-' vain ivoperty Thr .. aw* •»*<"•• -•& ■•-*• >* pape'% i ; -.-%«*• fat '• Managing Editor Editorial Editor Graphics Editor V reelance Editor Editor-in-Chief >»• tw- j «•, a >»• . Sports Editor \i.<j’»* Editorial Editor ■**ff i'.ifj I, Photo Editor X*" »\ •** Supplement* Editor Night Editor B.v.e* ’at* >'.i Jet* PtcfcMtfdt *.<« h.w* Sr )‘t*' Kay Sole Associate Editors I Jv. .i : Kiopf «*'»*** Sfixfcr?* ikvc- • c*1! A.r r'-w Hat**- ‘ Me*" V Commwrvify Ju!t* Swensan »*gh«r t Ji* at>oa Acfm.'ys.,fat>or News Staff M.r <jy D.t :um. hr, Bw. *>, a !e A *on Ch*' Dave Charbo-- ' eaw Am, • fumtxj. J«m Daw* Meg Oado*(V- Ary Oevenport wa Echevama Ma>*a * **d» Wa ’ i *h©e Sarah Mar*** so” Heathen* EArve* Ym l eng l ©ong. Many* Mel and Tnsta Noe' Elisabeth Raenstfama Rottve Raev©*. l a Sak *x«a Scott Simonson Stephan* S**on Su*4-'« Steffens Ju>t© Swenten M« here Thompao - Agu*ar Kev»n Tr<>p, Amy Van Tuyi [)a m West General Manager Judy <Wf Advertising Director Ma > WaVer Production Manager M '*<*© Goss Advertising: H'an Daw*. Sub- Dufta N. e Her/mark Te«esa Isabel*© J*H M,v Jere—, M»-. • Mk hat* M eft© Kv fa«N T-.;' KeH.se> We*e Classlftad: tVv:*iy Me ham. KU .*jt* V v ' Mt* a S,-* T/e 'oo Distribution Andy Et«vve> .".^n L - g (Vaham S- • ; s n Business KaV'y v itwne S.-p*rv**.v • ty t ■ ■■•"'*’■.'"'v Production I*© Mo'.Ot' »•- V,,’-." i '.Wdm.i.v- SM* \* A:>v.. . Vi eg P**VO * I I ».*uftne> Brad si Sta. > M ’•• ’y? Jr - '©r Ho a >d. Natl Thangvijif tee Newsroom J*to-5511 Display Advertising W6-37I2 Busmes* Office 34^-5512 Classified Adverlising 346-4343 r you KELP voor A/ANDS TD yoUPSLLF, SE^ATo# PACKWOoD' . j f>vrj 7u% o DIMCS1 £>/ARy n I H£LP'--~ i®. _U23 LETTERS Massacre The slaughter of innor <*nt civil ians during prayer, unarmed and unaware, feeling sei lire as they an* in the service of God, comes as a i omplete shix k This is not the work of one lunatic as the media is trying to present; there were actually several soldiers involved If there is any claim to juste e. then let it he seen now When a state is involved in covert oper ations it is not regarded as ter rorism. hut when an oppressed victim stands in the face ol a tyrant he and his kind are inline dmtely branded as fanatu s. fun damentalists and terrorists II fighting against injustice takes this forms, then it is an honorable duty It is easier to condemn people like Saddam Hussein who com mit atrocities against their own people, hut it is harder to accept that he — like many other tyrants in the Muslim and third-world countries — is sustained and kept in power by Western govern ments. vs ho are preaching dema racy on one hand and being dis couraged on the other hand (like 111 Algeria s (it'iniK rate eiot nuns nn Islamic party won) It is the duty of all humans to light against injustice and to tuai h intolerant e and l>e able to coexist with all people of the world In the nearly 14 centuries oflslnmii history Muslims have i oe\istod poamfully with all |m»o pie, esjHs uilly the lews who werv being perset tiled m Christian lands and fleeing to Muslim lands Not once have we wiped out people because of their roll gion or race, rather we have lieeii the y ictims ol genocide from the Spanish inquisition to present day Bosnia and Palestine to name a few Today our reward for tol erant e is intolerance Nawab Chakaar Director Muslim Student Association Save the seats I'd like to take some time to comment on the editorial by Steve Mims iOI)l Feb -IK! con turning the student seating at Ixis ketball games I think Mims is exactly right Coach Jerry Green inherited an ailing basketball program, a fix er-upper He took limited resources, and he did the best he could with them And what has he done? He's got a team with some talent, a team that is win ning some games, and a team that is playing top-10 teams very well lie's got a team that students are excited about and ai tually want to go out and watch, not to men tion stand the entire time and si ream their heads off like Ians are supposed to do Green asked for support, and he got it What I don’t understand is where the athletic department gets off telling student that they have to sit down so paying cus tomers can see fusing cus tomers'’ Hey. Brooks, each one of the students is paying $1,000 to $3,000 a term (plus an addition al $-' a game) to stand up and si ream at Mac Court We are the paying customers, and we will do what we wain wny i an i we have the so-called "paying « us turner's escorted out of their seats for not standing up and showing support for the team ' 1 personally think Brooks just doesn't want the basketball team to be more successful than the football team I r an see it on Ins bored fat e during the basketball games and 1 r an |ust tell he's thinking, How could 1 get this many people at the football games'” It's called excitement, Ku h People are getting sick of your lhtrd-and-10 draw plays Keep up the good work, ferry We ll i freer for you1 Ryan P Kahn English Call Brooks Our fine basketball team, lead by coach Jerry Green, fought the ninth-ranked University of Ari zona to the wire in a great game Unfortunately, a large portion of students were removed from their seats in the student section to the top balcony of McArthur Court. Their removal resulted, after paying $2, because they stood, they stomped and they cheered for their Dut k basketball team The reason for their removal, as Athlete Director Kii h Brooks stood by and smiled, was to sat isfy the demands of season tick et holders Imagine the embar rassment of being forced to be moved from your friends by secu rity guards because season tick et holders are too tired to get off their lazy asses for a team they support The ASI () and Incidental Fee Committee must take a< tion .is the athletii: department intends to use this solution fur our sea son ending games against USC and UCLA While no one asked my opinion. I’m giving it anyway. First, squeeze the athletii. depart ment's account with the 1FC and take the athletic department to court for breach of contract with the ASUO Second, the ASCO should provide leadership by w orking to find an equitable solu tion to the dilemma fat mg Brooks since he has proven himself inca pable of handling the situation in a fair manner Third, the ASUO and IFC must maintain the stu dent sei lions m their upcoming budget hearings and negotiations Finally, an apology from Brooks to all ol the students who were removed from their seats I urge all those students who were removed from their seats to let your ASUO leaders hear your displeasure And what the hell, whv not call Brooks and let him know, too Phil J. Donovan Student LETTERS Tilt! Oregon Daily Hmemld will attempt to print all letters i ontaiiling comments on topics of interest to the University community The Hnwmld reserves the right to edit any letter for length or style.
