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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 1995)
r Eugene vulnerable to gang violence Eugene may have been terribly footed. A woman who was an outspoken opponent of gangs has been arrested for some of the same activities she preached against. Mary Louise Thompson is accused of nelping plot the ghastly murder of Aaron Hurra, an 16 year-old gang member. Iturra was shot in the head bv 17 year-old fames Elstad while sleeping in a garage Wd room at his Eugene home last fall. Iturra was supposed to testify against Thompson's son in a criminal hearing. Thompson's son also was a gang member and police now consider Thompson a gang associate. Thompson's arrest, regardless of whether she is guilty, should bo a sobering wake up call for local residents. No one likes to believe that gangs could shake up a nice community like Eugene, but we need to face the reality that we are not immune to gang violence Wo can't always be fooled by nic e appearances Thompson was trusted by police and the media to serve as an expert on gang behavior She was viewed by many as a credible source and she used the story of her son's experience with gangs to convince people that gangs are a serious problem for Eugene. In fact, she was .1 i baiter member of the i itv's (Jang Prevention Task Force, If she is found guilty of helping plan the murder, she also will be guilty of deceiving an entire community. Her possible crimes make others feel naive and foolish for trusting her. Her arrest affects the credibility of all oth ers who speak out against gangs. Speakers at a University seminar this weekend said it's not uncommon for gang associates to join outreach programs or speak out against gangs in ordor to be an information link to the rest of the gang. These people could be young women or family members whose appearances don't link them to the gangs. This could ho the unfortunate case with Thompson. If she is guilty, her association with her son's gang will have proved that gongs are infiltrating our commu nity — not just the bad areas of cities like Portland and Los Angoies. Gang associates could be anywhere, and they don't have to look like the stereotypical gang mem ber to be one. The crimes they plot could be devastat ing for Eugene, Although we will probably never fall victim to the deadly drive by shootings that plague LA, we need to consider the serious threats posed by gang activity. Itur* ra s death may by a terrifying forewarning of what’s to come. The credibility and trust Thompson had gained in the community proves that anyone could be affected bv the Incredible Influence of gangs. This isn't just a problem for large cities. Eugene needs to try to preserve a safe environment. That won’t be possible unless people realize the threats we face. Oregon Daily Emerald The Otgon Dmfy f mmakt • pubtohad d*»y Monday through f nday during me kOooi ye* and Tuesday and Thursday Urtij me Summer Cry the Oagon Darfy i man*) IhbAahrg Co. Inc * lha UnhrersJty <* Oagon, t ugana. Oagon Tha fm*afc> operates ndspanderWy ol»» Ureversdy sp«h oMoaa * Sula 300 ol tha Etb Mamcnal O*on and la a murrtm ai the AiaocaMad <‘>*aa The f-w«M a private property I ha unteeitul 'amoral or uaa ol paper* « proeatutrtde by laa EdRor-trvCNet Kary Soto Managing Editor David Thom Masse Ed* Rebecca Mari* (dtolaltd* EfeMsa Daevas tjyorts t«»W Chili Meet Naan Art idHoa Jad Peatery Supplement* Editor Tnata Noai Fraatarvca Ed* Lon Butanes*. MgM CtMor Rebecca Mamet Associate f dWora Tajba ( danad* .S&xtor* Governm** Atvf«* Marraaana (daardt Oommcirvfy Tetany Sm*h. FAgh* Fc*rcahorvAr»nni»fra*cm Naara Start Sim Asbury. Amy Ccaumbo. E»* Daly. Amy l Davenport. Ehano Fontana. (Vayta Forman. Onatopn* Foa Man Clarion, Gary Gnu*. Jon Manaood, Hot Han Travel Kearney Shannon Maun. Adam Kmchar. Suianne Marla Mara MiTyre Patoc* Mmlord. Eton Montana Mutate Montgomery. Aina Moaar Komlaia. CoAaan Pohhg Sharry Ftansr, Kale Satourm, Paul Van Stckte. Sean Smdh, Km Wen*. Brian Womack denar el Manager Judy ‘ Lad A Overliving Dir actor «.n Wader Production Manager Mch*a Etna Advertising Anna Amador Acta Borges* Marco Chng. Tony f o< Eon Harsher Merle Hart mark Jar am, Mason Sarah Mtcha*. Tom MttrHstaoc* Kersey Waeaa CtaaHhed Bacfcy Merchant. Manga Ky* Dawk, Jo* Sedan Dtetnbutkon: John long I or arc Manor; Magria VC*'*> Bualnaaa: kathy Carbone. Scswvwor Judy Connody Ptoduclion DehAa McCobb. Production Cocntnmer Sherma Abate Tara Gaukrwy. (V*) JOU Jann,l* Moiand Otaykvi re* Maeraroom MAS5ll Display Advartlatng J4A37W Buainaaa Orttca MkSSI J Classified Advsrtlalng MMM3 fDO W£ fcEAUV WANT 70 ■ TAKE our Kids AND put Mb THF/V\ IN ORPWANAC>€S ? WAR£HOUS/A/G THEM WITHOUT PftaPfft bUiMNCS, TEACHING op SMqTioajal support ? 1 KWWAMS OUR OnW OPJ)Oh ■ OPINION Valentine’s Day expensive, waste of time. Gayle Forman If I see another pink heart, I swear I'm going to puke Rotes, balloons, candies, stuffed teddy bears and dumb little Hallmark slogans Boy. do I hate this holiday Valentine's Day It's come a long way from its origins as n pagan love fest These days it’s more like a spend first But I ask someone to tell me just where that love has gone in that whole Valentino's scheme of things It used to be such a lovely and loving holiday — back in kinder garten We'd make cards for our mommies and daddies from con struction paper, lace doilies and finger paint Then on the day itself, the whole class would dis tribute little-bitty i arris to the rest of the class. You either had to give a card to everyone or not give a card to anyone If you were really lucky and had a nice teacher, you would have a party with pink, frosted heart-shape cookies and purple Hi-C. Once you hit puberty howev er. Valentine's Day becomes a hell of alienation and self-doubt. If* the true separation of the haves and have nots Anybody who is — gasp — single is made to feel less than human on this holiday. Folks who don't have a "somebody special" are outcasts; they have no place in the fuzzy, pink consumer world occupied by the in-love elite As February begins — and the images of love, happiness and romance roll on in — lovebirds tome together and then go broke. Because Love American '90s Style carries a pretty hefty price tag. A one-pound box of choco lates in a red, velvet heart box c osts $22 A dozen long-stemmed roses will put you back about $60. A nice dinner for two $50 to $60 Couples rare around, try ing to prove — and pay for — their love for each other. Love is measured by the size of the stuffed Ixmir, the quality of the silk stocking and the c ontents inside the pink, heart candy box. Love American '90s Style is reserved and celebrated only on one day a year On Feb. 14. hordes of couples will feign a kind of love and romance that they don't really possess. And they'll have to spend half-a week's pay to do so. Supposedly, great numbers of unhappy people kill themselves around Christmas every year, done in by depression and lone liness 1 haven't heard any such macabre statistic for lonely hearts around Valentine's Day. but 1 wonder how many couples break up under the strain of the holi day How many people just can't live up to the expectations put upon them by Hallmark? Do peo ple who feel contented with their partner for the other 364 days of tlMt year suddenly feel inadequate because they only got six roses instead of a dozen? I'll spend my Valentine's Day watching other couples try to shove a year's worth of love into an evening I'll he waiting tables Crowds of people will corne to the restaurant where I work and spend a lot of money they don't have on a meal Many will be exhausted after a long day — Tuesday has got to be the least romantic day of the week — and couples would probably prefer spending a quiet evening at home, relaxing They will order wine that they don't actually like and a meal that ordinarily would lie ouite delicious, but these folks will order it without onions, gar lie and other flavorful ingredi ents I'm sorry, but what kind of love is it that can't withstand a little garlic pungency? If we are so scared of bad breath, how can we ever achieve any sort of intima cy? And isn't closeness and inti macy what such a holiday is sup posed to be about ? And why should we save the all this special treatment for one measly day? Why can Hallmark dictate when we do nice things for each other? I'm all for a romantic meal, and I'd never turn, my nose up to a box of choc.Or lates Hut such niceties mean so much more to me when I know that the bestower of such gifts is spoiling me because he wants to, because love has moved him to Not because the season dictates an ostentatious display of affec tion As 1 was talking to people about my anti-Valentine senti ments and this column, most agreed with me, I wonder if any body really likes Valentine's Day or if they are just bullied into tel ehrating it. Hut chances are, no matter how much anti-Valentine senti ment is produced, the holiday will never go away. So why don't we all make the best of it and return to the Valentine's Days of yore I know it's not real practical to pass out cards in ■400-person lecture classes, but maybe in the smaller classes, or maybe amongst friends. At any rate, don't save your loving and generous natures for just this one day. Be nice everyday. And for heaven's sake, don’t wear pink. Gayle Forman is a columnist for the Emerald ■ LETTERS POLICY The Oregon Daily Emerald will attempt to print all letters containing comments on topics of interest to the University community. The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or style
