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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 29, 1995)
EDITORIAL Amazon doomed by obstructionism Activism on campus is alive and well, and so. for the time being, is the Amazon Family Mousing complex. Once again, a very determined group of people has suc ceeded in saving Amazon from the bulldozers and wrecking balls — this time by taking its case to the slate's Land Use Board of Appeals. Monday, the board granted a temporary stay against the plannee) demolition of the 50-year-old complex, until the board can fully consider the merits of the Amazon supporters’ case. If all this seems familiar, it's because it's been sw*n before Opponents of the demolition plan have fought the University tooth and nail, using every available gov ernment body from the Eugene City Council to the Oregon S«h rotary ol State to the Eugene Historic Review Board. Where they have suet ceded, they have still failed The historic designation of complex (the units are considered representative of World War ll era military housing! has delayed, but not derailed, the University's efforts to tear down the aging structures. The Secretary of State's office agreed to audit the l 'diversity's handling of Ama zon. but refused to assume the role of land-use planner in blocking the demolition. Although Amazon’s advo cates keep throwing up roadblocks, the University keeps [lushing them out of the way. Clearly, the Save Amazon Coalition and those who agree with its aims are the underdogs in this battle against the relatively well-heeled University. But as much as we are tempted to side with the underdog, we need to consider what damage is Iwing done by the coali tion's obstructionist strategy. A plan that is already In the works will move 30 of Amazon's units (two buildings) to a i ity-owned site at 200 E toth Ave. in Eugene. That plan, intended to pla cate Amazon supporters by preserving some of the hous ing, is being Jeopardized by these delays, as is any pos sibility of relocating the complex's other 244 remaining units. And the coalition's efforts, no doubt costly to the group members themselves, threatens to cost the Uni versity — and the entire student body — as well. The University says that the cost of delaying the Amazon proje< t another construction season could cost as much as $1 million. Why is the relocation option so horrible that Amazon supporters are willing to risk losing everything — the 30 initial units as well as the 244 others — rather than com promise? The "historic” nature of the buildings is pre served by moving them, and the low income housing market will suffer less if some buildings are saved than if none at all an* spared. If the appeals board decides to allow the demolition of Amazon, then Amazon's supporters should take that as their final "no,” and adopt a new strategy, one that tries to preserve the housing the only acceptable way: by moving it elsewhere. Oregon Daily *o eoi m* tuom OftCOO*y?«u O^gon Djhfy €& pUtfehed d*-’, Mbyxtay tftfoyg^ f nQm **me *N» ***>©1 »«■■» •f'd T w«*ctay and Tfxseday tt># *ymm*r by the <>«gort Oarfy [mtrid Prfteefw^ Co . W>c ai (he U»w*n*mrfy erf Oe^>x\ fe ugene. Oregon The fTe*#***}1 ope*l*t«* -xJepengentty ot in# U»' '*e*My «r*h ofhc:«* at Suite 300 o' »he £»t» M*m<yetf l>«on and 4 a memoer erf th© Aaaooesed P»oa* The f ’»«*•& 1 pttvete property The untaeM removal o» um erf paper* »* proaacwtatrft by *4N» EdttoMn Chief *afy Soto M*r\*g*nq t Otto* Editor** Editor M«w» An Editor fr—imncm Editor Pirvwl Th«yr\ Hofcb* 'Wv« J*» P<U4«y Ion Bartsnrw*' N#W t Otto* >: a Mar - m Sport* £ tffltor On* Mat; SuppMmaau Edttot Tf*u No* N»gM Editor lc*> Bai?v\iwa. • •aoctata Editor*. 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Clayton Yaa H*w%/oorn vw,., Bu6in«»B Qlftcm 34^5511 msts Dispt*y AcJw#fTiaing MM7U >••-043 8 OOgg I £ u 05 * fi ? Zi KJ 03 • J yj 03 * _ .J <5 Q cr ch O Rl&W CENTO? l Ke Political Spectrum 199^ L£FT . i* v* k< v*i e ^ Ik/s WARS WtDo k alUmm'H ? I, XJ ■ OPINION Take time to vote, further democracy Robbie. Reeves Pop quia; time How many people knew that Tuesday was Election Day in the slate of Oregon'? Next question How many of you voted? l-ist one. Did anyone care? If you answered no’ to each question, you're one of a grow ing number of Oregon's proudly apathetii population You're also a part of the problem Granted. Lane County's con tribution to the election was a number of uncontested races and one ballot measure about taxing video poker, the point is that few people bothered to mail in 1m I lots Oregon has been on the cut ting edge of trying to make vot ing as simple and effortless as possible Instead of opening up the polls and having citizens havu to go somewhere to vote for their school board, ballots are now mailed to all registered vot ers The voters then have two or three weeks to send back the ballots. Hut it doesn't seem to help. Turnout is always light So much for democracy. The same trend is evident hero on campus in the spring elections. Elections are held each spring to elect the ASUO president and vice-president for the next year Polls are open for two days for students to express their viewpoints. A whopping five minutes is required to vote About 10 percent of students took the chance to vote. That means that about 15.000 other wise-eligible voters chose not to exercise their franchise. Some people have told me that they don't vote in any elec (tons, i arnpus or statewide, lx* a use they don't fool that they can make a difference. Their vote would fust be one in the vast sea of voters out there, the argument goes. Well, the sea is a lot smaller these days, mostly because of a drought of voters fudging solely by the number of ballots cast in elections in America these days, the most braced about democ rai y in the world is made up of a bunch of people who couldn't Hive a damn who makes deci sions for them. It s important to look at the fundamental reason elections are held in the first plac e Our government is based on the principle that citizens have the right (and responsibility, I might add) to elec! representatives to represent their viewpoints m governmental bodies Hence, the term representative democracy. Using this logu.. the purpose of government in the country is defeated when citizens i boose not to vote. Another argument that people have used is that they don't know the issues and don't want to vote uninformed While this reason for not voting might Ihi more respectable than others, the logit leaves much to be desired Read the voters' pam phlet Read a newspaper once in a while Get involved Open your mind and learn what's going on. After all, this is your community and your state Ac t like it means something to you. Come to think of it. deciding not to vote is a pretty dumb idea anyway The fewer people that vote, the more each vote counts. Round up a couple dozen friends and chances are that someone out there could decide the outcome of a school board election. That was almost cer tainly the fast* with ASUO elec tions last year. Most races and ballot measures won or lost by several hundred vote. If 1,000 more people voted in the eltK tions last year here on campus, every single race and ballot measure last year could have been decided differently In several i ases, 500 votes cast another way could have changed the outcome of a fund ing measure Do you want free bus service? What it all comes down to is how motivated people are to act to bettei their t ommunities and further democracy Take a moment and look at yourself Are you willing to let the com munity around you make deci sions !o! you, about wlta rep re sen is you, or might you want to have a say in that decision? If the latter is closer to your opin ion, then get your tush to the ballot box more often. Your community needs you. Elections are coming soon on campus. Special elections are held throughout the year here iu Oregon. Take the time to study the issues and to vote. Your vote really does count, in fact, it might count more than you think. Hobbie Reeves is the editorial editor for the Emerald. ■ LETTERS A COMMENTARY POLICY I he Oregon Daily Emerald welcome* letter!! and commen taries from the public concerning topics of interest to the Uni versity community Letters to the editor must be limited to no more than 250 words, legible, signed and the identification of the writer must be verified when the letter is submitted. Commentaries should be between 600 and 800 words, legi ble, signed and the identification of the writer must be verified w hen the commentary is submitted 1 he Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or style.
