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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 30, 1995)
EDITORIAL Memorial Day time to reflect on past Although the* holiday was "observed” Monday, Amer ica officially commemorates the lives of fallen American service personnel today- However, like in previous years, it is likely that tho true meaning of the holiday will bo lost on many. Memorial Day was set aside as a day to remember those people who have died in the service of their coun try In years past, parades ami ceremonies commemorat ing the dead were better attended Many people knew of someone who had died in military service, fighting for then country. Even though c lasses were not hold Monday, students should take it upon themselves to understand the rea sons for the sacrifices of those in military service who have di«*d Although war and military service tend to be unpopular bore at tho University, it is important to realize that tho major purpose of the Americ an military over the history of the country has been to protec t the United States and its interests throughout the world ' (Ivor two world wars and a number of other conflicts, the military has worked to defend the country and extend freedom and liberty to people in other countries of the world. Whether in Normandy or North Dakota, American service personnel have worked for decades to ensure that the country c an look forward to a safe and democratic tomorrow. Many University students ran only remember the cur rent peacetime era In America. War ami death, for some, is something only seen in movies and high school text hook*. However, the ! United States hits boon involved in a number of wars and conflicts this century. In past gen erations, the news of military personnel killed in battle was more common than it is today, In past years, thousands of Americans died while serv - ing the United States. From world wars in Europe and Asia to conflicts in Vietnam and the Persian Gulf to a i ivil war that threatened to end America as it is current ly known, the military has worked to protect the free dom of Amerh ans and to extend our liberties to others Americans owe their gratitude to those who have died in the line of duty for doing a job that few would do. Americans have, for the most part, forgotten the mean ing of Memorial Day. mostly her nuse the nation’s col let live memory has forgotten the tragic reality of war, If more Americans personally experienced a major war. the observance of Memorial Day would be taken much more seriously by the public. As it stands now, tire majority of those observing Memorial Day are those who have fought in battle themselves. Service personnel deserve more than that from their country. Americans should remember the true meaning and intent of Memorial Day. For those who have made the ultimata sacrifice to this country — laying down their lives for the freedom of the United States it’s the least that Americans can do. Oregon Daily PO aoi fUCCNf 0*tGOh%UC& ! N* Oag&ft CW>- f mttakt it pufc<fa*h«0 <S»rfy MondA) though f n<Jay tMing N a-choc* ytwr and Yueed&y a'kJ Thurtdey dura th« MMn« b> me Dragon Oarfy Put**h*Tg Co H the U<w«rid?y erf Ongon tugene. Oregon The independentf^ o< the IM-vtxxty * *h ofl-.ft* at So*te 300 erf the (Eft Me*' of til Union ».rxJ k« (i menvtw I th<« Associated Pr«i Th© f 'r'4twkf t% private i*ev&ri)f The umaerfirf tentova} ot u»e ot papari t» pft>MicotaCrf<a t>y Mh* Edttor*4(t-Chtef Kafy Soto Managing t WtOf { I 1 ' . i 1 ! : N*w» An Editor Fee** onto Editor Uflhm$ Thorn Hofcfc-# >W«vm Jttfi Pa*ia> t«« Ouftii ijtfin N«wt Editor Sport* Editor Supplement* Editor Wig#*t Editor HctoiKxa < > ■•'?> M Tn*ij* HchN l^iwu .1 Attoclalt Editori: Amy C&.r'-txi t»o*-*w v-n**-' 4, r»■• <?5 Mar catena r ch**«ji. Ctsrt-j ^w,'vjy. Co§e«n PfcNug. (ck*.r-,-y\, Afrv.n.&'jUin New* St»ft '.'tvp A*fxj«y R#®> ,1 M».--xty Corvoy. Amy l Davanpoel. Pt • © f of’lar .» (.MSy*» f <#*".*' i.wvlOK*. Jo# Hvwood, Kr«i Man*>, T never K«tffn*y. Shannon KJdufl, Adam k'v?-w s.*- .» iNiM.r* Mafl Mi-ft* tie Mart M Tyr# Ptf***. M*' -vrftt Ban Maatww* Matof# Mon*gom#fy, Anna Meaa» Komiaki $ha*ry Haney ttataaha ShapatCk Van S*:«a. 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I'm rending a strategi calh shaved monkey How could this impudent brat's knee-jerk reactionary fifth waste Ins time and, most impor tantly. mine? Who tares what his opinion is and whatever possessed him to think that he might actually have on opinion worth espous ing? For instant e. he actually dares to question diversity. which I am huge fan of. As long as I or any othar good liberal like Kennedy agrees with it. it should i»* protected Otherwise, it may Iks wrong. That will only load to people thinking for them solves And who could understand or comprehend his confusing yet cumbersome logic that is fuli of redundancies and is hard to understand while one reads his or her Emerald every time he or she picks up a copy of the paper while he or she is doing some thing else and still trying to wade through his difficult syn tax? How dare this so-called columnist claim the military doesn’t need to tie cut anymore? Whether we or the free world are about to In* steam rolled by some other power is beside the point What we need is a Nation al Kumbava Singing Depart ment That way. we could bring peace to all — only under a dic tatorship. At least horse-whip ping conservatives or anyone else we don't agree v\ith would l>e legal. He says that affirmative action might have some problems. What' Isn’t it pretty clear by now that yve should hire on the basis of onu s skin color? Yeah, so it's racist I'm sure more racism will make up for the racism we already have. More infuriating, though, is when writing this column, he actually uses someone only lib erals are allowed to quote Martin I.other King |r I'm not sun? where it's written, but I'm sure it's against the law I'm also sure the original leader of the Civil Rights movement would only agree with those of us on the left, especially if there's more more racism being doled out. Womack doesn't say govern ment is getting too big just in hiring practices, hut in most areas of our lives. He even attrib utes this as part of the reason for the Republicans winning in Nov ember. TIhj only people who voted for the Republicans wore a bunch of white mates All right, maybe woman did too Ok. maybe even blacks did. as well. But. I'm sum it's not the Detune • rats' fault. It’s just that 40 years isn't long enough to show Amer icans what a Democratic; Con gress can clo. Give them another 40 years, and they could realty show us how big government c an get even bigger. Of course?, that's always Inciter. In yet another example, this Bill Bennett in sheep’s clothing dared to say that America should return to some of the Judeo-ChrisUan values Like I want to hear some wide-eyed, whacked-out. right-wing. Bible Jim-type, religious zealot. Though I'm not trying to stereotype here. I do think it's pretty clear America has done pretty well when we ignore our religious heritage I'm sure bro ken-up families, war-zone school and other societal break downs are all attributable to Newt Gingric h somehow As had as I want to. I’m not going to paint Womack as an abortion-killing pro-lifer. Yet most pro-lifers are. Sure, I may not be able to prove it. But it sure sounds good for my side On that issue of abortion. Womack needs to quit his job us a columnist and make bumper stickers for Xcw l Gingrich. Womai k is sdcilv mistaken What is tie thinking when he says iihortion should be rolled bark' I really don't i are it it might be a baby in the womb Kvon if we find out 20 years Irotn now we've been slaughter ing millions of children in the name of "rights,1 I want to make sure I can do anything and everything I want. My convenience is more important It's not like it hasn't happened before So why should we change? No one has the right to purport the pro-life side — be they supplements or on the opinion page. Speaking of health issues. I am at a loss to see where this i retin is coming from on the issue of health (.are Every per son has the right to health t are just like they have the right to food, an attractive mute, cable nod "A"s in all their classes. I. for one. would like to see the government guarantee these rights. Earlier this terra, Womack said condoms aren't fool-proof I've never seen such ignorance Teenagers an* going to be having sex like packs of dogs in heat no matter what we do. Condoms are the only answer. Sure, they may not protect teenagers com pletely. but I'd rather just keep the kids in the dark If you tell them the tmth. they might actu ally start to question the left's authority on every issue it addresses Womack needs to quit his job as a columnist and make bumper stickers for Newt Gin grich. I hope they say. "Honor Diversity." Of course, he could never understand that like we do on the left Hruw Womack is a columnist for the Emerald.
