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
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■ OPINION
Dear editor: Womack’s an idiotic cretin
Bki \n Womack
To the I ditar
While reading Brian
Womack’s columns, 1
often few! 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.